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Date : 15/11/2004
Source: Department of Public Works
Title: N Kganyago: Handover of Tembisa Magistrate Court


SPEECH BY DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR N KGANYAGO, AT THE OFFICIAL HANDOVER OF THE TEMBISA MAGISTRATE COURT, 15 October 2004

The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Ms Brigette Mabandla
The Ambassador of Denmark, his Excellency Torben Brylle
The Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Mr Duma Nkosi
The Director-General: Justice and Constitutional Development, Advocate Vusi Pikoli
The Chief Magistrate, Ms Van Schalkwyk
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

I stand before you on behalf of the Minister of Public Works, Ms Stella Sigcau who could not be with us. Today represents another delivery milestone, a third in as many weeks that we as Public Works are jointly witnessing with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. Undoubtedly government is in top gear and rearing to deliver.

The month of October is a poverty eradication month as declared by the United Nations almost twenty years ago. It is a time in our political and social calendar when we review milestones achieved in our fight against poverty. In the last ten years the ANC-led government adopted poverty eradication as a paramount challenge in the new struggle to entrench freedom and democracy.

Creation of jobs, expansion of social grants and concessions for tax relief were some of the measures this government put into place to ensure some income in the pockets of the poor. However, poverty is also about lack of access to other resources, including infrastructure. At the same time government expedited land redistribution, housing development, school building programme and public infrastructure development in general. On the eve of a decade of democracy, among others, government stated its record as:

* 1, 6 million houses built
* 700 new primary health clinics built, 212 upgraded and 215 mobile clinics established
* 9 million people supplied with drinking water
* 56 000 school classrooms constructed
* 4, 5 million children on School Nutrition Programme
* 7.4 million people on social grants

Since 1994, the government has acquired and maintained public infrastructure as part of democratization and poverty alleviation. The National Department of Public Works as a department responsible for the fixed asset management on behalf of government also played a significant role. In the last two years, the Department has publicly, at ceremonies like these, handed over ten completed Justice facilities valued collectively at more than R245 million. These included Khayelitsha, Botshabelo, Kroonstad, Bluedowns, Leeuw Gamka, Motherwell, Citrusdul, Porterville, Port Elizabeth and Tembisa, but exclude the R50 million Randburg Magistrate Court which will be completed early next year.

In the past year, five (5) completed SAPS facilities collectively valued at more than R67 million were publicly handed over at Centane, Mangaung, Mabopane, Tsolo and Tshidilamolomo in the North West Province. In the next two years the Department of Public Works will hope to successfully complete the first batch of the four (4) New Generation Prisons on behalf of Correctional Services at Kimberley, Klerksdorp, Nigel and Leeuwkop with an estimated total cost of more than one point two billion rand (R1, 2 billion).

These statistics are meant to shed light on the amount of work done to create a better life for all.

I am also quoting these figures as a way to celebrate the relationship my Department has had with the private sector, especially the construction industry. Unknown to many, the general government is the biggest client and consumer of the construction industry output in South Africa. Through government contracts and other tenders, the construction industry access work opportunities to provide goods and services to government. On daily basis there are millions of Rands in transactions between the government and the industry, to bring about infrastructure development and lay concrete foundations for a sustainable, better life.

The relationship has been taken to another level with the recent launch of a process to develop a transformation charter for the construction industry. As early as 1996, the Department of Public Works made it known that a framework would need to be formulated to promote the growth, development and transformation in this industry. The idea is to create opportunities for all in the industry, including small contractors, blacks and women meanwhile enabling the industry to compete globally and fulfil socio-economic goals of the country. The main objective of the Construction Charter, complete with a Scorecard, will be to set the basis for comprehensive transformation and empowerment in the industry.

Even during the construction of the Tembisa Magistrate Court, Black Economic Empowerment imperatives were emphasized. A joint venture led by Lushaka Construction Pty Ltd and incorporating Mthandeni Construction Pty Ltd was awarded the tender to build this R38,9 million structure excluding professional fees, over a period of just under two years.

From a dilapidated old building that constituted the Tembisa Magistrate Court, this modern three storey building was built in two phases. Phase one included the construction of the main building with Offices for Administration and secured offices for the Magistrates. This also included 10 new general court rooms, three civil courts and a family court. There is also an area designated for the Police which include processing and a pre-trial area, ten cells and a holding cell adjoining the court rooms.

On the other hand, the second phase included the construction of the single storey new cash hall area, record rooms and a main entrance with security and control area. This part of the building was built over the existing dilapidated building.

Our gratitudes go to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development for their continued confidence in the Department of Public Works as their procuring agent for infrastructure and fixed assets. We also like to thank the construction industry for their zeal and expertise and call on them to leave no stone unturned in preparing our country to display impeccable infrastructure when we host the World Soccer Cup in 2010.

To the people of Tembisa, I congratulate you on this pristine building which we hope, as government, will save you time and money and bring essential government services to your doorstep.

It is my honour to hand over a symbolic key to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Ms Mabandla.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Public Works
15 October 2004

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