ROCK of Ages church was full to bursting when Ward 57 councillor, Thembinkosi Maswana (ANC), handed sports kits over to the Sakhingomso Sports Club (SC), Tomorrow Stars FC and Newcastle NC. Vukuphile Soup Kitchen also received cooking equipment.
Maswana highlighted that each councillor has been allocated discretionary funds by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to uplift the standard of the community through community projects and sport.
“These funds do not belong to the councillor; they have to be used for community sport, community projects, churches and many more. So this R100 000 must be used for the purpose that it is intended. These funds must be managed properly to make the difference in the community.”
“All councillors get discretionary funds annually, but if they are not used the councillors must explain why,” said Maswana. “The funds are returned to the municipality if the ward councillor has not received any application from their ward.
“Application forms for the discretionary funds are available in each ward councillor’s office.”
Sakhingomso SC, Tomorrow Stars FC and Newcastle NC received playing kit, balls and other sports equipment while Vukuphile Soup Kitchen received a gas stove, refilled gas cylinder, pots, buckets, plates, dishes, spoons, trays and two 20-litre buckets.
Newcastle NC chairperson, Natasha Mange, Tomorrow Stars head coach, Bongani Tom, Sakhingomso SC representative, Tebogo Bali, and Vukuphile Soup Kitchen manager, Celiwe Ntanjana, thanked Maswana for making a difference to their community.
“Thank you very much, councillor, because you have restored the dignity of clubs,” said Mange.
Tom also thanked Maswana on behalf of Stars for coming to their rescue.
“Our ward councillor has made a huge difference to our community because his assistance has helped to minimise crime in our community,” said Bali.
Before, we used our stoves and other equipment as the staff of Vukuphile Soup to cook for the community members, but that is the thing of the past,” added Ntanjana. “We are very grateful that our ward councillor has made a change in our lives.”
