News – KZN Legislature

AS PART OF THE ONGOING #WORKERSMONTH CAMPAIGN, KZN LEGISLATURE SPEAKER HON. NONTEMBEKO BOYCE AND DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON HON. OB KUNENE VISITED N3 HIGHWAY SERVICE STATIONS—ENGAGING WITH PETROL ATTENDANTS AND THE PUBLIC TO PROMOTE ACTIVE CITIZENRY AND PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY.

In continuation of the Workers’ Month campaign, the Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Hon. Nontembeko Boyce, accompanied by the Deputy Chairperson of Committees, Hon. OB Kunene, visited service stations along the N3 Highway. This visit formed part of the Legislature’s public participation programme, aimed at engaging with petrol attendants and members of the public to promote active citizenry and participatory democracy in the province.

The programme also served as a public awareness campaign to educate communities about the role and functions of the Legislature, the Constitution, and key legislative processes. Through these engagements, the Legislature strives to foster a deeper understanding of democratic governance and encourage meaningful involvement in legislative programmes.

This initiative is in line with the Legislature’s constitutional mandate to promote public participation and ensure that all workers, including those in vulnerable sectors, are heard, informed, and empowered about their rights and responsibilities. It underscores the Legislature’s commitment to inclusive governance and the protection of workers’ rights.

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As part of the ongoing #WorkersMonth campaign, KZN Legislature Speaker Hon. Nontembeko Boyce and Deputy Chairperson Hon. OB Kunene visited N3 Highway service stations—engaging with petrol attendants and the public to promote active citizenry and participatory democracy.

Exchange of Experiences on Modernizing National Governance and Professionalization of the State between China and South Africa.

The Deputy Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Hon. Mmabatho Tembe, together with Hon. Andile Biyela and Hon. Mongezi Twala, has officially concluded participation in the exchange seminar titled “Exchange of Experiences on Modernizing National Governance and Professionalization of the State between China and South Africa.”

The seminar took place in Beijing from 7 May to 27 May 2025, and formed part of a strategic partnership between the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and South Africa’s National School of Government (NSG).

The programme aimed to foster mutual learning between South African and Chinese institutions, focusing on innovations in governance, administrative reform, and the professionalization of public service.

The Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Hon. Nontembeko Boyce accompanied by Deputy Chief Whip Hon. McDonnell Coley engaging with petrol attendants and members of the public to promote active citizenry and educate the public about legislature and participatory democracy in the province.

The Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Hon. Nontembeko Boyce accompanied by Deputy Chief Whip Hon. McDonnell Coley through the legislature programme of public participation today visited several garages across the province to engage with petrol attendants and members of the public to promote active citizenry and educate the public about legislature and participatory democracy in the province.

As a token of appreciation, the Speaker gave a small gift to petrol station workers, acknowledging the unique challenges they face in the workplace.

This initiative forms part of the Legislature’s constitutional mandate to promote public participation and ensure that even the most vulnerable workers are heard, informed, and empowered about their rights.

By visiting selected petrol stations and engaging with the public, the Speaker is reaffirming the Legislature’s unwavering commitment to inclusive, responsive, and people-centered legislature where every worker counts.

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The Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Hon. Nontembeko Boyce accompanied by Deputy Chief Whip Hon. McDonnell Coley engaging with petrol attendants and members of the public to promote active citizenry and educate the public about legislature and participatory democracy in the province.

KZN Legislature commemorates Africa Day

The 25th May marks the commemoration of Africa Day across the African continent. Every year, the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature commemorates Africa Day which marks the birth of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) which was founded on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia to free the continent from the bondage of colonialism and to forge the unity and solidarity amongst African states. The OAU is a forerunner of the now African Union (AU), which South Africa is a full member. This year Africa Day is commemorated under the theme “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”.

The KZN Legislature will be commemorating Africa Day at its Legislature precinct through various activities including displays of African flags, books, magazines, posters and other material that reflect the history of the African continent and the struggles waged by African countries to free themselves from the yokes of colonialism and oppression from external forces of imperialism.

Kwazulu-natal Legislature Social Development Portfolio Committee Conducts Oversight Over The Vuma Youth Development Academy In Eshowe, King Cethshwayo District Municipality On Wednesday, 21 May

The Vuma Youth Development Academy admits only male students and can accommodate 60 individuals who are drawn from Youth exiting the foster care system, Youth who completed the diversion programmes of the KZN Department of Social Development, Youth who have completed the drug rehabilitation programme, Youth identified through Operation Sukuma Sakhe’s War Rooms, youth with special needs and Youth identified through Youth Structures, funded by the Department of Social Development.

• Community house building

• Hospitality

• Plumbing

Members of the Legislature are elected by the people and conducting oversight over government projects is a core mandate of the Legislature. Oversight offers MPLs the opportunity to view firsthand what’s happening on the ground and Committees have the power to summon the departmental officials to respond to the observations MPLs make on a range of elements including budgeting, infrastructure, mismanagement, human resources.

Chairperson of the Social Development Portfolio Committee, Hon Noluthando Dlamini stated that even though the condition of the Vuma Youth Development Academy is at an all-time low, all hope is not lost and the committee resolved to apply maximum pressure on the department to implement a turnaround strategy to address shortcomings in this project. She further stated that the committee will follow-up with all stakeholders on an ongoing basis to monitor whether improvements were made.

