Executive Council meeting
6 September 2012
The Executive Council held its fortnightly meeting at Mbombela municipality in the Ehlanzeni district on 05 September 2012.
Premier’s Innovation
The Executive Council congratulated and thanked Premier DD Mabuza for the leadership role he has displayed in providing much-needed houses at Emalahleni for two elderly ladies including Mrs.Ngele who is 97 years old. He has also built 16 houses at JS Moroka and Thembisile Hani municipalities. He has also done the same at Pixley ka IsakaSeme and Nkomazi municipalities. The houses have been built by private contractors who volunteered their services and finances to build these houses in two weeks time. They also provided furnisher and blankets to some of the recipients of these houses. PUTCO, BUSCO and TSB are some of the major companies supporting this initiative of the Premier.
Meeting with Provincial House of Traditional Leaders
The Executive Council in August held a meeting with a delegation from the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders (HTL). The delegation was led by the chairperson of the House- The main purpose of the meeting was to establish a formal and structured relationship between EXCO and HTL including traditional leaders playing an oversight role in development projects taking part in rural communities this includes direct participation in the CRDP from planning to implementation. The HTL expressed appreciation to the Premier and EXCO on the invitation as it was the first formal interaction between EXCO and the HTL in the province.
Provincial ECD Implementation Plan
The EXCO approved the Provincial Early Childhood Development (ECD) Implementation Plan that was adopted by the recently held ECD summit. The Plan intends to provide qualitative access to existing 1020 ECD centers. This includes delivering learner teacher support material and equipment; and capacitating the 2065 teachers who are in ECD centers. In the current year 700 practitioners will be trained to NQF level 4 and 400 to NQF level 5 respectively. 300 learners with hearing and eyesight challenges will be screened. The implementation plan will also accelerate the establishment, registration and funding to ECD centers; holding breastfeeding campaigns; and conducting parental training sessions in communities. The aim is to immunize 1000 children in this financial year.
Integrated School Safety Strategy
The EXCO approved the Integrated School Safety Strategy. Its main objectives are: to provide physical security resources to public schools; establish and capacitate school safety committees and scholar patrols; support the culture of teaching and learning and to conduct random searches, seizure of drugs and drug testing. Eighty (80) schools (20 per district) who have recorded high levels of crime and violence have been identified to initiate the collaboration.
Acceleration of HIV/AIDS Prevention Plan
The EXCO approved the Integrated HIV and AIDS Implementation Plan 2012-13. The main purpose of the Plan is the acceleration of prevention interventions in order to reduce the rate of new HIV/TB infections and deaths by 50%; improve access to comprehensive treatment, care and support services to 80% of all eligible people living with HIV, STI and TB; mitigation of socio-economic impact of HIV, STI and TB on vulnerable groups such as orphans and children and to improve access to universal primary education by instituting care and support programmes for orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV. The Office of the Premier will establish a coordinating committee that will be chaired by the Premier consisting of all stakeholders involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS infections.
Approved amendments to the Mpumalanga Gambling Levies Regulations
EXCO approved amendments to the Mpumalanga Gambling Levies Regulations (MGLR) 2012. This provision allows the MEC of Finance to continue to sign the MGLR 2012. Currently the Mpumalanga Gambling Amendment Act 2010 does not include Totalisators and Bookmakers. The proposed amendment will therefore include regulations on levies to be paid by Totalisators and Bookmakers.
Approved the establishment of the Traffic Intervention Unit
EXCO approved the establishment of the Traffic Intervention Unit by the Department of Safety, Security and Community Liaison. This unit will be playing a critical role in the prevention and combating role accidents on our roads.
SA/Cuba medical programme
EXCO granted permission to 100 students from the province to join SA/Cuba medical programme in Cuba including MEC Dr. RC Mkasi. The entourage is expected to depart on September 7 2012. Students who have studied and qualified in Cuba have proved effective in ensuring that rural and underserved communities have access to medical services particularly medical doctors.
Child Protection Register
EXCO took note of the progress made in the implementation of the Child Protection Register. According to reports from the department of social development there were 316 cases of child abuse recorded in 2010/11 and there was a significant increase in child abuse cases in 2011/12 when 938 cases were recorded. This reflects a dire need to intensify the children prevention programme to ensure that there is a decline in the number of children that are abused. This register will assist in tracking child abusers including teachers and other people who want to work with children for example at working at Early Childhood Centers.
Teacher Education Facility
EXCO approved the budget for renovations and noted the progress being made on the establishment of a teacher education facility by the department of education at the former Ndebele College of Education at Siyabuswa in the JS Moroka local municipality. It also approved roles and responsibilities assigned to the province’s department of education in terms partnership arrangements between the department higher education and training, University of Johannesburg and the National Institute of Higher Education (NIHE) in the province. There will be 100 students admitted in 2013 to study towards a B. Ed (foundation phase) and lecturers’ posts have been advertised. The facilities are also being upgraded to ensure that they conform to UJ academic standards. The province has signed a four-year agreement with UJ and after four years the students will be part of the new university.
