KZN Legislature takes a lead in the digitalisation of its operations to meet the 4th IR challenges

The Legislature has introduced a Mobile Application (App) to digitalise our operations in line with our 2019 – 2024 Strategic Plan to transform the entire institution into a paperless environment. All Members of the Legislature have been provided with new mobile devices such as tablets where the App has been installed to enable the Members and staff to have easy access to the Legislature information wherever they are all the time.

Some important information that is available on the App include the annual calendar of Legislature activities, weekly schedule of committee meetings and sittings, documents for committee meetings and House Sittings, Strategic Plans (SP) and Annual Performance Plans (APPs) of the Legislature and provincial departments, Policy speeches, Budget speeches, SONA and SOPA, National Parliament and National Government information, Bills and Acts to mention but a few.
Training on the use of the mobile application will be conducted throughout the institution to enable the Members and staff to be conversant with the App to ensure that our institution becomes a completely digital environment.

The introduction of the mobile application aims to ensure that the KZN Legislature is able to keep up with the challenges posed by the 4th Industrial Revolution and that we use technology to work smarter and improve our productivity and efficiencies.

MEDIA STATEMENT

07 JULY 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE IN THE KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE– HONORABLE NJABULO RICARDO MTHEMBU

The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature mourns the passing of the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Portfolio Committee Chairperson; Honorable Njabulo Ricardo Mthembu. Honorable Mthembu joined the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature after the 2019 National and Provincial Government Elections. The news of Honorable Mthembu’s passing has been received with great sadness by the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.

Paying tribute, Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Nontembeko Boyce said we were still expecting a lot from him having served in the local government for 8 years.

“I would like to express our great sadness on behalf of the Legislature. Our sincere and deepest condolences go out to his family, his party the African National Congress, the KZN Legislature Family and the people of KwaZulu-Natal”. Added Boyce

Honorable Mthembu was appointed as Chairperson of the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in 2019 following the National and Provincial elections, He worked tirelessly to ensure accountability of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

“Honorable Mthembu understood the importance of the oversight responsibility on the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Portfolio Committee as a legislator and carried out its responsibilities with dignity”. Said Boyce

He also contributed greatly not only to ensuring that the department fulfils its mandate, but to the efforts to ensure improved delivery of services to communities.

His contribution will be dearly missed by all of us. May his soul rest in internal peace.

ISSUED BY THE KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER

For more information contact:
Nomusa Phungula
Office of the Speaker Media Liaison
071 851 0085/ 072 294 7237

KZN LEGISLATURE MPLs ASSESS REOPENING OF SCHOOLS AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature this morning are visiting schools throughout the province to assess their state of readiness after more than two months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The visits, which begins today and end on the 11^th of June 2020, are part of the legislature’s oversight responsibility.

These visits are taking place for the first time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the outbreak of the pandemic, teams will be much smaller than in the previous years for the purposes of observing the COVID-19 Regulations which include maintaining social distance during the meetings.

Honourable Members are checking various issues including schools’ readiness and the provision of essentials such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), sanitizers and the new sitting arrangements in the classrooms in line with the Department of Basic Education directive issued before the reopening of the schools.

Amid Covid-19 the annual workers Parliament was moved beyond virtual debate to the most affected rural workers who are most hit by the impact of the pandemic. These workers received the most needed tangible support in the form of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), Hand Sanitizers, Masks in the early hours of the morning of the 27 May 2020. It was the view of the Federations, namely, COSATU, NCTU and FEDUSA that the unity of the working class during this difficult time in the labor market can better be demonstrated by the workers lending a hand in the communities where life- saving protective equipment is running low, as there is an increased demand of these.

These are the workers that face the most challenges as they live in poor communities and work in industries that are mostly volatile in the time of the pandemic. The workers of Mandini Industrial Areas and Farm workers of Ixopo woke up to receive these protective equipments on their way to work. The Members of the Provincial Legislature and the leaders of the three Federations, hit the ground on the cold morning to give support to these workers.

“This was the continuation of our 2020 Workers Parliament which we held on the 12 May 2020. Our hearts go to the workers like these, and in our struggle for better working conditions and better wages, include the fight against the COVID-19 for every worker”, said COSATU’s Provincial Secretary Edwin Mkhize.

Whilst the Speaker of the Legislature Hon Nontembeko Boyce commended the good course by the Federations and reiterated her commitment to ensure that the resolutions taken by the Federations in their 202 parliament will “indeed be followed up in pursuit of the constitutional responsibility of the legislature namely, to involve members of our society (and in this time around, the workers) in the legislative processes of the legislature”.

The Speaker leads the team to a farm to lend a hand to the workers.

Farm Workers in Ixopo benefited from the outreach programme as part of the Workers’ Month celebration.

Members hand out Sanitizers in a bid to fight the spread of the virus.

23 May 2020

Embargo: For Immediate Release

Attention: News/Assignment Editors, Political Reporters, Reporters

From: KZN Legislature Communications Unit

RE: AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE WELCOMES DONATION OF CATTLE TO NEEDY FAMILIES HIT HARD BY COVID-19

KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development has welcomed the donation of a herd of cattle by the African Farmers Association (AFASA) and the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The donated cattle will be slaughtered and parcels of meat will be distributed to needy families throughout the province who are hardest hit by the COVID-19.

AFASA donated 30 cattle whilst the department donated 40. Yesterday AFASA delivered 23 of their donation in CEDARA and an additional seven cattle will be delivered in the next few days.

Portfolio Committee Chairperson Honourable Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha has commended AFASA for its gesture.

She said the gesture was a true spirit of Ubuntu especially because the small scale farmers including those who are members of AFASA were also hit very hard by the pandemic but that didn’t stop them from extending a helping hand.

“We call on other businesses to take a cue from AFASA and extend a helping hand to our needy communities. Government cannot do it alone. Private sector has a huge role to play. We encourage other business people to come forward and assist in the efforts of lessening the impact of the virus,” said Sibhidla-Saphetha.

Ends

Issued by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development Hon NN Sibhidla-Saphetha Cell No: 0833013622.