Deputy Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Hon. Mmabatho Tembe, along with Hon. Andile Biyela and Hon. Mongezi Twala attending a strategic exchange and sharing session in Tianjin City, China.

Deputy Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Hon. Mmabatho Tembe, along with Hon. Andile Biyela and Hon. Mongezi Twala, is currently attending a strategic exchange and sharing session in Tianjin City, China. This engagement brings together various stakeholders from the private sector and forms part of a broader exchange programme being hosted in Beijing.

The delegation is participating in a seminar themed “Exchange of Experiences on Modernizing National Governance and Professionalization of the State between China and South Africa.” The initiative is designed to promote mutual learning and cooperation between the two nations, with a focus on effective governance practices and institutional development.

This strategic initiative is a result of a growing partnership between the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature and South Africa’s National School of Government (NSG), aimed at strengthening state capacity through international collaboration.

The exchange programme started on the 7 May and will end on the 27 May 2025.

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Deputy Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Hon. Mmabatho Tembe, along with Hon. Andile Biyela and Hon. Mongezi Twala attending a strategic exchange and sharing session in Tianjin City, China.

Hon. Nontembeko Boyce, Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, at the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Africa Regional Sensitisation Workshop held at the Parliamentary Building in Kigali, Rwanda.

As part of the programme, Speaker Boyce is delivering a presentation on “Enacting Complementary Legislation that Supports the Implementation of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.” Her contribution underscores the Legislature’s ongoing commitment to promoting inclusive governance and the advancement of women’s rights across the continent.

This high-level workshop brings together women parliamentarians from across Africa to engage on critical strategies and legislative measures aimed at achieving gender parity and empowering women in the African continent.

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Hon. Nontembeko Boyce, Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, at the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Africa Regional Sensitisation Workshop held at the Parliamentary Building in Kigali, Rwanda.

Workers’ Parliament in 2025 – Another platform to address Workers Issues

The KZN Legislature continues to provide the labour sector with a platform to raise issues that affect them. To this effect, the Legislature gathered at its annual Workers Parliament event on 16 May 2025 as part of the Workers Month to bear testimony to this commitment.

The historical sacrifices of Workers were celebrated in Darnacol in Amajuba District on the 16 May 2025. The Legislature describes this year’s Workers Parliament as another huge success. This parliament saw a gathering of three major Federations in the Province, FEDUSA, NACTU, and COSATU.

The 80 delegates parliament held under the theme Unite for Jobs, Reject Austerity, Build an Economy for All, kicked off on the 15 May where four Commissions discussing various topics or issues that affect the working class were deliberated on, and these were Challenges, Compliance, and Opportunities for Worker Empowerment with a special focus on Current energy and mining challenges, Pillars of the Mining Charter, specifically the beneficiation and workers’ conditions, Mining rights and community impact: Spotlight on Dannhauser. Strengthening Compliance and Justice for Workers in KZN, OHSA compliance and investigations, Ballito, SAPPI/FARMUSA fatalities, and exploitation and undocumented foreign workers and the Employer accountability and intervention strategies. These were amongst many other issues discussed.

The parliament ended on the 16 May 2025 with resolutions to address the above challenges. “Indeed, we were able to reflect on the challenges facing our workers, and we made a clarion call through the resolutions to our government to intervene where necessary to improve working conditions of the working class. We look forward to next year as the Premier will deliver on the milestone his government will have gone to implement the resolutions”, said Cosatu Provincial Secretary, Edwin Mkhize.

On this International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature stands in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community and reaffirms its commitment to upholding the rights, dignity, and equality of all people.

This day serves as a powerful reminder thatdiscrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression has no place in a democratic and inclusive society. As the legislature, we recognise the urgent need to promote tolerance, challenge harmful stereotypes, and protect the fundamental human rights enshrined in our Constitution.

We call on all citizens of KwaZulu-Natal to embrace diversity, celebrate individuality, and stand together in the fight against hatred and injustice. Together, we can build a province where every person is free to live, love, without fear or prejudice. #pride🌈 #internationaldayagainsthomophobiatransphobiaandbiphobia

Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Hon. Nontembeko Boyce, officially hosted the 2025 Workers’ Parliament at the Durnacol Sports Complex in Dannhauser, under the Amajuba District. Held under the theme “Unite for Jobs, Reject Austerity, Build an Economy for All,”

Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Hon. Nontembeko Boyce, officially hosted the 2025 Workers’ Parliament at the Durnacol Sports Complex in Dannhauser, under the Amajuba District. Held under the theme “Unite for Jobs, Reject Austerity, Build an Economy for All,”

The Workers’ Parliament is a vital platform for fostering participatory democracy. It enables workers’ unions and related stakeholders to engage directly with government on matters impacting their sectors.

Proceedings began on 15 May 2025 with Commission sessions, allowing Federations to raise and explore pressing challenges affecting the workers across the province.

KZN Premier Hon. Ntuli also addressed the workers parliament, presenting a report on the progress of resolutions adopted during the 2023 worker’s Parliament . His feedback aimed to chart a path forward on unresolved issues and reinforce government’s commitment to building a worker-centered economy.

Sectoral parliaments like this continue to ensure that all voices, especially those of workers are heard and factored into policy making processes.

#WorkersMonth #KZNLegislature #WorkersParliament