Public Works and infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson will pay a courtest visit to Zulu King Misuzulu kwaZwelithini on Monday to present the department’s latest infrastructure delivery plans for KwaZulu-Natal.
Spokesperson James de Villiers said the meeting will take place at the KwaKhangelamankengane Royal Palace in Nongoma, northern KwaZulu-Natal.
He said the visit forms part of the department’s ongoing engagement with traditional leaders on infrastructure delivery, job creation and project performance.
“During the meeting, the minister will present the department’s and its entities’ plans for infrastructure delivery in KwaZulu-Natal to his majesty — including ongoing construction and maintenance projects, job creation through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), and the implementation of infrastructure reforms like the upcoming Social Facilitation Framework (SFF) to improve delivery performance in the province,” said De Villiers.
Macpherson will be joined by KwaZulu-Natal public works and infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer, Independent Development Trust (IDT) chairperson Zimbini Hill, Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) chairperson Khulile Nzo and Council for the Built Environment (CBE) CEO Dr Msizi Myeza.
The visit comes two months after King Misuzulu announced that key annual cultural events — including the Reed Dance (Umkhosi Womhlanga) — would be relocated from the traditional Enyokeni Palace to his new Emashobeni Palace.
That decision sparked debate as it came just before the unveiling of R210m worth of upgrades at Enyokeni, which included the construction of a large dome structure and other facilities meant to host traditional ceremonies. The upgrades had been delayed for more than a decade.
The main concerns for the critics were around the Enyokeni facilities possibly becoming a white elephant after such a heavy investment.
During the reed dance in September, Misuzulu hit back at critics, particularly those outside the Zulu nation, for questioning his decision on traditional matters.
He explained that, according to Zulu customs, each king is expected to establish his own legacy and moving cultural ceremonies to eMashibeni, his own palace, forms part of that tradition.
The provincial government has since expressed its support for the decision. The provincial public works department, which was in charge of the upgrades on behalf of the provincial government, said there are several ways to ensure that the facility serves the community and tourists to avoid becoming a white elephant.
TimesLIVE
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