Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe to hold discussions on Dervice Delivery with the Central Karoo District Municipality, 13 – 14 September 2007

 PRETORIA – Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister  Sue van der Merwe as part of the government programme “Political champions at nodal points” will pay a visit to the Central Karoo Municipality (Beaufort West, Prince Albert, Laingsburg, Murraysburg and Merweville) on Thursday- Friday 13-14 September 2007. 

 Deputy Minister Van der Merwe’s visit comes within the context of the South African government’s commitment to strengthening local municipalities to ensure faster and effective service delivery.  The concept of political championship seeks to ensure that government as a whole fulfils its mandate of improving local government, ensuring service delivery and reducing levels of poverty through ministerial oversight of key municipal nodes.

 Towards this end, Deputy Minister Van der Merwe will hold meetings with the leadership of the Central Karoo District Municipality to assess the level of service delivery and inspect development projects.

 During her visit to the Central Karoo District Municipality, Deputy Minister Van der Merwe will:

·         on 13 September deliver a keynote address to the workshop on “Development in South Africa’s Arid Areas” to be held at the Sutherland Hotel;

·         13 September –  meet with a delegation from Central Karoo District Municipality and Prince Albert Municipality on housing and service delivery progress;

·         14 September – meet with Murraysburg and Beaufort West Council delegations

·         14 September – the Deputy Minister will conduct site visits in Murraysburg and in Beaufort West.

 As a political champion of the Central Karoo nodal point of development, Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe’s engagement with the Central Karoo District Municipality provides ministerial oversight and serves to remove impediments to the successful implementation of development and service delivery.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

 Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

 11 September 2007