'OSS' Paid Special Attention to the Emadlangeni Local Municipality
Story by Vusi Shabalala & pictures by Gugu Mtshali
On Wednesday 30 January 2019, the Provincial Cabinet and its entire Administration team headed to
Amajuba District Municipality with a special focus of driving the Operation Sukuma Sakhe (OSS)
programme with purposeful realisation. Emadlangeni Local Municipality was one amongst those
municipalities that attracted but equally welcomed the OSS Cabinet Day’s intensive scrutiny with a view
at addressing serious socio-economic and other community development strategies that demanded
service delivery improvement within the area for the benefit of Government and its citizenry.
As the Province of KwaZulu-Natal will be joining South Africa when holding its sixth democratic national
and provincial elections, the Acting Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Honourable Mr Sihle Zikalala and the
Provincial Executive will ensure that ‘OSS’ forms part of a democracy that will guarantee a voting
process embraced by free and fair environment.
A jovial mood: Inkosi Zwelihle Mabaso with MEC Ravi Pillay
Like all other Members of the Executive Council, Mr Ravigasen Ranganathan Pillay – MEC for KZN
Human Settlements and Public Works, accompanied by Mr Themba Mavundla – the Head of
Department for KZN Department of Community Safety and Liaison and other senior government
delegates visited Emgundeni, a rural area of KwaMabaso Tribal Authority in Ward1B. The area,
commonly known as Gelykwater is under the traditional leadership of Inkosi Zwelihle Mabaso.
During the walkabout to various sectors of Ward 1B, it has been evident that Government has still a lot
to do in order to reach out to the communities. Socio-economic challenges that usually emerge
sporadically and seem to diminish the hopes of a better life for a destitute child, which Government
has imprinted into peoples’ minds and souls. Emadlangeni Local Municipality had to receive special
attention due to common community problems experienced by communities. Crucial problems include
inadequate water and sanitation services, lack of schools’ learner transportation system, household
without electrification system, dilapidated road and schools infrastructure. Yes, mistakes have occurred
and Government acknowledged. Now, it is time for action to register change through progress rather
than talks and promises. This was a strong sentiment reiterated by MEC Pillay during community
engagement session.
Inkosi Mabaso has been quite clear on how he would wish to see Emgundeni and the nearby
surrounding areas being elevated to economic success. The provisioning of adequate school support
systems such as transportation for the learners and appropriate land provisioning for agricultural use
were pillar subject matters of concern which he addressed with MEC Pillay during the ‘briefing and
community engagement sessions’. It is therefore understandable and agreeable that constant
interaction with communities through ‘OSS’ is and will always remain core for the establishment of
peoples’ satisfaction levels on Government’s responses to the provisioning of basic services. On the
other side of the coin, it is worth pleasing to realise how the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
makes things happen in order to continue making lives of ordinary people advance.
Inspection of a damaged water pipe in one of the areas visited
Concisely, the OSS Cabinet Day has paid ‘special’ attention to the Emadlangeni Local Municipality, which
has at least 6 Wards to handle, taking into account that 5 Wards that belong to the Newcastle Local
Municipality were added to have a total of 11 Wards for consideration and support. This means, there
is more to deliver with less or minimal resources. This may remain a challenge for any government.
However, it also leaves an agenda for change in an era of economic meltdown and austerity. Therefore,
what is required most as priority is for the Province of KwaZulu-Natal to possibly: develop capabilities
needed to drive a large-scale transformation and restructure its approach to managing community
development state; radically redesign public services to improve quality of service and cost efficiency;
strengthen functional leadership and capabilities across government to support delivery.
The Province of KwaZulu-Natal is not the first government to face the need for improvement in service
delivery. Therefore, no one country or province will probably provide a model solution for KwaZuluNatal unless it does by itself. The Province of KwaZulu-Natal has a very strong record in innovative
government through ‘OSS’. The United Nations has often seen this as a source of best practice in the
design and delivery of public services. However, more of the same will be insufficient, so learning from
the experience of others is also an important part of driving transformational change across
government in the years to come.