The launch of this one-stop-shop also meant the opening of the National Development Agency’s King Cetshwayo District Office that is based at the centre.

The launch, which was on Tuesday, 26 June 2018 in Empangeni, included the official opening of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and ABSA who will be based at the centre with the NDA. The partnership between the NDA, The City of uMhlathuze, NYDA and ABSA in the King Cetshwayo District will ensure that the community of Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal will not travel far to get assistance for their CSOs and SMMEs. These are services that were previously only available in Durban but now the services have been brought to their doorstep.   

The launch was attended by the Chairperson of the NDA board, Ms Judy Hermans, who expressed her satisfaction and support for the partnership of the one-stop-shop in uMhlathuze. “As the NDA this partnership is very important to us because one of the interventions and strategies we have identified to ensure that the NDA work is making an impact in this country, is to increase our footprint in communities and bring our services closer to the people. We have realised that having an office in the main provincial city was an impediment, as people could not reach us, as they ought to.”

The NDA aims to assist CSOs led by the youth, women, people with disabilities and all those who have a passion of transforming their communities in the King Cetshwayo District and all surrounding districts. Through the CSO Development Programme, the NDA will be able to reach as many CSOs in this district and mobilise people in the communities of King Cetshwayo form CSOs that will respond to challenges faced by