Newcastle Gets a Visit From The Military

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A delegation of top rank generals with Newcastle Mayor, Adv. E. M Nkosi

Newcastle Mayor, Adv. E. M Nkosi, welcomed a delegation of top ranking Generals from across the African continent on the 3rd of November 2017 at the Newcastle Airport.
Generals from Zambia, Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique landed at the Newcastle Airport for a meet and greet session with Newcastle Mayor and SANDF Military stuff led by Lieutenant Colonel Zama and later proceeded to the Municipal Council Chambers.

“The Generals are in South Africa for a senior rank military training where they will be learning about battle strategies for a period of 12 months. This is the main reason why we have decided to visit KwaZulu- natal because of its rich history in battles”, said Staff Officer Mkhulise; a Communications Officer for the South African Defence Force.
Welcoming the delegation at a briefing , the Mayor said it is such a historic moment for Newcastle to receive this very important delegation.

“Our country experienced the iron rule for 35 years as a result of repression and the killing of our leaders of the struggle and it was through a collective effort of the African states that South Africa found victory over Apartheid.’’

“We cherish our historical relationship with Africa and we realise we have so much in common that unites us and we should never be divided”, alluded Nkosi.
The Mayor wished the delegates a fruitful tour around KwaZulu –Natal, he further shared with them the history of battles in KZN and made mention of King Shaka Zulu’s battle strategies and hoped it will assist them with their training.

In closing Mkhulise thanked the Municipality for their hospitality and warm welcome, He further cited that after this visit, these Generals will return to the respective countries and share what they have learned with their military forces.

Before their departure Mayor Nkosi passed his deepest condolences to friends and family of Ngaleka, a fellow SANDF member who was killed in the DRC.

The Mayor, Adv E. M Nkosi, with high rank military Generals

SALGA KZN Provincial Members, Comes To Newcastle

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Newcastle Local Municipality hosted over 250 delegates in a SALGA KZN PMA which took place on 02 & 03 November 2017 at Vulintaba Country hotel.

Present at the event were MEC’s, Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Councillors, Chairperson of SALGA KZN Province, Municipal Managers, Officials, different stakeholder and partners.
Welcoming the delegates to the vibrant town, Newcastle Mayor, Advocate E. M Nkosi thanked SALGA for affording Newcastle the opportunity to host this important gathering.
“We believe the experience and the warmth of our hospitality will see most of you coming back again on holiday. As we always proclaim ‘in Newcastle you visit once, you belong” added the Mayor.

The PMA’s (Provincial Members Assembly) have traditionally served not only as a constitutional obligation to receive mandates from members, but also as a platform where local government leaders can:

  • Analyze the state of local government at a strategic and holistic level,
  • Engage and network as colleagues in a spirit that fosters creativity and innovation
  • Influence other spheres of government as well as each other.

The KZN PMA discussed some critical aspects that require urgent attention, including:
-The climate of intimidation in local government.
– Community protests and lack of social cohesion.
-Financial management weaknesses and the opportunities for economic transformation.
-While SALGA KZN supports municipalities in tariff setting; municipal tariffs remain unsustainably low in the face of utility price increases.
-The senior management regulations have limited municipalities from negotiating salaries with and retain senior managers.

The Assembly was a definite success.

Delegates that attended the conference

SALGA KZN Provincial Members Assembly

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Click here to download the SALGA KZN PMA Invite

The Provincial Members’ Assembly (PMA) 2-3 November 2017, is a constitutional meeting of all municipalities which is convened in between Provincial Conferences. In terms of Article 23.1 of the SALGA constitution, Kwazulu-Natal as a provincial member shall, at least once a year, hold a meeting of members to be known and described in the notice calling such meeting as the Provincial Members Assembly.

The KZNPMA has traditionally served not only as a constitutional obligation to receive mandates from members, but also as a platform where local government leaders:
– Analyze the state of local government at a strategic and holistic level,
– Engage and network as colleagues in a spirit that fosters creativity and innovation
– Influence other spheres of government as well as each
other.

Your attendance will be highly appreciated.

Cllr M. Ndobe
SALGA KZN Chairperson

Click here to download the SALGA KZN PMA Invite

October Transport Month Campaign

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Traffic officers ready for the road safety campaign

Traffic officers ready for the road safety campaign

The Department of Community Safety within Newcastle Municipality in conjunction with different stakeholders including Taxi Association, EMRS, SAPS, RTI and ER 24, launched transport month campaign under the theme “Together we move South Africa Forward”, at Hill drop and Allen street intersection on 5th October 2017.

