Siphelele Nketo 

SINCE the community of Alfred Nzo district will soon welcome a new municipal council, Mayor Tsileng Sobuthongo has thanked the community and outgoing council for the responsibility she was given to serve as district mayor from February 3.

Sobuthongo succeeded Nomasomi Mshuqwana who was in the position after the resignation of former mayor, Vukile Mhlelembana, in December last year.

Sobuthongo’s farewell message touched on the municipal council’s progress in advancing service delivery and improving the state of living in communities for the past five years.

She mentioned the strengthening of water networks as among the key milestones across the local municipalities in the district. She further said that the council has made strides in local economic development through its support for emerging enterprises, mentioning five small businesses that were supported under the Cement Products Manufacturing Hubs Programme. 

“Notably, the programme has contributed to local job creation, with the Kamva Elihle Cooperative in Matatiele employing 26 permanent local residents,” she stated.

In speaking about agriculture, Sobuthongo said that investment supported farmers through production inputs and mechanisation, while skills development and internship programmes provided more than 500 unemployed graduates with valuable workplace experience.

She called for the community of Alfred Nzo to support the incoming council set to be sworn in next month.