Municipal Prayer

Newcastle Municipality will hold a prayer meeting for all municipal employees which will be hosted by the Mayor Cllr E.M Nkosi on 13th of September 2017 at Rich View Hall. The objective of the Prayer meeting is to encourage the values of Cohesion, Respect and Commitment among public servants.

The municipality has realised that it is critical that public servants are holistically competent to deal with the community that they serve and be empowered spiritually. It is also recognized that “As we pray together we are moving South Africa Forward.” The prayer meeting will be attended by : Employees, Organized Labor, Councilors and other strategic partners.

KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission Information Sharing Session

 

THE KWAZULU-NATAL FILM COMISSION INVITES YOU TO AN INFORMATION SHARING SESSION ON TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

The Human Capital Development division will be hosting an Industry Development workshop. The aim of the workshop is to introduce the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission’s (KZNFZ) planned training programmes. The session will also cover bursary opportunities for studies in film and television.

All filmmakers in Amajuba district and surrounds are encouraged to attend!

Venue: Newcastle Show Hall (Council Chamber, known as Farmers Hall)

Address: Corner Hardwick and Allen Street, Newcastle

Time: 13h00

Date: Wednesday, 13 September 2017

RSVP: Mbali Makhoba

MbaliM@kwazulunatalfilm.co.za

Community Safety event held by Municipality

The honorable Mayor Cllr E.M Nkosi together with Deputy Mayor Cllr Dudu Sibiya at the Unveiling of the Community safety plague

To end off Women’s Month the Newcastle Municipality held an event at the previously known, Protection Services on the 31st of August 2017.

The department comprising of the following units including Fire,Security and Traffic has been officially launched as Community Safety. The official event was hosted by the Honorable Cllr E.M Nkosi together with Exco Members, councillors and Senior Management.

The Men and women of community safety were celebrated for their hard work and dedicated services in ensuring that the community is kept safe. ” Today we will be recognizing excellence , Our community safety unit is dedicated to putting our communities first and we want to recommit that we will do everything possible to bring services to our communities”, these were a few sentiments shared by the Municipal Manager Mr B.E Mswane.

We want to ensure that people live in a safe and secure environment. Our citizens have a human right to a safe environment , this means building safer communities is a collective responsibility of both state and its Citizens, we need to encourage this integrated approach and work hard towards building a safer environment .

The Department plans to be more professional and integrated as plans to focus greatly on law enforcement and safety in Newcastle .

Alluded Mayor E.N Nkosi during the Key Note address

Officials representing Newcastle Municipality Traffic, Fire and Security during parade

Senior Officials for the Security and Traffic unit hoisting a flag.

Newcastle Municipality celebrates with Women’s Day event

From the right: Dr N. Madlala, Deputy Mayor Cllr Dudu Sibiya, Newcastle Municipality Speaker Cllr JCN Mkhwanazi, Mayoress N. Nkosi, Newcastle Mayor Cllr M.E Nkosi, Municipal Manager B.E Mswane, Chief whip D. Mnguni and the chairperson of women’s caucus Cllr RN Mdluli.

Newcastle Municipality recently celebrated a successful women’s day event on the 4th of August 2017 under the theme “#BEBOLDFORCHANGE. The event was held at Osizweni Hall and attended by various stakeholders including Government departments and Non Profit Organizations. The day started off with commissions that deliberated on issues women face in the community and respective careers including the roles they play in society.
The official function started at around 11h00 and was directed by Cllrs. Yende and Ms. Zandile Zwane an employee of the Municipality and a finalist in the Mrs. Africa Pageant

Cllr R.N Mdluli presented the role of women in leadership, and alluded to the fact that it’s difficult being a woman in leadership more especially with the “Pull Me Down syndrome”. “Women need to support each other and never fear to take up positions of leadership. We need to remember the women of 1956, woman who stood up together and supported each other.

The honorable Mayor Cllr E.M Nkosi was present together with the Mayoress. During his keynote address, Mayor Nkosi said the following…“Today we are gathered to celebrate women and the role that women played in the liberation of our country” he continued to explain the great concern in regards to abuse of women and children “Men need to get up and fight against this sort of abuse, it is also important to have support groups so they can speak out.

