THE former Kokstad Mayor, Bheki Mtolo was showered with praises from the audience that was part of yet another farewell for the enterprising former political head of the Greater Kokstad Municipality when different community organisations and stakeholders delivered their remarks in wishing him all the best in his new political responsibilities of being the Provincial Secretary of the African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal.

This was a second farewell organised by the Greater Kokstad Municipality after the ANC party branches within the Kokstad Sub-Region also threw a send-off for the former Mayor Mtolo which was also attended by the Provincial leadership from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA). The latest official send-off was organised by the officials from the Greater Kokstad Municipality.

However, he gave friendly advice to his successor, stating that the elected person to fill his shoes should not try to adopt his leadership style or character because he would fail the minute he gets into the office. In his appeal he further turned to communities not to expect anyone with Mtolo’s calibre but rather work with the person deployed by the ruling party to ensure unity and stability in the Municipality.

The dignitaries included the former Provincial Chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders in the KwaZulu Natal Province, iNkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza, the current Regional Chairperson for the ANC, Mayors, former Mayors and local stakeholders were also in attendance.

When delivering his keynote address, Mtolo appealed to local communities after a number of praises were showered on him as a great leader that managed to pull through in the hard task of saving the Greater Kokstad Municipality that was formerly regarded as a ‘sinking ship’, which now is ranked in the number one position for three consecutive terms as the best performing Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal and is counted in the top ten countrywide under his leadership.

He said there should be no other Bhekinkosi Michael Mtolo in the Greater Kokstad Municipality as his term has come to an end and no one should expect the Mayor who will replace him to adopt his leadership style but the community should rather work with him for a better Kokstad.

He said the incoming Mayor should be given a chance to lead with his own pace and style because all people are born with different characters. He promised to support the current Mayor but stressed that he is not going to babysit him as he has other commitments and responsibilities. He urged community structures, organisations and stakeholders to continue working with the Mayor.

“No one would ever notice that Kokstad was a multi-party council through solid unity and the approach we have built to ensure that as long as we work together for the benefit of our communities, we should not let anyone come between us” said Mtolo.

He said he would be very glad if the new Mayor would strive to attract businesses to create more jobs for Kokstad and continue with the legacy of ensuring that the town becomes a City in the forthcoming years.

“A good leader must be able to make decisions even when those decisions are unpopular as long as they will benefit our communities in the end…”

A leader who sacrificed his own life even during the July unrest when he publicly said, “those who would want to destroy Kokstad and its businesses should start with him first”. The sentiments mentioned above were few of the many that were showered to him during the send-off.

The Harry Gwala District Mayor, Zamo Nxumalo said despite being known as a Taliban but the presence of the former Mayors at the event was a true testament that he is a down to earth leader, who never looked down on the former leaders. A person who never forgot his family, added Nxumalo. “Despite being friends for years, he was always against wrong things even during his upbringing in the ANC,” said Nxumalo. He praised Mtolo as an innovative and the best ever cadre produced by the ANC. He said the thought of the vision he has been preaching of turning Kokstad into a City was a dream but is gradually becoming a reality.

The Harry Gwala District’s Municipal Manager, Mr Gamakhulu Sineke said the praises showered on Mtolo were evident that he is capable of climbing the ladder to the highest office. “We have no choice but to release you Dlangamandla (Mtolo’s clan name) to work for the people of the Province and the entire country,” said Mr Sineke. He further conveyed words of gratitude to Mtolo’s family for understanding the kind of work he is doing that has taken him away from his family.

The Greater Kokstad Municipal Manager, Mr Sipho Zwane said Mtolo’s achievements during his tenure as the Mayor are the results of good leadership. “It is a reason why we shall not stop calling you to ask for advice to maintain the legacy you have built,” said Mr Zwane. He said their working relationship was more than that of colleagues but was brotherly. Mtolo’s Mayoral gown and chain was symbolically disrobed by the District Mayor, Nxumalo and exchanged with a branded blazer, trophy and a number of gifts as tokens of appreciation for working hard for the people of Greater Kokstad Municipality.

