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THE ACCEPTANCE SPEECH DELIVERED BY
CLLR NAMANE DICKSON MASEMOLA ON
THE 23 rd MARCH 2006 ON HIS
APPOINTMENT AS AN EXECUTIVE MAYOR
OF GREATER SEKHUKHUNE DISTRICT
COUNCIL
Madam Speaker
Mayors and Speakers
Councillors and Officials
Chief Whips
Commanders and Commissars of MKMVA
Municipal Managers
Traditional Leaders
Leaders of Political Organizations
Business Leaders
Our Priests
Comrades
Ladies and Gentlemen
The 23 rd of March 2006 is the historic day in the history of Sekhukhune
primarily owing to the significance of this occasion, the 2 nd Inaugural
council sitting. This day marks the landmarks in our collective endeavour
towards advancing the socio-political programmes aimed at bringing
serious changes in the lives and environmental affairs of our Region.
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Indeed the revolutionary spirits of the heroes and Heroines of our
liberation struggle, the spirits of our Warrior Kings are happily watching
the proceedings of this meeting in appreciation of the good work done.
Their appreciation demands from us a total commitment to thank them
for their sacrifices, toil, hardships and their hard work in their endeavour
to create a living space for us their grand children.
Indubitably we should acknowledge the successful establishment of this
Institution notwithstanding the challenges triggered by transformation
and societal needs and expectations that would have to be attended to
continuously.
I would like to take this opportunity to appreciate the work done by the
outgone leadership collective of this Municipality. The collective wisdom
they had made it possible for them to sail throughout difficult moments
of uphill movement and down wards sloping. The foundation they have
laid forms the basis from which to focus our efforts and time to carry
forward the development agenda of our organization. And this would be
pursued by infusing policy frameworks necessitated by the need to
advance the utter implementation of the Freedom Charter.
However, it becomes important that we should all agree that we have
learned enough in the past five years. We have discovered ourselves
and the environment in which our leadership will have to be provided.
Clearly it becomes apparent that commitment by all to work is essential
and highest level of Political morality development remains an area of
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great need and priority. Let us gentle the grass like when two lions roll
over it.
In accepting this onerous responsibility bestowed upon me, the Unity
and cohesion of the people of Sekhukhune occupies the central part of
our development agenda. It is therefore very important that we should
be aware or made aware that we will spare no effort to enhance our
community building mandate. We will not accept any attempt to
perpetuate perceptions of disrespect and ill-disciplines. The people of
Sekhukhune are one and shall remain one.
I want to make a call to the people of our region that they are invited to
contribute and be part of the management and administration of our
Institution through the appropriate forums and channels.
We will unite our people around programmes, strategies and tactics of
our Municipality for the realization of the Reconstruction and
Development Programme and the Freedom Charter. We will mobilize
our people for people’s power through this Municipality.
Today we are publicly taking a responsibility to lead the people of
Sekhukhune and hopefully to inspire them with enthusiasm for them to
continue making history, because it is conscious and organized masses
of our people who are the organic intelligentsia of our revolution. We
will enhance our loyalty to the people of Sekhukhune with trust and
confidence.
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Madame Speaker, Human Resource Development remains one of the
important programmes to enhance Political, Ideological, Cultural, Moral,
Academic and Skills Development. The strength of this programme
relies on its content to enable us to meet current challenges. The
organizational behaviour and culture that is needed is the one that
should ensure our administration continues to be helpful for us to
provide basic services required by our people. We need the
administration committed to its work and nothing else. We need the
administration that would support the political component and make us
deliver on the commitment made during the election campaigns.
We will prioritize strengthening and re-focusing of our administration on
key performance areas and therefore pay attention to the Technical
Capacity Project Management, Financial Management, Planning and
Systems Support required both by Councillors and officials. We will look
into the Management Strategy that will enhance our capacity to be more
pro-active and responsive to the needs of our people.
The strategy that would enhance accountability, performance and
delivery of services.
The voter population of our region has conferred a political responsibility
and mandate upon us both at local and District level. And therefore it
becomes clear that a collective mandate given to us needs enhanced cooperative
governance by strengthening our Inter-governmental
structures both political and administrative. And this is an important
pillar of a stable governance and implementation. And it needs
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collaboration and co-operation with Local Municipalities and our National
and Provincial Departments.
I would like to extend a word to your Royal Highness, Traditional
Leaders of our communities that we have a joint responsibility of taking
our people from the material life of misery by correcting the legacies of
discriminatory economic and social development.
The election manifesto of the African National Congress remains our
plan to achieve our public commitments. Through it, we will work hard
to pursue the objectives of the Asgisa for economic growth and
development to deal with poverty and unemployment.
I would like to take this opportunity to commit the Leadership collective
of Councillors before you today:
- To work hard to help our people
- To honour and follow Batho Pele Principles
- To respect, treat with dignity the people who elected us
- To work to bring services to the people
- To unite and stabilize Sekhukhune
- To redouble our efforts, to give people water, electricity, houses,
Access roads and other services
- To assist our Youth, Elderly, Disabled, Women and all
Vulnerable Groups to realize their dreams.
- To promote democracy, accountability and good governance
To mention but few
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The Executive Mayor will not be working alone in discharging the
responsibilities. He will have to be assisted by members of the Mayoral
Committee who will ensure that he succeeds in this daunting task of
ensuring better lives to our people.
Let me take this opportunity to announce members of the Mayoral
Committee known as MMC’s.
* Cllr. Selete Masemola
* Cllr. Mamokganyetsi Johannes
* Cllr. Sihlangu Thembekile
* Cllr. Tshwane Valrey
* Cllr. Joe Motene
* Cllr. Fanie Lekola
* Cllr. Maseko Jerry
* Cllr. Mafiri Kgaola
This is the team that will have to realize the aforementioned statements.
You can see that the 50% representation of women in this regard has
been achieved.
I would like to take this opportunity once more to thank you very much
for coming and making this day a success. May you drive safe back
home and arrive alive.
Ke a leboga
Thank you
Ngiya bonga
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