State of the Province Address of the Premier of Mpumalanga, Thabang Makwetla, to the Opening of the Fifth Sitting of the Third Democratic Legislature, Nelspruit
22 February 2008
Madam Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Mpumalanga Legislature
Members of the Executive Council
Honourable Members of the Mpumalanga Legislature and Members of Parliament
Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders
Deputy Judge President, Justice Phineas Mojapelo
The Director General of the province and Heads of Departments
The Provincial Commissioner of South African Police Service, Commissioner Afrika Khumalo
The Executive Heads of our parastatals and Board Chairpersons
Our Honourable Mayors, councillors and leaders of South African Local Government Association (SALGA)
Our revered traditional leaders, Amakhosi/Magoshi
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Our distinguished guests from all spheres of public endeavour
Residents of Mpumalanga at large
Compatriots
Comrades and friends
Ladies and gentlemen
On the occasion of the Opening of the Fifth Sitting of the Third Mpumalanga Legislature, we have gathered customarily again, driven by the belief, among others, that the presence of each one of us here today serves to generate positive energy and enthusiasm for our province, once more, to lunge forward in a spirited push to bring relief and realise a better life to millions of South Africans who live in this province.
Today's occasion is an important milestone in the lifespan of our provincial administration because it signals that we are entering the home-straight in our race to attain the aims and strategic objectives of the 2004 elections. It therefore behoves us all, indeed to strain every muscle in our body and to burn every iota of energy remaining, in an unrelenting pursuit of our cherished mission.
Madam Speaker, many of us will agree that things have changed from what they were just less than five years ago. Nothing has remained the same.
Madam Speaker, I for one know that when I took this podium close to five years ago, I was not like this in appearance, and certainly less wiser than I am today.
Statistics South Africa says in 2007 in Mpumalanga 82 percent of households have access to electricity for lighting, 77 percent of households live in formal dwellings, 66 percent of households have access to a refrigerator, 78 percent of households have access to a cell phone, 41 percent of households have access to a flush-toilet, and no one uses the bucket-toilet system any more, barring those who are waiting to be resettled onto new land in Delmas.
Madam Speaker, I can go on, but even as we draw inspiration from this remarkable progress made in pursuit of the goal of a better life for citizens in this province, we cannot hide our frustration over the many other opportunities missed. Many of them were so real and inviting as if they had studied our handicap and enjoyed mocking us like the countless impalas of the Kruger National Park that occasionally, as they graze, leap into the air unprovoked as if to say to the prowling predator and an onlooker, "catch me if you can".
Madam Speaker, we make these comments to emphasise the fact that the attributes of what constitute a developmental state, a state with the ability to expedite development by taking full advantage of these opportunities, is not a theoretical debate. It is what confronts us every day in our administration. It is a function of organisational culture; it is a function of skills proficiency; it is a function of organisational designs; it is also a function of political interests, among others. These are matters we have become acutely aware of, as an administration, and we have steadily and diligently worked on them.
In our address last year, we announced the Exco initiative to champion five flagship projects which were calculated to have macro-impact on the socio-economic development of Mpumalanga, "the Big Five". It gives me pleasure to report to this House that the rollout of these projects has commenced, with the launching of the Accelerated Management Capacity Building Flagship last week, when we opened the Mpumalanga Public Management Centre in Bushbuckridge. The work of rolling out these projects in many respects has thrown up interesting management challenges and practices, which compel us to grapple with questions about how to build a developmental state in practical terms. The Mpumalanga Public Management Centre in Mapulaneng will in time, hopefully, become the engine of the pioneering spirit of our province.
Madam Speaker, honourable members, on Wednesday and Thursday this week the FIFA inspectorate team, together with the Local Organising Committee were in town to assess progress in the construction of the 2010 Mbombela Stadium. One of the catalytic programmes in government for development is the 2010 programme. I wish to emphatically assure this House and the public at large, that the province will at all times ensure that the preparations for 2010 in the province proceed according to plan without any hindrance.
Events in the Mbombela municipality have been cause for concern and the province has monitored them closely over the last twelve months. Sensitive to the imperative not to impinge on the municipality's ability to promote popular participation and mobilisation of its residents for the 2010 build-up, the province was reluctant to take the municipality over. However, it became more and more evident that the leadership of the municipality was unable to rescue itself from sliding into sheer anarchy.
Madam Speaker, in accordance with the provisions of Section 139 of the Constitution of the Republic, provincial government moved in on Wednesday the 20th of February 2008, to take direct control of the Mbombela Local Municipality, to restore stability and the statutory functions of the municipality.
Madam Speaker, the mismanagement of duties by the Mbombela Municipality leadership was a threat to the optimum exploitation of the opportunities that come with the 2010 programme and projects for the economic benefit of many deserving constituencies in our province.