The overview of the event was presented by the Acting Strategic Executive Director for Community Services; Dr P.D Thabethe. “We are using this month to sensitise the community of Newcastle about road safety, many people are losing their lives on the roads and if we, as the Municipality, do not intervene by sending the message to as many drivers as we can reach, this loss will not end. Dr Thabethe continued to warn drivers and commuters to be more vigilant and cautious on the road.

Present to officiate the launch was the Deputy Mayor, Cllr D. Sibiya, addressing those present, Cllr Sibiya thanked the Traffic Officers for the selfless service that they are giving the community of Newcastle, and all other road users “We understand that your job is a difficult one, your safety is not guaranteed but because you have dedicated your lives to this and you continue to work tirelessly and therefore Council is proud of you”, alluded Cllr Sibiya.

Despite the bad rainy weather conditions which is always the order of the day for transport officers the campaign proved to be a huge success.

Deputy Mayor Cllr D. Sibiya sharing road safety tips with car drivers

Deputy Mayor Cllr D. Sibiya sharing road safety tips with car drivers

 

Dr. P.D Thabethe engaging with taxi drivers

Dr. P.D Thabethe engaging with taxi drivers

MAYOR OF NEWCASTLE WISHES THE MATRIC CLASS OF 2017 SUCCESS

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The late President Nelson Mandela once said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” In that spirit the hour has struck for all students registered to seat for matric examinations to do so. This marks the culmination of 12 years of hard-work, perseverance and commitment. The final hurdle that ends the basic education chapter is here and new opportunities and challenges are within reach.

On behalf of Newcastle Municipality and the entire people of Newcastle, I wish to extend my well wishes to all those who would be seating for their matric examination. We have confidence in you that you will make us proud and produce results that would put our municipality and district on the map of excellence. We plead with you to work harder on your studies, to manage your time smartly and put entertainment on ice for the few weeks of exams so as to ensure that every moment of day is dedicated to your studies.

Matric serves as a gateway to multiple opportunities in life and affords those who succeed an opportunity to enter tertiary institutions to pursue a variety of careers that are pivotal for the socio-economic growth of our country. The success of Newcastle and Amajuba District rests on your shoulders and in you acquiring skills and knowledge that would impact the lives of our people positively.

I wish the class of 2017 all the best in your examinations and please make us proud!

PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR UPDATING OF INFORMATION ON THE NATIONAL TREASURY CENTRAL SUPPLIERS DATABASE (CSD)

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PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR UPDATING OF INFORMATION ON THE NATIONAL TREASURY CENTRAL SUPPLIERS DATABASE (CSD)

The KZN Provincial Treasury will be providing assistance to all suppliers who wish to update their existing company details and or register their new company details on the National Treasury Central Suppliers Database (CSD).

The revised Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA) Regulations 2017, which came into effect from the 01st April 2017, has necessitated the update of existing supplier information, in order to ensure compliance with the revised Act.

All service providers within the various Municipal Districts in KwaZulu-Natal, who do not have the capacity to update their information, are hereby invited to visit one of the below venues within their respective districts where they would be assisted by officials from the KZN Provincial Treasury’s Database office to update their details or register a new company, if it has not yet been registered onto the CSD.

The following information is required to update the supplier details:

  1. Supplier’s Login Details (if not available, supplier is to provide the cell phone number and an active email address);
  2. BBBEE-certificate or affidavit;
  3. Tax Reference Number (if available);
  4. Business Bank Account Details;
  5. Company Registration Certificate (if applicable);
  6. Identity Document

Suppliers may also visit the Provincial Treasury Database office situated at: Treasury House, Ground Floor, 145 Chief Albert Luthuli Road, and Pietermaritzburg from 0800-15h00 Mondays to Fridays, for assistance with their CSD registrations.  

