ADDRESS BY PREMIER
Mister Speaker and Madam Deputy Speaker
Honourable members
Their Majesties the Kings
Honourable Amakhosi
Mayors and councilors
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen.
I stand before this august house this morning to present to you the Medium Term report of the programmes we announced at the beginning of the year.
You will remember that at the beginning of the year we recommitted ourselves to an integrated programme that would ensure a better life for all our people.
A programme that would link reconstruction and development to our everyday efforts and in the process lift our people from the depths of poverty.
We outlined a programme focusing on economic growth, development and job creation, poverty eradication and efficient and effective management of resources – both human and material. These we promised to do with the active participation and guidance of our people.
We knew that it was of utmost importance that the people of the province move in tandem with us – marching as one – in order to ensure that we do not stray from the noble course we have set ourselves.
As a team we would be able to assess the challenges, make adjustments were necessary and chart a new direction when the need arises. Our priorities were clear. Right from the start we were able to say:
“There's the hill we're aiming at…
“These are the results we want…
“Here are our priorities…
“This is what we'll do to get where we want to go”.
That is the context in which we undertook the contract with our people.
Today we present to the house the progress we have made. Not only that, but also the reasons why we could not do certain things we promised to do and how much work lay ahead.
Mr Speaker, our people trust us more today because we explained the enormity of the task and why we had to make certain difficult choices. Our Cabinet Outreach Programmes and Imbizos have singularly been the most enlightening and educative.
It was through these that we realised that our people are eager for change and want to work as partners with government in expediting change, ensuring that it benefits them.
The people are conscious of their roles in developing themselves and the entire province and believe that we should act as true partners with them in everything we do.
They are also driven by a sense of confidence that together we will win. That is why we took government to the people and they liked it.
We listened to their concerns about accelerating the building of houses, the provision of electricity at a faster rate and the creation of work so that they can put food on the table. The men and women I lead in the Executive Council of the Province have committed themselves to that. We will accelerate change.
On a daily basis the lives of people in Mpumalanga – especially the most vulnerable – are changed for the better. Through our programmes and policies we are on course in our quest to lift our people from poverty, combat crime and provide shelter.
We continue on our journey of bringing healthcare facilities closer to the people, feeding the hungry and educating the nation.
Mr Speaker, we are on target with the delivery of healthcare in the province. The hospital at Piet Retief will be replaced by a new 140-bed hospital on the same site at an estimated total cost of R120 million. Earthworks and fencing have already commenced.
Mister Speaker, more pregnant women in the province now have access to maternal health through the clinics we built in deep rural areas like Mmamehlake, Lefiso, Kabokweni, Phake, Verena and Daggakraal.
At the Themba Hospital the upgrading of the lift installation and the erection of the fence was completed earlier this month at an estimated total cost of R1,3 million .
The upgrading of hospitals at Barberton, Bethal, Ermelo, Philadelphia, Witbank and Themba is underway. The construction of four community health centres have commenced.
They are Moloto at a budget of R2,75 million, Perdekop and Seabe at budgets of R2,3 million each and Nokaneng at a budget of R2,2 million.
There has also been an extensive upgrading of X-Ray rooms to 17 hospitals where 18 new x-ray machines are being installed. There is more good news. Well over 415 000 pupils benefited from the integrated Nutrition School Feeding Programme.
There is a worrying factor though. More than 15 300 children out of a total of 762,300 children under the age of five-years were diagnosed with severe malnutrition. This means that 2% of all under five-year old children are malnourished.
The good news is that the Themba, Barberton and Bethal hospitals were assessed for the Baby Friendly Award. And the award went to Themba hospital.
On the agricultural front let me announce that the Aquaculture, Citrus, Cotton and Lachenalia projects have been put to tender through the Mpumalanga Investment Initiative. Next week we will be launching the Mpumalanga Provincial Shova Kalula Bicycle Transport Programme at Mzinti.