“Let us be the agents for change, a positive change that we see Kokstad becoming a jewel of South Africa”

ON the 11th of February 1990 the former SA President, the Global Icon, Isithwalandwe Dr Nelson Mandela said and I quote “today I stand before you, not as a prophet but as a humble servant” Today a new chapter of my life is being opened, that of the servant of the people of this beautiful town, our precious town called Greater Kokstad Municipality. Today I am humbled by this occurrence in my life. Others may see it as a growth, I see it as a humbling commitment to change the lives of our people as we preach a better life for all. Today I am humbled by the expectations from my people, that my leadership skills must inspire change in their lives. As my name is entered into the history books of this town, I am challenged to double my efforts in changing the lives of the masses of our people.

As I fill the shoes of the great, my former leader in government and my current leader in my political life Cde Bheki Mtolo I accept the challenge with my eyes wide and with full understanding of what is expected from me. I wish to thank the African National Congress (ANC) for giving me this opportunity to serve the people of Greater Kokstad Municipality. As we embark on this journey towards building a better life for all, I wish to reaffirm that local government forms part of the overall socio-economic transformation agenda that is closest to the people. Therefore, service delivery is key in achieving better lives for the poor masses of our people. Being a Councillor has taught me one fundamental thing, that the government must service the people on their doorstep. My overall responsibility is to lead this Council in that direction of ensuring that service delivery takes a centre stage on our daily activities. Through the support of our hard-working Councillors the following must characterize our zeal to fast-track service delivery during this term of office:

• Deepened public participation through izimbizo, community meetings, ward committee functionality, one on one engagements with members of the public, and regular engagements with key stakeholders.
• Continue to work with Harry Gwala District Municipality to resolve all water challenges in Kokstad. Our contribution to this must go as far as assisting our district to reduce illegal water connections.
• Best financial management which will translate well-oiled service delivery machinery.

This will mean strengthening our debt collection, increasing revenue collection, closing of all suspected revenue leakages and dealing decisively with any forms of corruption and malfeasance.

• Ensuring local government that is transparent, accessible, and accountable to the people of our town in all sectors.
• Building a capable state through capacity building for Councillors as well as employing capable and qualified officials. That vision is better outlined in our National Development Plan vision 2030
• Create a society that cares for youth, women, and children,
• Work with Law Enforcement Agencies to erode any form of Gender Based Violence especially towards women and children.
• Robust political oversight and management that doesn’t compromise on doing their work,

• Robust Local Economic Development Strategies which will boost our economy and job creation, and
• First class infrastructure development and redressing the blacklog of development created by apartheid spatial development.

As the municipality we are taking our marching orders from the ANC 2021 manifesto which prioritised delivering better services to the communities through a much faster pace. As GKM under my leadership and the support from the Council we pledge to deliver:

• electricity to all citizens to fulfil universal electrification of our town.
• ensuring a much-improved municipal zoning that can accommodate a better integrated housing development. This must be prioritised as our town is growing at a faster pace. Housing development will also provide solutions to the challenge of illegal buildings that are confronting our town.
• To continue building a financially viable municipality as we did previously,
• Robust revenue collection which will strengthen our financial position.
• Strengthen intergovernmental relations with the Department of Transport so that infrastructure projects like the upgrade of main street and SANRAL interchange proceed with speed and address our road network challenges. It must be remembered that foreign investment is attracted through first class infrastructure and this development will contribute to that ambition.

Covid 19 has posed a serious challenge to the country’s economy and Kokstad was not exonerated from that challenge. Jobs were lost and poverty has increased. As the municipality we have a responsibility to come up with poverty alleviation strategies that will see our town regain the loss opportunities.

Our Local Economic Development strategies must look at advising this Council     on               matters of attracting investment, strengthening relations with business sectors, and strengthening relations with our farming community. We must also extend our vision to matters of Township Economic Development that will see our locations like Bhongweni, Shayamoya, Horseshoe having means of generating their own economic opportunities. Our LED must be on the forefront in driving our vision of “City of Economic Possibilities. Through our LED we will eliminate inequality, poverty, unemployment, disease burden and crime that comes as a result of poverty.

For us to have a prosperous province we need to start at a local level to shape KZN as a gateway to South and Southern Africa as outlined in KZN Growth Strategy 2035. Our municipality would want to make a meaningful contribution to the growth of our provincial strategy through initiatives like Eastern Cape Seaboard and Smart City concepts that we have adopted as Greater Kokstad Municipality.

