REMARKS BY PREMIER
Madam Chairperson
Hnourable Deputy President
Honourable Premiers
Honourable Members.
It was Jose Rizal who said: “A stone is worthless if it is not par of an edifice.”
Today we gather here in these hallow portals as leaders and representatives of our respective provinces. Jones in the edifice that is our beautiful country South Africa.
I believe we are al in agreement that public attitudes towards government and its role have changed a lot over the last couple of years.
Not only in Mpumalanga, but also throughout the country, the public is now more demanding, more demanding of service, more demanding of explanation if we can't deliver on time. Now some people may want to know what brought about his change in attitude?
Our commitment to being in daily contact with the people, listening and learning from them. A commitment to hold report-back meetings so the communities can give us our report cards.
In the past years, we have been hard at work in Mpumalanga fostering friendly relations with the communities and other stakeholders. That is why we were able to deal in a co-ordinate manner with the floods, the cholera epidemic and the food and mouth outbreak.
We would not have been able to do that with out a strategic plan devised by all of us as equals, one better than the pother. But where did it al start?
In October 1999, the Mpumalanga Provincial Executive Council took a decision to embark on a programme of reaching out to people of the province.
One of our aims was to reach out and engage communities and stakeholders in discussions around development. Also for us as the executive and the bureaucrats, the local authorities and national government departments based in the province to understand the dynamics and problems in the areas and to reach consensus on a broader programme of action for service delivery.
Madam Chairperson, in short, we are taking government to the people.
We believe that communities have become more informed about what government does and about plans put in place for future development in the Province. Communities have come open to appreciate the efforts by government to speak to them face-to-face.
Madam Chairperson, how do we deal with the integrated development plan in the province?
Through cluster comities.
In this way departments are able to consult and plan together so that a deliverable programme of government based on a totally integrated approach is adopted.
As Premier I chair the governance and Administration Cluster, which is attended by the Executive Mayors. The cluster focuses focuses on the element of monitoring the implementation of provincial priorities by both spheres of government.
We also have an Economy, Investment and Employment Cluster and a Social Services Cluster. Our cluster committees are supported by Technical Cluster Committees, which are attended by the respective Head of Department.
The three District Council Municipalities also send representatives in both the Cabinet Cluster Committee and the technical Cluster Committee.
Madam chairperson, structures have been set up on provincial level to deal with cooperative governance and intergovernmental relations.
The functions and activities of the Mpumalanga Intergovernmental Relations Forum are coordinated by the Department of Local Government, Traffic Control and Traffic Safety. This forum meets quarterly and the purpose is to invite politicians and senior managers in municipalities to these meetings. Matters of mutual interest affecting municipalities in a provincial context are discussed at these meetings.
And matters, which are not necessary vested within the Department of Local Government, Traffic control and Traffic Safety discussed, but role-players from other Departments within the Province, and even on National level, are also regularly invited to address municipalities.
These meetings are specifically aimed at discussing policy related matters that have an impact on service delivery, coordination of activities, report on issues of common interest and solicit consensus in this regard.
The MEC for Local Government, Traffic Control and Traffic Safety established three different mayors' forums within the Province. Municipalities of similar size and with similar capacity are thus grouped together in the three forums.
The aim of the mayor's forum is to create a platform where the MEC and mayors within the Province can meet each other in order to discuss matters of mutual political interest.
This also services to update the MEC and the Mayors on progress made with regard to matters affecting municipalities and also to discuss measures to improve performance by municipalities.
Several cross boundary district municipalities and cross boundary local municipalities were established between the Province of Mpumalanga and the Northern – and Gauteng Provinces.
The MEC regularly meets with traditional leaders, leader of the Local Government Association of Mpumalanga and the Masakhane co-ordinating Committee.
Several municipalities have already established ward committee and a number of municipalities are in the process of establishing ward committees.
The Local Economic Development Programme programme strive for the eradication of poverty and unemployment through the implementation of Local Economic Development programmes.
As a province, we are bold in our ambitions that within this decade, we will win the fight against poverty. But serious challenges remain.
The first one has to do with the autonomy of municipalities. There is always the danger that intervention would be construed as interference and intrusion.
The other challenge is really being able to manage the cross-border municipalities. We are all new in this sphere.
In the instance of Marble Hall it is really cumbersome that people living on the border of Mpumalanga should travel hundreds of kilometers to Potgietersus to register their vehicles when there is a registration office a few kilometers away in Mpumalanga.
Regarding national departments in provinces, one would like to see greater involvement of the province.
The Department of Water Affairs for instance is witching its rights to deal with the municipalities. But when there is a problem provinces are drawn in.
The Land Affairs Bill will have an impact on municipalities and will most certainly have an impact on the Land Facilitation Act.
Our department of Local Government is not involved in the Bill and it is doubtful; whether municipalities are indeed fully involved.
Finally, maybe on this the first day of Public Service Week, it is important to note that the Provincial Public Service has, like the rest of the South African society, changed a lot over the seven years.
I've noticed a difference between the public service that I now work with, and the public service that I worked with before 1994. I'm happy to say that most of the changes that have occurred over that period of time have been beneficial changes.
I think there's a greater allegiance and commitment by the public service to upholding the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the Batho Pele principles when serving the public.
Thank you.