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29 Feb 2012

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize and MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation Ms Ntombikayise Sibhidla today launched the Provincial government’s Operation Sukuma Sakhe Programme in the rural areas of the Zululand District.

Operation Sukuma Sakhe Programme (formerly known as the Flagship Programme) seeks to institute food security, fight disease, in particular HIV, AIDS and TB, and poverty, to empower women and youth, and to instil behavioural change amongst the citizens of the province.

Dr Mkhize first visited Nhlazatshe, outside Ulundi, where he handed over a house to a Dhlomo family.

Another recipient of a house, Gogo Lenah Mhlongo, of Mnyathi’s Ward 5, gave a detailed account of how her house was blown away by storms in 2010. “The storm did not even last that long, but suddenly we were sitting outside, with the house gone,” said Gogo Mhlongo.

To date, 30 houses that were damaged by storms in 2010 and last year have been completed, with close to 200 nearing completion. Dr Mkhize was accompanied by members of the Al Imdaad Foundation, which donated 40 bicycles and 60 food parcels, wheel chairs, soccer kits and volley ball kits.

Dr Mkhize said Sukuma Sakhe is a platform where a number of issues can be discussed and resolved, like poverty, disease, unemployment and crime among others.

“If hunger was a visible enemy, and you could see it enter your neighbor’s house, people would perhaps call out for help, but his thing is invisible. This is why we need to have War Rooms in every ward so we can answer questions of children without birth certificates or people without ID documents,” said Dr Mkhize.

Dr Mkhize said the War Rooms will resolve the issue of accessibility of government services, where services can be at close proximity with communities.

He said the community must also be represented at the War Rooms, because they all have a role to play in resolving issues affecting their ward.

“It is impossible that we’d fail to resolve these problems if we all come together and work at resolving these problems.”

For more information, contact:
Regi Khumalo
Media Liaison
Cell: 079 751 6108
Email: regi.khumalo@yahoo.com

Ndabezinhle Sibiya
Premier’s Spokesperson, 
Cell: 082 375 4742
Email: sibiyand@premier.kzntl.gov.za

Issued by: KwaZulu-Natal Office of the Premier
29 Feb 2012

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