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President Cyril Ramaphosa led the District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo in Sy Mthimunye Stadium, Emalahleni, Nkangala District Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, with the theme ‘Leave No One Behind’.

This is the 12th Presidential Imbizo, which aims to promote participatory democracy and inclusive development by allowing community members and stakeholders to voice proposals and express any concerns or dissatisfaction they may have about conditions in the district or province.

The Imbizo is directed at enabling successful implementation of the “One District, One Plan” District Development Model in which residents, traditional leaders, business formations, organised labour and faith- and community-based organisations work with government across all phases of planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Preceding the Imbizo was a series of build-up activities led by Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MECs and Mayors. 

The President started the day with a visit to the Middleburg hospital to check the progress made since the previous Imbizo. The new hospital is expected to be open to the public before the middle of the year. The construction of the new Middelburg Hospital project commenced in 2017. 

The new hospital will replace Middelburg Provincial Hospital, which is currently struggling to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population.  The comprehensive facilities of the new hospital encompass outpatient services, general care, a maternity unit, a 600-seat auditorium, accommodations for both staff and students, a training center, and a trauma unit. 

Functioning as a level 1 district hospital, it will boast 220 inpatient beds, four (4) fully-equipped operating theatres, an accident and emergency department, and a spectrum of services including medical imaging, pathology, pharmacy, maternity, paediatrics, allied health and rehabilitation, and dialysis. Additionally, it will house a dental suite and offer extensive family health services. The operating theaters in the new hospital are being equipped with cutting-edge technology that will enable specialist consultants to remotely monitor procedures and provide assistance when necessary.

Prior to the commencement of the Imbizo, President Ramaphosa held a brief engagement with the Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders. They expressed their support for the continuous engagement as this was the second Imbizo in the province. They appreciated government’s interventions and feedback on progress made. The participation of Traditional Leadership in the District Development Model was outlined as a key component for successful implementation of the key objectives of the programme.

The President expressed gratitude to the entire institution and the Chairperson of the Mpumalanga House; Kgoshi Mokoena for consistently holding leadership accountable whilst supporting and celebrating the wins that move our communities forward. 

During the engagement, the members of the community raised, amongst others, the issue of water, electricity, and housing. In response to the issues raised, the President called responsible Ministers to respond to the issues and the status of various projects. 

On the issue of water, Government has already approved the license of Nkangala District municipality to produce bulk water, ensuring that the capacity of water supply is increased. The department of Water and Sanitation is also working on various projects to ease the shortage of water. There is a water treatment plant project, which will be completed in 2025, with more than 54 000 households expected to benefit from this project. Currently 87% of households have access to clean water and the issue of ageing infrastructure was receiving the necessary attention. 

On the issue of electricity, the government introduced a debt relief programme, aimed at assisting municipalities that owe Eskom. The municipal debt to Eskom is close to R64bn, with the issue of illegal connection being the biggest contributor. The residents were urged to make use of the crime hotline number to report any illegal connection as it has a negative impact on the electricity supply. Government is working with the private sector to explore other ways that can be used to produce electricity, other than coal. 

Regarding housing, government indicated that it is on Phase 2 of Siyanqoba RDP houses, which is currently looking for a suitable land to build 5 000 houses with running water and electricity for the residents of Emalahleni. It was emphasized that the municipalities should protect their land from illegal occupation as it delay the provision of housing. The President handed out 14 title deeds to farm workers and labour tenants in and around Nkangala District municipality.  

President Cyril Ramaphosa concluded the very successful community engagement with acknowledging the strong engagement and contribution by community members and their willingness to work with government. 

Issued by Government Communication and Information System