PREMIER'S ADDRESS
Mr Speaker
Honourable Chairperson of the House of Traditional leaders Kgoshi Mashile
Your Majesties, the Kings of our people;
Tinkosi, Magoshi nezingwenyama
Members of the House of Traditional leaders
Honourable members of the Legislature.
Honourable MECs
Honourable Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We meet here today to proclaim once again that our mandate is to pursue the strategic goal of creating a Non-Racial, Non-Sexist, United, Democratic and Prosperous Society.
Central to this mandate is that we should continue to champion the hopes of millions of South Africans who cherish better lives, peace, equity and justice.
We are fully aware that all of them, black and white, young and old, men and women in their homes, at work, in schools, clinics and hospitals, in informal settlements and farms, and places of worship have indeed dedicated their lives to the realisation of a humane and just South Africa.
The critical challenge of government in partnership with Labour, Business and all other sectors, is to work for the upliftment of the lives of all South Africans, especially the poorer and marginalised sections of our society.
Kgosi Mashile, let me from the outset thank you and my leaders in the House of Traditional Leaders in Mpumalanga for having given your full support in working towards the realisation of the dream of a better life.
Let me thank you for the unwavering support you have given to the Mpumalanga Provincial Government. Allow me also to salute all the traditional leaders in our province for the deep concern you have for the development of your people and their communities.
I believe it was through these unwavering supports to government and unstinting commitment to your people that you were able to achieve so much is such a short period.
With your permission I would like to highlight just a few of these achievements. In a few short months you were able to actively establish good relations with government departments and other stakeholders.
I am particularly encouraged by the cluster some of you have formed with mayors in this province. The cluster is necessary to forge consultation between and amongst you, my leaders, and mayors and councilors. We believe that only through negotiations can we resolve whatever remaining differences we have.
The provincial government is 100% behind the cluster and I wish to congratulate the House of Traditional Leaders in Mpumalanga and local government representatives for such a far-sighted move. It shows that you care and want to develop your people.
Thank you also for your active participation in the law-making process and in our crime-fighting campaign.
Let me also bow to you for the support and encouragement during the Education and the Safety and Security focus months in January and February respectively. But above all let me thank you for your role in the conflict resolutions and the recognition for Chieftainship in a number of areas.
It is crucial that the House of Traditional Leaders should be actively involved in the protection and promotion of our democracy. Traditional Leaders should be actively and directly involved in all activities that are aimed at pushing back the frontiers of poverty. As leaders you must lead your communities.
Like eagles you are expected to soar high into the sky in search for that which will sustain your people.
That is why I am pleased to see a number of traditional leaders engage in partnerships with the private sector in providing jobs and development in their communities.
As leaders you must be responsive to the needs of your communities. These include the welfare and safety of your people – all your people.
The rape and sodomising of toddlers and young children is something we should fight with all the power at our disposal. As traditional leaders you are well positioned to ensure that you fight this tendency. We must bring back UBUNTU .
We must form partnerships with the law enforcement agencies in our country. We must actively and directly participate in crime prevention through recruiting reservist who will be stationed at the various tribal authorities and apprehend this hooligans.
I am happy to announce that in some areas this is happening.
I have been informed that the House of Traditional Leaders and the SAPS have established sound relationship. And I am proud of that. What we need to do now is to ensure that we speed up the process of establishing sound relations between communities and the South African Police Services in areas where such co-operation does not exist.
Remember, criminals belong in jail. There is no argument about that.
Let us at all times avoid a situation where we hurriedly, and in a hush-hush manner, allow a rapist to pay money to the victim's family. Rapists belong in jail. Let them be removed from society because they will rape again.
Chairperson, unless we do that the dream of a Mpumalanga that promises an end to poverty, disease, hunger, crime and environmental degradation – will be stillborn.
All of us have a duty to play in the rebirth of our province, our country and our continent.
Across the continent, Africans are declaring that we will no longer allow ourselves to be conditioned by circumstance. We will determine our own destiny. So will it be in the Mpumalanga Province.
We will build on and celebrate the achievements of the past, as well as reflect on the lessons learned through painful experience. In doing so we shall drink deep from the well of wisdom of our forefathers.
At the same time we will be called upon to learn how to preserve those things that are dear to us – our traditions and our customs. For instance as we celebrate human rights we need to know how we can balance these matters with the practice of initiation schools and virginity testing.
How do we balance these practices with respect for general human rights and the right to privacy and freedom of choice? These are some of the issues that will face us as we move forwards.
Chairperson, the Mpumalanga Provincial Government continues to enjoy a uniquely cordial relationship with institutions of Traditional Authority.
However, the advent of local government system has thrown to the fore critical questions regarding the role, place, powers and functions of these institutions.
