Mhlaba Memela

Mhlaba Memela

Inkatha Freedom Party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi has praised Mineral and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica's efforts to eradicate poverty in KwaZulu-Natal through the provision of electricity.

Buthelezi said he was delighted that Sonjica came to eMondlo in northern KwaZulu-Natal to "improve the quality of the life of our people in our municipal district of Zululand".

He said Sonjica had been an outstanding minister in her portfolio. Buthelezi said that even when the parties were positioning themselves for the forthcoming elections, he had never failed to criticise the government if the need arose.

"I appreciate that there are many good things that we have done in the last 15 years.

"The fact that we are still such a long way off from where we should be as a nation as far as service delivery is concerned, should never make us not to acknowledge some of our modest achievements," he said.

Buthelezi said they had been saddened by the outcome of the Eskom debacle, "for us as black consumers who comprise the largest segment of the poorest of poor in this country".

Safety and Security Minister Nathi Mthethwa shared Buthelezi's sentiment that the government did not look where people were coming from when they talked of service delivery.