Community engagement held as part of the KZN Operation Sukuma Sakhe Cabinet Day in the eMatheni area - Ward 12, under Nongoma Local Municipality
ZULULAND DISTRICT: On Sunday, 27 August 2023 the KwaZulu-Natal Cabinet took a solid stance to directly confront service delivery challenges facing communities in the jurisdiction of the Nongoma Local Municipality under Zululand District.
As part of a Cabinet Resolution implementation, the MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works, Mr Sipho “KK” Nkosi directed his team of government technocrats, to act on his behalf, by engaging on a-face-to-face interaction with the community of the Ematheni area in Ward 12, where the KwaPhumulefile Luncheon Club and the Fuduka Crop Production community projects were visited.
The intention of the aforementioned visits was to play a parliamentary oversight role attached to Members of the Executive Council (MECs) as part of a constitutional mandate to ensure provision of government services to the people of KwaZulu-Natal.
It is against this backdrop that, the MEC deployed his foot soldiers to put an ear on the ground, provide practical solutions and also present government interventions where possible.
The KwaPhumulefile Luncheon Club was founded and established in 2012 by a group of retired women from the Maphophoma and KwaDabhasi area in Nongoma, in an intention to provide catering services and also ensure the wellbeing of local elderly people who are unable to take care of themselves.
These 27 elderly women who are part of the project which offers its services only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays specialize in hand work, nutrition and also participate in the annual District Golden Games for Elderly People as introduced by government and directly hosted by various Municipalities in the province.
According to government information archives, Golden Games are designed to improve physical and mental health amongst older persons and promote exercising, encourage elders to do physical activities and promote active ageing.
This women entity which operates under the guidance of Princess T.P Zulu offers its services in a piece of land donated by the local Mbatha Clan for mixed agricultural usage purposes.
KwaPhumulefile Luncheon Club
The second leg of the programme saw a visit to the Fuduka Crop Production project, a-32 000-hectare farm which was initially founded in 2005 and officially registered in 2013 as Fuduka Corporation.
The farm boasts 11 beneficiaries, 6 females and 5 males who are directly attached to production activities consisting of sorghum, maize, sweet potato, potatoes and dry beans with fresh produce being sold within the neighborhood.
A portion of land owned by the Fuduka Crop Production entity in Nongoma
Following a presentation of a ward profile, social ills affecting the proper functionality of the ward include, among others, substance abuse, stock theft and unemployment.
Bread and butter issues raised at Sigubudu Community Hall in a quest to solicit government interventions received maximum attention, when, on behalf of the community, Ward 12 Cllr T.M Ndwandwe outspokenly lauded the provincial government for visiting the underprivileged communities in an endeavor to change their lives for the better. The day ended with the handing over of items for the Club Development competition.
Story and images by Siyathuthuka Mthembu
