Date: 03/11/2005
Source: Limpopo Provincial Government
Title: Moloto: Closing ceremony of NCOP Taking Parliament to the People hearings
Response by Premier of Limpopo, Mr Sello Moloto at the closing ceremony of the National Council of Provinces, Nkowakowa, Tzaneen, Limpopo
Programme director,
Honourable President of our country Mr Thabo Mbek
i Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of NCOP,
Premiers here present,
Speaker of our Legislature and other Speakers,
MECs of various Provinces,
MPLs, Members of Parliament and of the NCOP,
Executive Mayor of Mopani, other Executive Mayors
The Mayor of Tzaneen and Mayors of other Local Municipalities,
Councillors of Greater Tzaneen and councillors of other municipalities,
Chairperson of the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders and other Traditional Leaders,
Stalwarts and veterans of our struggle,
Leaders of various religious formations,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of the Provincial Government and the people of Limpopo, we wish to thank honourable members of the house for participating throughout this very important sitting of the National Council of Province (NCOP). We have got no doubt that this inaugural session of the NCOP in Limpopo will go down in history as one of the most defining moments of active participatory democracy in our country. From day one when the sitting started, we noticed high levels of enthusiasm and commitment amongst members of the House when debating the various complex matters of local governance, water provision, agriculture, health and social security. Honourable members would agree that these remain some of the most vexing challenges which are at the centre of development in this Province and the country as a whole.
Honourable Chairperson
As we have said on Monday, “the taking of parliament to the people programme” underscores the importance of people’s involvement in their own governance. It communicates a clear message to our people that nothing about them, can ever be done without their presence and full participation. Over these last four days we have seen our people coming forward expressing their true feelings about issues that they feel pertinent about in their daily life experiences. We are proud of the exemplary manner in which you as members of this house have conducted yourselves towards ordinary citizens throughout your stay in our Province. You were always ready to listen and to provide leadership and direction to our people on otherwise complex and varied challenges.
By taking parliament to the people, we believe, we are beginning, in a small way to demystify the institution of parliament to our people. We are encouraged that this programme is also serving to nurture a model of democracy that empowers ordinary citizens to take charge of their own lives. Over these last four days, we believe you have received a first hand account of what ordinary people are saying about our government and what kind of interventions are needed to make our country and Province even better and prosperous.
We would like to congratulate the NCOP for this initiative of taking parliament to the people. It is important that our people continue to see our institutions of democracy as their voice and a platform where they can freely articulate their interests and aspirations. We are confident that the successful holding of this session over these last four days has indeed created an opportunity and platform for the elected representatives to account and to have a direct dialogue with the people.
Honourable chairperson
We have noted that most of the concerns and grievances raised are common to those which we normally encounter in our various outreach programmes such as EXCO meets the people, Batho Pele Road shows and Imbizos. It is obviously comforting that most of the concerns and grievances raised, inform our broad government programme, which therefore, confirms that our government is indeed a people’s government. We have rightfully said that the biggest enemy of our people remains poverty and unemployment. These challenges are further compounded by lack of basic infrastructural developments such as a reliable road infrastructure network, electricity and water shortage. We have also said in our opening remarks that poverty in South Africa, like elsewhere, in the world, has race, age, gender, and geographic dimensions.
It is common knowledge that poverty and high unemployment in South Africa would then be found largely amongst Africans, women and the youth who predominately live in rural areas and townships which symbolise a true legacy of Apartheid in our land. It is therefore befitting that our government programme is geared towards eliminating this Apartheid legacy, by particularly targeting these sectors.
Honourable Chairperson
We have also drawn member’s attention to the challenge of land reform in our Province during our opening remarks that about 88% of productive land in our Province is under land claims. It remains true that due to uncertainties related to these land claims and the slow pace with which this challenge is attended; agricultural productivity has largely been affected. We have made inputs and suggestions to the National Land Summit on how the problem can be attended to. We hope and trust that the Department of Agriculture and Land affairs will speedily attend to the bottlenecks as identified.
