PREMIER'S REMARKS
Programme Director
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.
On behalf of the people of Mpumalanga, and the Mpumalanga government on whose behalf I speak here today, allow me to extend good wishes to you all.
I was told that I would be allowed to greet you and thereafter sit down. But then looking at this packed hall I couldn't resist the temptation of talking to you much longer than the minute and a half I was given.
That is why I intend standing here and talking to you for the next three hours. But on a more serious note allow me to remind the mayor and councilors who will be sworn in here today that we are witnesses.
Witnesses to the signing of a verbal contract between them and the people of Greater Groblersdal. When you take that oath today you are saying to us that you would be loyal and honest servants of the people.
And that you shall always be sensitive to the needs and feelings of the people and will, as far as you can, respond quickly and correctly to their needs.
Today you swear in front of us that you will make every effort to ensure that you address the people's needs and concerns, in continuous pursuit of the goal of a better life for all.
Let me remind you of the critical importance of the sphere of government of which you are in charge. You are the first and constant contact with the people. Service delivery or the lack thereof is felt more acutely at your level. That is why it is critical for you to always remember that you are there to serve the people and not the other way round.
You must at all times work to improve the lives of all our people, black and white - across the boundaries that had been created by the apartheid system. As servants of the people you must forever strive to put the people first - Batho Pele.
You must pay particular attention to improving the quality, efficiency and people centredness of services in all your offices. And above all you must keep regular contact with the people.
Commit yourselves to accelerate the eradication of the final vestiges of apartheid municipalities replacing them with democratic ones.
Our people need nothing less than a strong, efficient, developmental and truly democratic municipality able to ensure an open and accountable system. You must direct resources at your disposal to meet the needs of the majority, especially the poor. .
When we opened the Legislature early this year we reaffirmed our commitment to intensify our campaign against poverty and underdevelopment.
These, we said, would demand greater integration and co-ordination in the operation of all structures of government, within national government and between the national, provincial and local spheres of government.
One of our priorities in government this year is to grow and expand the economy, the creation of more job opportunities and further strengthening the material base for the provision of a better life for all.
In particular we have decided that this year the government itself, in all its spheres, and the public sector as a whole, must make a decisive and integrated contribution towards meeting the economic challenges the province and the country faces.
We identified sectors of our economy that require special attention because of their potential to contribute especially to the objectives of higher growth rates and job creation.
In our province tourism, mining and agriculture are three key factors.
We have also set ourselves the goal of establishing an efficient and effective financial administration. We will talk more about the Basic Accounting System at our cabinet caucuses.
Our other priority concerns the issue of good governance. Governance rests on three pillars:
A sound, moral foundation. a philosophy of transparency. And an ethic of effective implementation.
These are the pillars that I call upon the mayor, councilors and all the workers in the Greater Groblersdal municipality to respect and to uphold.
I thank you.