As the year 2019 comes to a close, Honourable MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works, Mrs. Peggy Neliswa Nkonyeni would wish to settle for nothing but tangible community delivery outcomes that would confirm to moving the people of KwaZulu-Natal forward. She is indeed determined to see a difference from those vulnerable people of the province she serves. This comes at a consultative session that was held on 8 and 9 December 2019 at the Royal Hotel in Durban.
The gathering was aimed at strengthening the inclusion of differently enabled persons in the ‘construction and built environment’ value chain. “This time I want action,” reiterated MEC Nkonyeni strongly in her keynote address. According to her, government has been talking, government has lamented and since 25 years of democracy has come and is slowly fading from the faces and lives of the poor and vulnerable – action is paramount. The theme “ENABLE” was ideal for the event in a sense that it precisely articulated the desired, meaning ‘Encouraging and Nurturing an All-inclusive Broad-based Local Empowerment’ of all differently abled persons.
Amongst senior delegates of the provincial government who accompanied Mrs Nkonyeni were Messrs. Duma, the acting Head of Department for Public Works and Mr Zungu, the Head of Department for Human Settlements. Guests who honoured the invitation were provincial representatives from various Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) that cater for persons with disabilities. Presentations on Youth, Women and People with Disabilities were conducted by Ms Delisile Mncube and Mr Mduduzi Nhlozi from the departments Public Works and Human Settlements respectively with Ms Dlaine Duval the Director for Policy & Product Development from Human Settlements. Ms Bulelwa Mbolekwa, from the department of Health was guest speaker on the day.
Guests and attendees responded positively and robustly to MEC Nkonyeni’s call for action during the session. They were fully participative and displayed character with sense of urgency to address their concerns during the three ‘commissions’ established to sift through issues that touch the vulnerable , while the focus was on youth, women and People with Disabilities.
