CHILD PROTECTION WEEK 2021

Study Assistance to students residing within the Newcastle – [DOWNLOAD] – Closing Date 7 January 2020

Newcastle Municipality is inviting applications for Study Assistance to students residing within the Newcastle Municipality area wishing to study at any Government recognized institution of higher learning in South Africa.

FIELD OF STUDY: ANY
MINIMUM SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

  •   Grade 12
  •   Must be a Newcastle Resident
  •   Matriculated in Newcastle onlyWHO CAN APPLY?
  •   People within the age group designated as youth per the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Number 108 of 1996
  •   Applicants registering to study at government recognised institution for any field of study
  •   Matriculants or academics who meet the set requirements
  •   Preference will be given to applicants who excel academicallyTHE STUDY ASSISTANCE PROVIDES: Once off Registration fee THE FOLLOWING MUST ACCOMPANY YOUR APPLICATION
  •   Municipal Study Assistance application form
  •   Certified copies of ID’s for both the applicant and parent.
  •   The latest academic results
  •   Guardian or parent’s proof of income
  •   A provisional letter of acceptance from your preferred institution
  •   Proof of residential address

The Municipality reserves the right to confirm the applicants confirmation of acceptance at institution of study. Kindly note the failure to attach the required documentation will automatically disqualify your application.

Municipal Study Assistance forms are obtainable from the following offices: Office No F26 and Office No G28 Newcastle Civic Centre, online at www.newcastle.gov.za and Ward Cllr’s. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Faxed or emailed applications will not be considered. Applications should be forwarded to: Private Bag X6621, Newcastle 2940 or alternatively hand delivered at office No: F26 and Office

Enquiries: Sphamandla Hlathswayo (Community Liaison officer- Office of the Mayor) 034 328 7776/
082 222 4562 or Mandla Kubheka (Youth Development Coordinator – Office of the Mayor) 076 818 7979

Public Participation Unit

The Public Participation Unit under The Newcastle Municipality have, in line with the Ward Committee Operation plan coordinated and facilitated the Ward Committee Portfolio meetings commencing today the 4th of November to the 13thof November at the Council Chambers .

The purpose of these meetings is to create a direct communication between the council portfolio committees and the ward committee operations portfolios.  This will assist in ensuring that ward committee views, aspirations and inputs are considered by the council portfolio committees and the reports on the implementation progress are presented to ward committees.

The expected stakeholders are as follows:

  • Public participation unit
  • Council portfolio committee members
  • Department heads
  • Ward committee members serving in their respective portfolios.

 

The 2019 Portfolio Meetings are scheduled as follows:

 

DATE PORTFOLIO VENUE TIME
4 November 2019 Financial Sustainability Council Chambers 09h00 am
5 November 2019 Infrastructure and Service Delivery Council Chambers 09h00 am
6 November 2019 Social Development Council Chambers 09h00 am
7 November 2019 Municipal Planning and Environment Council Chambers 09h00 am
8 November 2019 Municipal Transformation and Governance Council Chambers 09h00 am

 

The expected outcome of these meetings is to establish a structural analysis in terms of basic service delivery and the developmental needs of the citizens of Newcastle.  In the absence of the Constituency meetings, the portfolio meetings will provide a grass-root planning platform which will focus on the importance of information gathering that is essential for both strategic and budget priorities.

Municipal departments are expected to do presentations on their respective department programs in connection with service delivery.

No electricity cuts for Newcastle KZN

NO ELECTRICITY CUTS FOR NEWCASTLE KZN

The Newcastle Municipality has saved Newcastle from a major disaster. Eskom announced that they would cut power to the economic hub of Northern KwaZulu Natal as from Monday the 30th of September 2019. The Municipality heard about the news via the Media and decided to apply for a High Court Interdict against the power utility ESKOM to cut power. On Sunday the 29th of September Judge Chetty ruled in favour of the Newcastle Municipality, for arguments on 3rd October 2019.

On the 3rd of October Judge Bezuidenhout heard arguments from Newcastle Municipality and ESKOM. The Municipality was joined by COGTA and one of the largest businesses in Newcastle Lanxess CISA who was entered onto the court documents as a respondent.

Judge Bezuidenhout reserved judgement on the interim interdict until today and instructed ESKOM to adhere to the interdict.
This morning judge Mngadi handed down judgment on behalf of Judge Bezuidenhout at the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

The judgment in short

  • ESKOM is not allowed to cut power to the economic hub of Northern KwaZulu Natal town Newcastle.
  • The Newcastle Municipality must pay ESKOM R30 million per month as from 15th October 2019
  • All parties are granted leave to file supplementary papers by 29th October 2019
  • The matter is set for 6th December 2019This judgement is not only to the benefit of the community and businesses of Newcastle but also to other Municipalities in KwaZulu Natal.

