The UThukela District Municipality is a Category C municipality and is located on the western boundary of the KwaZulu-Natal Province. It is bordered by three other district municipalities: Amajuba, uMzinyathi and uMgungundlovu. It consists of three local municipalities: Okhahlamba, Alfred Duma and Inkosi Langalibalele. The district derives its name from one of the major rivers in KwaZulu-Natal, the uThukela River, which rises from the Drakensberg Mountains and supplies water to a large portion of KZN, as well as Gauteng.
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My hearty greetings to our esteemed residents of Uthukela District Municipality. As we begin our five-year term of office (2021-2026), I wish to convey my commitment to the cause that came out loud and clear in the Local Government Elections (LGE) that were held on the 1st of November 2021. I wish to also send my gratitude to every member of the community for participation in these elections.
Our citizenry from all three local municipalities forming our district, namely; Alfred Duma LM, Inkosi Langalibalele LM, and Okhahlamba LM made their clarion call loud enough for me and my fellow Councillors from all parties. We have heard the need for change. I have heard that you need services now and not later. I have received the message that the crisis of water provisions must be dealt with now and be promptly and efficiently addressed.
I do know that even the town residents have become used to water shortages such that over and above the levy that is paid for water provision, residents have had to obtain further necessities such as water tanks in order to harvest rainwater from their households, thereby incurring further costs amid economic ravage that COVID-19 pandemic has brought into our lives. I know that our township residents hardly receive a stable water supply to last the household for a week.
I have learned and personally experienced that our rural communities have lost hope of ever getting functional water schemes due to failed projects in the past that saw people suffer water shortages even in places where bulk pipelines have been installed. In my inaugural message, I emphasised that everyone must work, focus and excel in their lane. By that, I meant that our Councillors must diligently work for the community, and our officials must perform their duties without being adversely influenced by external forces that seek to sabotage our quest to provide water and sanitation to all residents of Uthukela District.
I don’t take the voices for change from our community for granted, as I know that the opportunity to lead Uthukela District that has been given to us is not a privilege, but a vote of confidence and a chance to restore dignity to God’s children which must be fulfilled through honesty, integrity, and respect. These are the pillars that I expect all our Council members, staff, and other stakeholders to follow in order to succeed in our goals for the five-year term ahead.
That is why every good deed by both Councillors and officials shall be recognised and applauded, while every bad deed shall be dealt with through appropriate consequent management. My commitment to you is to lead your district on the foundation laid through hard work, humility, and diligence at all times. Integrity, honesty, and respect shall inform all our actions from now into the future. That is my promise to you.
I thank you!
