South Africa – President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday lead government’s interaction – in the form of a District Development Model Presidential Imbizo – with communities and stakeholders in the Matjhabeng Local Municipality in the Free State .
The Presidential Imbizo will take place at the Kopano Indoor Sports Centre in Thabong, Welkom, within the Lejweleputswa District Municipality .
This will be the 11th Presidential Imbizo led by President Ramaphosa since March 2022 .
The Matjhabeng gathering marks a return visit to the province by the President following a Presidential Imbizo in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in April 2022 .
During the 2022 engagement, 42 community members, representing the seven regions of the Mangaung Metro, voiced their concerns to the President .
The towns represented in this discussion included Van Stadensrus, Soutpan, Dewetsdorp, Wepener, Thaba Nchu, Botshabelo and Bloemfontein .
“Under the theme ‘Leave No One Behind’, this week’s visit will allow the President and other leaders in government to assess progress made [and] to be briefed on challenges associated with the improvement of service delivery since the President’s previous engagement with communities,” the Presidency said in a statement .
The Matjhabeng municipal economy is mainly anchored on the mining of gold and uranium and it is the hub of the Free State Goldfields .
The Lejweleputsawa District Municipality consists of five local municipalities, which accounts for a third of the province which is made up of the local municipalities of Matjhabeng, Masilonyane, Nala, Tswelopele and Tokologo .
Ahead of this week’s Imbizo, national, provincial and local government as well as state entities have embarked on pre-Imbizo build-up programmes across the province .
These activities are undertaken to stimulate communities’ participation in the Imbizo and to assist residents with services they may require or other challenges they wish to report .
“Thus, this Imbizo will also take stock of the progress made since the last Presidential Imbizo in the province .
“As an interactive platform, the DDM Presidential Imbizo allows communities to engage and interact face-to-face with the President, Ministers and the provincial and local leadership face-to-face .
“The District Development Model enhances integrated and sustainable service delivery through the maximisation of intergovernmental planning, budgeting and implementation towards creating inclusive economic opportunities for locals,” the Presidency said .
The DDM also aims to intensify the delivery of services, promote social cohesion and advance the developmental state agenda, in line with the National Development Plan, and Growth and Development Strategies of the province .
The participation of leadership from the national, provincial and local is directed at maintaining accountability by public office bearers and the administration and promoting collaboration .
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