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MKHIZE CALLS FOR UNITY IN FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY

CLARION CALL: KZN premier Zweli Mkhize urges residents in Nongoma to join the 'people's war'. Pic: Siyabonga Mosunkutu. © Sowetan.
CLARION CALL: KZN premier Zweli Mkhize urges residents in Nongoma to join the 'people's war'. Pic: Siyabonga Mosunkutu. © Sowetan.

KWAZULU-NATAL Premier Zweli Mkhize has urged all citizens in the province to join the "people's war" against HIV-Aids, poverty and underdevelopment.

KWAZULU-NATAL Premier Zweli Mkhize has urged all citizens in the province to join the "people's war" against HIV-Aids, poverty and underdevelopment.

Mkhize was speaking in the Sovana area in Nongoma, northern Zululand, where he met local leaders, elected office bearers, amakhosi, headmen, community-based organisations and volunteers to outline government programmes aimed at fighting HIV-Aids.

Sovana falls under the Zululand district municipality and about 200 households have been identified as living in abject poverty.

"This visit is aimed at highlighting the urgency in effectively implementing the comprehensive and integrated strategy to fight TB, HIV and Aids," he said.

"The message must be heard loudly and strongly that this is a task for which government alone has no chance to succeed unless all our people are mobilised to be part of this campaign," he said.

Mkhize informed the community that the new government had developed an integrated service delivery approach involving all government departments.

"The mainstay of the combined cluster work is the determination that food security and agricultural reform is the basis upon which we shall launch the government service delivery programme," he said.

"The days of government doing things for people are long over. This is the time for government to work with the people, facilitating their development.

"We urge our people to join this people's war. The government has mobilised the government staff to be organised to bring services closer to the community and work with communities to address the weaknesses in service delivery."

Some of the challenges faced by the Sovana communities include health-related issues, problems with Home Affairs, bridges, roads, water, sanitation and electricity.

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