We have also made the point that many parts of the province are faced with severe drought and veld fires. As you might have observed, travelling across the province, this drought has the potential to reverse the gains we have made since the inception of our new democracy. Crops and livestock are dying at an alarming rate and this has a devastating effect on the emerging and subsistence farmers. You might have also heard reports of hospitals in the Sekhukhune district which are without water and therefore having difficulties in continuing to admit patients. It is therefore within this context that the province is now lodging a formal request to national government for intervention to declare the affected parts of the province disaster areas. We hope and trust that national government will consider this request favourably.
As the Provincial Government we have gone into a process of reprioritizing our budget in order to respond appropriately to this challenge. We have already decided to set aside R300 million to deal with some of these immediate challenges. As we have said, R100 million is set aside for water provision and drought relief. Another R100 million has been put aside to respond to the outcry about lack of electricity in many of our villages. The remaining R100 million will go to the improvement of road infrastructure network in the province. A task team has been established drawing in the officials from Provincial government, ESKOM, Water Affairs and municipalities in order to ensure that this intervention becomes decisive and precise.
We have chosen this path, Mr President out of the understanding that ours is to serve our people, and therefore whatever action we take should be in the best interest of those we serve. We hold a view that we have what it takes - that is both the capacity and the capability, to rise to the occasion in order to ensure that we develop a Province which all its citizens are proud to identify with.
Mr President,
The people of Dipichi and the surrounding villages like all other South Africans, feel highly indebted to you for the commitment and dedication you have shown in serving them. Your visit to these impoverished communities in the past two weeks has left an indelible mark in their lives. You have succeeded in restoring their dignity, integrity and a sense of purpose in their lives. The promise you have made about communication and therefore access to cellular phone reception has been met. Equally, the poverty alleviation projects and information and communication technology (ICT) interventions in the area have made a great impact in their lives. Everybody is above the moon. You continue to be a source of inspiration and hope to all South Africans. Indeed a true servant of the people. We will forever feel indebted and grateful for what you have been to South Africa, Africa and the world.
We thank you, once again
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Limpopo Provincial Government
4 November 2005
Source: Limpopo Provincial Government
Title: Moloto: Closing ceremony of NCOP Taking Parliament to the People hearings
Response by Premier of Limpopo, Mr Sello Moloto at the closing ceremony of the National Council of Provinces, Nkowakowa, Tzaneen, Limpopo
Programme director,
Honourable President of our country Mr Thabo Mbek
i Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of NCOP,
Premiers here present,
Speaker of our Legislature and other Speakers,
MECs of various Provinces,
MPLs, Members of Parliament and of the NCOP,
Executive Mayor of Mopani, other Executive Mayors
The Mayor of Tzaneen and Mayors of other Local Municipalities,
Councillors of Greater Tzaneen and councillors of other municipalities,
Chairperson of the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders and other Traditional Leaders,
Stalwarts and veterans of our struggle,
Leaders of various religious formations,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of the Provincial Government and the people of Limpopo, we wish to thank honourable members of the house for participating throughout this very important sitting of the National Council of Province (NCOP). We have got no doubt that this inaugural session of the NCOP in Limpopo will go down in history as one of the most defining moments of active participatory democracy in our country. From day one when the sitting started, we noticed high levels of enthusiasm and commitment amongst members of the House when debating the various complex matters of local governance, water provision, agriculture, health and social security. Honourable members would agree that these remain some of the most vexing challenges which are at the centre of development in this Province and the country as a whole.
Honourable Chairperson
As we have said on Monday, “the taking of parliament to the people programme” underscores the importance of people’s involvement in their own governance. It communicates a clear message to our people that nothing about them, can ever be done without their presence and full participation. Over these last four days we have seen our people coming forward expressing their true feelings about issues that they feel pertinent about in their daily life experiences. We are proud of the exemplary manner in which you as members of this house have conducted yourselves towards ordinary citizens throughout your stay in our Province. You were always ready to listen and to provide leadership and direction to our people on otherwise complex and varied challenges.