Honourable Members in the House, this morning we are honoured to have in our midst icons who authored a glorious chapter of all times in the annals of the sporting exploits of this region, the golden oldies, the Legends of the Witbank Black Aces of the 1970s and 1980s. If they can please rise to be acknowledged as I read out their names:
* Mr Slow 'The Hawk' Masuku
* Mr Henry Mhlongo
* Mr Lazarus Trekkie Mampane
* Mr Alex 'Excellent' Mabuza
* Mr Joseph 'Shakes' Nhlapo
* Mr Alfred 'Russia' Masina
* Mr Sly Mthimunye
* Mr Alfred Mkhonza
* Mr Shadrack Masilela
* Mr Go Mabusela
* Mr Henry 'Hunter-Mzingeli' Mahlangu
* Mr Thomas 'Junior' Ngobe
* Mr Peter 'Fish' Mahlangu
* Mr Elijah Shabangu
* Mr Mabuti Masuku
* Mr Joe Nkosi
* Mr Abel Mkhabela and
* Mr Veli Hlongwane.
Madam Speaker, the legacy of 'Amazion' as they were popularly known, with their motto: 'Manners maketh Man', and their high regard for education for being a team which, in a unique way, consisted predominantly of teacher-students, is an example to be emulated in our province by all of us who promote sport among young people to help mould them into better future citizens.
Honourable Members, to honour the legacy of these greats and others, we must host the dream games of 2010 successfully in our province. To this end, we have now established the Provincial 'One-Stop' 2010 Office which will act as a central point of co-ordination of the 2010 World Cup programmes and activities, incorporating the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, the host city, Mbombela and the 2010 Directorate in the Premier's Office. They have taken occupation of the new office block at the entrance of the provincial government complex.
Lastly, may I take this opportunity on behalf of our government, the people of Mpumalanga and indeed, on my own behalf, to convey our sympathy and condolences to the family and admirers of another member of this coterie of Witbank Black Aces icons, Steven 'Disco' Makua, on his untimely death this week. May his fond memory live forever.
Madam Speaker, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary potato boycott of 1958. The atrocities and inhumane conditions to which the farm-prisons system subjected black convicts and other farm labourers on the potato farms generated intense revulsion which catapulted the laid-back farming town of Bethal and others into the epicentre of a nationally and internationally co-ordinated campaign against potatoes from South Africa's killing fields in
Mpumalanga. These barbaric human relations produced gallant fighters such as Gert Sibande who rose to become "the Lion of the East", nationally respected for his fight against abuse and repression of those who lived on the farms.
Honourable Speaker, in the context of this legacy, the question we must ask ourselves is, fifty years later, how are we doing in Bethal, Morgenzon, Standerton, Ermelo and Chrissiesmeer? What social cohesion is there to talk about? Who cares for the sacrifice Gert Sibande made to rectify this scandal?
Madam Speaker, the 'Lowvelder' newspaper of Tuesday this week carried a story about "strong reaction to the pledge (oath) by learners". Of course, in this part of the world it does not raise eyebrows for all the learners interviewed to be white. All those interviewed were eleven (11) and twelve (12) years of age, future citizens of our country. I will quote only two from a group of six which was strikingly unanimous in their response:
The first said: "It is propaganda. I do not support the terrorists and murderers of the past any more than I support the criminals and murderers of the present. We need to know our history, yes, but then we must use it to move on and make South Africa better and not worse."
Another respondent said: "The grade ones of today were born in 2001. They do not know anything about the past, they just know the heartbreak and the pain that we have today. Crime that is 10 times worse than it was then. Let us focus on fixing these problems and stop worrying about something that is no longer a part of our democratic society."
The latter interviewee interestingly believes she can cheat us because she feels that because the grade ones were not born yet under apartheid, they will not know what was cooking, so we should not burden them with old stories. But herself, 12 years old and therefore born in 1995, does not only know that crime was 10 times less than it is today, but also believes she should not burden herself with the matter.
Madam Speaker, the question is, who is responsible for this mess, and what are we going to do about it? Or maybe we should first establish whether we want to do something about it? If we do, then we must agree on the 'how'.
Madam Speaker, from this account it is clear that some adults are messing up with the future of this country, and of this province. We must all be concerned.
Equally we must ask ourselves whether we have been sensitive enough to do something about the sentiment expressed by another respondent who said, "They are making us take the blame for the effect the past had on the country."
Honourable members, the nub of this matter is that we have for far too long enjoyed the luxury of papering this deep fissure in our society and communities. In the spirit of the epic potato boycott of 1958, we must galvanise ourselves and mobilise our communities to begin dealing with this challenge with courage and conviction, on all sides of our racial divide.
