Mhinga - Communities in the Mhinga Dynasty, in Limpopo, say they will use the new Parliamentary Office to forward their ideas about what should be included in President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address scheduled for next month.
During a visit to the Mhinga Traditional Royal Council on Friday, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi announced that she will officially open a Parliamentary Office in Malamulele on 21 January.
“I came here to formally inform you that we will be unveiling the Parliamentary Office at Ha- Malamulele next week Thursday … this is taking Parliament closer to the people of Mhinga and the surrounding areas, apart from getting copies of the President’s [State of the Nation Address] and government department’s Budget Vote speeches, they will also use the Parliamentary Office to have a say about what should be included on the upcoming SONA,” she said.
The State of the Nation Address is an important occasion for all South Africans because it is a chance for the President to tell the nation what government’s Programme of Action is for the year ahead.
Minister Muthambi, whose Constituency Office is in the Thulamela area, told traditional leaders that the Parliamentary Office will ensure her effective and direct accountability to the locals herself as a Member of Parliament and other office bearers.
The Minister on Friday also visited eight other traditional leaders near the Kruger National Park, including Makuleke, Nthlaveni, Gidjana, Xikundu, Xigalo and ka-Magona, among others.
The traditional leaders, who received Minister Muthambi and her entourage warmly, said her visit to the deep rural area was a clear indication that the Minister respected the role of traditional leaders.
Hosi Busa Nxumalo, a senior traditional leader in the Malamulele area and Chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders in Vhembe said the Minister’s visit was long overdue.
“As traditional leaders, we’ve been looking forward to her visit which is not only aimed at improving service delivery to our people, but to us, it shows us that she respects traditional leaders.
“We are always looking forward to engage the government on service delivery issues and as a collective, we believe that the Minister’s visit is going to uplift the hope of our communities on government.”
The wife of Hosi Shilungwa Mhinga II, Lorraine Mhinga, said: “I’m very excited about what has come out from today’s meeting with Minister Muthambi. For the first time, we have a very hands-on Minister who came to our community in order to tell us how she wants to change the lives of the people.
“She informed us that she will return to the village after three months, but we are already waiting for her return with bated breath because we know her as a hands-on woman who makes sure that things happen.”
She added that the Minister’s relations with traditional leaders in the area was healthy and that they were already working and planning together on service delivery issues.
The traditional head of the Makuleke community, Joas Makuleke, commonly known as Hosi Makuleke, said: “We feel honoured to be visited by Minister Muthambi and we want to make it known that we will be working and supporting all the programmes of government she is tasked to implement.”
Secretary of the Mhinga Traditional Royal Executive Council Magezi Thomas Maphophe Mhinga said they viewed the visit to the Royal Council as strategic.
“We like her hands-on approach when dealing with improving the lives of the people and her track record in this area is known very well, so her visit and commitment to work with us will serve as a glue that will bind all members of the traditional council together.” - SAnews.gov.za
