KING Misuzulu is committed to resolving land-related matters.
He has met Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson and KZN MEC Martin Meyer and amakhosi in Nongoma to strengthen collaboration between government and traditional leadership on rural development and infrastructure delivery.
The king expressed support for the minister's Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) vision, work the Independent Development Trust (IDT) is doing and the Social Facilitation Framework, confirming his participation in the EPWP pilot launch in KZN and commitment to resolving land-related matters with the department.
Macpherson said the visit on Monday afternoon, 3 November, a first by the department to the king, marks an important milestone towards strengthening relationships as the department delivers on its mandate and improves the lives of all South Africa.
"To achieve our development goals, it's essential that we work with His Majesty, King Misuzulu to uplift rural communities in KZN," he said.
"I'm therefore deeply grateful to the king for granting us the opportunity to visit him and brief both him and amakhosi as we work together to build a better province for all its people."
He said without the support of traditional leadership, the department will not secure the community buy-in necessary to prevent construction stoppages across the province, meaningfully implement a reformed EPWP to benefit young people, and deliver large-scale infrastructure projects in rural communities such as schools, police stations, and hospitals that will improve the lives of many.
"This is why support for entities like the IDT and the CIDB (Construction Industry Development Board) by His Majesty is most welcomed," said Macpherson.
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Meyer said that KZN Public Works and Infrastructure remains committed to improving the infrastructure and lives of many people.
"Through programmes like EPWP and stakeholder involvement, we are working to ensure that the quality of training aligns with the industry demands which will equip beneficiaries to be skilled in lifelong essential skills," he said.
"KZN Public Works and Infrastructure is also hard at work to reclaim what it owns. Having recently completed our audit, we now understand how our 10 067 assets are used and how many are hijacked properties. In this regard, it has been identified that some of the biggest concentration of hijacked properties is in Ulundi.
"That's why KZN Public Works and Infrastructure has begun talks with KZN SAPS provincial commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli as the custodian of Community Safety and Liaison to take back these assets which are paid for by the taxes of the people of KwaZulu-Natal and which harbour various illegal and criminal elements."
