The KwaZulu-Natal Premier’s Service Delivery Imbizo has taken place at Mpophomeni in the Umngeni Local Municipality amid fears that it might be disrupted.
Earlier, there were exchanges of words between the leadership of the DA-controlled Umngeni Municipality and the premier’s office over the venue.
Addressing members of the community, Premier Nomsa Dube-Ncube outlined their plan to fight youth unemployment.
“We do have programmes that we have initiated; one of the programme is the employment of youth ambassadors that are responsible for tourism. We also have other plans of employing health ambassadors, and those are young people that get trained to work with communities and teaching them about cleanliness and a healthy lifestyle.”
Umngeni Municipal Manager Mzingisi Hloba insists that the venue, which is at the centre of controversy, was not booked on time by the provincial government.
“There has been confusion in the request for the booking from the premier’s office, where the premier’s office initially requested that the booking of the venue be confirmed from the 10th to the 13th. But later, we were verbally informed that it would be the 15th. And we told them to give us in writing that the date will be the 15th, but we told them that the stadium is no longer available for the 15th due to mayoral games. We have never received any confirmation in writing from the premier office for the change of venue and the change of date.”
