Mpumalanga ready to host Presidential Imbizo

Preparations are well underway for the Presidential Imbizo to be held next Wednesday at the Sy Mthimunye Stadium in the Emalahleni Local Municipality, Nkangala District, Mpumalanga.

Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane is expected to welcome President Cyril Ramaphosa and Cabinet Ministers for the District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo.

About 3 000 people across the province, including traditional leaders, civil society organisations and labour; women, youth, persons with disabilities and business representatives are expected to attend.

Mtshweni-Tsipane says the imbizo is a vital pillar of participatory democracy and will offer the citizens an opportunity to engage the President on developmental issues.

“Mpumalanga is more than ready to host the Presidential Imbizo. We are inspired by the President’s decision to afford our citizens an opportunity to engage him and to share solutions on service delivery challenges. This view is based on the previous Imbizo, which was held in Gert Sibande District,” the Premier said.

Mtshweni-Tsipane said the Imbizo seeks to entrench government’s ‘Leave no one behind’ perspective, as the country marks 30 years of democracy.

She encouraged citizens to use all available measures, such as posting of messages through social media, to share with the President.

Proceedings will be shared live on various platforms, including radio and tv stations as well as a Facebook livestream on the Mpumalanga Provincial Government page and Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) social media pages.

The Presidential Imbizo affords all social partners, government, traditional leaders, civil society organisations and communities an opportunity to collectively engage on how to best address the immediate challenges and to create conditions for long-lasting stability and development.

This public participation platform was informed by the country’s participatory democracy that enjoins citizens to make their voices heard, especially in their own development and service delivery. – SAnews.gov.za