Furthermore “We must celebrate that the number of female councilors have grown from 19 to 28 councilors since new council was inaugurated.
The day ended with the Deputy Mayor Cllr Dudu Sibiya, Mayor and Mayoress E.M Nkosi handing over food parcels
PLEASE REPORT ANY WOMAN AND CHILD ABUSE TO THE NUMBERS BELOW:
Toll free number : 0800 428 428
Child line number: 0800 055 55

Programme Directors: Cllr S Yende and Ms. Zandi Zwane (Mrs. S.A finalist)

Entertainment by omama besigekle

Chairperson of the women’s caucus Cllr RN Mdluli addressing issues faced by women in leadership

2017 Women’s Month “The Year of OR Tambo: Women United in Moving South Africa Forward”

South Africa declared August as Women’s month. The Women’s day is celebrated on 9 August annually to commemorate and pay tribute to women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of pass laws to women.

The President of the Republic, His Excellency Jacob Zuma also declared 2017 as the year of OR Tambo therefore this year’s celebration coincides with the centenary of struggle icon OR Tambo. This year, the Women’s month will be commemorated under the theme “The Year of OR Tambo: Women United in Moving South Africa Forward”

The National Women’s Day on 9 August 2017 at Galeshewe, Kimberley in the Northern Cape. The national celebrations will also include the National Dialogues on Violence against Women to help combat the continued scourge of violent attacks and abuse against women. The dialogues are a platform for deepening democracy whilst ensuring safer and crime-free communities especially for women and children.

Media Statement – Constituency Meetings

Download the REVISED SPEAKERS CONSTITUENCY MEETINGS 2017

In terms of Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, councillors must report back at least quarterly to constituencies on council matter, in order to fulfil their role of accountability to the local community.

The office of the Speaker of Newcastle Local Municipality will be embarking on the community outreach programme known as the constituency meetings during the months – August, September until October 2017. These meetings are part of the Speakers efforts to take the municipality to the people and help foster democracy through enhanced public participation as a one of pillar of back to basics.

The focus of the meetings will be to discuss pertinent issues that are prevailing with Newcastle, with the intention being to better inform the community based plans, which is a back to basics tool by the municipality to ensure sustainable livelihoods and report back on the progress made.

The scheduled constituency meetings are the result of an information session which was held on the 14th of July 2017 at the EXCO Chamber by the Speaker with the Mayor and all 34 ward councillors.

The meetings will be composed of all political office bearers, portfolio chairpersons, ward councillors, municipal heads of departments, ward committees, and government sector departments.

The Newcastle Local Municipality would like to extend an invite to the community of Newcastle so that they too can be afforded an opportunity to be part of the constituency meetings which will deal with all service delivery related issues that are affecting the community, hence better informing the Community Based Plans. The schedule of meeting is attached.

Download the REVISED SPEAKERS CONSTITUENCY MEETINGS 2017

Gender based violence

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS: GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

1. Gender based violence is a problem that hasn’t started today or yesterday. In the wake of the current killings of Women and children more especially, what are the government programmes of action to fight against this social ill problem that the country is facing?

2. Last year, government adopted 16 Days of Activism campaign into a 365 Days National Dialogues, what progress has been made in addressing the issue through dialogues?

3. There is a public concern or perception that government’s law enforcement agencies are not doing much to intervene and curb this social ill. Since the outbreak, how many people have been arrested?

4. Majority of women have expressed their concerns with regard to safety. What measures are in place to ensure that all people are and feel safe in their communities?

5. Some of the killings, kidnappings and child trafficking is done by foreigners who are in this country illegally. What plans are in place to address the issue of child trafficking especially at the boarders?

6. It was reported last week that South African Police Service has establish a task team to deal with this problem. How far is the progress of the work that was done since the establishment of the task team?

7. Statistics South Africa released a report that that suggest that 1 in 5 women in South Africa is a victim of gender based violence, after the release of the report was there any government plan?

8. President Jacob Zuma addressed the issue last week also suggesting the harsh sentence on the perpetrators of this kind of violence. Are we likely to see the amendment of the constitution to give law enforcement more power to give harsh sentence to the perpetrators of this violence?

