Durban — The eThekwini Municipality will spend R248 000 to renew a partnership between themselves and the city of Daejeon in South Korea and to form a new sister city relationship with Xiamen in the People’s Republic of China.
The Deputy City Manager: Governance and International Relations Sipho Cele was given the green light at the Full Council meeting, on Thursday, to renew a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote a global view and provide sustainable service delivery to the eThekwini citizens.
The partnership is aimed at enhancing relations and facilitating information, knowledge sharing, good practice and innovation in all aspects of service delivery and governance.
The partnership is also aimed at improving skills; building managerial and technical capacity to improve productivity and promote the city as an attractive location for investment and tourism; developing project partnerships for mutual benefit, particularly on projects that will help flatten the Covid-19 curve and support the shaping and development of economic and social policy agendas in Africa and abroad.
The key focus areas will include matters related to redress, transformation, delivery and tolerance and supporting initiatives for the City, and for the country to be eliminated from junk status.
eThekwini Mayor councillor Mxolisi Kaunda, on behalf of the city, is expected to sign the MOU during the United Cities Local Government (UCLG) Congress scheduled for October 2022 in South Korea. A date is being set for the signing of an agreement with Xiamen in Durban.
A report to the council stated that arrangements would be made for virtual engagements to sign the MOUs if physical gatherings are somehow restricted as Covid-19 is still prevalent globally. The report stated that the city of Daejeon has invited Kaunda and the relevant officials to attend the UCLG Congress, with the City of Daejeon, and would cover the flights; accommodation, and local transport costs for Kaunda and one additional person.
Authority was granted for the municipality to take responsibility for the travelling costs of the other delegates attending the UCLG. This includes a councillor, an intergovernmental official and a communication official who would assist with the virtual link and other communications technicalities attached to the signing.
The Xiamen signing ceremony costs total R50 000 – including the venue hire at R30 000; the stage and sound at R15 000, and the signing stationery at R5 000. With regard to the city of Daejeon, the signing ceremony costs total R105 000 – including signing stationery at R5 000 and virtual connections at R100 000.
The costs for one official’s flight, visa, accommodation and allowance is R35 000. The nominated councillor and communication official’s flights cost R58 000.
Daily News