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Senior Citizen’s Parliament 2016 in Phongola

It is not all politics in the Senior Citizen’s Parliament, but the elderly have access to health services they need the most. At the Senior Citizen’s Parliament, held in Phongola, staff from Intshelejuba hospital are hard at work rendering the health services to the most vulnerable members of our society, the elderly. The exhibition marquee set up has been of great benefit to the elderly who hardly have taxi fares to go to clinics or hospitals for their health needs. The long distances people have to travel to access health service is a challenge to elders like gogo Simelane who had an amputated leg.

With these services the elders are assessed, others referred for specialised services if necessary, and these services include dentistry, dietetics, physiotherapy etc. Those with high blood pressure (and have their medical cards with them), are offered treatment on-site. Senior citizens of Zululand district have praised the Legislature for providing the opportunity for them to not only express their views on service delivery issues in general, but also their specific needs for health.

A considerable amount of work was done by Health Practitioners form Intshelejuba Hospital at the 
Senior Citizen’s Parliament 2016 in Phongola offering elders health services.

Amajuba Site Visits

Media Release – Amajuba Visits 2016 Download

2016 Women’s Parliament

2016 marks the 60^th Anniversary of the historic march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria by women of all races against discriminatory pass laws.

As we celebrate the Women’s Month, the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature will hold its annual Women’s Parliament on the 26^th – 27 ^th August 2016 in eNdumeni Municipality, Mpumelelo Sports field under uMzinyathi District Municipality.

Women from all six political parties that are represented in the Legislature will participate in this event. The theme of the 2016 Women’s Parliament is: “Women United in Moving South Africa Forward”.

The Women’s Parliament is part of the Legislature’s strategy to broaden public participation in the oversight and law-making processes of the Legislature and to enhance participatory democracy in KwaZulu-Natal.

People with Disabilities Parliament, which is an annual Sector Parliament, whose aim is to give disabled persons of KwaZulu-Natal a platform to raise issues which affect them daily, was held on the 4^th December 2015 at Ezakheni TVET College in Mnambithi Municipality under Uthukela District.

People with Disabilities Parliament was held under the theme “South Africa – a free and just society, inclusive of all people with disabilities as equal citizens”. Delegates who participated in discussions came from all districts of KwaZulu-Natal. The event followed the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, which was celebrated on 03 December at the same venue.

Transport Portfolio Committee intensifies oversight during Transport Month

Transport Month has seen the Portfolio Committee enhancing its oversight activities by paying visit to projects, transport facilities, and even schools across the province from eThekwini, Muziwabantu to Mnambithi Municipalities. PPRASA offices in Durban, Mdlangathi, Nkanyezi KaManchi and Colenso Combined Primary schools in Harding and Ladysmith respectively were part of the schools covered by the oversight visits, particularly to inspect learner transport.

Hon Moodley and Kaunda doing bus inspection in Ladysmith.

Hon Kaunda gathering information from one of the bus drivers. Behind Hon Moodley carries on with the inspection.

The Committee expressed disappointment at the condition of buses used by learners to attend schools. Broken windows, defects in wipers, brake lights, were just a few of many faults found in the buses. However the buses at Colenso Primary schools seemed to be in better conditions compared to buses inspected in Harding. In both schools the Committee instructed the Road Transport Inspectorate to inspect the buses and provide a report as a matter of urgency, and these reports would be shared with the Department of Transport for speedy

Members of the Committee inspect road D911 and D912 KwaMachi after which they proceeded to the KwaMachi Traditional Council to a stakeholders meeting.

A visit to a newly constructed permits center for taxi owners in Ladysmith has been welcome by all for the impact it has on the industry. “If you have forgotten any documents, you are able to go back home and come back immediately to finalise your application for a permit, and get back to business”, unlike when it was centralised in Durban, said the Chairperson of the Taxi Industry in Uthukela.

Delivering the opening remarks in Ladysmith where all stakeholders in the transport sector were present, Hon Kaunda said, “no solutions can be found through the barrel of the gun, why fight over taxi routes, this land cannot be stretched to accommodate more routes so why can’t we accept that”. This is a black run business that we can be proud of, however, this cannot be a lucrative business if we fight over routes”.

There are other business ventures that we can explore, workshops for taxis, you can go out and seek funding for such ventures. Let’s stop violence, and focussing on growing the business. He added that business owners must negotiate with commuters when they are to increase taxi fares so that communities feel part of the industry. “We would like to see that, dialogue takes place and ensure that there is good working relations between yourselves and your clients”, Kaunda concluded.

Hon Shelembe takes down finer details as he inspects the bus, capturing finer details from the bus driver.