This is a pilot project, which is implemented by the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport in conjunction with the Provincial Department of Education and Afribike. The project is aimed at providing rural learners with affordable bicycles to be used to go to school.
Mister Speaker, the fight against HIV/AIDS remains a priority in the province. That is why our HIV/Aids projects are on course. Our Aids ambassadors are hard at work. To members and their families, please join us as we take the AIDS awareness message to the streets of the province next Friday.
Join us at Elukwatini for the World Aids Day float.
The province has over 40 HIV/Aids community home-based care organizations and other non-governmental organisations. We are proud to announce that we continue to move our people into decent and affordable houses they can call their own.
More than seven thousand new houses have been built and handed over to beneficiaries. Seven-thousand houses have had their ownership transferred through the discount benefit scheme. More than fourteen hundred housing units are under construction and over 3 000 are being processed for Board approvals.
Mr Speaker, we have ensured that more than 258 000 people are active beneficiaries of social grants. During the same period the number of Child Support Grant beneficiaries stood at 83 502. The monthly average uptake rate in respect of the Child Support Grant is more than 5 000 children.
We also pay out 134 874 old-age grants, 177 war veteran grants, 364 000 disability grants, more than 1 400 foster grants and more than 1 700 child dependency grants. Social development projects are implemented in a co-ordinated manner with all relevant departments and stakeholders participating.
This concept is being cultivated vigorously through the Social Cluster of the Executive Council, in which the District Mayors and the Executive Mayors of our four strategic towns are participating.
We continue to place high on the agenda the eradication of poverty. Our Community-based Public Works Programme is one such vehicle.
This is a specific job creation and poverty alleviation programme targeted primarily at the rural poor.
Our objective is creating short and long term employment, sustainable public assets, and providing accredited training to communities in the poverty pockets of the Province.
The Programme's budget of R6,2 million was used to fund five cluster projects in the three districts of the Province.
In the Ehlanzeni district, the community of Shabalala next to Hazyview constructed a multi-purpose center, community garden and market stalls including two poultry houses for an amount of R1,4 million.
The community of Perdekop in the Eastvaal district received R 1,4 million to construct a sports stadium, five poultry houses and a community garden including offices and ablution facilities.
The community of Davel decided to use the R1,3-million to construct a sports facility that includes two tennis courts, one basketball court, ablution facilities, two change rooms, a ticket office and a tuck shop.
In the Nkangala district the community of Vaalbank constructed six poultry houses including a transit house and an ablution facility valued at R812 000.
In Kameelrivier an existing sports stadium was upgraded for R130 000. The work included constructing a security brick wall, two change rooms, two public ablutions, and a ticket office. During the construction of all these projects 572 people, of which 239 were women, were employed and 209 people were trained.
We are also happy to announce that the MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport recently launched a multi-million rands project to upgrade the Moloto Road.
The Moloto Road, you will remember, has been dubbed the “Killer Road”. We plan to build this road in three phases. We have put aside R61-million for the current phase. It is our firm conviction that the project would result in the employment of a number of people.
The number of people employed would increase at every stage of the project.
The National Department of Public Works had initially budgeted R22-million for the construction of the second phase of the Mbuzini access road to the Samora Machel Monument.
However, the heavy rains experienced by some parts of the Province early last year, damaged the road. As a result, an additional R3-million was added by the national department.
This road also links the villages of Mbuzini, Hoyi, Goba and Mbangwane to the Shongwe and Tonga hospitals in the Nkomazi area and the nearest economically active areas of Komatipoort and Malelane.
During the construction of this project, 246 jobs were created. 123 Women were employed and a total of 116 people were trained. Contractors have been appointed for the Middelburg to Bethal road.
The upgrading of the White River- Hazyview road is going well and we will possibly complete it on schedule. We are doing well on the Allemansdrift-Senotlelo road. Four bridges are expected to be completed soon in Kabokweni, Khumbula, Malekutu, Dludlu and Ngwenyeni.
