Pretoria - Acceleration of service delivery, job creation and ensuring the continuation of good governance practices will be among the key priorities of the new eThekwini Municipality mayor during his term of office.
EThekwini Municipality Mayor James Nxumalo told the council that in order to break the cycle of poverty, dependence and unemployment, the municipality must start putting more focus on job creation.
"That is where I want us to focus our energy. If we can give people jobs, they get dignity, with dignity you are more productive and if people are productive, many of the social problems in our society will start disappearing," Nxumalo said.
Speaking during a council inauguration ceremony on Monday, Nxumalo said he will convene a two-day workshop in August 2011, where they will map out a strategic framework to improve the city's economic base, provide jobs and ensure the costs of public transport, housing and basic services can be reduced.
He further urged councillors to ensure that communities are part of development and be responsive to their needs.
"We must interact with our communities by calling regular meetings and be responsive to their needs. We must strengthen our working relationships with community structures like community policing forums and ward committees," Nxumalo said.
Nxumalo, who is the former council speaker said the municipality, will ensure that ward committees are trained properly and capacitated in order to play their roles and responsibilities effectively.
"We will give them the necessary support so they can assist councillors in fast tracking development in communities, development has to be people driven."
He also reassured citizens he met during the door-to-door campaign before the elections that those visits and interactions were not just about electioneering, but it was about taking a mandate to continue to govern in ways that meet their expectations and create a better life for all communities.
"As we begin this term of office, we will do everything in our power to meet your expectations and address your basic needs. We will build on the good work that has been achieved by the previous council and fine tune our systems in order to speed up the provision of services for our communities," said Nxumalo.