For further information or enquiries, please contact 033-897 4437 / 033-897 4497 / 033-897 4212 / 033-897 4516 / 033-897 4676 / 033-897 4509 / 033-897 0474 / 033-897 4624 during office hours or via email at database@kzntreasury.gov.za

DATE DISTRICT TIME VENUE
24 – 26 October 2017 uMkhanyakude 09:00 – 15:30 Mzolozolo Avenue, No 52 of 60 (next to Dept of Works), Mkuze
25 – 27 October 2017 iLembe 09:00 – 15:30 Corner of Link Road R102, Green Valley, Lot 6054, Stanger
30 October – 01 November 2017 Zululand – Vryheid 09:00 – 15:30 251 Utrecht Street (Corner East & Utrecht Street near TFS Cash and Carry Wholesalers), Vryheid
31 October  – 02 November 2017 Sisonke 09:00 – 15:30 Tirgon Place, 139a Margaret Street, Ixopo
02 – 03 November 2017 Zululand – Nongoma 09:00 – 15:30 Nongoma Municipality Offices, Lot 103 Main Street, Nongoma
14 – 16 November 2017 uThukela 09:00 – 15:30 94 Murchison Street, Ladysmith
14 – 16 November 2017 Amajuba 09:00 – 15:30  43 Harding Street, Newcastle
21 – 23 November 2017 uThungulu 09:00 – 15:30 Lot 61137 Aloe Loop Avenue (Opposite Mhlathuze Sport Complex), Veld en Vlei, Richards Bay
21 – 23 November 2017 Ugu 09:00 – 15:30 46 Bisset Street, Port Shepstone (Opposite Simunye Laundrmat & next to Marshalls World of Sport)
28 – 30 November 2017 uMzinyathi 09:00 – 15:30 Talana Building, 26 Beaconsfield Street, Dundee

Imbizo Yamavulandlela

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IMBIZO YAMAVULANDLELA

Undunankulu wakwaZulu-Natal u- Willis Mchunu,umema umphakathi embizweni yamaVulandlela, ezodingida ngokuvuselela Ubuntu esizweni.

Kuzocotshelelwana ngolwazi, izifungo zamaVulandlela, inhlonipho, indlela yokuphila ezimweni ezinzima, intshisekelo yesizwe, iziyalo Kanye nokuqiniswa kwamasiko.

Imininingwane ihlelwe kanje:
23 September 2017
09h00
Amajuba College – Madadeni section 2

Ezokuthutha umphakathi zihleliwe, xhumana neKhansela lendawo. Kucelwa umphakathi ungagqoki izikibha noma imfaniswano yamaqembu ezepolitiki.

Izikhali azivumelekile kanti nezokuphepha zihleliwe

“SIGUBHA INYANGA YAMASIKO KANYE NEZOKUVAKASHA”
“Through unity in action we can move KZN to a prosperous future”

Newcastle Municipality wins at the Govan Mbeki Awards

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Two awards were bestowed at the Newcastle Municipality when the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements hosted the Govan Mbeki Awards on the 14th of September 2017, at the Greyville Convention Centre. Newcastle Municipality took to stage to accept the award for Best Accredited Municipality: Level 2, beating the City of Mhlathuzi Municipality, KwaDukuza Municipality and Alfred Duma Municipality. Newcastle Municipality also took second runner-up under the category; Best Rural Housing Project for the Khathide Phase ll Rural Housing Project.

Newcastle Municipality was awarded a Level 2 Housing Accreditation status in September 2012 which gave the municipality a full programme management and administration of housing programmes within its municipal area jurisdiction. This encompasses project planning, evaluation and approval, subsidy planning, registration and administration as well as ensuring technical quality assurance at construction stages of housing projects.

The Govan Mbeki Awards 2017 was hosted by the Honourable MEC Ravi Pillar and dignitaries from the Department of Human Settlements and KZN Municipalities. This was not the first time Newcastle Municipality took to stage to accept an award from the MEC of Human Settlements. In 2013, Newcastle Municipality won the Provincial Govan Mbeki Awards for the Best Level 2 Accredited Municipality in KZN and later was also awarded the status for the Best Level 2 Accredited Municipality at the National level at the Prestigious Awards held at the Gallagher Estate in June 2013. In 2016, the Municipality received first runner-up, sharing the award for Best Level 2 Accredited Municipality with eThekwini Municipality.

The Govan Mbeki Awards aim to promote a culture of excellence within the Human Settlements sector in the delivery of quality human settlements and dignity to communities. The awards are named after Govan Mbeki to acknowledge the role he played and the vision he had regarding the preservation of human dignity and the provision of human settlements for all.

This is one of the greatest achievements for Newcastle Municipality, we are committed in making a difference in terms of housing development and changing our people’s lives. We have greater plans as a municipality to deliver different housing opportunities to cater for all.

