Date: 30/03/2004
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: N Mahlangu: Switch on ceremony of natural gas pipeline
REMARKS BY PREMIER NJ MAHLANGU AT THE OFFICIAL SWITCH ON CEREMONY OF THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE, Secunda, 30 March 2004
Programme Director
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Twenty months ago we gathered not far from here to launch the construction of this natural gas project. Today we meet again to look at how far we have travelled since we met at Badplaas in July 2002.
It is perhaps significant that we meet here today on the eve of celebrating 10 years of freedom and democracy. Indeed we can look back with pride and acknowledge that indeed our efforts to poverty and unemployment are bearing fruit.
When we fight unemployment we are indeed striking the first lethal blow in our full-frontal onslaught against hunger, disease, illiteracy and poverty. We all know that poverty is dehumanising. That is why we have made it our primary task to banish it from the streets of our towns and villages.
Soon after we took office, I pledged that it was my government's commitment to speed up our programmes on poverty alleviation, recreation, housing, welfare, healthcare and education. We promised that we would spare no effort in ensuring that we build clinics, hospitals, schools and houses in number of areas.
We pledged to bring clean drinking water to every house in the province. We undertook to upgrade roads and provide electricity. We promised to build the economy and create jobs.
Achieving growth, advancing worker rights and promoting investment have always been our priority.
We did that because we realised that government could only succeed in partnership with people, business and other sectors of the community. In pushing back the frontiers of poverty, the Mpumalanga Provincial Government will continue to do so in partnership with many in our society, who are ready to lend a hand in the effort to build a better life.
That is why we commend SASOL's efforts in joining hands with government and the community in initiating and completing a project that is going to have significant positive impact on the lives of so many people in our province and beyond. This project will benefit everyone from Pande and Temane gas fields in Mozambique and those who live along the valleys and hills through which this natural gas pipeline runs. But it will also benefit all those who want to switch over to clean illumination and cooking whether they be in Mpumalanga, Mozambique or Gauteng.
Programme Director, I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to all who have been involved in bringing the plans of this project to completion. I especially want to thank business because their cooperation was, and still is - invaluable. It is clear that you share our concern for doing this right - and your attention to many details involved in moving the project forward is outstanding.
The successes we have achieved in the past 10 years make a clear statement that acting together, we can and shall continue to push back the frontiers of poverty and expand access to a better life. Guided by the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), we are indeed setting our sights on building a society that is truly united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic. Central to this is a single and integrated economy that benefits all.
Our vision aims amongst other things to reduce unemployment and poverty by half; provide skills required by the economy; ensure that all people of this province are fully able to exercise their constitutional rights and enjoy full dignity of freedom. Indeed we aim to create a compassionate government service to the people.
Working with everyone we aim to massively reduce cases communicable diseases including TB, diabetes, malnutrition and turn the tide against HIV and AIDS. During the First Decade of Liberation, we paid necessary attention to the elaboration of the policies we require to achieve these objectives.
These policies have also been translated into legislation in instances where such legislation was required. The policies and programmes we were speaking of are not a mere wish list of what we would like to see. They exist in concrete form, taking into account where we are today.
They are therefore designed within the context of resources we will be able to generate to ensure that peoples' hopes are transformed into reality. In other words, they are not a "thumb suck", optimistic promises that are not based on what our country and province can do practically.
Together, these objectives constitute a balanced package of measures that will be implemented in such a manner that they do not produce unforeseen or hidden negative social and economic consequences. In this regard, we have made certain that we do not project deceitful and populist positions, merely to win votes in the forthcoming elections.
Programme Director, as government we will not make false promises. That is why you should believe me when I say we are committed to creating an enabling environment, which not only encourages business to do what is their core function, but also offer opportunities for small businessperson to crawl, walk and run through this corporate jungle.
In so doing they will be able to absorb more of those who are willing to work but unable to find employment. I wish you well as a new era begins here today. The ingredients for faster progress on all fronts of our work are there.
I thank you.
