Durban - Sihle Zikalala, the premier-elect of KwaZulu-Natal, says it will take the effort of all political parties to ensure service delivery is rolled out in the province over the next five years.
“It does not matter if municipality or ward is under the ANC or IFP; provincial government needs to provide services to people.”
The recent elections were rocked by service delivery protests in Umdoni municipality and in Bergville, resulting in thousands of people being unable to vote. Zikalala believes a lack of communication led to those protests.
He said the provincial government wanted to turn KwaZulu-Natal into a stable province, ensuring an environment existed for the provision of basic services, the creation of jobs and economic growth. “The things that affect stability are violence at a political level in rural areas, taxi violence and drugs, amongst others.”
The provincial government would fast-track the implementation of the recommendations of the Moerane Commission, which investigated political killings in the province.
Accounting for the roughly R220million that allegedly went missing from the provincial agriculture department’s disaster funds would also be a priority.