MINISTER ZULU CONCLUDES MINISTERIAL OUTREACH PROGRAMME IN KWAZULU-NATAL

• Minister Lindiwe Zulu’s Ministerial Outreach Programme in KwaZulu-Natal includes a significant visit to Tendela Community Hall, where she will hand over a cheque worth R249,717.16 from the National Development Agency (NDA) to Abalimi Multipurpose Primary Cooperative.
• Abalimi, a youth-run agricultural cooperative established in 2019, aims to combat youth unemployment in Tendela Village. The NDA funding will enable them to purchase essential agricultural equipment, expand their crop farming initiatives and create job opportunities for local youth.
• The Minister will also officially open a new Social Development Service Office in KwaMashu, marking the conclusion of the outreach programme. This office will address critical social needs, including poverty and limited access to social development services, promoting social integration and sustainable livelihoods.

As part of the Ministerial Outreach Programme in KwaZulu-Natal, the Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, is set to embark on a significant visit today, Monday 13 May. She will be heading to the Tendela Community Hall, located in Ward 2 under Mpofana Local Municipality, to hand over a cheque valued at R249,717.16. The cheque, provided by the National Development Agency (NDA), an entity of the Department of Social Development, is earmarked for Abalimi Multipurpose Primary Cooperative.

Abalimi is a youth-run agricultural cooperative, established in 2019 with a noble aim: to tackle the pervasive issue of youth unemployment in Tendela Village. The funding from the NDA will be instrumental in acquiring essential agricultural equipment, including water pumps and irrigation sprinklers.

This injection of financial support will empower the cooperative to expand its crop farming initiatives, thereby enhancing food security and unlocking job opportunities for young people in the predominantly rural communities under Mpofana Local Municipality. Since its inception, Abalimi Multipurpose Cooperative has made significant strides in agricultural production, proudly supplying fresh vegetables to local retailers.

Concluding the final leg of the Ministerial Outreach Programme in KZN, Minister Zulu will mark another pivotal moment tomorrow, Tuesday 14 May. She will officially inaugurate a new Social Development Service Office in KwaMashu. This newly established office is poised to become a central hub, addressing critical social needs identified in KwaMashu, including poverty, vulnerability, and limited access to social development services. The overarching goals are clear: reducing poverty, promoting social integration, and fostering conditions for sustainable livelihoods within the community.