Gauteng MEC Lebogang Maile engages Merafong residents during Khutsong South community outreach
Community members raised concerns about education, sports and community development as MEC Lebogang Maile outlined plans to improve schools and strengthen public participation across Gauteng.
Community members from Merafong were invited to a community outreach meeting on Thursday, 2 July, at the Multipurpose Centre in Khutsong South.
The campaign was initiated by the Gauteng MEC for Education, Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Mr Lebogang Maile. The meeting was informative as it addressed issues in the Departments of Education, Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, while giving community members an opportunity to raise their concerns and grievances at the beginning of the meeting.
The drive was a call to all communities in Gauteng West to share their views under the slogan, “It takes a village to raise a child through community engagement.”
The MEC committed himself to transforming education for a better Gauteng by building an education system that is inclusive, equitable, safe and responsive to the realities facing Gauteng communities.
He is visiting communities to inform residents, stakeholders, parents, artists and sports activists about the state of affairs in the Departments of Education and Sports, while also outlining the departmental budget. He explained how the national budgeting process functions and discussed ways in which finances could be saved and redirected to sports and recreation, where there is a fiscal shortfall, noting that a large portion of the budget is allocated to the Health Department.
Maile encouraged communities to be solution-orientated by considering different approaches, such as public-private partnerships. He used the Gautrain as an example, explaining that it is now owned by the government after the completion of the agreed repayment period to the company that built the rail system.
He also highlighted the importance of improving conditions at local schools across Gauteng by implementing surveillance systems to monitor crime and violence, as well as introducing digital systems to better regulate learners and students.
The meeting was productive and gave community members hope. Following the engagement in Khutsong South, the MEC continued his community outreach programme with visits to Simunye, Bekkersdal and Munsieville.
