MMC Molwele leads City’s weight-loss programme

01 February 2016

 

It’s just gone 6.25am when I arrive at the Metro Centre piazza in Braamfontein.

 

Workmen are already setting up music equipment a few metres from the main entrance of the City of Johannesburg’s headquarters. Branding banners are flapping in the cool morning breeze.

Across the piazza, Councillor Nonceba Molwele is pacing up and down while browsing her phone. She is kitted out in her gym outfit and ready to get going. The Health and Social Development MMC, an early riser, is waiting for the City’s employees to arrive for the first open-door staff training session of the year.

This is part of Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau’s Go Jozi Healthy Lifestyle Programme, which the MMC is championing. At 6.40am, the music starts pumping. Several women – and some men – start the aerobics class run by energetic trainers in distinctive blue T-shirts. For the next one-and-half hours, more people join in the high-energy workout. MMC Molwele, Council Speaker Connie Bapela and Corporate and Shared Services MMC Mally Mokoena lead by example.

“I’m very happy with the turnout, especially because this was arranged at short notice and it’s the first staff exercise of the year. Charity begins at home,” says MMC Molwele.

“Go Jozi is the mayoral programme to get the city healthy. As employees and officials of the city it is important that we lead by example.”

She says the sessions will be held weekly.

“Exercising is good for everyone. You start your day on a positive note and you feel energised after a session. More people must embrace this initiative. We cannot tell people to lead a healthy lifestyle when we are not doing that. Let’s exercise, eat healthy so we can produce better services to our people,” she tells the crowd after the fun-filled session. “Friday is a sports day, so from now on every Friday morning we’ll meet here to exercise,” she says.

Speaker Bapela also thanks City employees for responding positively to the invitation.

“Let’s all embrace this initiative. Next Friday, bring along two or three more people. Let’s take the city to greater heights.”

Dudu Ngubeni, Xolelwa Ngele and Sarah Moraba are impressed. They live in nearby Hillbrow and exercise five days a week at the Hillbrow Recreation Centre.

“This is a great initiative. I’ve already lost 10kg since joining the Go Jozi Healthy Lifestyle Programme,” says Ngubeni.

Ngele says she has been exercising for more than a year and can feel the results of the workouts. Rose Bhuzu, the Go Jozi coordinator, says 11 training instructors have been contracted for six months to conduct sessions in all regions.

“The sessions in the regions include cycling, aerobics and walking. I’m very happy with the turnout today,” she says.