Legislature Hosts A Successful Senior Citizens’ Parliament Amid Level 1 Lockdown

The 2020 Senior Citizens Parliament had a resounding success despite the country still under Level 1 Lockdown due to the COVID-19 epidemic. On the 2nd October, the Legislature gathered delegates of senior citizens from all districts of KwaZulu-Natal, in their annual parliament that provides the elders with a platform to debate issues affecting them.
Amongst the important issues that were discussed included the issue of long queues at pension pay-points, the killing of elderly women by young boys for their pension monies, provision of housing for elders and those with physical challenges also top the agenda. Members of the Executive Council (MECs) from various departments also took to the podium to address the elders on the programs of their respective departments that seek to better the lives of the elders in this province.
The day ended with an address by the Speaker of the Legislature Hon. Nontembeko Boyce who promised that all resolutions that were adopted by the Senior Citizens will be followed upon by relevant portfolio committees of the Legislature to ensure swift implementation of those resolutions by provincial departments. She also appealed to the MEC for Community Safety to ensure maximum availability and visibility of SAPS at pension pay-points to guarantee the safety of the elders and that the crimes pertaining to elderly abuse, GBV be given a priority and should be dealt with as a matter of national crisis.

Premier Portfolio Committee Conducts Oversight Visits To Youth Business Enterprises Funded By The Youth Economic Empowerment Fund

From 16 to 17 October, the Premier Portfolio Committee conducted oversight visits to various youth empowerment business enterprises funded by the KZN Youth Economic Empowerment Fund which is in the Office of the Premier.

The Youth Economic Empowerment Fund has a budget of 50 million in this financial year and aims to fund more businesses owned and operated by the youth throughout KZN. The projects that have been visited during the two days, benefited from the Fund to the tune of 2 million each.

The Committee visited various youth owned businesses in Umkhanyakude, King Cetshwayo and Amajuba Districts that have benefited from the fund. The businesses that were visited includes Elamawele Logistics which is run by two young males based in Mtubatuba. The company is contracted to Thendele Colliery to transport coal to various destinations such as Richards bay (Transnet/Grindrod), Mpumalanga province and other areas.

The committee also visited the company based in Dlangubo in Empangeni which is involved in farming vegetables. Gelanison currently uses an open-field system while they await the configuration of their ten greenhouse tunnels earmarked for the intensive system that allows the farmers to produce a high yield of product in the smallest possible space and probably shortest possible period.

Other business ventures visited included RPSM Chirwa based in Esikhawini which deals with recycling to combat climate change and unemployment. The following day, the committee visited MSI Empire group based in Newcastle which specializes in coal exploration. The company plans to venture into a value chain project with a company known as South African Calcium Carbide, a company that uses coal to produce high-grade calcium carbide. The last visit went to Khumalo Aggregate owned by a youth male who runs a rock mining operation outside Newcastle town.

This is in line with the Committee’s oversight responsibility to monitor the effectiveness of various programmes of the Premier’s Office especially those that are targeted at youth development and empowerment.

14 October 2020
Embargo: For Immediate Release
Attention: News/Assignment Editors, Political Reporters, Reporters
From: KZN Legislature Communications Unit
RE: KZN LEGISLATURE ESTABLISHES TWO SPECIAL AD HOC COMMITTEES

KwaZulu-Natal Legislature has established two special ad hoc committees which will deal with issues relating to investigations of corruption and the other one will deal with land claims and related matters.
This week both committees sat, separately, for the first time to go through the terms of reference and elect chairpersons of the two committees.
Ad hoc committee on investigations, which is led by Hon Maggie Govender, will focus on, amongst other things, investigations that were conducted but for which there was no outcome such as implementation of recommendations or even submission of reports.
“The lack of swift intervention and appropriate action taken against offenders identified in investigations, often also results in irrecoverable financial losses by government.

“Lack of implementation of recommendations of investigative reports often also
culminates in a failure to address inadequate systems of control and the failure to
implement adequate risk management strategies,” said Hon Govender, who is also
chairperson of SCOPA in the Provincial Legislature.

The other committee is led by Hon Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha, who also chairs Agriculture and Rural Development Portfolio Committee and its task include working with other stakeholders in investigating bottlenecks in issues relating to land claims in the province.
It is hoped that, in the interest of transparency and rooting out corruption, all stakeholders will co-operate with the committees. Members of the public who may be in possession of information that could be of assistance to the committees are also encouraged to contact the two committees.

Ends

Issued by KZN Legislature Communications Unit

28 September 2020

Embargo: For Immediate Release

Attention: News/Assignment Editors, Political Reporters, Reporters

From: KZN Legislature Communications Unit

RE: KZN LEGISLATURE HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE VISITS TRANSIT CAMPS

KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements will tomorrow conduct a two-part oversight exercise focusing on the state of transit camps for informal settlements (Olindela) in Ethekwini Metro.

The two-part oversight exercise will begin with a meeting where the committee will receive reports on the state of the following transit camps:

1.Quarry Heights Transit Camp

2.White City Transit Camp

3.KwaMshayazafe

4.Tongaat- Greylands

5.Outstanding Projects in Ward 59

The second phase will be the visits by Members of the Portfolio Committee and other stakeholders to the abovementioned transit camps. Details of the briefing meeting are as follows:

Date: 29 September 2020

Time: 09am

Venue: Mkhanyakude Boardroom (Archie Gumede Conference Centre) Public Works Offices in Mayville

Members of the media are invited to attend and report accordingly. For more information please contact Wonder Hlongwa at 0829083532.