Nyandeni Local Municipality Mayor, Councillor Zamekile Nondlevu, has identified five key priorities for the municipality in the next five years of the local government term from 2021 to 2026.
The five key focus areas for the municipality, according to Nondlevu, are building a responsive municipality and an active community, building and growing the local economy to create employment, improving the outlook of municipal towns to attract investment, planning a massive infrastructure roll-out for human and economic development, and ensuring agile political and administrative leadership.
Nondlevu was speaking during his official inauguration ceremony held at Dan’s Country Lodge on January 27.
He was elected as Nyandeni Local Municipality mayor on November 22 following the local government election on November 11, 2021.
“We promise to serve our communities without seeking to enrich ourselves, let alone our own families or other people associated with us in one way or another.
“We want to make it clear to everyone here that this institution is only meant to serve the poor communities that make up our municipality not to help officials with fingers on the public purse,” Nondlevu said in his speech.
“We will not tolerate corruption in whatever form it presents itself. Corruption is a cancer that eats away at the very moral fibre that makes up our establishments. In fact, corruption steals from the poor and must be dealt with decisively and all of us must have an uncompromising attitude towards corruption and not tolerate it,” Nondlevu continued.
The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Eastern Cape Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Xolile Nqatha, who officially enrobed Nondlevu with his mayoral gown and mayoral chain.
Nqatha implored Nondlevu and his leadership collective to strive for responsive leadership, strengthen public participation and follow due processes.
“Municipalities are the sphere of government closest to our people and if governed properly they have the ability of bringing about tangible change in the lives of the people,” Nqatha remarked.
OR Tambo District Municipality Deputy Executive Mayor, Thokozile Sokhanyile, pledged the full support of the district municipality to the local municipality in its service delivery strides, while also calling for people-centred governance.
