Durban — The eThekwini mayor’s annual imbizo and civic functions are expected to cost ratepayers R4.4 million in the 2022/23 financial year.
The matter came under discussion after a report was tabled by the eThekwini governance and human resources committee to the eThekwini executive committee, on Monday.
The request was for the mayoral parlour to incur an expenditure of R4.4m for the implementation of mayoral imbizo, civic and ceremonial functions.
According to the report, the imbizo is an ongoing outreach programme aimed at bringing the government closer to the people where the city interacts with communities regarding upcoming service delivery projects in their areas and progress on existing ones. The imbizo is expected to take place across the city until June 2023.
The report said the mayor, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda, had a responsibility to attend and support civic and ceremonial functions in order to promote the municipality. Ceremonial functions include events approved and co-ordinated by the council.
The report said the imbizo was an initiative where the community’s concerns were heard and advice taken from the public about the municipality’s programmes and service delivery.
The municipality has drawn up the mayoral 10-point plan to institutionalise the new normal and drive radical social-economic transformation through the re-industrialisation of the city’s economic trajectory driven by the port and city industrial programme; mayoral job creation; catalytic projects and skills revolution war room; infrastructure delivery and energy reform and climate change; the social solidarity economy programme; procurement of centre of excellence; smart city and 4th industrial revolution; implementation of asset master plan; eThekwini enterprise and supplier development fund; establishment of the eThekwini economic council and radical budget re-engineering reforms.
The matter will come before the full eThekwini council tomorrow.
Daily News