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29 September 2004

President Thabo Mbeki will visit Mpumalanga province from 30 September to 2 October 2004. The visit is part of government Imbizo programme aimed at promoting interactive governance. Premier Thabang Makwetla and the provincial executive council will accompany the President.

President Thabo Mbeki's visit will cover three district municipalities of the province Nkangala, Gert Sibande and Ehlanzeni District Municipalities. During the visit the President will be afforded the opportunity to visit projects, interact with the people and listen to what they have to say about government's implementation of the programme of action. Imbizo provides an opportunity for communities to demonstrate practical partnerships with government in the quest for a better life.

The theme of the Imbizo is: Building a people's contract to build a better South Africa and a better world.

The visit follows similar visits in Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Free State, North West, Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu- Natal.

The President will on 30 September start the Imbizo in Nkangala District Municipality with a visit to Vosman in Witbank to interact with stakeholders of Sebataladi Vosman Safety Project. Sebataladi project is a crime prevention project led by the police and police volunteers. Vosman is one of the presidential nodal points, which received special mention by the President as crime hotspot in the province.

The visit will proceed to the launch of a Presidential Housing project in Emalahleni and followed by an interaction with beneficiaries of the Water Reticulation and Roads Project in Middleburg. In the evening the President will attend a meeting with a wide range of provincial stakeholders in Witbank.

The second day will start with a walk-about in Daggakraal in Gert Sibande District Municipality and proceed to a newly built Piet Retief Hospital in Piet Retief. The Imbizo will be held at Mandla Magudulela Stadium. The day will be concluded with a one hour Interview with the President and the Premier with the SABC Radio's at 18:00 * 19:00.

On 2 October, the President will visit the Swalala Bakery Project in Ehlanzeni District Municipality, which is part of the governments Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP). Then visit the Masoyi Disabled Centre in Swalala to interact with the disabled sector and finally proceed to an Imbizo meeting in Ga-Manoke Open Ground in Burgersfort.

MPUMALANGA PROVINCE PRESIDENTIAL IMBIZO
30 SEPTEMBER 2004 - 2 OCTOBER 2004-09-28

DAY 1: THURSDAY - 30 SEPTEMBER 2004

NKANGALA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

08:00 - 09:00 - Sebataladi Vosman Safety Project, Witbank
09:15 - 10:15 - Emalahleni Presidential Housing Project, Witbank
11:00 - 12:00 - Water Reticulation and Road Project * Middleburg Extension 24
13:00 - 17:00 - Imbizo, Mabande Comprehensive High School, Phola Township, Ogies
17:30 - 19:30 - Provincial Stakeholders Meeting: Witbank Civic Centre, Witbank

DAY 2: FRIDAY - 1 OCTOBER 2004

GERT SIBANDE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

08:30 - 10:00 - Daggakraal Cluster Project and Walk-about, Daggakraal
11:00 - 12:00 - Piet Retief Hospital, Piet Retief
13:00 - 16:00 - Imbizo, Mandla Magudulela Stadium, Piet Retief
18:00 - 19:00 - Imbizo-on-Air phone-in radio programme, SABC Studio- Nelspruit

DAY 3: SATURDAY - 2 OCTOBER 2004

EHLANZENI DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

08:30 - 9:30 - Swalala Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) Bakery Project, Swalala
09:45 - 10:45 - Masoyi Disabled Centre, Swalala
12:00 - 15:30 - Imbizo, Ga-Manoke Open Ground - Burgersfort

Enquiries: Ntime Skhosana
Cell: 084 673 0415(Premier's Spokesperson)
Bheki Khumalo
Cell: 083 256 9133(President's Spokesperson)
Harold Maloka
Cell: 082 847 9799 (GCIS)

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
29 September 2004