Media Statement

25 January 2023

JOINT OVERSIGHT EXERCISE BY KZN AND GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURES

KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s Public Works Portfolio Committee together with the Gauteng Legislature’s Infrastructure Development and Property Management Portfolio Committee this week visited King Dinuzulu Hospital in Durban and Tongaat Special School to conduct oversight as mandated by the constitution.

The Gauteng Legislature MPLs were in KwaZulu-Natal as part of the Inter-Provincial Legislature visit to exchange best practices on strengthening oversight and public participation within the legislative sector.

On Tuesday Gauteng MPLs joined KZN Legislature’s Public Works Portfolio Committee in Ixopo’s Peace Initiative Hall where the Public Works Committee had a Stakeholders Engagement with the people of Harry Gwala District.

Stakeholders Engagement is a legislature initiative which seeks to enable communities to actively participate in the governance of the province and to influence how resources are allocated and prioritised.

Officials from the Department of Public Works also attended the meeting and were able to report on the department’s projects in the province and also in the Harry Gwala District.

Dozens of people including councillors, traditional leaders, contractors and members of the community attended the stakeholders’ engagement.

During the visit to King Dinuzulu Hospital Public Works Department officials reported on frustrations experienced by the department as a result of business forums which disrupt developmental projects demanding to be appointed as service providers.

Honourable Mpho Modise, whp chairs Gauteng Legislature’s Infrastructure Development and Property Management Portfolio Committee, said this problem is not only experienced in KZN but is also prevalent in Gauteng.

“The painful thing about this is that these forums sometimes do not have the required skills and once they are given an opportunity to sub-contract, they sell that to a service provider who has required skills and attributes,” said Modise.

The two committees then proceeded to Tongaat Special School which has been rebuilt to do the walk-about and inspect the progress on the construction of the school.

Ends

SCHOOL FUNCTIONALITY AND MONITORING PROGRAMME

KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Speaker Honourable Nontembeko Boyce has postponed the Schools Functionality Monitoring Programme which was scheduled to take place between 25-27 January 2023 until further notice.

09 November 2022
Embargo: For Immediate Release
Attention: News/Assignment Editors, Political Reporters, Reporters

WAR-ROOMS FUNCTIONALITY MONITORING REVEAL UNRESOLVED CHALLENGES IN MOST WARDS

Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature this week (8-9 November) were deployed throughout the province to assess the functioning of War-Rooms which were established to facilitate a well-co-ordinated, collaborative and inclusive service delivery to communities.

This is part of the legislature’s mandate to ensure that service delivery indeed takes part in our province.

The legislature adopted the War Rooms Functionality Programme in 2018 as part of its constitutional mandate to exercise oversight over the executive arm of government.
Whilst a lot of good work was observed in a number of War-Rooms throughout the province Honourable Members also noted a number of challenges including the following:
• Lack of infrastructure such as office space, computers and other tools to support War- Rooms to function optimally.
• Lack of co-operation from a number of government departments who are almost always unavailable to attend War-Room meetings and report or listen to issues affecting communities in that specific ward.

• A need to improve working relationship between War-Rooms and institutions of traditional leadership especially in rural areas to tackle developmental issues and criminality including gender based violence.
The fact that almost all wards have War-Rooms was noted as a positive development from which the province needs to build on strengthen the work of War-Rooms.
Eleven teams were deployed in all districts and Ethekwini Metro to assess the work of the War-Rooms and each team visited about six war rooms in each district.
All spheres of government, national, provincial and local, as well as civil society players participate in war rooms to deal with issues affecting communities that need government intervention.
Ends

Issued by KZN Legislature Communications Unit

For more information please contact Wonder Hlongwa at 0829083532

31 October 2022
Media Advisory

As part of its Public Participation programme, KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, will engage the people of Harry Gwala District in a two-day sitting known as Taking Legislature to the People.

This programme is part of the institution’s efforts to facilitate participation of the public in the governance of the province.

The two-day sitting in the Greater Kokstad Municipality follows the multiparty visits by Members of the Legislature in July to all local municipalities under Harry Gwala District where they met with communities to listen to their service delivery issues which need government intervention.

The two-day sitting takes place as follows:

• Dates: 3 – 4 November 2022
• Venue: Bhongweni Youth Centre, Greater Kokstad Municipality, Harry Gwala District
• Time: 9h00

The media is invited to attend and cover the event or follow the proceedings on the KZN Legislature social media platforms.

Ends
Issued by KZN Legislature Communications Unit
For more information please contact Sina Nxumalo at 0829083532