Call for govt to reconsider petition delivery
SITHOBELA – Residents under Sithobelweni Inkhundla have called upon government to reconsider allowing the youth to deliver petitions to the constituency centres.
This, they said, when they made submissions during a visit by Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development, David ‘Cruiser’Ngcamphalala. The minister visited the area to tour the inkhundla structure after it was tourched by unknown arsonists last Saturday night.
One resident asked the minister what government had done to ensure that the youth’s grievances were attended to. “I would like to know government’s stance regarding the ongoing burning of schools and tinkhundla centres. We all know that the youth petitioned their MPs because they wanted their grievances to be addressed. Government should allow the delivery of petitions to continue to those constituency centres which were left out,” one resident said. Another resident asserted that the majority of the youth were unemployed hence were frustrated.
“We need to find a lasting solution to this predicament,” said the resident. Addressing the residents, MP Bhekitje Dlamini said the youth pointed out a number of issues when delivering their petition. Next to address the residents was the minister, who stated that all the petitions were received and kept at his ministry as a reference to what government intended to do. The minister further urged the MP to appoint a committee that would ensure that issues raised within their imiphakatsi were addressed. Ngcamphalala further urged MPs to channel the E3 million annually allocated to the Regional Development Fund (RDF) towards funding youth income generating programmes within their constituencies’imiphakatsi.
Shocked
“I was shocked to learn that there is an inkhundla that has not disbursed E7 million towards funding projects within its constituency yet people complain that they don’t have funding. For example, the Nkilongo Inkhundla youth has a bus and heavy machinery that can be hired by different companies in generating income,” he said.
Furthermore, the minister mentioned that some of the grievances which were mentioned by the youth in their petitions had been addressed by the Prime Minister, Cleopas Dlamini and that government was doing something in the short-term to ensure that they were implemented. “The youth should know that issues that touch on the call for an elected PM are within their right as it is reflected in the Constitution what should be done,” he added. Meanwhile, the minister will this morning tour Dvokodvweni Inkhundla which was also burnt on Tuesday night by unknown arsonists.