Media practioners from across the province filled the Musina Municipal Council Chamber to capacity during the  annual mayoral press conference last weekend.

Mayor Carol Phiri enlightened the media about the achievements and challenges facing her municipality during the event. She said it was very important for Musina Municipality to hold this annual event, which is meant to develop a good working relationship with the media," because the media are the most powerful tools of communication and have a constructive role to play in society".

Phiri added that media coverage built the municipality’s profile in the community. “A raised profile through media exposure also strengthens the support we already have among our people," she said. She also mentioned that the occasion reflected the collective determination of the Musina Municipality to address the challenges of creating jobs, reducing poverty, building infrastructure and growing the economy with energy .

“We acknowledge the backlog of services that our people are still trapped in. We also understand the poverty levels that most of our people still find themselves in. We also accept our limitations, due to financial constraints, to be able to meet all the demands for service delivery. We will not turn away from our challenges. We will confront them boldly and with hope. In harnessing all the resources at our disposal, we have to do more with less, although this will neither be easy nor uncontested,” she added

She shared with the media the following projects which the municipality recently completed: Ext 5 Thosong Service Centre at a cost of R1,8m; Malale Community Hall at a cost of R2,3m; renovation of the Nancefield Community Hall at a cost of R735 000; Madimbo Sports Centre at a cost of R4,3m; construction of EPWP streets in Ext 5 and 7 at a cost of R9,9m; construction of Ext 7 sports centre at a cost of R4,7m and the Nancefield community library at a cost of R2,8m. She also cited the following projects, which the municipality is currently implementing and will be completed by 21 June 2013:  Construction of the Malale Sports Centre at a cost of R6,2m, the construction of the Thusong Centre in Nancefield Ext 8 at a cost of R2m, the construction of the Madimbo Community Hall at a cost of R4,6m and Nancefield Ext 1 public park at a cost of R1,8m.

According to her, the following  projects will be completed by 31 March next year: Replacement of electrical transmission poles at a cost of R1m;  construction of a new access road to Musina Ext 14 at a cost of R1,7m and the upgrading of power supply equipment at the electricity station at a cost of R1,4m.

"We will implement the following projects during the 2013 / 2014 financial year: Construction of a new market place at Madimbo at a cost of R3m, construction of new market place at Nancefield Ext 8 at a cost of R3m, construction of the Thusong Service Centre at Nancefield Ext 7 at a cost of R2,2m, Nancefield Ext 8 public park at a cost of R2,7m and the renovation of Ext 5 sports centre at a cost of R4,5m."

The members of the media also visited the projects which the mayor named during the press conference.