My leaders, as we lead our people further into the land of freedom, some of us may feel that our powers are being eroded. Such fears are unfounded. We are all aware that there are negotiations and the White paper process that is going on at National Government.
We are also aware of the uncertainties about the future amongst Traditional Leaders . Many suspect that the new system will erode their powers and thus render them irrelevant.
Whilst the fears are understandable, I wish to assure the Traditional Leaders once again that the government does not intend to reduce their powers and influence.
Your contribution and participation in local authorities will greatly enrich the decisions of councils. Your highnesses will therefore lose nothing by participating in local authorities. We will continue to encourage the participation of Traditional Leaders and Community organisations in issues of governance.
This approach is the only way of ensuring that all of us create a better life for our people. We thank Kgosi Mashile and his colleagues for their understanding and cooperation. In them we have partners who share our vision of a prosperous Province and who place the interests of the subjects first.
The Mpumalanga government places a huge premium on co-ordinated and integrated service delivery.
In his policy and budget speech the MEC for Local Government Honourable Mahommed Bhabha indicated that the Integrated Development Programme affects every department of the Province.
All plans should therefore be condensed and be driven accordingly.
Government departments and parastatals are increasingly rising up to the challenge of ensuring better co-ordination and integration of their programmes to ensure quality and cost-effective services to our people.
You will all agree with me that our rural development strategy is aimed at creating opportunities, capital investment, infrastructure development, capacity building and skills development, food security, expand basic services to rural areas and promote efficient land use. Such an approach will create opportunities for jobs, for income generation and improvement of living standards.
The expansion of infrastructure development is an important element of both urban renewal and rural development strategy. The question is how do you, my leaders, hope to influence the IDP of your Municipality and District?
Let me challenge you to include this item on your agenda for discussion at your cluster meeting so that all of us can clearly understand this issue.
May I request that you consider taking a resolution which au thorises you to participate in both the planning and discution of IDPs of municipalities affecting your area.
There isa lreasy syneigy between our town managers and our provincial heads of departments with a view to coordinate programs and projects. It will be good for you also to be involved in similar activities.
Chairperson, as government we are aware that there is a lack of capacity in the House. This problem of lack of capacity is not only unique to you. It is there in municipalities, in provincial government, in departments – in fact even nationally.
We are therefore planning, together with the honourable member Bhabha, to train both Traditional Leaders and our councillors in order to can arrive at correct solutions.
Chairperson, we have been informed that this House of Traditional Leaders is involved in negotiations with the Center for Conflict Resolution in order to provide training in conflict resolutions and on issues of human dignity. We appreciate such a move and encourage AmaKhosi to look for other stakeholders who can provide training in other fields.
Kgosi Chairperson, as the Government we are concerned with the under utilisation of your Tribal Authority offices. I want to request your house to look at the possibility of taking a resolution authorizing my office to immediatelty second one official to each of your tribal offices so that certain functions can be devolved.
Amongst other considerations can begiven to the following government functions for such devoluion
- collection of manicipal levies
- establishing a cultural desk whose function would be promote culture identify people with talent and do other related matters
- marketing cultural tourism with the help of MTA and MII,
- thecentre can also be used to coordinate our month theme campaigns,
- uit can alao be used for our campaign again st cirm the the preventuion of HIVAIDS
The center will also then explain why we have two pilot sites instead of rolling out throughout the province.
- the center can also be used to talk to people about participation in poverty alleviations,
- particularly because to day is TB day we can use the offices to educate people about this preventable disease and educate about the causes of TB which include hunger and poverty,
We cannot turn a blind to the under-utilisation of any public structure that is not fully utilised. We therefore suggest that a number of programs should be established in order to revive these offices and utilise them for the benefit of the community.
The House of Traditional Leaders is challenged to come up with programs.
We commend the partnership with the Social Services, Population and Development Department on the registration of pensioners. This move will ensure that corruption and abuse of our senior citizens is uprooted completely.
Chairperson, the last time we met at Badplaas, a number of issues were raised by my leaders. One of the matters you raised was the speeding-up of the release of the White Paper on the powers, role and function of traditional leaders.
Believe me when I say the matter is being attended to and the Paper will be released soon rather than later. The issue of adequate buildings and tribal offices was also raised.
We are looking into the matter, but again I need to encourage my leaders to fully utilise the space given. We are also looking into the issue of salaries of Tribal secretaries.
My leaders, I will try as much as I can to ensure that I heed your request for us to meet at least once a month. Allow me to share with you some interesting developments. A symposium on Women and Aces to Land is being planned for April 22nd to the 26th of April this year. At this symposium, the rights of women to land, would be discussed as a mechanism which would redress poverty alleviation.
My office is also looking at how to address the question of adequate involvement, participation and appointment of women in the management of Traditional Leadership institutions.