Yes, this year we must build a befitting monument in Bethal to preserve the legacy of Gert Sibande. Most importantly, we must begin a campaign to discourage the prevalent practice of establishing what Chief Albert Luthuli called "colonial partnerships", in the pretext of building non-racialism in our province and in our country, in both the economic and social spheres.
Madam Speaker, honourable members, let me now turn to the priorities of our programmatic work. Firstly, it is important to highlight the fact that over the last four years, the spending capacity of our province has been growing steadily year after year, a pattern which we have sustained in this financial year, even as we are still left with a few weeks to the end of the current financial year. Our spending as at the end of January this year compared to the same period last year, has been in the excess of R2,8 billion more.
We have earlier in our remarks made the point that we have now entered the home-straight in our race to deliver our 2004 elections promise. We must therefore stretch ourselves even further, "all hands on deck" as the President said in the context of the ruling party's clarion call for mass mobilisation to build a caring society.
Honourable members, we will indeed need the strength, the majesty and invincibility of the people of this province to succeed in these challenges. Anyone of us who seeks to demobilise these people, for whatever obscure polemical reasons advanced, they will be objectively working against our transformation.
Madam Speaker, accountability to the people of the province requires of us to constantly reflect on the outcomes of programmes and initiatives that we undertake in growing the economy to address widespread unemployment and poverty, enhancing the participation of previously marginalised individuals within the mainstream economy, promoting investment in social infrastructure, improving access to quality education and skills development opportunities, facilitating access to housing with basic services such as water sanitation and electricity, advancing the goal of access to health, as well as addressing high rates of crime that impact negatively on the safety and security of communities.
In June this year, we will finalise the process of reviewing and enhancing the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) as a planning tool by infusing an integrated spatial framework alongside a more focused economic development strategy. We fully recognise the pivotal role played by the private sector, organised labour and civil society in determining the province's development path. Accordingly, we intend to hold the next Growth and Development Summit not later than June this year. This summit will review progress, shortcomings and challenges in the implementation of the resolutions agreed to at the provincial GDS Summit that was held in 2005 in Badplaas. From this summit, we hope to map a programme of structured engagements through which government and our social partners will continuously reflect on matters of growth and development in the province.
Economy
Our assessment of economic transformation and development in the province illustrates that while substantial gains have been made since democratisation, the apartheid legacy continues to weigh heavily on previously disadvantaged communities. Of particular concern is that the challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality remain formidable.
Madam Speaker, we have created a strong platform upon which to progressively increase the provincial economic growth rate to 6 percent by 2014 despite challenges. Between 2004 and 2006 economic growth has been robust, exceeding 4 percent each year. However, in 2006, the provincial growth rate of 4,4 percent was below the national growth rate of 5,4 percent.
As highlighted in the State of the Province Address last year, our flagship programmes are pivotal policy instruments to drive growth, and these include the Maputo Development Corridor, the Moloto Rail Development Corridor, the Water for All and the Heritage, Greening Mpumalanga and Tourism programmes.
To advance the implementation of the Maputo Development Corridor, we have initiated interactions with private sector players and municipalities located along the corridor, to discuss major areas of focus. In order to fully exploit the opportunities unlocked by substantial investment in transport infrastructure, the province will, in the 2008/09 financial year, focus on:
* the local economic development strategies and programmes of municipalities located along the corridor in order to grow the identified competitive industries of these towns
* further development of transport infrastructure, including upgrading the rail network, improving truck stops and implementing a one-stop border post
* investment in industrial parks, trade facilitation initiatives, and effectively marketing the corridor.
The initiative taken by the Emakhazeni Local Municipality in promoting tourism-related investments along the N4 within its boundaries, as illustrated by the launch of one of the municipality's flagship projects last week, is commended. The St Micheils Leisure Estate, an investment of R2,8 billion, will no doubt provide much needed revenue to the municipality, and job opportunities for its residents.
Work has commenced on the development of the Witbank/Middelburg Industrial Park and the feasibility of other industrial parks is being explored in order to determine their optimal location along the corridor.
Honourable members, our implementation of the Moloto Development Corridor flagship, an Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA) project, is on course, and we are positive that the railway line parallel to Moloto Road will enhance the development of a comprehensive public transport system which comprises inter-connected transport modes. This project will improve the quality and safety of public transport, and investment in rail infrastructure will act as a catalyst for the development of economic activity along the corridor.
Madam Speaker, I am happy to report that we have finalised the feasibility study. The task of constructing the railway line has now been handed over to the South African Rail Commuter Corporation. The total cost of constructing the railway is currently estimated at R707 million, a very substantial investment in transport infrastructure for the province.
