Party cards needed for service
2007-10-06 14:25
Uitval - Municipal officials in the uThukela district were accused at President Thabo Mbeki's imbizo near Ladysmith of asking for political party cards before serving residents.
An estimated 8 000 people packed the tents at the Uitval sports grounds near Ladysmith to meet Mbeki and hundreds lined up to have their chance to complain.
On stage, Mbeki was surrounded by various national, provincial and municipal officials.
Two people complained that they were asked for the membership cards of their political parties before they could be served.
One complainant claimed she lived in a ward controlled by the Inkatha Freedom Party, while another complained that he lived in a ward that was controlled by the ANC.
Both levelled the accusation that they would not be served because they were not members of the party that controlled the ward.
Education minister Naledi Pandor was also on the receiving end of complaints. One student said: "With the new syllabus we get projects, but there is no library here. We can't go to our parents. They are illiterate."
Hundreds of people lined streets
The supply of water, electricity, high school fees and a lack of public transport also featured high among the list of complaints.
However, there was one woman who took the opportunity to thank the late KwaZulu Natal Social Welfare and Population Development MEC Gideon Zulu for the assistance she received from him following floods in the area in 2003. Zulu died in May 2006.
Earlier in the morning hundreds of people lined the streets of Ladysmith's Ezakheni township as he kicked off his two-day imbizo.
During the walk-about tour of D-section in Ezakheni Mbeki was flanked by national health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, KwaZulu Natal premier Sbu Ndebele and Ladysmith mayor Dudu Mazibuko.
There was a huge security contingent, a circling helicopter and a host of press photographers surrounding Mbeki and his entourage.
Mbeki is expected to meet with local officials and residents at the Uitval community which is a rural community about 60km south of Ladysmith.
Huge tents and large screens were erected to cater for the masses.
Various government departments had mobile caravans with staff on hand to serve locals. A long queue was seen outside the Home Affairs Department caravan.
After the interactive session with residents of Uitval, Mbeki was expected to meet with local government leaders in the Ladysmith town hall.
On Sunday Mbeki will visit the Olifantskop Dam project before undertaking a door to door visit of the Wembezi community near Estcourt.
Later on Sunday he is expected again to meet with government departments - both provincial and municipal.
- SAPA