Middleburg – President Cyril Ramaphosa has refuted claims by opposition parties that he was using the government’s platform to campaign for his party – the African National Congress (ANC).
The national and provincial elections will take place on 29 May 2024.
President Ramaphosa made his remarks while speaking to reporters during his visit to Middleburg Hospital in Mpumalanga on Thursday morning (7 March 2024).
Flanked by the Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane and other officials, Ramaphosa rubbished the claims that he was electioneering.
He said it was part of his mandate as the head of state, not ANC president, to travel across the country to interact with people about service delivery and get their views.
“We have been having Imbizos for the past five years and there was no idea that this was an electioneering initiative,” President Ramaphosa said.
“The work of government can’t stop because we have an election coming.”
President Ramaphosa added: “When I go to an election campaign, I do it with my ANC T-shirt and all that, but here I have come as the President of the Republic, which I have been doing in the past five years and going to interface with our people.
“These Imbizos are so beneficial because we listen and hear what people have to say without any electioneering. People from various parties come and put their views forward and we follow up. “
The President also checked on the progress made in the construction of the Middleburg Hospital.
The new hospital is expected to be open to the public before the middle of the year.
The construction of the new Middelburg Hospital project commenced in 2017.
The new hospital will replace Middelburg Provincial Hospital, which is currently struggling to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population.
The comprehensive facilities of the new hospital encompass outpatient services, general care, a maternity unit, a 600-seat auditorium, accommodations for both staff and students, a training center, and a trauma unit.
Functioning as a level 1 district hospital, it will boast 220 inpatient beds, four fully-equipped operating theatres, an accident, and emergency department, and a spectrum of services including medical imaging, pathology, pharmacy, maternity, paediatrics, allied health and rehabilitation, and dialysis.
Additionally, it will house a dental suite and offer extensive family health services.
The operating theaters in the new hospital are being equipped with cutting-edge technology that will enable specialist consultants to remotely monitor procedures and provide assistance when necessary.
Before the Imbizo, President Ramaphosa held a brief engagement with the Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders.
Addressing residents at the Imbizo, Ramaphosa said the government was working hard to resolve the water supply and load-shedding crisis happening countrywide.
“Water is a challenge in many parts of our country because of an ageing infrastructure,” President Ramaphosa said.
“It is not like we are not doing anything. We are going to get more and more capacity of water.
“It is going to take a little bit of time but we are going to solve it and the solutions are in hand.”
The government has already approved the license of Nkangala District municipality to produce bulk water, ensuring that the capacity of the water supply is increased.
The Department of Water and Sanitation is also working on various projects to ease the shortage of water.
There is a water treatment plant project, which will be completed in 2025, with more than 54 000 households expected to benefit from this project.
Currently, 87% of households have access to clean water and the issue of ageing infrastructure is receiving the necessary attention.
During the engagement, the members of the community also raised the issues of electricity and housing.
In response to the issues raised, the President called responsible Ministers to respond to the issues and the status of various projects.
On the issue of electricity, the government introduced a debt relief programme, aimed at assisting municipalities that owe Eskom.
The municipal debt to Eskom is close to R64 billion, with the issue of illegal connection being the biggest contributor.
The residents were urged to make use of the crime hotline number to report any illegal connection as it has a negative impact on the electricity supply.
The government is working with the private sector to explore other ways that can be used to produce electricity, other than coal.
Regarding housing, the government indicated that it is on Phase 2 of Siyanqoba RDP houses, which is currently looking for suitable land to build 5 000 houses with running water and electricity for the residents of Emalahleni.
It was emphasized that the municipalities should protect their land from illegal occupation as it delay the provision of housing.
The President handed out 14 title deeds to farm workers and labour tenants in and around Nkangala District municipality.
Later on, President Ramaphosa led the District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo in Sy Mthimunye Stadium, Emalahleni (formerly Witbank), Nkangala District Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, with the theme “Leave No One Behind”.
The Imbizo was directed at enabling successful implementation of the “One District, One Plan” District Development Model in which residents, traditional leaders, business formations, organised labour and faith- and community-based organisations work with government across all phases of planning, implementation, and evaluation.
*ALL PHOTOS BY GCIS
