ANC Ward 92 councillor, Jabulile Dlamini believes that she can make a difference in the lives of the community she has been elected to serve.
Ward 92 includes areas of Clermont, Indunduma, Fennin and Extension, KwaDabeka A and Westville North.
Dlamini said she was first a member of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and was among the first group of people who received membership to the UDF when it was launched in 1983.
She joined the ANC in 1990. She served as treasurer of the Nduduma branch and was later appointed deputy secretary of the same branch. In 2001, she served as secretary of the Osbourne Mthunywa branch and was voted in as the chairman of the branch.
She is also a district member of the SACP and has been the chairwoman of the Osbourne Mthunywa’s Women’s League.
“The challenges we have in this ward include unemployment, housing and crime is on the increase. I believe that if we can try and create job opportunities and equip people with skills crime could decrease. I am not saying that people should steal just because they are unemployed but it does play a big part in the increase of crime,” she said.
Dlamini said the number of unemployed young people was growing by the day. “I want to start a youth desk where they can get assistance in furthering their studies and get skills training. Young people need to stand on their own two feet and create ideas that can help them start their own businesses and earn an income. With the youth desk, I hope to tackle the issue of whoonga which has destroyed so many young people’s lives,” said Dlamini.
She said one of her priorities was to engage with people from the Westville North.
“I think we have not connected with them in this ward and I want to engage and work with them. There has been a drastic increase of crime in that area and we need to work together and find a way forward,” said Dlamini.
The eThekwini Municipality recently held training for the elected ward councillors and Dlamini said it had really helped her a lot and given her more confidence in her ability to do the job.
“They taught us how to deal with various challenges and I can now say I am ready to serve the people,” she said.
