‘POLITICS and business can either make or mar the City uMhlathuze!’
This was according to political analyst Dr Christopher Isike during the uMhlathuze State of the City dialogue and gala dinner in Empangeni
on Friday.
Head of Department: Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Zululand, Dr Isike said business and political leaders had an important
role to play for the benefit of people, but at the same time, could ‘destroy’ the City if they only wanted to replenish their ‘own pockets’.
‘Government cannot do everything,’ said Dr Isike.
‘They need to partner with business and civil society to ensure good governance. But good governance also applies to the business elite and economic
class. Politicians can be corrupt, but the business class can also be corrupt. The business class corrupt politicians through bribes and tenders.’
Dr Isike said to move ‘uMhlathuze forward’, all sectors of society needed to pay attention to the quality of people.
‘It is high time we focus on people as engines of development. There needs to be a change of mind set where we teach people how to become better citizens
adopting the principles of honesty, accountability, empathy, love, responsibility and transparency,’ said Dr Isike.
President of the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZCCI), Sizwe Khumalo said a lot of opportunities remained to be unearthed for the benefit of
the local business and community.
‘This is a City pregnant with opportunity. But we are waiting for a midwife to deliver the baby. Opportunities are present and we, as business, must go and dig them up, but this relies on what local government can offer in terms of providing a conducive environment where business prospers.’
Communities
Welcoming the input of business and civil society, City Mayor Elphas Mbatha said it was important that ‘communities were taken seriously’.
‘The United Nations goal is that by 2015, every household must have basic services. We must all achieve this and business must also play its part. Community protests must be avoided at all costs as it can override an entire town. We are pleased to share the City of uMhlathuze has, over the past few years, prioritised the development of thousands of homes in rural areas within our municipality.’
Mbatha further announced that in 2016, three wards from Ntambanana Municipality would be incorporated into uMhlathuze to ensure disadvantaged communities received services.
