The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) at its 10th Provincial Conference in September 2015 in the St George Hostel, Irene, Tshwane, adopted one of the National General Council’s resolutions, namely the National Development Plan (NDP).
Sanco’s resolution on the NDP states that: “The principles of the Freedom Charter and some components of the National Developmental Program in Vision 2030, inspire us to ensure that the program of Social Transformation is high on the agenda of Sanco as a civic organisation. Sanco is about people-centricity and people-driven development and a value system based on Human Solidarity.
It is therefore important that pillars of a caring society are promoted with the intention of driving social cohesion among society”.
The Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe placed emphasis on the NDP, outlining how the draft by the National Planning Commission serves as a vision for South Africa for the next 20 years. He went on to say the NDP was a road map to a South Africa where all would have water, electricity, sanitation, jobs, housing, public transport, adequate nutrition, education, social protection, quality healthcare, recreation and a clean environment.
The Minister also launched the National Imbizo Focus Week on 11 November in Mogale City. This enlightening event, held at the Chief Mogale Hall in Ward 11, Kagiso 2, attracted a large number of community members, including the Ward 11 councillor Jeremiah Molebatsi Jim, as known as “Bishop” to his constituency. He had come to listen to the candid group of West Rand District Municipality Mayoral Committee members, the Mogale City Local Municipality Mayoral Committee members and Radebe, who organised this gathering.
This type of Imbizo emerged as one of the big Imbizos being held around the country in support of Radebe’s designated National Imbizo Focus Week.
The Minister’s visit emerged as an attempt to assess the impact of service delivery in the area. Sanco sees this programme as a giant step in intervening in the country’s poorest communities to improve the quality of life of South Africans at grassroots level.
The event was co-hosted by Eunice Segatlhe from Mogale City and MMC Diteko Moroetsenye, from the West Rand District Municipality.
Community members had a mixed reaction towards the Minister’s speech. Some were very happy with what the Minister in the Presidency has done for them, and others said that the message of the day was loud and clear: “Service delivery”.
Members of the public were also offered a platform to pose questions to the Minister.