Issued by: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
30 March 2004
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: N Mahlangu: Switch on ceremony of natural gas pipeline
REMARKS BY PREMIER NJ MAHLANGU AT THE OFFICIAL SWITCH ON CEREMONY OF THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE, Secunda, 30 March 2004
Programme Director
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Twenty months ago we gathered not far from here to launch the construction of this natural gas project. Today we meet again to look at how far we have travelled since we met at Badplaas in July 2002.
It is perhaps significant that we meet here today on the eve of celebrating 10 years of freedom and democracy. Indeed we can look back with pride and acknowledge that indeed our efforts to poverty and unemployment are bearing fruit.
When we fight unemployment we are indeed striking the first lethal blow in our full-frontal onslaught against hunger, disease, illiteracy and poverty. We all know that poverty is dehumanising. That is why we have made it our primary task to banish it from the streets of our towns and villages.
Soon after we took office, I pledged that it was my government's commitment to speed up our programmes on poverty alleviation, recreation, housing, welfare, healthcare and education. We promised that we would spare no effort in ensuring that we build clinics, hospitals, schools and houses in number of areas.
We pledged to bring clean drinking water to every house in the province. We undertook to upgrade roads and provide electricity. We promised to build the economy and create jobs.
Achieving growth, advancing worker rights and promoting investment have always been our priority.
We did that because we realised that government could only succeed in partnership with people, business and other sectors of the community. In pushing back the frontiers of poverty, the Mpumalanga Provincial Government will continue to do so in partnership with many in our society, who are ready to lend a hand in the effort to build a better life.
That is why we commend SASOL's efforts in joining hands with government and the community in initiating and completing a project that is going to have significant positive impact on the lives of so many people in our province and beyond. This project will benefit everyone from Pande and Temane gas fields in Mozambique and those who live along the valleys and hills through which this natural gas pipeline runs. But it will also benefit all those who want to switch over to clean illumination and cooking whether they be in Mpumalanga, Mozambique or Gauteng.
Programme Director, I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to all who have been involved in bringing the plans of this project to completion. I especially want to thank business because their cooperation was, and still is - invaluable. It is clear that you share our concern for doing this right - and your attention to many details involved in moving the project forward is outstanding.
The successes we have achieved in the past 10 years make a clear statement that acting together, we can and shall continue to push back the frontiers of poverty and expand access to a better life. Guided by the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), we are indeed setting our sights on building a society that is truly united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic. Central to this is a single and integrated economy that benefits all.
Our vision aims amongst other things to reduce unemployment and poverty by half; provide skills required by the economy; ensure that all people of this province are fully able to exercise their constitutional rights and enjoy full dignity of freedom. Indeed we aim to create a compassionate government service to the people.
Working with everyone we aim to massively reduce cases communicable diseases including TB, diabetes, malnutrition and turn the tide against HIV and AIDS. During the First Decade of Liberation, we paid necessary attention to the elaboration of the policies we require to achieve these objectives.
These policies have also been translated into legislation in instances where such legislation was required. The policies and programmes we were speaking of are not a mere wish list of what we would like to see. They exist in concrete form, taking into account where we are today.
They are therefore designed within the context of resources we will be able to generate to ensure that peoples' hopes are transformed into reality. In other words, they are not a "thumb suck", optimistic promises that are not based on what our country and province can do practically.
Together, these objectives constitute a balanced package of measures that will be implemented in such a manner that they do not produce unforeseen or hidden negative social and economic consequences. In this regard, we have made certain that we do not project deceitful and populist positions, merely to win votes in the forthcoming elections.
Programme Director, as government we will not make false promises. That is why you should believe me when I say we are committed to creating an enabling environment, which not only encourages business to do what is their core function, but also offer opportunities for small businessperson to crawl, walk and run through this corporate jungle.
In so doing they will be able to absorb more of those who are willing to work but unable to find employment. I wish you well as a new era begins here today. The ingredients for faster progress on all fronts of our work are there.
I thank you.
Issued by: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
30 March 2004
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