9. Looking at President Jacob Zuma comment on the matter, does it suggest that government think our laws to deal with such crimes are too lenient to the perpetrators?

Download the Gender Equality Brochure

Newcastle Municipality Celebrates Nelson Mandela 67 minutes

As part of Nelson Mandela 67 minutes, Newcastle Municipality went out to do their bit to celebrate this international day of doing good and giving back to the community. During the IDP/Budget roadshows the Mayor of Newcastle, Honorable Cllr E.M Nkosi, identified three (3) houses to be renovated. The first beneficiary identified was in Ward 29 in section 6: Bhekinkosi Mazibuko who lives alone after his father passed away a few years ago, is a young man who sleeps outside a semi built house. The municipality will assist in the completion of the construction of the house.

The second beneficiary was Andries Khanyi of Ward 27. Mr Khanyi is a pensioner who residents with his wife and three grandchildren. The department of Corporate and Technical services visited the house to conduct a clean up an deliver groceries.

The third house identified belongs to Ntombikayise khumalo of Ward 19. The RDP house was destroyed by a storm in 2012 due to poor infrastructure the municipality has started with reconstructing the house and replacing the doors a new roof the department of community services, Development planning and human settlement and BTO visited this family.

The day ended off at Cathulani Primary School. The event was hosted by the Deputy Mayor Cllr. Dudu Sibiya with the handing over of 300 food parcels, 300 parcels to 600 households and blankets to the elderly people.

Seen in the picture is the third beneficiary Ms Ntombikayise Khumalo with the Mayor E. M Nkosi with Speaker Cllr J.N Mkhwanazi, SED Thuli Thusi, ward councillors Mrs South Africa finalist Zandi Zwane

Seen is the picture is Sbonelo Mazibuko, member of the Chinese Consolate, Speaker Cllr J.N Mkhwanazi, Mayor Nkosi, ward 19 Cllr, deputy Mayor Sibiya and member of the community.

Mayor Nkosi delivering a key note address at food parcel and blanket handover in Cathulani Primary School

An elderly lady celebrates the gifts from the Municipality and Chinese industry.

The Speaker with Ms Africa cleaning a yard during the Mandela day activities.

The Mrs Africa and Mrs South Africa were very active today during the Mandela day activities, both ladies are from Newcastle.

The food parcels delivered to the elderly.

Relocation of Water Customer Relations Unit and Call Centre

Kindly be informed that the Customer Relations unit including the Call Centre has relocated to the 6th floor. However the 24 hour call centre number remains the same : 0860 144 144.
Water and sanitation “walk in customers” can be directed to the 6th Floor as to be assisted by an ISD officers.

Nelson Mandela International Day

Every year on 18 July South Africans together with the global community honour our late former president and international icon Nelson Mandela in the celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day.

The day was officially adopted by the United Nations in November 2009 as an annual international day. The UN noted that marking the day recognises Mandela’s “values and his dedication to the service of humanity” and acknowledging his contribution “to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world”.

The overarching objective of Nelson Mandela International Day is to inspire individuals to take action to help change the world for the better, and in doing so build a global movement for good.

The idea is to do something that will benefit those around us on Nelson Mandela International Day as it was inspired by Mandela himself. He said: “It is time for new hands to lift the burdens. It is in your hands now.”

The Nelson Mandela International Day campaign asks that individuals, groups and corporates pledge 67 minutes of their time on 18 July, and every day thereafter, to give back. It offers South Africans and the world an occasion to honour the ethos of the late former President Mandela.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation declared that this year the campaign would focus on fighting poverty under the theme: #ActionAgianstPoverty. Poverty impacts the entire country and is the root cause of malnutrition, poor education, disease, skills deficit, unemployment, loss of dignity and even anger and violence.

In the fight against poverty Madiba said: “We need to restore and reaffirm the dignity of the people of Africa and the developing world. We need to place the eradication of poverty at the top of world priorities. We need to know with a fresh conviction that we all share a common humanity and that our diversity in the world is the strength for our future together.”

Government encourages South Africans to join in marking the day by using their time to support a chosen charity or serve in their local community.