    The mayor of Newcastle , Dr Mhalba would like to inform the community of Newcastle that the Newcastle Municipality will be able to make payment to the power utility. “I will ensure that our CFO make payment on the 15th of every month. We now have a concrete agreement in place, we will not disappoint the people of Newcastle.”

    We are positive that on the 6 of December 2019 the interim order by the court will become final.

Issued by the office of the Mayor of Newcastle Cllr Dr NNG Mahlaba

For Enquiries please contact

Dr Dumisani (PD) Thabethe
Head of Communications
Newcastle Municipality
Phone : 082 7888 344
Email: dumisnai.thabethe@newcastle.gov.za

Download the Original Release Note

Newcastle Municipality elects new Deputy Mayor and Speaker

Newcastle Municipality Council elected new Deputy Mayor; Cllr Reuben Moses Molelekoa and Speaker; Cllr Samukelisiwe Annet Yende at a Special Council meeting held on the 27th of August 2019.

The new elections follow after the resignations of former Deputy Mayor; Ms Dudu Sibiya and former Speaker; Ms Jabu Mkhwanazi, who joined the National Parliament in Cape Town as members of the National Assembly.

Council also appointed Cllr Sikhumbuzo Emanuel Shabangu as an Executive Committee Member.

Newcastle Mayor Cllr Dr N.N.G Mahlaba congratulated and welcomed the Deputy Mayor and Speaker. He stressed that regardless of the fact that Council is made up of different political parties, each and every councillor should remember the primary goal of council and the municipality, which is to serve the community of Newcastle.

Nelson Mandela Day

Every year on 18 July South Africans together with the international community honour our former president and international icon Nelson Mandela in the celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day. This day has since its launch in 2009 inspired individuals to take action to help change the world for the better, and in doing so build a global movement for good.

It initially started with people being asked to give 67 minutes of their time and later moved away from an ad hoc and individualised initiative towards addressing issues affecting our society. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Nelson Mandela Day and to commemorate this milestone the Nelson Mandela Foundation has launched a new approach and strategy titled Mandela Day: The Next Chapter.

The strategy outlines a new approach over the next ten years that will significantly change the manner in which the International Nelson Mandela Day impacts people’s lives. This means that the focus will be on harnessing research, analysis and dialogue to build sustainable impact for those that need help the most.

It identifies five key focus areas for global partnerships to focus on to have strategic impact. These areas are education and literacy; food and nutrition; shelter; sanitation and active citizenship, and they are in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Newcastle CBD Parking Management System

Newcastle CBD PARKING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

As of the 1st of July 2019, Newcastle Municipality rolled out a parking management solution throughout the CBD. The service provider, Traffic Management Systems, was awarded the bid, through a competitive bidding process, to successfully manage the parking woes experienced since 2009.

The advantages of the system to the public entail amongst others:

  1. Easy access to Business.
  2. Easy access to parking.
  3. Cash and card payment options as well as EFT payments through cellphone.
  4. A safer CBD.
  5. Less traffic congestion.
  6. Option of paying lower tariff at low density parking areas.
  7. Sustainable job opportunities.

 

TIPS ON HOW THE SYSTEM OPERATES:

  1. One can pre-plan their trip to the business hub by logging onto Quickpark.co.za (Newcastle) and check for available parking spaces.
  2. When you identify a parking space, a well clad Parking Marshal will attend to you, equipped with a parking meter and printer.
  3. The marshal will then record your vehicle details.
  4. You must then tell the marshal how long you intend to use the bay. He/she will then print an electronic receipt which shows your vehicle licence number, the expiry time in bold and the parking fee. Should you exceed the time, then upon your return, you must pay the outstanding amount to the marshal.
  5. You then pay the tariff and display the issued receipt on the dashboard in a clearly visible manner, on the right hand side.
  6. One can pay cash or obtain a pre-paid cash card which can be topped up on the website or at the Marshals terminal. Marshals will have change available.
  7. The prescribed tariff for on- street parking (eg Allen, Scott, Voortrekker and Murchison Streets, being high density areas) is R4-00 per half hour and R8-00 per hour or part thereof. The off- street parking rate (ie OK Square, Central Car Park, Hellenic/ Homeaffairs etc) is R3-00 for half hour and R6-00 per hour or part thereof.
  8. Business owners or their employees may opt to pay a monthly tariff of R550-00 per month for a designated off-street parking space.

 

Enquiries may be referred to Community Safety, Traffic Services Admin:

Email: lizie.botha@newcastle.gov.za

Telephone (OH): 034 328 4703

 

 

Community Base Plans

The Department of Public Participation together with the IDP Unit and the Office of the Speaker within the Newcastle Municipality embarked on the process of reviewing the Community Base Plans for the 2019/20 financial year as per legislative requirement.
Under the motto “We Partner, Involve, Consult and Inform”.

