By REGINALD KANYANE
South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to visit the embattled North West province on 12 March 2022 in quest to institutionalise the District Development Model (DDM).
Following the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA), Ramaphosa will undertake the DDM Presidential Imbizo to Mahikeng.
The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) spokesperson, Lungi Mtshali said in a statement that, Ramaphosa will be accompanied by the North West Premier, Bushy Maape and various Cabinet Ministers including the DDM champions, North West Province MECs, Mayors and Councillors.
“As per the President’s message in the 2022 State of Nations Address (SoNA), the government must work for the people. This speaks to the need to build an ethical, capable, and developmental state that delivers on its mandate.
“To this effect, being a public-participation platform, the Presidential Imbizo to the North West will provide government an opportunity to assess the level of service delivery in the province, to assess the extends to which Section 100 intervention was successful, assess the extent to which DDM has been institutionalised,” Mtshali said.
According to Mtshali, this will also provide Ramaphosa with an opportunity to listen to the people and respond to their concerns and recommendations.
He said the Presidential Imbizo will assist to highlight challenges and unblock any blockages to service delivery in line with the District Development Model (DDM), which is an all of government and society approach that enables integrated and responsive planning, implementation and budgeting through the ‘One Plans’.
“Ahead of the Presidential Imbizo on 12 March 2022, a number of build-up events will be held led by national, provincial and municipal leadership. The programme of stakeholders engagements, community meetings, walk about in communities and high traffic areas like Shopping centres and taxi or bus ranks and door to door engagements,” said Mtshali.
He said the communities will during this period be given an opportunity to ask questions and receive answers to issues that concern them.
“Some of the questions will be responded to during the Presidential Imbizo event taking place on 12 March 2022. In line with the COVID-19 pandemic regulations, attendance of the Imbizo will be limited to two thousand community members,” he said.
Mtshali said for those who won’t be able to attend physically, a provision has been made to broadcast the speeches live through various platforms (Radio Stations, TV channels and social media platforms).
In 2018, the North West province was ravaged by #SupraMustFall protests and that forced Ramaphosa to put it under Section 100.
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