During a difficult time underscored by the global Covid-19 pandemic, the Mandela Bay Development Agency in collaboration with independent arts organisations and emerging local artists, held a 3-day virtual Youth Festival.

September is Public Service Month in SA and President Cyril Ramaphosa has once again put the public sector in the spotlight. In his latest letter, the President commits the public sector to perform better than it is doing right now and exhorts it to step up and make a difference. It has become trite to continuously say that it would be unrealistic to expect the system that brought us to this point to suddenly change simply because of the President’s call. The Inter-Governmental Relations system places most of the development responsibilities onto local government, thus something needs to change there if we are to meet the challenges set by the president.

The Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) supports first virtual Working World Exhibition hosted by Inkanyezi Events - an annual event designed to empower and position learners for the world of work. The career expo is available on https://www.workingworldexpo.co.za/ from the 13th to the 14th of August 2020.

A theory in human evolution argues that homo-sapiens endured in the evolutionary race over parallel hominid species because we had reached the stage of conceptual thought and co-operation towards common ends. This co-operation eventually led to the structuring of communities into ruling groups and those who serve the rulers especially when humans settled. Archaeological research at diverse sites and Inca cities such as Teotihuacan; shows there was a ruling class and those who ensured that the wishes of the rulers over the ruled were carried out. These were senior bureaucrats and referred to here only as bureaucrats.

The Mandela Bay Development Agency calls on all residents of New Brighton to use integrated public channels to engage simultaneously across platforms on possible opportunities and development programmes for the historic township. Community members can be part of the conversation on KQ FM this coming Thursday, the 6th of August with Percy Lamani joined by the MBDA, four Councillors from ward 14, 15, 16 and 17 and other sector stakeholders. All valued public participation will be seamlessly on radio, virtually on social media as well as on location.