The Kouga Municipality has launched an official platform to include the “whole-of-society” approach in addressing critical issues in the municipality which will serve as a vehicle where experts, skilled stakeholders, and any person or organization that believes they can make a valuable contribution - can engage, formulate, and develop practical solutions, strategies, and innovations.
The first of these platform engagements will focus on addressing the state of roads in the municipality and is set for September 12, at Mentors Country Estate in Jeffreys Bay.
According to Dr Vicky Knoetze, Tsitsi-Kouga constituency leader, as a result of various factors such as the age of the infrastructure, the method of construction in the 1970s, massive population growth, and adverse weather conditions, many roads have reached the end of their lifespan.
She said that the issue is further exacerbated by the fact that 66.3 percent of the roads within the municipality are provincial roads which are not being maintained effectively by the Department of Roads and Transport as per their mandate.
Knoetze said that the municipality recognised the pivotal role which various stakeholders, including the business community, private sector, community-based organisations, and individuals, can play in finding solutions to these issues that affect all of us.
“We acknowledge that in truly achieving progress, we all need to take hands and work together as a broader cross-section of society,” said Knoetze.
She said that all stakeholders that believe they can contribute to the mission to address the state of Kouga’s roads, whether it be in the form of expertise, advice (civil, financial, or engineering), finances, strategy, assistance in terms of plant and product or any other contribution are invited to take part.
“This initiative is a call to action in finding solutions and implementing strategies,” said Knoetze.
“Only by joining hands with the whole of society can we chart a way forward and find a speedy resolution to this problem.”