Mpumalanga Mirror April 2021 Edition
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4 News<br />
<strong>Mpumalanga</strong> <strong>Mirror</strong> / <strong>April</strong> 29, <strong>2021</strong><br />
<strong>Mpumalanga</strong><br />
submits input on<br />
Expropriation Bill<br />
JABULANE KHUMALO<br />
<strong>Mpumalanga</strong> was the second<br />
province to be visited by the<br />
Portfolio Committee on Public<br />
Works and Infrastructure<br />
for Public Hearings on the<br />
Expropriation Bill.<br />
The four-day public consultation<br />
programme held under strict<br />
Covid-19 guidelines in the<br />
province kicked off from <strong>April</strong><br />
15 at Bushbuckridge Local<br />
Municipality followed by<br />
Mbombela Local Municipality the<br />
following day. On <strong>April</strong> 17, the<br />
hearings were held in Msukalikwa<br />
Local Municipality and concluded<br />
in the Thembisile Hani Local<br />
Municipality.<br />
The purpose was to gather<br />
input from the public on the<br />
Expropriation Bill to revoke the<br />
existing Expropriation Act of 1975<br />
to provide a common framework<br />
in line with the Constitution.<br />
This is to guide the processes and<br />
procedures for expropriation of<br />
property by organs of state and<br />
to provide for certain instances<br />
where expropriation with zero<br />
compensation may be appropriate<br />
in the public interest.<br />
The plight of farm dwellers<br />
dominated the Public Hearing in<br />
Msukaligwa Local Municipality.<br />
The committee said it will refer<br />
all allegations of human rights<br />
abuse against farm dwellers to the<br />
relevant committees in Parliament.<br />
While residents expressed their<br />
support of the bill, they also<br />
pointed out to the committee about<br />
the severe living conditions on the<br />
farms. They added that they hoped<br />
the legislation will rescue them<br />
from the abuse by landowners.<br />
The plight of farm dwellers<br />
dominated the Public<br />
Hearing in Msukaligwa<br />
Local Municipality<br />
African National Congress’s,<br />
Committee Chairperson<br />
NolithaNtobongwana, said all<br />
views and submissions that did not<br />
belong to the committee will be<br />
referred to the relevant committees<br />
in Parliament. Although the<br />
Bill received some opposition<br />
and support at Mbombela,<br />
some participants expressed<br />
concern over Chapter 5 of the<br />
draft legislation which mentions<br />
compensation for expropriation<br />
and they called for that part to<br />
be removed from the Bill. Some<br />
participants told the committee<br />
that the Bill was not explicit in its<br />
definition of the concept of “public<br />
purpose and public interest.”<br />
Submissions from various<br />
stakeholders including traditional<br />
leaders, organisedlabour, farmers<br />
and civic organisations, among<br />
others made their submissions in<br />
Bushbuckridge and Thembisile<br />
Hani.<br />
There were mixed feelings<br />
from community members,<br />
with some supporting the draft<br />
legislation while others felt that<br />
processing the Bill should be<br />
put on hold until Parliament has<br />
concluded amending Section 25<br />
of the Constitution to allow for<br />
expropriation of land without<br />
compensation.<br />
Minster of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane addressing the youth during a Tourism Imbizo.<br />
“FULFILL YOUR PROMISES IN ORDER TO UPLIFT<br />
COMMUNITY” - YOUTH TELL GOVERNMENT<br />
YOLISWA HLATSHWAYO<br />
EMBALENHLE- Young people called<br />
on government to fulfill its promises for<br />
communities to be uplifted.<br />
This was at a Tourism Youth Imbizo<br />
recently hosted by the Minister of Tourism,<br />
Mmamoloko Kubayi- Ngubane, as well as<br />
Govan Mbeki Local Municipality with the<br />
African National Congress Parliamentary<br />
Constituency Office.<br />
Participants were given a platform to<br />
raise their concerns on various issues from<br />
youth unemployment, substance abuse<br />
and opportunities that exist within the<br />
MBOMBELA – Premier<br />
Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane and the<br />
Executive Councilheld their first<br />
physical meeting since the advent<br />
of COVID-19 pandemic and made<br />
landslide decisions that will foster<br />
efficient governance from provincial<br />
and local government entities.<br />
It was resolved during that meeting<br />
after receiving the audit report on<br />
the provincial government and as<br />
part of its mandate, to ensure good<br />
governance, the Executive Council<br />
will execute the rotation of all Chief<br />
Financial Officers and Senior Supply<br />
Chain managers.<br />
It’s been reported that this is in<br />
an effort to remove bottlenecks<br />
that are embedded in institutions<br />
by familiarity. The decision is also<br />
informed by the recent audit outcomes<br />
released by the Auditor General<br />
highlighting poor internal controls,<br />
amongst others, as a reason for poor<br />
audit outcomes.<br />
In the same vein during the same<br />
meeting, it was resolved to place<br />
Lekwa Local Municipality under<br />
administration in accordance with the<br />
