Networking session with faith-based community

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Members of the faith-based community gathered this week at the Mossel Bay Town Hall for their second networking session, facilitated by the Mossel Bay Municipality.

These engagements were launched in October 2022 with the purpose of building strategic partnerships with members of faith-based organisations.

Municipal director of Community Services, Elize Nel, mentioned that according to a needs assessment, there was a desire for sharing knowledge, information sessions, networking and workshops, interlinking different spheres of government, cooperation and offering support services, and productive communication strategies between different faith-based communities.

Mayor Dirk Kotzé opened the floor, welcoming the feedback regarding the previous engagement.

"We want to work with the faith-based community, because it is a trusted component of our community. As local government, we want to listen to and learn from you. We are humble, open and willing to collaborate and that is why we seek to partner with religious leaders."

Kotzé made a strong point of the need for two-way communication and networking. He offered municipal services, such as communication platforms to support projects driven by faith-based communities.

"We do not have the funds, nor the mandate to fix the ills in our society. You are close to the community and trusted."

He mentioned that due to the massive difference faith-based organisations make in the community, they are also key in sharing municipal communication. Kotzé briefly referred to the municipal application and the need for support to promote the use of this tool, which will ultimately empower residents to manage their relationship with the municipality in terms of service delivery requests and paying their municipal accounts. It will also act as a useful tool for disseminating information to residents.

In closing, Logan Duthie, coordinator of the event on behalf of the municipal directorate, Community Services, invited members of the religious fraternity to contact her to become part of the networking database and to receive updates related to networking opportunities for the year ahead.

Pastor Benson Matembo and Aydn Parrott, communications officer in the mayor's office at the networking event. Inset: Logan Duthie (directorate: Community Services) and Una Saayman at the event. Saayman, formerly a colonel in the police, opened the event with prayer and scripture reading.