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Government will embark on an Imbizo Focus Week from 31 March - 6 April 2003. At least nineteen (19) members of the Cabinet including Deputy President Jacob Zuma will participate in the Imbizo programme in more than three hundred events across the country, interacting with the public.

This will be the fourth Focus Week, since the Imbizo programme was initiated by government in 2001 as a period of intensified activity where all spheres of government, national, provincial and local, interact with the people across the country.

Imbizo has been widely acknowledged as an effective forum of for enhancing dialogue and interaction between government and people. It provides an opportunity for government to communicate its programme of action and the progress being made. It promotes participation of the public in the programmes to improve their lives.

The theme for this Imbizo Focus Week is "Imbizo. Build a People's Contract for a Better South Africa!" This expresses the emphasis government places on the need to work together, in partnership, to ensure that we sustain and speed up progress to better the lives of all South Africans.

The programme brings particular emphasis on poverty alleviation a priority of government's priority. The Focus Week falls within Health Month, and a number of programmes revolve around the provision of quality health care services and expanded access to sanitation, as well as intensifying the fight against Cholera.

Amongst the first events for the Imbizo Focus Week on March 31, 2003 is the inauguration of the Vaalbank water project by the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry at Chris Hani District Municipality in Eastern Cape. Ministers of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Safety and Security and Social Development will, on the same day, be doing their Imbizo in Eastern Cape and Gauteng respectively.

On April 3 and 4 2003 the Deputy President will conduct Imbizo in Limpopo province. He will be joined by some national Ministers, as well as the Premier and his Executive Council.

The Imbizo Focus Week will be followed by the President's Imbizo visit to the North West province from April 25-27. This will be the fifth Imbizo visit by the President to a province - following visits to Limpopo Province in April 2001; Eastern Cape in October 2001; Free State in April 2002; and Gauteng in October 2002.

The Imbizo Focus Week program is available on the government website: http//www.gov.za or call 0800 314 446.

Enquiries: Harold Maloka on 012 314 2148, 082 847 9799

Issued by Government Communication and Information system (GCIS)

26 March 2003