The province, in partnership with the Nkangala District Municipality, has initiated the process of identifying communities that might be affected by the construction of the railway, and we have commenced with an environmental impact assessment for the first phase.
By June this year, we will finalise work currently underway on the scoping of economic opportunities along the corridor to ensure that these opportunities are fully developed through private and public sector investments.
Madam Speaker, as we pointed out last year, the rehabilitation of our coal haulage network grid remains one of our priorities. During this financial year, we have been working closely with key stakeholders, in particular Eskom, South African National Road Agency Limited (SANRAL) and the Chamber of Mines, to define the coal haulage grid where mass coal transport is permitted and exploring funding models for rehabilitating the network. We have also looked into self-regulation in the coal haulage industry. Over the next five years, we will spend R3 billion to reconstruct the network and we are currently exploring various funding models to address these challenges.
I would like to applaud Eskom for their constructive partnership with the province by making R550 million available for repair and maintenance work on this grid. We will continue to seek co-funding from national government and stakeholders using the coal haulage roads network to ensure that this proceeds unhindered. These projects are providing opportunities for employment in the Gert Sibande communities.
In March 2007, the unemployment rate in Mpumalanga stood at 26,3 percent, 0,9 percent lower than in March 2006. Despite this reduction in the rate of unemployment, the major task of halving poverty and unemployment by 2014 remains formidable. In concrete terms, 302 000 members of the province's economically active population who are actively seeking employment are unable to find jobs.
Central to our efforts to address unemployment is a sustained focus on facilitating access to skills development and opportunities for self-employment. In part, our Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) has continued to make significant contributions to the creation of employment and skills opportunities for many poor people, including youth, women and people with disabilities.
Madam Speaker, in 2004 when we commenced our duties, we committed ourselves to creating 100 000 job opportunities over a period of five years. I am proud to announce that at the end of September last year the Expanded Programme Works Programme had created 65 428 job opportunities.
We are confident that we will not only attain the target of 100 000 job opportunities, but will exceed it before April 2009. During the 2008/09 financial year, our target is to create 50 000 more jobs. This is part of our plan to scale up the implementation and impact of the Expanded Public Works Programme as catered for by the President in his State of the Nation Address.
Madam Speaker, in addition to the EPWP, the provincial government has played an active role in the implementation of the National Youth Service. In this financial year, we committed ourselves to enrolling 500 young people in this programme as Mpumalanga's contribution to the targeted 5 000 enrolments announced by the President in 2007.
I am delighted to announce that, to date, 815 young people have been enrolled in this programme, 315 more than the target we had set ourselves. These beneficiaries have been undergoing built environment-related training such as plumbing, carpentry, painting, tiling, electrical and bricklaying-plastering. It is our intention to enrol a further 1 000 young people into this programme in the 2008/09 financial year.
Madam Speaker, the agricultural sector is key to driving the growth of our economy, creating jobs, and facilitating sustainable livelihoods, especially for the poor. In the 2008/09 financial year, we intend to put in place a range of strategies to enhance production in the agricultural sector. These include upgrading the skills of farmers through technical, business and management training in order to equip farmers with the requisite skills to farm successfully. As part of enhancing land and agrarian reform initiatives, we will dedicate resources to providing post-settlement support to the beneficiaries of land restitution in the province to ensure that acquired land is used productively.
Our Comprehensive Agriculture Support Programme will continue to provide farming infrastructure to rural communities to support increased agricultural production. During the 2007/08 financial year, R84 million was spent on this programme. These resources were utilised to make farms more productive in Umjindi, Nkomazi, Pixley ka Seme, Bushbuckridge, Delmas, Msukaligwa, Albert Luthuli, Lekwa and Mkhondo.
To facilitate the growth of the agricultural sector, we will intervene to increase the cultivation and processing of soya beans into bio-fuels. During this year, soil analysis was done to identify suitable soil for soya bean production. In addition, a farmer outreach programme was started and private sector support for the programme was secured. In 2008/09, we will allocate R20 million to initiate a pilot project on 8 000 hectares of land, with a view to expanding the scale in the 2009/10 financial year.
During 2007/08, the allocation of R30 million for the Masibuyel' Emasimini project was utilised to provide 52 tractors, seeds and fertilizers to the rural poor in order to maximise food production in poor rural areas of our province. An 11 935 hectares of land were ploughed and planted to benefit 5 913 beneficiaries. In the 2008/09 financial year, R35 million will be allocated to scale up support to deliver 83 tractors, plough and plant 15 000 hectares of land, thereby reaching 5 916 new beneficiaries.
This year, 1 710 poor households were assisted with agriculture starter packs to enable them to produce food and in this way address food insecurity at the household level. In 2008/09 we intend to provide a further 1 200 indigent households with agriculture starter packs.