Municipality soccer team wins first prize

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Newcastle Mayor M.E NKOSI, DEPUTY MAYOR D. SIBIYA,MUNICIPAL MANAGER B.E MSWANE,ACTING STRATEGIC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DR D. THABETHE

In the venture of promoting good business relations and good health for the employees, Newcastle Municipality soccer team participated and won 1st place in the Ulundi Industrial Soccer Tournament on the 16th of September 2017 at Ulundi Sporting Grounds. This came after the team won the Work and Play Amajuba District Tournament earlier this year.
Newcastle Mayor, Cllr M.E Nkosi, congratulated the team and thanked them for making Newcastle proud. “You have shown us that you are serious about your craft and this has earned you our support and trust ,soccer is not only about playing but it is also about teaching yourselves team work, a mentality that every Municipal worker should have, alluded the Municipal Manager, B. E Mswane.

Below is the list of participants in the tournament:
1: NKONJENI HOSPITAL
2: KWAMAGWAZA HOSPITAL
3: INKOSI ALBERT LUTHULI CENTRAL HOSPITAL
4: CEZA HOSPITAL
5: ULUNDI SAPS
6: NEWCASTLE MUNICIPALITY
7: EDUCATION DBN
8: QALAKABUSHA PRISON
9: ULUNDI MUNICIPALITY
10: SAB DBN
11: HLABISA HOSPITAL
12: Arcellor Metal: NEWCASTLE

NEWCASTLE MUNICIPALITY SOCCER TEAM SHOWCASING THEIR MEDALS

Newcastle Municipality hosts Heritage Seminar, Visual Art Exhibition and Craft Fair

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Newcastle Municipality hosts Heritage Seminar, Visual Art Exhibition and Craft Fair

The Newcastle Municipality’s Culture and Amenities department hosted a two day heritage event celebration which kicked off with a heritage seminar for schools at the Newcastle Town Hall on the 14th of September 2017 and concluded with a heritage visual art exhibition on the 15th of September 2017 at the Newcastle Carnegie Art Gallery.

This heritage celebration was started in 2015, under CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND IGUGU LESIZWE in 2016, and this year, under the theme, “My Mirror/Isibuko Sami”, the main purpose of the event was to expose learners to the historical backgrounds and the significance of heritage in the country through visual art displays and presentations, other objectives include promoting social cohesion among diverse cultures and young explorers, tourism, Carnegie Art Gallery and other museums in South Africa.

The seminar featured presentations to educate the teachers, learners and visitors on the years of transitioning from colonialism and apartheid in which South Africa has progressed in realising a dream of building a non-racial, non-sexiest, united democratic prosperous nation. One of the presentations also touched on Dr Nelson Mandela and his liberation stalwarts who worked tirelessly and selflessly to build a rainbow nation, through truth and reconciliation and other initiatives to bridge the gap in creating a united South Africa.

“We have a rich history and heritage in South Africa which is collected, stored, protected and preserved in different museums such as natural, cultural, living, archaeological, ethnographical, art, indigenous knowledge, oral history, etc. Each and every tangible or intangible item collected in these museums has a story to tell about our early lives to the present. That knowledge needs to be nurtured and shared with the present generations so that they can pass it on to the next generation”, said Curator; Ms Phumzile Dlamini.

The visual art exhibition welcomed walkabouts and showcased visual artists from different backgrounds and a variety of artworks which included sculptures, paintings, textile and beadwork and performing arts (fashion design, music and poetry).

Newcastle Mayor; Adv EM Nkosi highlighted the role of visual art in a South African context. “We can say that the actual act of creating the visual imagery is informed by the community and that it is the community which will or must act as an audience. The development or underdevelopment of visual art in South Africa, in this century, was shaped by the factors that wield political power”.

Mayor also made reference to King Kong, An African Jazz which was the first all-Black South African musical, as an example of a visual art in musical. “The musical chronicles the rise and fall of champion boxer Ezekial ‘King Kong Dhlamini’. It helped create a new set of opportunities for Black South Africans in the arts and has taken South Africans theatre to new dimensions. This musical then assisted like all other artistic inventions, all South Africans to be in touch with their roots and the role they played in the invention of the modern world, he concluded.

Some of the visual art on display

Some of the visual art on display

One of the performers at the visual art exhibition

Correction Services choir

Learners, teachers and visitors in attendance at the heritage school seminar