Pietermaritzburg: The province of KwaZulu-Natal has been a hive of activity ahead of the District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo taking place on Friday. Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and provincial government officials have been visiting various communities to check on service delivery deliverables. Friday’s DDM will be held in conjunction with South Africa’s 30 years of freedom and democracy celebrations.

According to South African Government News Agency, on Wednesday, Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Kenny Morolong, visited the Old Prison in Pietermaritzburg, the nearby Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) train station, and the Nelson Mandela Capture site in Howick. Addressing locals in Pietermaritzburg, Morolong said that as the country celebrates 30 years of democracy, it is also reminded of its painful past. The Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of preserving the Old Prison’s history, which has been declared an official heritage site, for future generations.

Project Gate
way states that the prison houses both a National Monument and a museum documenting some of South Africa’s diverse history. ‘The Old Prison dates back to Voortrekker times, with more than 160 years of history, including the Colonial times, Apartheid, the Liberation Struggle, the Political Struggle and ultimately to the dawn of democratic South Africa in 1994,’ said Project Gateway.

Meanwhile, representative of the Ghandi Foundation, David Gangen, spoke about events which led to South Africa’s democracy. Gangen mentioned that what happened to Ghandi was the beginning of South Africa’s democracy. The Natal Indian Congress (NIC), established by Ghandi in 1894, celebrates its 130th anniversary this year.

Mayor of Ungungudlovu, Nzi Zuma Nxamalala, expressed appreciation for the Deputy Minister’s visit. On Tuesday, the Deputy Minister and a delegation visited the Open Gate Special School, coinciding with the commemoration of Disability Rights Awareness Month (DRAM). The Deputy Minister also visited households tha
t benefitted from Set-Top-Box installations and mobilised community members to apply for the set top boxes.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to lead the second DDM Presidential Imbizo under the Government of National Unity (GNU), in Umgababa, at the Umnini Sportsfield in Ward 98 on Friday. Cabinet adopted the DDM in August 2019 as an integrated planning model for cooperative governance aimed at fast-tracking service delivery.