[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

President Mbeki will participate in an Imbizo in the North West Province from 25 - 27 April 2003.

This sequel to the recent Imbizo Focus Week will be the President's fifth provincial Imbizo in the last two years following Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Free State and Gauteng.

While in the North West Province the President will visit agricultural, housing, health, educational and community driven projects to view progress in delivery of basic services, economic growth and development and improvement and/or challenges under which people live (see programme below). In addition, the President will also participate in the door-to-door social security registration campaign.

The Imbizo will culminate in the National Freedom Day celebrations on the 27th of April at the James Motlatsi Stadium in Orkney.

Imbizo helps build a people's contract for a better South Africa, in which all citizens are active participants in changing their lives for the better. It reflects the emphasis government places on the need to work together to sustain and speed up implementation of the programme to build a better life for all.

As a result of the President's Imbizo in the Free State in April last year, Leseding Technical High School has now received more than 30 computers from the Provincial Department of Education and Telkom.

Having listened to the people of Bekkersdal during the President's Imbizo in Gauteng, national government will work with both the provincial and local government to introduce public works programmes in this area. The experience of Imbizo helped give impetus to the initiative to introduce the new echelon of Community Development Workers into the public service.

During the President's Imbizo visit to Phiriagae Secondary School in Limpopo in April 2001, he and the Premier heard a passionate plea by a student, on behalf of pupils, teachers and the community, on their desperate need for facilities and infrastructure. Since then the government has constructed an administration block, a four-classroom block and a laboratory; drilled a borehole; purchased two computers and a photocopier.

PROGRAMME FOR THE NORTH WEST PRESIDENTIAL IMBIZO (25 - 27 APRIL 2003)

FRIDAY, 25 APRIL

08h00 - 09h00: National Youth Commission's Young Farmers' Agricultural Project, Lichtenburg
09h30 - 10h15: Visit to Mokgola Rural Housing Project, Mokgola
10h45 - 11h30: Mailakgang Primary School, Mafikeng
11h45 - 12h15: Door-to-Door Social Grant Registration, Motlhabeng
12h30 - 13h15: Address to the North West House of Traditional Leaders
14h00 - 17h00: Imbizo, Montshioa
18h30 - 20h30: Stakeholders Forum, Mafikeng Airport

SATURDAY, 26 APRIL

09h00 - 10h15: Madibogo Clinic and Rathou Community Health Centre, Setlagole
10h50 - 11h20: Bicycle hand-over, Ganyesa
11h30 - 12h15: Ganyesa Wild Silk Project, Ganyesa
13h00 - 16h00: Imbizo, Ganyesa
18h00 - 19h00: Imbizo-on-air phone-in radio programme (Motsweding, Bop TV, Radio Sunshine, Radio Bop and Community Radio Stations in North West)

SUNDAY, 27 APRIL

10h00 - 12h00: Freedom Day Celebrations James Motlatsi, Orkney, North West Province

Enquiries:

David Hlabane, The Presidency, Cell: 082 5619 428
Harold Maloka, Government Communication (GCIS), Cell: 082 847 9799
Mogomotsi Mogodiri, Office of the Premier, North West, 083 626 3062

Issued by GCIS, 22 April 2003
<EOD>