Announcing an injection of R1-million to the community of Dabhazi in KwaNongoma on the north coast, on the weekend, the MEC said if the communities do not look after such initiatives, poverty alleviation would be a fallacy.
The Dabhazi community came in numbers to a gathering that was attended by members of the royal household traditional leaders and Member of Parliament Prince Zeblon Zulu.
"You, the people have entrusted to deliver services and we as your representatives in government are responding to your needs, but its important that after the project has been started it is well looked after, that is what the people's contract is about." The million rand injection will go towards the resuscitation of two cattle dips, and kick-start the community gardens while providing fencing equipment for the crops.
Ndabandaba said the initiative will generate 320 job opportunities and improve the state of cattle in the area.
In the past, cattle from the area have died because they could not get the medical treatment to keep them in a healthy state.
"This also means that with local dips in a good working condition, children will not walk long distances or even miss school because they had to go to dip cattle," he added.
He said he hoped this project would wipe the tears from the community that had not accessed any development in the first decade of democracy.
The community were elated when it was also announced that the department would deliver a tractor at the end of August.
The launch of the project is a result of an earlier visit by Deputy President Jacob Zuma in March. At the time the locals complained of being neglected when it came to development.
This rural community relies on farming as a means of living but with the drought that has engulfed the country they have been struggling.
The gathering also provided the community to bring to the attention of the department some of the problems, which was acknowledged by head of the department Dr Jabulani Mjwara.
"I can assure you that we will be looking at these request with utmost care, and will respond to them swiftly. - BuaNews
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