My leaders, you also raised the issue of HIV/ AIDS.
The entire dream of a prosperous Mpumalanga will flounder if the scourge of widespread disease persists. It is my contention that development will come to nothing if we do not conquer HIV/AIDS and other diseases.
Chairperson, our position as government regarding HIV/AIDS is
very clear. The main strategy is to intensify our Aids Awareness Campaign.
People must know what HIV/AIDS is and how people are infected.We must at al
times re-emphasise the ABC - Abstain if you are young enough or unmarried.
If you are married, Be faithful. But if you are married or unmarried and feel
you cannot Abstain or Be faithful, then use a Condom. This is a proven way of
preventing the pandemic.
However, regarding Mother-to-Child transmission, we should remember that combating the HIV/AIDS pandemic does not necessarily rest with the supply and administrating of drugs only. Poor living conditions, poverty, hunger, sexual transmitted infections and many other factors all contribute to the spread of this disease.
We have established two sites – at Shongwe and Evander hospitals where we monitor the effects of the drug Nevirapine. Clinics supplying these hospitals are also included in the pilot sites. We supply the drug immediately before birth and one of the conditions is that there must be no breastfeeding. Milk Formula feeding is to be applied.
We need to mention that according to experts in this field a baby cannot be successfully tested for HIV after birth. Immediately after birth the baby takes the anti-bodies of the mother. If the mother is HIV positive, the baby will test HIV positive at the time. This will be the situation until the baby is about 23-months old.
After that the baby develops its own anti-bodies. Only at that time can we successfully test the child. The testing period at the pilot sites cannot be shortened. Our sites are not even a year old. One thing we need to know is that mother-to-child transmission only occurs in 30 out of every 100 HIV positive mothers. The rest will not transmit HIV to their babies.
Nevirapine should therefore only be aimed at the 30% which may transmit HIV to their unborn babies. Nevirapine will only prevent 50% of the 30%, which is half of the possible 30%.
Again, we cannot underestimate the toxicity of the drugs and they need to be administered to patients under strict supervision by experts as well as under proper monitoring systems to improve compliance.
We will continue to support negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to bring down the price of all essential drugs and, to support our initiatives in promoting the local manufacture of generic drugs which will reduce the price of drugs, create jobs, promote investments and contribute towards our economic growth.
Further, our negotiations are meant to make sure that pharmaceutical companies take responsibility for adverse drug reactions that are as a result of their medicines.
Chairperson, We meet here today, a few days after Human Rights Day.
Today as we gather here to commence legislative business of the House of Traditional Leaders, let us pay tribute to the thousands of patriots and,
democrats who lost their lives, in the trenches, fighting for basic human rights, which they were denied them in the country of their own birth.
Let us remember all those men and women who were killed because they dared to demand a basic human right. A right to walk the streets of the land of their birth freely, without a passbook.
It is easy to forget that thousands of people who died struggling for the things that today we take for granted. It is our task as South Africans – black and white - to continue to build and create a strong culture of human rights.
As we remember the past struggles for human rights, we need to move into the next decade as defenders and upholders of human rights.
We must defend the right to vote, the right to freedom of movement, the right to land, the right to shelter and the right to food and the right to safe and sustainable environments.
These human rights are inalienable: they cannot be bought or sold. As a result of our people's struggle, human rights are today at the cornerstone of our democracy.
Our Constitution is founded upon "human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms". The Constitution and legislation we have put in place since 1994 are a great leap forward for this struggle.
Every year our government makes solid progress towards these goals. But the struggle for the achievement of human rights in South Africa is far from over.
Indeed, this struggle will not conclude until the promise of dignity and freedom from poverty, malnutrition and disease has been realised. But human rights and fundamental freedoms cannot simply be proclaimed, or legislated from on high.
It is only when people themselves engage in social action to give meaning to the words enshrined in our constitution that human rights will become the living thread from which out social fabric is woven.
In other words, the advance, protection, defence and consolidation of fundamental human rights can only be the outcome of ongoing struggle: every day, in every community, in every sphere of human activity.
To advance these goals we have taken the lead in rendering voluntary services to the people; to recapture the community spirit of IJIMA
In January the theme for IJIMA concentrated on the challenge of providing proper schooling and education.
In February 2002 the spirit of IJIMA >focused on safety and security.
The month of March is focused on the theme of human rights.
Our main focus will be to mobilise the skills and resources of community members to transform the justice system.
Our ongoing struggle for democracy, human rights and an end to poverty is part of a global struggle: the struggle of all humanity to create a world in which dignity and peace reign supreme. That is the only way we can fulfill the promise of a better life for all our people.
Chairperson, it is my pleasure to open this sitting of the Mpumalanga House of Traditional Leaders.
I thank you.