provisions of Section 139 (1)(b) of the<br />
Constitution.<br />
This decision is informed by the<br />
instability in the Council that has<br />
adversely impacted the delivery of<br />
services.A team from the Provincial<br />
Government, led by an administrator,<br />
will be stationed at the municipality<br />
to ensure that it functions and restore<br />
services to the people.<br />
The Executive Council resolved<br />
tourism sector.<br />
Speaking during the question and<br />
answer session, was a group of youths who<br />
expressed disappointment in government.<br />
Among them, was MphoNzale who<br />
said many young people feel they are<br />
excluded from programmes and at most<br />
times, are never informed about events or<br />
developmental programmes taking place.<br />
“We are a generation that is exposed to<br />
a whole lot of things, yet opportunities<br />
are limited. It’s not like there’s nothing<br />
to showcase or that we do not want to be<br />
professionals one day. We are aspiring<br />
leaders and wish to accomplish more, but<br />
Executive Council makes landslide decisions<br />
to conduct, through the Department<br />
of Co-Operative Governance and<br />
Traditional Affairs (COGTA), an<br />
investigation in accordance with the<br />
provisions of section 106 (1) (b) of<br />
the Municipal Systems Act upon<br />
Dipaliseng Local Municipality based<br />
in Balfour..<br />
This follows the receipt of a number<br />
of complaints by COGTA related<br />
to financial mismanagement at the<br />
Municipality. However, the Executive<br />
Council applauds the municipality for<br />
its efforts in trying to rid itself from<br />
corruption and working together with<br />
the provincial government to ensure<br />
clean governance.<br />
On the positive side, the Executive<br />
Council has resolved to uplift the<br />
intervention at the Dr JS Moroka<br />
Local Municipality. It received a<br />
progress report on the intervention<br />
at the municipality, and noted<br />
the positive developments at the<br />
municipality.<br />
It’s been reported that the<br />
Municipality has returned to financial<br />
and administrative stability, this has<br />
resulted in the municipality being able<br />
to deliver basic services to the people<br />
of Dr JS Moroka.<br />
The work done at the municipality<br />
by the administration shows the<br />
commitment of the Provincial<br />
Government in making sure that<br />
municipalities serve communities.<br />
This municipality will serve as<br />
a benchmark for the provincial<br />
government in its bid to restore<br />
municipalities.<br />
information is not shared accordingly.”<br />
Former substance abuser, JomoMotaung<br />
pleaded with officials to consider recovering<br />
addicts for opportunities, stating that most<br />
are often discriminated against, especially in<br />
communities.<br />
The minister emphasised on the<br />
importance of rehabilitation with<br />
reintegration. “Rehabilitation is not just a<br />
journey, but a process and others are not<br />
accepted in their communities because of<br />
their mistakes in their past. We need to<br />
consider them as well and work around<br />
programmes for everyone to fit in,” said<br />
Kubayi- Ngubane.<br />
Child Support Grant (CSG) is<br />
meant for the child’s basic needs<br />
MBOMBELA – The South African Social<br />
Security Agency reiterates that the child support<br />
grant is aimed at assisting parents to provide<br />
basic needs of the child. Parents or guardians who<br />
misuse the child support grant are violating the<br />
right of a child and expected healthy living.<br />
According to SASSA’s provincial spokesperson,<br />
SeneniNgubeni, “Any deviation from the purpose<br />
of supporting the child’s needs according to the<br />
Social Assistance Act, will be deemed as abuse or<br />
neglect to the child and classified as a criminal act,<br />
which is punishable by law. “Good parenting and<br />
ubuntu values of society must not allow anyone<br />
witnessing such to keep quiet whether within a<br />
family, neighbour and in communities. Starving a<br />
child due to parents or guardians’ social needs is a<br />
destruction to the future of the country.<br />
“A child support grant payment must be<br />
received by a person who takes care of a child on<br />
a daily basis. If the grant is received by the parent<br />
who does not stay with a child and not transfer<br />
the money to the care giver, that person must be<br />
reported to SASSA offices and also open a criminal<br />
case at the local police station.<br />
“Requirements to receive CSG must be a<br />
primary caregiver (the person responsible for<br />
the child), South African citizen or permanent<br />
resident, If you are single receiving less than R4<br />
000 per month and if you are married and getting<br />
R8 000 per month combined.<br />
“The child, to qualify, must be under 18 years<br />
old, not be in the care of the state institution and<br />
live with the primary care giver in South Africa,<br />
who is not paid to look after the child.<br />
“For more information contact our toll free<br />
number: 0800 60 10 11 from 08:00-16:00 during<br />
week days Monday to Friday,” he concluded.