Premier Provincial Coordinating Committee (PPICC)
EXCO approved the Premier’s Provincial Infrastructure Coordinating Committee (PPICC) to ensure that all infrastructure projects in the province are centrally coordinated. The premier will chair the PPICC. It follows on a similar structure- the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Committee that coordinates infrastructure projects at a national level. It will consist of government departments, state owned enterprises and the private sector. The main objectives of the PPICC is; to identify five year priorities; develop skills,identify areas for research and development; develop 20project pipelines; expand maintenance on new and existing infrastructure and improve infrastructure links in rural and poorest areas in the province.
The creation of jobs
Statistics SA recently reported that the province registered the highest growth rate in the creation of jobs during the second quarter of 2012 in country. The province has reduced unemployment from 30-28% and created 40,000 new jobs. When interpreted on year on year jobs it is 68, 000 new jobs. The main areas where jobs were created are in trade, construction and transport.
Approved the CRDP strategy and its provincial procurement policy
EXCO approved the CRDP strategy and its provincial procurement policy that allows 30% of material to be procured locally. This policy is to ensure the employment of members of the local community; transfer of skills; formation of joint ventures; creation of local co-operatives and black economic empowerment is implemented at the seven municipalities that are CRDP identified areas. These are: Chief Albert Luthuli, Dr.PixleykaIsakaSeme, Mkhondo, Thembisile Hani, Dr JS Moroka, Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge municipalities.
Reports from the Provincial Treasury and COGTA teams
As a follow-up to the intervention approved by the Executive Council to ensure the successful implementation of Operations 2014 Clean Audits Campaign – the EXCO received the reports from the Provincial Treasury and COGTA teams who were deployed in June 2012 to obtain detailed information on remedial actions for municipalities that received qualified or disclaimer audit opinions in the last financial year. The MECs of COGTA and Finance have visited some of these municipalities. Dr. JS Moroka, Emalahleni and Mkhondo municipalities failed to submit their financial statements by August 31 2012. The team identified various challenges facing the municipalities. These include unbundling of assets; obsolete assets; staff verification; no proper database and the implementation of an electronic cost book. This is part of the auditor general’s Operation 2014 Clean Audits camapaign.
Report on visit to France
The delegation of four members of the EXCO who recently visited France presented their report to the Executive Council. The delegation visited two markets, namely, Saint Charles and Rungis fresh produce markets in Perpignan on the border with Spain and Paris respectively. They are the leading centers for distribution, transportation and logistics in Europe for fruit and vegetables with 1.5m annual tonnage and turnover of 1.8 billion Euros and include 560 companies. They import from the Middle East, South America and Africa. This visit will empower members of the executive council to understand the benefits and challenges of establishing the fresh produce market to be in Nelspruit
Provincial Mining Lekgotla
EXCO approved the hosting of the Provincial Mining Lekgotla on October 18 2012. The main objectives of the Lekgotla are; the creation of decent work and enterprise development for communities living near the mines; beneficiation of minerals; develop partnership between government and the mining sector in key infrastructure projects and to assess and evaluate the impact of mining activities on the environment including water pollution.
Message of condolence
The EXCO passed its message of condolence to the family of Mr. David Mhlobo HOD of COGTA on the passing of his sister Celiwe Mahlobo at Piet Retief Hospital on Tuesday September 2012.
Hosting of National Heritage Day
EXCO approved the hosting of National Heritage Day on the 29 September 2012 at Eidenburg, Bushbuckridge. The theme of the day is “Celebrating Heroes and Heroines of the liberation struggle in South Africa”.
Deputy Chairperson of MEGA
The EXCO approved the following appointment: Mr. DN Mculu as the non-executive deputy chairperson of the Mpumalanga Economic Growth and Development Agency (MEGA);
Appointments of CEOs of MEGA and MTPA
The EXCO noted the progress report from the two boards on the appointment of the CEOs.
MP launch of the Population Registration Campaign
The EXCO approved to support the launch of the department of home affairs Mpumalanga Provincial Stakeholder Forum and hosting of the farewell gala dinner for Home Affairs Minister NkosazanaZuma as she prepares to assume her new position as chairman of the AU
EXCO passed its condolences to the family of Mr. Gadlela Mnisi Phelele of Swaziland who was one of the workers killed at Lonmin mine on August 16 2012. He was buried on Saturday. MEC Siphosezwe Masango represented the Premier, the Executive Council and the people of South Africa at the funeral
Contact
Lebona Mosia at
Cell:
0825616465
Tel: 0137662244
Email: lmosia@mpg.gov.za
Issued by the Communication Chief Directorate, Office of the Premier
