On Friday, April 17 Umtshezi Local Municipality launched their Back to Basics programme. The launch was themed “Let’s move South Africa Forward.”

Municipal staff, councillors, passers–by and Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) staff gathered in Phillip Street. The essence of the ‘Back to Basics’ approach is to create conditions for decent living by consistently delivering municipal services of the right quality and standard. This includes planning for the delivery of infrastructure and amenities, maintenance and upkeep thereof as well as the budget for this.

“I am privileged that the launch is taking place within ward four, and I am glad the initiative has surfaced,” expressed Ward Four councillor, Ugan Chetty. Ms Jikela from the Co-operative Governance Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Department based in Pietermaritzburg joined municipal staff.

She encouraged all present to play their role in order for the ‘Back to Basics’ approach to succeed. Mayor Bongani Dlamini delivered his speech regarding the ‘Back to Basics’ strategy and he also touched on the recent xenophobic attacks and expressed his disappointment. He went on to encourage EPWP staff to be punctual for work and actually do work until knock off time, provided there are lunch breaks.

Thereafter EPWP employees were grouped and assigned to specific parts of town to clean up. The aim of the strategy is to encourage local municipalities to become positively functional canters of good governance. Ms Z Qwabe entertained the crowd. The launch of the programme ended with councillors and municipal staff picking up litter around town. A local businessman who was met with what he described as “hundreds of municipal staff” blocking his business entrance in Phillip Street was not pleased and said that business owners should have been notified.