While focusing on LED one cannot leave youth development as part of our key priority. A country that neglects youth is a country that doesn’t care about the future. Our town has been very vocal and persistent on the matters of youth development. We have strengthened our youth development Unit and their key priority now is to look at an integrated approach concept of youth development which will see our youth not only getting employment opportunities but also playing an active role in all economic activities in the municipality. Youth must also play a vital role in the battle of ideas which will influence all economic transformation agenda placed before us as a country.

In conclusion Councillors, officials, all stakeholders, and community let’s not drop the baton from those who came before us. My predecessor has set the bar. For us it is to lift it higher. We cannot judge it ourselves but a positive change to our people’s lives will judge us. I have faith in all of us that together we can move our town forward. Big cities were not born out of magic, but it took great thinkers, planners, strategists, and great leaders to build them. We have already started the journey. The journey will be long, sometimes it will be bumpy, but results will judge us. Our great grandchildren will learn about our efforts that gave birth to the city they will be enjoying in years to come. History will leave no blank pages. Let us be the agents for change, a positive change that we see Kokstad becoming a jewel of South Africa.

I thank you.

KUNGUMCIMBI ohloniphekile futhi ozithobayo kimina ukuthi nginikezwe umsebenzi omkhulu kangaka wokuba ngusihlalo woMkhandlu kaMasipala waseKokstad. Kungumthwalo engiwemukela ngokukhulu ukuzithoba. The Structures Act is very specific about the functions of the Speaker which is mainly to ensure that the Council is holding meetings in all levels, facilitation of municipal oversight function, ensuring that the Executive is held accountable by Council.

Habakkuk 2v2-3 The LORD answered me: “Write down the vision; write it clearly on clay tablets so whoever reads it can run to tell others. One draws inspiration from this Vision of a People Centred City of Economic Possibilities by 2047. As the Speaker, I have a task to lead the attainment of this vision which has been written in plain terms by those who came before us, Oo Dlangamandla.

We are taking the marching orders from the manifesto of the ANC presented to the people of South Africa by the President of the ANC Cyril Ramaphosa which assured the public of clean governance, ethical leadership, competent councillors, roads, water, and sanitation, fighting corruption and defeating the roots of poverty. We must run a clean Governance that is responsive to the people, adhering to sound financial management and committed in fighting corruption.

I will intensify stakeholder relationships which will assist in navigating through the key challenges faced by our town, and I am certain that working together we will win the battle against poverty. I will use an open-door policy in the office of the Speaker, I will also encourage unity among Councillors, because a Pride of divided lions can never kill, even a limping Buffalo.

I wish to thank the people of Kokstad for voting in, this ANC led Council. Nginesiqiniseko sokuthi sizozithathela phezulu izidingo zabantu. Kumele ngibonge ne-ANC ngokungethemba kulo msebenzi wokuba ngusihlalo walo Mkhandlu. Ngizokwenza imisebenzi yami ngokukhulu ukucophelela.

Ngiyabonga. Thank you.

THROUGH excellent and regular monitoring of cooperatives, the Greater Kokstad Municipality is one of the few Municipalities with sustainable cooperatives that continue to improve the lives of communities by creating job opportunities and upskilling some of the community members.

Evidence to this is a massive Franklin Farming Cooperative, called the Thuthukani Ma-Afrika, which has become a major fruit and vegetable supplier to the reputable supermarkets in Kokstad. The cooperative has since been growing annually through the improved spin-offs as per the size of the hectares that have been ploughed, depending on the market of that particular season.

However, Thuthukani Ma-Africa is one of the sustainable and growing coops in the Greater Kokstad Municipality as it excels in its maize harvest. The Chairperson of the coop, Siyabonga Nomlala said he ploughed maize on 30 hectares, which is 9 tons per hectare.

“Last year I managed to plough 18 hectares, meaning there was a great improvement this year,” said Nomlala. He added this year he will be planting maize in all 34 hectares he was given by the Greater Kokstad Municipality and is expecting to lease more land from the surrounding farmers.     

He said Agriculture is in his veins and encouraged the youth to get into   it to promote food security as South Africa needs to produce products from its own land and stop depending on other countries for its means of production. Nomlala  further  conveyed  his gratitude  to  the  Greater  Kokstad Municipality for its support in ensuring that his coop succeeds.