eThekwini forks of R5.8m for Shembe pilgrimage

eThekwini forks of R5.8m for Shembe pilgrimage

eThekwini Municipality says resources worth R5.8 million are being offered from its side, to support Shembe church members who began their holy pilgrimage in KZN on Monday.

Shembe
Supplied, Tourism KwaZulu Natal

The annual pilgrimage to the Khenana and Nhlangakazi holy mountains, involves some 40 000 congregants of the Nazareth Baptist Church.


Churchgoers are walking from eThekwini towards Ndwedwe Local Municipality, in the Ilembe District.


Separate groups will take part until 23 January.


During a joint media briefing on Tuesday, acting eThekwini mayor Nkosenhle Madlala said that the City's support is based on health and safety protocols.


Last year, the municipality allocated R3 million for sanitation services and R1 million for waste removal.


"This support we are providing this year includes four ambulances, mobile clinics, 200 000 plastic bags, refuse bags, 10 water tankers, and 200 mobile ablution facilities."


iLembe District Municipality has contributed R1.4 million for water and sanitation facilities at the mountains.


Traffic and law enforcement teams have been deployed to monitor the routes.


"Our technical department services have developed a team that is going to be stationed on the roads, Indwedwe is mostly gravel roads. The team consists of excavators and rollers which will be helping in terms of mud, and whenever there is rain and making sure the roads are usable," says Indwedwe Mayor Simon Mfeka.

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