Madam Speaker, we supported the establishment of 10 co-operatives, assisted 195 enterprises to access funds and 780 entrepreneurs to access business development services in 2007/08. Non-financial support to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) through the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) has been vastly improved to expand access to support by entrepreneurs.
As the provincial government, our role in the implementation of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) is pivotal in advancing the economic empowerment of emerging black entrepreneurs. We have established the Provincial BEE Advisory Committee to advise the provincial government on black economic empowerment challenges.
Madam Speaker, to provide further impetus to growth, we remain committed to establishing the Mpumalanga Growth Fund in order to promote investment in substantial projects that are financially viable over the long term, but which commercial banks will not fund due to their lending criteria. In 2008/09, we intend to allocate R200 million as seed capital and invite private sector contributions to the fund.
Education
Madam Speaker, the growth and development of successful nations depends on access to quality education that provides skills necessary for the economic and social development needs. Similarly, as a province, we are committing resources towards improving the quality of education, and ensuring broad-based access to quality education by the majority of South Africans, especially the poor who cannot afford to pay for their own education.
In the 2007/08 financial year, the department scaled the number of 'no fee schools to all Quintiles 1 and 2 schools, which represents 49,8 percent of the total number of public schools in Mpumalanga. This has translated to 952 schools, affecting 408 196 children, or 34,9 percent of the total number of children in the public schooling system of the province. In the 2008/09 financial year, we will allocate an additional R20 million to increase the number of 'no fee school' to 1 440, representing 75 percent of our public schooling system, a significant performance above the national target of 60 percent.
Madam Speaker, many would agree that the objective of our substantial investment in education and development should be to give our children the best possible start in life. As studies show, early childhood development is critical for future learning performance and educational attainment by children as they progress in their academic life. In the 2008/09 financial year, the province will spend R91 million to increase the number of children who access the Grade R programme from 42 729 to 52 000, with a progressive increase to 72 000 children by 2010. Alongside this, we have ensured that the number of school-based early childhood development (ECD) centres increased from 882 in 2006 to 1 061 in 2007.
Critically, the ECD programme also contributes significantly to increase opportunities for incomes within our EPWP programme. Practitioners such as child-minders, cooks and gardeners in pre-primary centres are provided with training and job opportunities which enhance the income of poor households significantly.
Madam Speaker, central to facilitating access to job opportunities is improving literacy levels among the population of the province. Illiteracy creates artificial barriers that prevent many of our citizens from meaningful participation in economic life and development activities. Our Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) programme presents hope to many of our people who were denied the opportunity to receive education. Our ability to eradicate extreme poverty will be determined by our success in eradicating illiteracy.
In the current financial year, ABET has achieved above the set target of 1 650 by recruiting 1 752 learners in literacy units. A total of 23 337 learners accessed formal ABET programmes in the 332 Public Adult Learning Centres. However, we are concerned by the slow pace at which these opportunities are taken up by adult learners.
This coming financial year, we will recruit 28 000 learners and support them particularly in those areas that would enable them to be economically active. Through the EPWP programme, adult learners will be developed in skills programmes such as basic electricity, carpentry, plumbing, plastering and tiling. The EPWP-linked training will offer a full qualification to 280 learners in different trades.
Madam Speaker, we in government draw inspiration and pride from the dedication of many ordinary citizens whose selfless contribution to education advances the empowerment of many other citizens of the province. In this regard, allow me in the spirit of all round mobilisation to build a caring society and to recognise selflessness, to mention Mr Johan Sibiya, who single-handedly devoted resources and time to support the development of Malelane Circuit as its patron. Will Mr Sibiya please take a bow. Mr Sibiya successfully mobilised:
* funding for Maskew Miller Study Guides and Books for Grades 3 to 11 in the circuit
* R28 000 as incentive for teachers in the circuit that produced distinctions
* sponsorship of a Nissan bakkie for utilisation in the circuit
* sponsorship of a Kombi by Volvo.
The improvement in the performance of the Circuit from 76 percent in 2006 to 91,2 percent in 2007 bears testimony, and his example must be emulated.
Similarly, the Mpumalanga Education Development Trust, a partnership between the Department of Education and Corporate Business, was able to:
* set up a Science Centre in Emerlo called Mondi Science Centre that benefits more than 40 000 learners per annum through interactive science experiments and information and communication technology (ICT) based career exhibitions
* invest R19 million worth of infrastructure upgrading and curriculum projects. They too, deserve our appreciation being an exemplary corporate citizen.
