DEAR Editor:-
The year 2020 will go down in the annals of history as a year of global crisis that saw the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus) threatening to obliterate the human race and ravage economies of almost all nations.
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The decisive action taken by world leaders, in general, and South African president Cyril Ramaphosa to fight Covid-19 focusing more on preventative measures is commendable.
It is heartening to note that our country is in safe hands as the president wasted no time in declaring a national state of disaster and lockdown that compel everyone to stay at home for 21 days.
In my new capacity as president of the Institute for Local Government Management of South Africa (ILGM), I call upon all fellow local government practitioners, especially municipal managers and their respective management teams to adhere to all laws, regulations, by-laws, policies, procedures and statutory resolutions pertinent to the state of national disaster declared by the president so that the national lockdown will yield the desired outcomes of flattening the curve as regards to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the ILGM, we will do everything within our means and sphere of influence to put all hands on deck in rebuilding our municipalities and communities beyond the national lockdown and national disaster.
We call upon all municipal essential service employees and management teams to render essential municipal services in the most professional manner that will make fellow South Africans consider it an honour and privilege to be a South African.
Let the spirit of patriotism and ubuntu prevail especially during the next 15 days. Let us turn the crisis that beset us into an opportunity of fostering national unity and love for fellow human beings.
It is not the situation that matters but the decisions taken when you are in that situation.
God bless South Africa! God bless Africa! God bless the world!
MAXWELL MBILI
President of ILGM
