President Cyril Ramaphosa undertakes multifaceted visit to KwaZulu-Natal Province, 7 to 8 Nov

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday, 7 November 2024, and Friday, 8 November, undertake a visit to KwaZulu-Natal where he will honour the heritage of King Shaka Zulu, hold discussions with the Provincial Executive Committee, and engage with residents of eThekwini.
 
President Ramaphosa will commence his KwaZulu-Natal visit at 09h00 tomorrow, Thursday, 7 November, with the unveiling of a statue of King Shaka Zulu at King Shaka International Airport, Durban.
 
His Majesty King Misuzulu KwaZwelithini and Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli will join the President in officiating this tribute to King Shaka kaSenzangakhona, the founding father of the Zulu nation, whose leadership and military strategy forged one of the most powerful kingdoms in Southern Africa.
 
The unveiling of this statue aims to honour the King’s legacy and preserve his memory for future generations. The monument will serve as a symbol of unity, strength, and pride for the people of KwaZulu-Natal and the entire nation, celebrating King Shaka's contributions to Zulu history, culture, and identity.
 
The unveiling ceremony will be followed by addresses by the President and King Misuzulu KwaZwelithini at a separate venue in the airport precinct.
 
Later in the day, President Ramaphosa will hold discussions with Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli and the Provincial Government Executive.

The President will be accompanied by relevant Ministers and Deputy Ministers in this engagement which is part of a new series of interactions between the President and provinces aimed at enhancing intergovernmental coordination and improving service delivery in line with the priorities of the 7th Administration.

The provincial leadership will present to the President its five-year programme that will respond to the national priorities of securing inclusive economic growth, reducing poverty and building a capable and ethical state.

The meeting will also discuss interventions to improve service delivery at local government level.

Following his engagement with the Provincial Executive, President Ramaphosa will have a meeting of the Presidential eThekwini Working Group where he will be updated on the work being done to support and accelerate efforts by the eThekwini Municipality to improve service delivery, improve business confidence, and reposition eThekwini as an investment and tourism hotspot.

Established in February 2024, the Working Group represents an intergovernmental collaborative approach to addressing challenges in local government, and includes active participation from all levels of Government, the private sector, State-owned enterprises, organised labour, and civil society. 

On Friday, 8 November, President Ramaphosa and members of national, provincial and local government will hear directly from citizens and organised civil society formations during a Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Imbizo under the theme “Leave No One Behind”.

The Imbizo is a platform that allows citizens to make proposals and ventilate problems directly to the leadership who in turn respond to these inputs and set out plans for developing communities and the economy in the area visited by the President.
 
Details of the President’s engagements are as follows:
 
Unveiling of King Shaka Zulu Statue
 
Date: Thursday, 07 November 2024
Time:Time: 09h00
Venue:  Domestic Arrival Area, King Shaka International Airport, Durban

Contact: Lindelani Mbatha, Media Liaison Officer, Office of the Premier, on 061 499 0774
 
Meeting with provincial executive committee
 
Date: Thursday, 07 November 2024
Time: 14h00 (media to arrive at 13h00)
Venue: Coastlands Musgrave Hotel, Durban

Media will be able to cover opening remarks by the President and the Premier

Contact: Mr Lindelani Mbatha, Media Liaison Officer, Office of the Premier, on 061 499 0774
 
Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Imbizo

Date: Friday, 08 November 2024
Time: 09h00
Venue: Umnini Sports Field, Umgababa Municipality, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality

Contact: Mr Lindelani Mbatha, Media Liaison Officer, Office of the Premier, on 061 499 0774

Media enquiries: 
Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President 
E-mail: media@presidency.gov.za