Health
Madam Speaker, the provision of public health services is, together with education, the core mandate of provincial government. In the 2007/08 financial year, R3,7 billion – 22 percent of the total budget - was allocated to this critical area of service delivery. Public health is a critical service because the vast majority of the population cannot afford private health services and therefore rely on public hospitals, clinics and community health centres when they require medical interventions. The province must also contribute to the national effort to meet the health Millennium Development Goals of reducing infant mortality and maternal mortality, and reversing the spread of HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
We must acknowledge that there are very serious challenges confronting the health sector. These challenges are evident in the unsatisfactory health services that are delivered to the population of Mpumalanga in the midst of fair opportunities for improvement.
The weaknesses in the health sector are a consequence of:
* a dire shortage of health professionals, as evidenced by a vacancy rate of 54 percent for doctors, 61 percent for pharmacists and 30 percent for nurses, which is compounded by a difficulty in attracting skilled people to the province because of poor working conditions and lower salaries than are offered by other provinces
* inadequate health infrastructure in terms of hospital buildings, medical equipment and transport facilities for patients, exacerbated by the inability of the Department of Health and Social Services to spend budgets earmarked for this purpose, including the conditional grant for hospital revitalisation.
To address these challenges, the Department of Health and Social Services has put in place a turnaround strategy, with a multi-pronged plan to recruit and retain health workers in the province and to fast-track an infrastructure delivery mechanism. The department's commitment to strengthening the provincial health system is such that it has secured the support of the National Departments of Health, Social Development and Public Service and Administration to implement the turnaround strategy. To compliment this, our administration will undertake a rigorous scrutiny of the management and performance of the Department of Health with a view to cure the malady which has plagued this department for some time now. To achieve this, it is vital that we mobilise the positive energy of all those who provide services in this sector, including our health workers. We need to be courageous to bring back decent service in our health system, because the people who suffer from this neglect are those who are caught between the rock and a hard place, so to speak.
Honourable members, given the importance of an effective public health system to the human capital of the province, we have prioritised the improvement of health services in the 2008/09 financial year and will closely monitor the implementation of the turnaround strategy.
Madam Speaker, our medium term strategic goal of a compassionate government service will find resonance in the implementation of the Masupa-Tsela youth development programme that we are planning to roll out in the 2008/09 financial year. This programme is designed to respond to the acute shortage of social services professionals. It is a government-wide programme promoting youth activism, and helping to contribute to reducing poverty among the youth through the provision of skills development, and improving youth employability. This programme will be funded in collaboration with the National Department of Social Development.
Honourable Members, the published book on Mpumalanga's History and Heritage has won the prestigious Mail and Guardian Award for best non-fiction book of the year. An abridged version, and its translation into Siswati and isiNdebele, will be published this year.
Madam Speaker, in the State of the Province Address last year, we committed ourselves to 'greening' Mpumalanga by ensuring that we implement programmes to promote sustainable environmental management practices, and enhance biodiversity conservation.
This year, we will spend R15 million on our land care programme to continue to address land degradation and environmental rehabilitation using the EPWP job creation guidelines. I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the Department of Agriculture and Land Administration and all our citizens everywhere who participated in planting more than 100 000 trees to promote healthy environs in our municipalities. This intervention will contribute significantly to the creation of employment opportunities.
Honourable Members, Mpumalanga's history, its people, heritage, diverse cultures, and picturesque physical landscapes present endless prospects for the growth of cultural industries.
Madam Speaker, I would at this point like to acknowledge one of Mpumalanga's cultural icons, Mr Ray Chikapa Phiri. He is a cultural emissary of international stature whose music is acclaimed globally. As a cultural activist, Ray continues to write and play songs that address social issues affecting the masses of our people. Ray established the Ray Phiri Art Institute, a Section 21 Company, in 2006 to empower musicians at an early stage, exposing them to music education which is not offered anywhere in the province.
In the coming financial year, we intend to pay particular attention on the development of the film industry. We are allocating R12,9 million over the next three years towards stimulating the growth of the film industry. The establishment of the Mpumalanga Film Development Office will facilitate the development of the industry in the province by attracting major industry players to the region, as well as growing the local film and its economy.
The unveiling of the Ehlanzeni cenotaph on Heritage Day last year was the final phase of the 3-year project that sought to honour and recognises the heroes and martyrs of our struggle in the province. This cenotaph, alongside with others erected in Nkangala and Gert Sibande, are immortal inscriptions that capture part of our important history and heritage as the people of this province and serve to remind us of the foundation of our new nation.
As we continue to honour the memory and contribution made by our heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle, we will, in this year, upgrade the Nomoya Masilela Museum in Bethal to include substantive exhibitions on Gert Sibande, Govan Mbeki, Slim Dick Mtsweni and other patriots who serve as an embodiment of the humane spirit of the people of the land.
