iZimbizo kicks off in Paarl

By Nadia Samie
13 April 2007

The Western Cape Provincial government met with the Paarl community on Thursday evening, successfully kicking off a week-long series of iZimbizo.

Chaired by MEC for Agriculture Cobus Dowry, the imbizo – in the Cape Winelands/Drakenstein municipality – was attended by Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool as well as Draakenstein Mayor Charmaine Manuel and the mayor of the Cape Winelands District, Alderman Clarence Johnson.

About 750 residents and community leaders from the areas of Wellington, Paarl East, Gouda, Hermon and Mbekweni showed up at the imbizo to raise questions around housing, education and health. Many question put to the Premier, the MEC and the two mayors' focused on the theme for the iZimbizo week, which is: "Social Mobilization for Development and Safer Communities".

Many residents also expressed concern about the high-level of tik abuse in the area, with many saying that they are fed up with the many drug houses in the vicinity. The quality of policing also came under the spotlight in the crammed Hogenote Community Hall.

The premier spoke about the importance of creating partnerships between government and communities, in order to turn around the scourge of drug abuse and drug-fuelled crime. He said that on the one hand, communities complain that government is not doing enough, while on the other, communities are probably not doing enough themselves to rid there surroundings of negative elements.

The Proudly Mannenberg campaign was cited as a shining example of how the various sectors of society and government can work together to build safer communities for all those who live in the Western Cape. The Premier put out a challenge for the Paarl community to do the same.

The imbizo kicked off at 19h30 and – in high spirits – continued until 23h00.