| The event kicked-off with an early morning visit to the resting place of the fallen heroes and heroines of Boipatong. The event culminated in a massively attended state of the district address by the executive mayor Mahole Mofokeng at the stadium.
With the arts MMC Neville Felix managing the program which was interspersed with cultural acts by the artists, he constantly reminded the audience that the event happens at the time when the country is hosting various countries here for the Fifa confederations cup tournament.
'Let us give our visitors an African welcome,' said Cllr Neville Felix before introducing the Executive Mayor Mahole Mofokeng to the exulted audience.
His was a delivery of an annual state of the district address consciously planned to observe the seventeenth commemoration of the Boipatong massacre day on June 17, just a day after South Africa's declared holiday, and equally memorable 1976 June 16 uprising and now youth day.
With the scene set at the Boipatong stadium and its well cared for green grass, Executive Mayor Mahole Mofokeng did not mince his words. Translating his entire speech into the Sesotho-language, the Executive Mayor constantly reminded his audience on the availability of the English version on the web-site.
He emphasised on the importance of integrating the region with the broader Gauteng province, the country and the entire African continent. He cited the sewerage system upgrades as but one of the inter-municipal programmes that shall ensure a reduction and elimination of sewerage spillage onto the region's rivers and dams.
He made reference to the current development plans relating to Evaton, the Vereeneging Civic Centre and the Sharpeville precinct developments that are to begin soon.
The artistic impression of the Sharpeville precinct is impressive, the contractors have been briefed already and construction is set to begin,' said Mayor Mofokeng to the delight of the crowd.
On the Evaton development plans, the Mayor emphasised that it shall now be approached on a multi-departmental manner that will see various governmental departments working together. He expressed his gratitude on the patience shown by the people of Evaton after many delays in the implementation process.
Regarding other development plans on governmental cards, the Executive Mayor made references to housing development plans that also include the construction of over 18 000 middle income housing-units.
Regarding the regions plans for the 2010 soccer tournament next year, the Executive Mayor cited multiple programmes which include existing relations with community radio to ensure training in multilingualism in view of the expected increase in foreign visitors.
'Travelling from Sandton city to the Soccer city stadium outside Soweto takes far longer than from parts of the region here,' says the Executive Mayor in emphasising the likely benefits for the region in regard to the soccer tournament.
After the Mayor's speech, arts MMC Felix handed over the microphone to the council speaker Cllr Kedibone Mogotsi for a vote of thanks. Later on, the audience was treated with a lunch and entertainment by various artists including Chomee. |