The construction and upgrading of approximately 3km of surface bus route serving the towns of Leroro and Matibidi as the third phase of a multi phase project, is also on course.
As the Mpumalanga Provincial Government we have always said we are committed to engage citizen voices in local, regional and provincial governance in new ways. We realised early in our interaction with the communities that honesty was essential to break through citizen distrust of institutions.
As we listened and interacted with people from every walk of life and in vastly different circumstances, we heard consistent themes over time of what supported people being involved and what were barriers to people being involved in the community's work.
The common voice in all the communities we visited indicated the overwhelming desire to be lifted out of poverty. Of course the people's demands were in line with the priorities we set ourselves when we spoke in this house in February 2001.
These were economic growth and job creation, managing the human and financial resources of the province prudently and ensuring that there was effective administration. Now embarking on job creation ventures requires full-time attention. That is why my office recently appointed a Special Advisor to advise us on economic, financial and developmental issues.
Let me assure you that our aim of growing the economy and creating jobs is gradually bearing fruit.
The R7 million Focus Connection of China lease agreements have been signed for factory space in Ekandustria. Manufacturing of electrical substations will start in February 2002. The Decover Timber Processing valued at R7-million is already in operation in White River.
The Mpumalanga Investment Initiative established a Trade Centre as a vehicle for assisting the business sector, especially small business, to access the international market.
In the initial stages the activities of the Trade Centre were focused on marketing it's existence and the products it offers. Through our assistance two historically disadvantaged companies managed to secure lucrative export contracts.
Bohlabela Wheels from the Ehlanzeni District secured an export contract with the Namibian government to supply field stoves, repairs and maintenance to military machines and vehicles.
The Imbali Creation Women Association, through Ms Norah Mahlangu from the Enkangala District, secured an export contract for leather products.
Mr Speaker, we see more jobs on the horizon, particularly in the gaming and tourism industry. That is why it is good news to hear that the long outstanding court case involving Tsogo Sun and Afrisun for the Witbank casino project has been settled out of court by the parties concerned.
Tsogo Sun subsequently forwarded an application to amend it's original project proposal. Whereas in the past we spoke about the potential of tourism, we can today announce concrete results.
We initiated, assisted and supported the development of 21 new tourism projects ranging from tour operating businesses, guest houses and tourism routes. Ten of these are up and running while the rest will follow suit later.
Nine existing tourism projects were supported and enhanced. In order to protect this sector of our economy from thugs, we recently formed the Provincial Tourism Safety and Security Task Team.
The department concerned also played a pivotal role in the establishment of the SAPS Lowveld Area Priority Committee for Tourism representing tourism product owners, SAPS stations, the SANDF and Public Order Policing.
Mr Speaker, as we grow the economy, we must ensure that we create work for those who can work but are at present unemployed. We must help them make that transition from living on social grants to earning a salary or a wage.
At the same time we must make provision for those who cannot work and who need security and protection. We have always said we would vigorously pursue the strategy of co-ordinated planning.
As a Provincial government we continue to place high on the agenda the task of ensuring that all of us act together to achieve high and sustained rates of growth in our economy.
A co-ordinated approach between the provincial government and municipalities in Mpumalanga is starting to pay dividends.
Once a month we have our three Executive Council Clusters sitting with all District Mayors and Executive Mayors of our four strategic towns. At that meeting members of our Executive Council in the three Clusters discuss project planning and other matters of common interest with the municipality councilors.
These meetings are preceded by Technical Cluster meetings consisting of municipal managers and heads of provincial departments under the leadership of the provincial Director- General.
These Technical Cluster meetings prepare for the political cluster referred to.
We remain convinced that it is only through creation of a close partnership between the public and private sectors that we can have a growth path that is labour absorbing, reducing inequality, promoting international competitiveness and accompanied by a process of empowerment.