Housing
In a context where the provision of adequate shelter is a fundamental human right, the province is cognisant of its responsibility to provide low-cost houses for households that are eligible for subsidised housing.
Madam Speaker, this is an area where we have encountered substantial challenges. While these challenges are not unique to Mpumalanga and are experienced by all provinces, it is our responsibility to effectively deal with them so that poor and vulnerable households have access to adequate shelter.
The magnitude of the challenge is such that in 2001, the provincial backlog in low-income housing was estimated at 260 000 by Statistics South Africa and the indications are that it has grown in the intervening six years. In December 2007, the number of incomplete units stood at 20 713. By the end of this financial year, this will have been reduced to 18 000. We plan to finish 10 000 more of the incomplete units in the 2008/09 financial year. The remaining balance of 8 000 will be completed in the year 2009/10.
Land for the building of sustainable integrated human development settlements has been bought and zoned in Thaba Chweu, Dipaliseng, Govan Mbeki and Mbombela municipalities. Construction of 500 units will commence soon in the Thaba Chweu municipality.
To address the past challenges of racially segregated settlements, the Department of Local Government and Housing has bought land closer to the Central Business District (CBD) in the Mbombela municipality. In order to increase the province's capacity to roll out our housing programme, the Executive Council has decided to reconstitute the Department of Local Government and Housing into two separate votes with dedicated accounting officers.
The province's ability to effectively reduce the housing backlog depends on effective partnerships with the private sector. In particular, enhanced capacity in the construction industry and more involvement by the financial services sector in low-income housing are crucial. To make inroads into the housing backlog, we will also endeavour to expand the stock of rental housing in partnership with the private sector.
The implementation of our 'Water for All' flagship project is on course to resolve water backlog challenges in the province and to accelerate the provision of basic water services to all households by 2010. To enhance delivery capabilities, we have established Project Management Units within the three districts, and one in the Department of Local Government and Housing to provide institutional, project management and technical capacities required for the effective implementation of the water services infrastructure projects. We have finalised the planning and prioritisation of projects for implementation in the three districts to ensure that we meet the target of providing access to safe water to all citizens by 2010.
Madam Speaker, since our last Address to the Province, as all of us know, a lot more has happened. The State of the Nation Address has sufficiently detailed the extent of the national electricity emergency, and the steps being taken to address it. As a province, we are fully behind these measures. We commit to this House to do all in our power to make our contribution to the national effort to ensure energy efficiency, not simply because of the emergency, but also recognition of the need to support the initiatives to minimize climate change.
Steps are underway in this province to ensure that government buildings maximise their efficiency in energy consumption. The Department of Public Works in the province is co-ordinating our efforts in this regard. The department is also taking steps to ensure that critical government services centres are provided with stand by generators in the event of outages. We have engaged with Eskom and have set up the Provincial Energy Risk Management Committee. The municipalities in this province have also undertaken to play their part fully in this regard. Theirs include the critical role of promoting and enforcing the new energy efficiency guidelines to households and businesses, as well as installing solar power to back up traffic lights in their areas, and to minimise traffic inconveniences among others.
As part of the response to the emergency, a multi-billion rand "BUILD" programme by Eskom is under way, both to build new power stations and to enhance existing ones. Since the bulk of Eskom's power stations are in our province; this has major implications for our economy as well as for our infrastructure. In their local economic development strategies, the municipalities in which these investments are to be made must fully absorb the implications of these investments by Eskom. But equally, municipalities must manage the implications of such investments on the environment as well as on their infrastructure.
Governance
Madam Speaker, the celebrated economist, Amartya Sen makes the following observation: "If freedom is what development advances, then there is major argument for concentrating on that overarching objective development can be seen as a process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy. Development requires the removal of major sources of 'unfreedoms'. One of the major sources of 'unfreedom' contemporary South Africa has to confront is the scourge of crime.
The devastating impact of crime on the social and economic lives of our people erodes the democratic gains and freedoms that many South Africans fought for. In all its manifestations, it subverts a culture of respect for human rights, and denies communities their right to safety and security. It also undermines development by denying communities opportunities to undertake productive endeavours to better their lives. Like we did in the past, we have to mobilise to defeat this source of 'unfreedom'.
We must continue to mobilise the collective capacities of all the sectors of our society to enhance our anti-crime campaign. This campaign should seek to strengthen partnerships with civil society formations, including religious formations, traditional leadership institutions, non-governmental and community-based organisations, and organised business, in order to collaborate in the fight against crime in the province.
