The Deputy Minister of Tourism Fish Mahlalela had his maiden community engagement in Busoni, Mpumalanga, on Saturday 20 July where he sought to create an awareness on programmes that the Department has to offer in contributing and creating employment through faster economic growth and eliminate poverty, as commitment in the National Development Plan 2030.

Deputy Minister Mahlalela spent his Saturday, in his home village of Busoni, in the Nkomazi Municipality where interacted with business, community and local and provincial government as part of his outreach programme.

Conducting a ceremonial visit to Inkosi Mlambo II, Deputy Minster Mahlalela accompanied by senior municipal and provincial official – The delegation was taken through a snap vision for tourism development by Nkosi Mlambo II – “We need authentic cultural villages to drive rural tourism, and to tap on the wisdom of our elders and the innovation of our youth to make our rural and agricultural villages to be as popular as those in cape Winelands, and importantly to value indigenous knowledge and learn the technical skills of the 21st century to preserve and market our heritage as tourism assets” said Nkosi Mlambo, to the roar of the delegation \\Inkosi !!!.Inkosi !!(a gesture of affirmation of the King’s assertion).

Marking #Mandela Month whose theme is “Action against poverty”, as part of the month long government programme of celebrating the 10th Anniversary International Mandela Day which was globally celebrated on 18th July which calls on the world to collectively effect sustainable interventions against poverty, the Deputy Minister accompanied by Inkosi Mlambo II, also visited the Thembalethu Educare Centre where building material to renovate the pre-school was donated by the Department. This was followed by a tree planting ceremony.

“It is important for us to encourage our people to plant trees to take care of our environment as the threat and actual impact of climate change becoming real in our daily lives- We also want our people to plant vegetables to end hunger and poverty, as this will help achieve food security and improve nutrition”, highlighted Deputy Minister Mahlalela.

The highlight of the outreach, was a Community Imbizo at the Iconic Samora Machel Museum, perched on the hill overlooking the village of Mbuzini, where Deputy Minister made bold commitments about the need for partnerships and investment in driving the tourism economy “We need to make the best out of this asset. This is the most singular honour of an African leader in the whole world- The Samora Machel National Monument , should be marketed to remind ourselves of the importance of international solidarity and African unity , it should inspire us to sell the beauty of our country through the memories and legacies of our departed heroes” We therefore need to ask ourselves what can we do to ensure that the people of Mbuzini makes the best out of this tourism attraction drawing on our neighbours in Mozambique and Swaziland , but also the neighbouring provinces of Gauteng , Limpopo and KwaZulu natal “- said Mahlalela –

“I can commit, that as the department we will immediately start discussion with the Nkomazi Municipality and the Mpumalanga Parks and Tourism Authority, about what immediate enhancements are needed to reposition this museum to be the memorial jewel and tourism we intended it to be” Mahlalela added

Minister Mahlalela also used the opportunity tourism business to seize the opportunities provided by the national department of tourism, in the form of youth skills programmes, the funding and incentives schemes, and the Incubation Programmes for Enterprise Development which will assist Small, Medium and Macro Enterprises (SMME’s) with business support services

Tel: +27 (0) 12 444 6607

Cell: +27 (0) 66 487 8867

Email: bmanale@tourism.gov.za