The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, will tomorrow, Thursday, 17 September 2020 visit the Zululand District as part of the Cabinet’s deployment of Ministers and Deputy Ministers as District Champions of various municipalities.

Minister Nzimande is deployed to Zululand, along with KwaZulu-Natal Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Bheki Ntuli and Zululand District Municipality Mayor Cllr TD Buthelezi.

The visit will consider amongst others, the district COVID-19 response plans, interventions to eradicate gender-based violence, infrastructure and skills development in the region.

Minister Nzimande will during the visit also launch the Higher Health District Campus Health and Wellness roving fleet of mobile clinics to provide primary health care to underserved TVET, CET colleges as well as rural and disadvantaged University Campuses. This service will ensure that the Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation increases its capacity to provide health services to our post school education and training institutions.

The District Development Model (DDM) is a new integrated planning model that government is using to institutionalise an integrated, district-based, development approach aimed at fast-tracking service delivery and ensuring that municipalities work together, and are adequately supported and resourced to carry out their mandate.

The DDM is a vehicle to ensure that service delivery is refocused and implementation strengthened through a well-coordinated and coherent national programme of action. In this regard, the team of experts will contribute positively to the implementation of key interventions. This integrated plans implemented will go a long way to eradicate inefficiencies and duplications caused by spheres of government operating in silos.

Members of the media are invited to join the Minister, the MEC and the Mayors as follows:

Date:            Thursday, 17 September 2020
Time:            10:00
Venue:         Zululand District Municipality, Council Chambers, B400, Galane Street, Ulundi

Members of the media are advised to confirm their attendance by contacting Ishmael Mnisi at 0660378859, Seema Ramnarain at 083 388 3100.