On Saturday the 10th of May 2025, the Mayor of Alfred Duma Local Municipality, Cllr Zama Sibisi, hosted a meeting with livestock/dip owners at Umnambithi Town Hall. The aim of the meeting was to handover l165 livestock dip to livestock/dip owners within the jurisdiction of Alfred Duma Local Municipality, which are clustered as follows :Isihlahla somnyezane, Siyaphambili, Ikusasalemfuyo Umnambithi livestock.
In attendance were Cllr T Dlamini, Cllr M Sithole, Cllr N Zwane, Cllr T Mlaba, Cllr B Xaba, Cllr Ngubane, Cllr X Kubheka, Cllr F Zuma, Cllr S Msimango and livestock/dip onwers.
Message of support :Mr Ndlovu from uMnambithi livestock commended the initiative of his worship the mayor for considering them with their livestock since they rely heavily on farming for a living.
Mr Khumalo from Phumendlini applauded the mayor for his assistance. He further pleaded for livestock owners to consider security majors when trading livestock and to apply for trading permits with relevant stakeholders.
UThukela Economic Development Agency representative, Ms Sithole, under Local Economic Development, shared with livestock owners that their organisation is available to owners if they wish to sell their livestock through action sales.
Mr Shabalala from Siyaphambili commended the initiative of the mayor for considering their needs as livestock owners and also pleaded for the municipality to arrange small businesses training on livestock as part of promoting self-help and self-reliance strategy in our communities.
Isihlahla soMnyezane thanked the mayor for his support, and pleaded with the mayor to visit them in their respective areas to address their needs. He requested the municipality to consider major crises facing them, such as the high rate of stock theft and water shortage.
His worship of Alfred Duma Local Municipality, Cllr Zama Sibisi, commended livestock owners for honoring the invitation and commended (Isikebhe) for their assistance to our communities, as the community members respect them more than police officers through the measures which they enforce to assist community in minimising stock theft in our communities.
The mayor rendered an apology on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs KaMadlopha Mthethwa, as she had an urgent commitment.
As part of promoting a self-help and self-reliance strategy the Mayor outlined the journey of assisting small businesses through local economic development, such as fencing material, seeds, ploughing services, poultry, starters, growers, finishers, fertilizer, water tankers, pressure sprayers.
He encouraged dip owners to consider farming as a business. “Our country is facing a high unemployment rate. “Our youth must consider farming as a business and establish cooperatives,” said the Mayor.
He also shared with community members that the municipality also assists youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who passed their matric with a tertiary institution registration through the youth development office, through local economic development fencing material is provided for livestock owners.
The municipality will continue with means of assisting livestock owners given their leadership success in the next local government elections, which guarantees the continuation of such assistance. The mayor is planning to request funding through the office of the MEC Agriculture and Rural Development fleet to assist livestock owners. He assured to attend their areas when invited by dip/livestock owners.
In his closing remarks, the mayor urged community members to consider leadership who has people’s interests at heart.