Despite crime challenges, we are encouraged by the remarkable progress in fighting contact crimes in the province. During the reporting period from April to December 2007, we witnessed a reduction in the categories of crime such as murder, rape, assault (Grievous Bodily Harm), and robbery (aggravating). Against the target of reducing contact crimes by 7to 10 percent every year, Mpumalanga has over this period managed to decrease contact crimes by a margin of 11 percent. We are optimistic that this trend will be sustained in the long term as we step up the implementation of the Provincial Crime Prevention Framework and intensify the struggle against all forms of crime. Having said this, we do not in any way seek to trivialise the trauma that any individual or household experience when they are targeted by criminals. Any crime incident is an incident too many.
In the 2008/09 financial year, we will recruit and deploy 1 000 security volunteers, who would, during the 2010 World Cup and beyond, complement the work of the police and security agencies in crime prevention initiatives.
To intensify mass mobilisation in the fight against crime, we must all return to our village committees and street committees, and prevent gender-based violence and the abuse of children, the elderly and people with disabilities. We must return to our village committees and street committees to vanquish the murderers and the rapists. We must return to our village committees and street committees to combat robbery and theft. We must return to our village committees and street committees to promote tolerance and the spirit of ubuntu. We must return to our village committees and street committees to promote a responsible use of alcohol and good neighbourliness.
Madam Speaker, as we address governance and service delivery challenges, we must be conscious of the critical role that traditional leadership institutions play in our province. In many areas of development, be it promoting social cohesion, extending basic services, or ensuring optimal land utilisation, it would be impossible for us to steam ahead without proper engagement with traditional authorities. Therefore, it is important that we nurture strong partnerships between government and traditional leadership institutions to ensure that we advance development and the quality of service delivery in the province.
Madam Speaker, may I at this point, take the opportunity to pay tribute to the memory and example of the late Inkosi Mzingeli David Mthethwa, the former Chairperson of the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders. His untimely death has robbed the province and the institution of traditional leadership of a pillar which served to steady the direction of our ship through all storms as a province. In his conduct, he left a legacy that all of us must emulate in the execution of our responsibilities. May his soul rest in peace.
As a province, we are continuing to implement the Mpumalanga Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2005. As part of this process, I am happy to report that last year, we finalised the establishment of Local Houses of Traditional Leaders at district level, and elected the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders. In preparation for the traditional local council elections, we conducted voter education to ensure that the voting process proceeds smoothly. To date, we have finalised in all areas the 60 percent component of the traditional council that is nominated by the traditional leadership. For the 40 percent of the traditional council that is directly elected by communities, the elections will be held not later than April this year. We hope all this will lead to vibrant and effective traditional leadership institutions.
Madam Speaker, when we assumed duties in 2004, one of our first priorities was to hone our civil service into a better organisation for the delivery of the popular aspirations of our communities. Significant achievements have been realised in this regard and only time can absolve us.
Beyond the skilling of government employees, we need to pay attention to our management practices and organisational ethos. However, the most pressing priority is to do away with the nasty syndrome of high vacancy rates and significant personnel under-expenditure. The province with the regular monitoring by Cabinet will ensure that in the next six months, all vacant funded posts, as the President directed, are filled by the end of June.
Madam Speaker, whereas unpleasant reports about some of our municipalities now and again appear in the media, it is a positive development that our municipalities overall are improving their efficiency to manage their business, e.g. all 21 municipalities have appointed Municipal Managers and signed their performance agreements, all municipalities have successfully submitted their 2006/07 financial statements and continue to improve in their audit reports.
Madam Speaker, honourable members, in our quest to build a humane and caring society, policies and programmes targeting people with disabilities, youth, women and children, will always constitute a litmus test of our commitment to these values. This year we established the Mpumalanga Children's Rights Advisory Council, the Provincial Gender Machinery Steering Committee and the Mpumalanga Disability Advisory Council. These multi-stakeholder structures will be critical in providing leadership and guidance on development challenges facing children, women and persons with disabilities.
Conclusion
Madam Speaker, honourable members, we stand at the threshold of yet another year of lofty challenges ahead of us. Once again, we are accorded the opportunity of acting in the privileged roles where, as individuals, we can make a difference in the lives of millions of South Africans in this province.
Talking about our firm resolve to build the country of our dreams, President Thabo Mbeki, at the Opening of Parliament two weeks ago said, and I quote, "Let me make bold to say that this historical moment demands that our nation should unite as never before and strain every sinew of its collective body to address our common challenges and keep alive the dream that has sustained all of us as we travelled along the uncharted road towards the creation of the South Africa visualised in our Constitution".
Madam Speaker, nobody else but ourselves can reassure our people that their future is secure. And the only way to do it is by bringing even more comfort to their lives, more delivery of their needs. I agree with the Minister of Finance that "it is time for neither gloom nor panic." Let us remain focused and never allow ourselves to be distracted from pursuing the people's popular goals. These programmes must be delivered for the sun to rise and shine for the people of this province.
I thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier