Municipalities have been urged to work consistently with communities to maintain and protect public assets and infrastructure.

Speaking on Tuesday at an event ahead of the District Developmental Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo in Ekurhuleni, taking place on Friday, Public Works and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala said it was important that all spheres of government work together with communities to ensure that community development is consistently and aggressively pursued.

This, according to Zikalala, will ensure the economy of the country is expanded and strengthened.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to visit Tsakani, in Ekurhuleni on Friday. This will be the first service delivery-driven visit by President Ramaphosa in Gauteng in the seventh administration under the Government of National Unity (GNU).

The Presidential imbizo in Ekurhuleni is in line with the District Development Model to enable integrated and responsive planning, implementation and budgeting.

‘It is good to atte
nd Imbizo but what is critical is to have councillors working with people in their respective wards. What is important is to have Members of Parliament working with people in their constituencies and Ministers, Deputy Ministers and MECs working with people to support the Districts and Metros,’ Zikalala said.

He emphasised the importance of energetic support for communities in their developmental and economic endeavours. He also spoke strongly against lack of service delivery to communities.

Zikalala visited two sites in the Ekurhuleni Metro as part of his pre-Presidential Imbizo engagements.

He visited the Vosloorus Township where he oversaw and took part in road patching and storm water clearing at Phumulani, before visiting an EPWP wetland project at the Benoni Lake.

He participated in the clearing of alien invasive vegetation and the removal of litter and debris from the dam.

Source: South African Government News Agency