Community Base Plan is a form of participatory planning which has been designed to promote community action, it provides the Municipalities with the means to strengthen the participatory aspects of their IDP
CBP Promotes ward level plans and community action while mobilising communities to take the destiny of their lives into their hands (The people shall govern).

The intention of the CBP process is to better inform planning within the various spheres of government inclusive of the private sector.

CBP employs a grass-root, sustainable livelihoods approach in order to ensure that whatever proposed development programmes and projects are in fact a true representation of the needs and aspirations of the community . This process is a forerunner to the IDP.

The working sessions commenced from the 18th of March to the 4th of April. In the following areas:

1) The 18th of March 2019, Youth Centre for the Blaaubosch zone
2) 20th of March 2019 Osizweni Community Hall for the Osizweni zone
3) 22nd of March 2019 at the Town hall for the Newcastle zone, with the last session that took place yesterday at the Madadeni Community Hall.

Attending these sessions were ,Cllrs, Ward Committee members, NGO’s and NPO’s that form part of War Rooms.

The process is currently in a draft phase in order to allow submission and constructive feedback from the community and any other interested or affected relevant stakeholders.

Ward 22 Councillor sworn in

Seen on the picture from the back: Acting Municipal Manager Muzi Mayisela, Deputy Mayor Cllr Dudu Sibiya, Front: Magistrate Gurlal and Cllr Sizwe Mngomezulu.

The Newcastle Municipality sworn-into office a newly elected councillor during a council meeting that was held at the Newcastle Council Chambers yesterday.

Cllr Sizwe Mngomezulu who was elected as the ward 22 councillor, replaces late Cllr Sibusiso “Mpha “Hlabisa who passed on late last year.  Present to witness this prestigious event was the whole of EXCO, councillors and members of the community. To officiate the induction, Court Magistrate Gurlal was also present.

Cllr Mngomezulu swore under oath to serve the community without fear or favour. He promised to carry forward the mandate given to him by council which is in line with the vision and mission of the Newcastle Municipality.

Council welcomes the newly appointed Cllr.

STATEMENT BY HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR OF NEWCASTLE MUNICIPALITY

 

 

STATEMENT BY HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR OF NEWCASTLE MUNICIPALITY ON THE COMMEMORATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2019

20 March 2019

Human Rights Day in South Africa is a Commemoration of the Sharpeville massacre were 69 people were mercilessly killed and 180 were injured when police opened fire against unarmed protestors who were protesting against pass laws.
On this day we look back where we come from as a Country and what we overcame, we acknowledge all South Africans who suffered gross human rights violations during the period of apartheid and colonialism. We remember the painful past of the oppression of Africans in particular, we remember the period where a person was judged on the basis of the color of their skin.

This day marked an affirmation by ordinary people, who stood up and fought for their rights, hence we must use this day as the reminder that our freedom was not for free, and that our human rights came at the cost of life, that we must always remember that to date some of our people do not even know where their loved ones are buried indeed our freedom came through the high cost.

The 2019 Human Rights Day Commemoration is celebrated under the theme “The Year of Indigenous Languages: Promoting and deepening the Human Rights Culture.” The marginalized Indigenous linguistic communities continue feeling the pressure to assimilate and adapt to linguistic cultures and Identities that contrast with who they are.
The South African Constitution Founding Provisions Chapter 1, Section 6 (1) t0 (3) state that;
“6. (1) The official Languages of the Republic are Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and 

(2) Recognising the historical dimished use and status of indigenous languages of our people, the state must take practical and positive measures to elevate the status and advance the use of these languages.
(3) (a) The National government and provincial government may use any particular official languages for the purpose of government, taking into account usage, practicality, expense, regional circumstances and the balance of the needs and preferences of the population as a whole or in the province concerned, but the national government and each provincial government must use at least two official languages.

(b) Municipalities must take into account the language usage and preferences of their residents.”
The ANC vision is to build a more equal, just and humane society where all human beings are treated with respect and dignity, where all enjoy the rights and protections enshrined in our Bill of Rights, and no one exploits or discriminates against another.

It is on this basis that we have to promote and deepen the human rights culture, as the Municipality. In the upcoming weeks, our Municipality will be having different programs which will be promoting the Indigenous Languages this will also include Indigenous games. We will have dialog on the promotion of our Indigenous language and culture. Let’s all work together in promoting and deepening the Human Rights Culture.
I would like to wish all of you a peaceful Human Rights day.
LET’S GROW NEWCASTLE TOGETHER