On the mining front we have facilitated the establishment of eight manufacturing businesses to the value of R32, 4 million and three acquisitions and or mergers between local and foreign companies to the value of R195 million. Because we are concerned about the high crime incidents we recently revived and relaunched a number of Community Policing Forums.
Anti-crime rallies and roadshows where communities are sensitised about crime were held in areas like KaNyamazane, Standerton, Lowscreek, Secunda, Mbalenhle, Vosman, Kameelrivier and Driefontein. Because of our concern for juvenile offenders we have upgraded the Hendrina Secure Care Centre.
An existing steel shed was upgraded and renovated to provide indoor sport facilities as well as training rooms and workshops for the community of Hendrina as well as the children at the centre.
Mr Speaker, believe me when I say we are also taking care of the recreational needs of our people. That is why we ensured that we build and renovate the Kanyamazane Stadium, Kamaqhekeza Sports Stadium, KwaMhlanga Stadium,
Sabie In-door centre, Mbuzini Sports ground, Nthorwane Sports Fields and the Erholweni Heritage Site. Minor improvements were also made to recreational facilities throughout the province.
Addressing the National Council of Provinces in Cape Town last week I made the observation that in our recent Outreach Programme in Daantjie and Msogwabo, we could see the smiles on the faces of our people as they took ownership of new tarred roads. We still hear their voices as they say thank you for what has been done – and continues to be done – in improving their lives.
During the Imbizo Week we launched the Daantjie/Luphisi Road and Phase two of the Daantjie/ Goboza Road in the Mbombela Municipal area. If attendance at the Imbizos held afterwards with communities of Daantjie, Msogwabo, Spelenyana, Tekwane, Karino Farms, Ka-Nyamazane and Matsulu A, is anything to go by, then we are convinced that we are indeed in touch with our people.
May I also mention that amongst the things we did with the community during the Imbizo week was to discus the plight of farm dwellers, farm workers and farmers in the province,
As arranged by the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature, hand-over funds for disaster relief in the Volkrust area, and launch Indigenous Games at Embalenhle.
Throughout the Imbizo week the provincial health department took its health awareness programme to the schools, while the provincial social service department held a successful National Children's Day Celebration at the Mbuzini Stadium.
That, in short Mister Speaker, is our report. There would be those who would not regard this as progress. It is not surprising.
Some people look out into the night and see only the dark. Others see moonlight and stars and fireflies and they hail the promise of a new dawn. We are as excited as our people are with the results we have achieved so far. We are aware that we need to work harder.
We need to do more to grow the economy faster, create more jobs, provide basic necessities to our people. We are a long way from meeting our goal of ensuring that all our people can afford health care, education, houses, electricity and protection.
It is a long way to that ideal of ensuring that al our citizens, especially the children, women and the disabled, are protected. We have made steady but sure progress. After all when the people elected us they knew that we could be trusted.
While a lot still needs to be done, we should not underestimate our achievements as well as why we were voted into power.
We have a proud record: We are working towards a stable economy that is creating more jobs.
Poverty's grip on our people is beginning to weaken. We have a better public health system. An improved education system. Our policies are based on the will of the people. Let those who sit on the sidelines waiting to criticise, join us as we build anew.
We need to work together as a people – as South Africans – to ensure that everyone moves out of the morass of poverty.
Remember, the test of any decent society is not the contentment of the wealthy and strong, but its commitment to the poor and weak. Let us all dedicate ourselves to the building of a non-racial, non-sexist, united, and prosperous democratic South Africa.
Like the President of the Republic of South Africa did, let me urge all of us that in the course of our work we should travel beyond the end of a tarred road.
We should be prepared to forgo the luxury and smoothness of a tarred road and deal with the bumpy potholes and rough surface of a gravel road. That is where we will see the real South Africa that is posing the challenges that we must overcome.
Our government must continue to work and walk in tandem with the people. A great future lies ahead.
I thank you.