Executive Mayor’s Christmas Message 2020
The 2020 year is coming to an end and with it, Christmas and New Year are fast approaching. This period of the year is known for joyous celebrations, festivities and generous giving of gifts. It has for ages distinguished itself from other periods of the year. The year 2020 has been the most challenging year South Africans have ever experienced with the announcement of a national lockdown by the President due to the Covid-19 global pandemic, school closures, disruptions and the loss of loved ones. The coronavirus has disrupted normalcy and subsequently placed South Africans and the world at large in unknown territory. However, more than anything the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the inequalities that exist for millions of South Africans with families struggling to survive.
Christmas can be a time of healing and renewed strength. It speaks to the hope we share as a people and represents a season of brotherhood and generosity to our fellow men. I, therefore, call on all of our residents across the District to practice compassion during this time by reaching out to those who are vulnerable, underprivileged and the elderly in our society. One act of random kindness will certainly help us to bring about social cohesion.
The holidays are a wonderful time for loved ones to come together and reflect on the past year, and it is a time to celebrate the coming year with hope and enthusiasm. This festive season will be unlike any other we have lived through before as we have to contain the spread of the coronavirus. This holiday season will require us to give up some pleasures in order to protect ourselves and our loved ones against the virus.
Our success in overcoming the coronavirus will ultimately be determined by the changes we make in our behaviour. This will entail that we observe social distancing even more carefully, wear face masks whenever we leave home, wash our hands regularly and avoid contact with other people.
Christmas is sadly also a season of increased deaths on the roads as impatience leads to speeding and consumption of alcohol leads to reckless driving. Please refrain from drunk driving and speeding and obey the rules as they are there to protect you.
May this festive season be a reminder of all the blessings in our lives and may we never lose sight of the wonder of God’s mercy. We praise the Lord that He protected us all in 2020, and we also pray that He will surrender us unharmed in 2021.
On behalf of the Councilors and the staff of the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality, we wish you a Christmas that will give you satisfaction, happiness and love, and we wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year!
