Makhuduthamaga councilors taken through an empowerment session
Jane Furse
The Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM) Councillors have recently partook in an intensive capacity building workshop that was focusing on various policies of the local municipality.
The councillors got first-hand information on the roles of sector departments within the jurisdiction, as well as rules ordering the functioning of the council and its committees amongst others.
This is so that, the councillors will gain knowledge and skills that are required for them to acclimatise themselves on the running of the municipal institution and to also respond effectively to the needs and expectations of communities for them to enjoy responsive and prompt services.
As part of the programme, the councillors were equipped with knowledge and skills on how the municipality is able to respond to risk management, its policies and factors that are associated with risk internal control, the municipal commitment to this areas and how it identifies future risks and mitigation strategies.
Other programmes deliberated on the day were issues around how the municipal roll-out of infrastructure and EPWP initiatives are able to impact on the lives of communities and the area.
Various sector departments, such as Eskom, were given a platform to outline their projects in the area of MLM jurisdiction and various challenges confronting the power utility, such as power outage and as well as its response to the availability and the usage of free basic electricity to qualifying municipal residents were addressed.
Attending councillors were also indulged on various services offered by the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) including issues around different types of marriage contracts.
Of critical and chief amongst the discussions was the presentation on water infrastructure by the Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM), which also gave an overview report on water scarcity situation within the Makhuduthamaga and on other related challenges faced by the communities.
In her closing remarks, the Mayor of MLM, Cllr Minah Bahula, reminded councillors on the importance of these empowering workshops that will in the end result in the development of the municipality.
Bahula has also requested the administrative arm of the municipality to fast-track the issue of formalisation of Jane Furse towards transforming it to become a smart city.
This area was dealt with during the Town Planning and Economic Development presentation which the Mayor and the collective concur, if realised will bring economic spin-offs in the municipality and the district.
