Thursday, February 14, 2013

Decisive outcomes from Mangwe policy dialogue meeting

After intensive two day leadership training workshops held in 5 wards in Mangwe; Habakkuk Trust then held a Policy Dialogue meeting on Friday the 25th of January, at St Theresa in Plumtree in order to bring public officials to a round table discussion with community leaders from wards 2, 12, 8, 1 and 13; on how critical issues that affect those communities could be speedily solved. Invited were the MPs for the relevant constituencies, Senator L Tapela, MP Mkhosi, Minister Moses Mzila Ndlovu; and officials from the Mangwe RDC, the Plumtree Town council, representatives of the department of education and the Environmental Management Agency. Although Hon. Mkhosi could not be available, and officials from the town council were also a no show, the core of the Invited public officials and community leaders from the 5 wards concerned where sufficient to hear the communities’ problems deliberate on them and come out with stern resolutions. The issues that were on discussion was the pollution of Matole dam(raw sewerage has been flowing into Matole dam from plumtree town and border post), Livestock confistication in Plumtree, the construction of a school to service ward 1 and 13, and the socio-economic and environmental effects of mining in ward 8. The communities resolved to conduct peaceful defiance campaigns where Matole dam and the confistication of livestock are concerned if the relevant ministries do not address the issue by the 10th of February. With regards to the mining and education concerns, the community leaders have invited the education and the mining minister to come and engage with community on how their issues maybe best resolved. The Matole dam issue has been unsolved for nearly 3 years, inspite of extensive lobby efforts by the community. Ultimately the resolutions of the communities were decisive, and the People’s elected representatives, the MPs were tasked to take the letters the responsible ministers in the national executive. As a result of the policy dialogue meeting, the Mangwe RDC and the Environmental Management Agency have agreed to endeavor to solve the issue of Matole dam being polluted.