By taking parliament to the people, we believe, we are beginning, in a small way to demystify the institution of parliament to our people. We are encouraged that this programme is also serving to nurture a model of democracy that empowers ordinary citizens to take charge of their own lives. Over these last four days, we believe you have received a first hand account of what ordinary people are saying about our government and what kind of interventions are needed to make our country and Province even better and prosperous.
We would like to congratulate the NCOP for this initiative of taking parliament to the people. It is important that our people continue to see our institutions of democracy as their voice and a platform where they can freely articulate their interests and aspirations. We are confident that the successful holding of this session over these last four days has indeed created an opportunity and platform for the elected representatives to account and to have a direct dialogue with the people.
Honourable chairperson
We have noted that most of the concerns and grievances raised are common to those which we normally encounter in our various outreach programmes such as EXCO meets the people, Batho Pele Road shows and Imbizos. It is obviously comforting that most of the concerns and grievances raised, inform our broad government programme, which therefore, confirms that our government is indeed a people’s government. We have rightfully said that the biggest enemy of our people remains poverty and unemployment. These challenges are further compounded by lack of basic infrastructural developments such as a reliable road infrastructure network, electricity and water shortage. We have also said in our opening remarks that poverty in South Africa, like elsewhere, in the world, has race, age, gender, and geographic dimensions.
It is common knowledge that poverty and high unemployment in South Africa would then be found largely amongst Africans, women and the youth who predominately live in rural areas and townships which symbolise a true legacy of Apartheid in our land. It is therefore befitting that our government programme is geared towards eliminating this Apartheid legacy, by particularly targeting these sectors.
Honourable Chairperson
We have also drawn member’s attention to the challenge of land reform in our Province during our opening remarks that about 88% of productive land in our Province is under land claims. It remains true that due to uncertainties related to these land claims and the slow pace with which this challenge is attended; agricultural productivity has largely been affected. We have made inputs and suggestions to the National Land Summit on how the problem can be attended to. We hope and trust that the Department of Agriculture and Land affairs will speedily attend to the bottlenecks as identified.
We have also made the point that many parts of the province are faced with severe drought and veld fires. As you might have observed, travelling across the province, this drought has the potential to reverse the gains we have made since the inception of our new democracy. Crops and livestock are dying at an alarming rate and this has a devastating effect on the emerging and subsistence farmers. You might have also heard reports of hospitals in the Sekhukhune district which are without water and therefore having difficulties in continuing to admit patients. It is therefore within this context that the province is now lodging a formal request to national government for intervention to declare the affected parts of the province disaster areas. We hope and trust that national government will consider this request favourably.
As the Provincial Government we have gone into a process of reprioritizing our budget in order to respond appropriately to this challenge. We have already decided to set aside R300 million to deal with some of these immediate challenges. As we have said, R100 million is set aside for water provision and drought relief. Another R100 million has been put aside to respond to the outcry about lack of electricity in many of our villages. The remaining R100 million will go to the improvement of road infrastructure network in the province. A task team has been established drawing in the officials from Provincial government, ESKOM, Water Affairs and municipalities in order to ensure that this intervention becomes decisive and precise.
We have chosen this path, Mr President out of the understanding that ours is to serve our people, and therefore whatever action we take should be in the best interest of those we serve. We hold a view that we have what it takes - that is both the capacity and the capability, to rise to the occasion in order to ensure that we develop a Province which all its citizens are proud to identify with.
Mr President,
The people of Dipichi and the surrounding villages like all other South Africans, feel highly indebted to you for the commitment and dedication you have shown in serving them. Your visit to these impoverished communities in the past two weeks has left an indelible mark in their lives. You have succeeded in restoring their dignity, integrity and a sense of purpose in their lives. The promise you have made about communication and therefore access to cellular phone reception has been met. Equally, the poverty alleviation projects and information and communication technology (ICT) interventions in the area have made a great impact in their lives. Everybody is above the moon. You continue to be a source of inspiration and hope to all South Africans. Indeed a true servant of the people. We will forever feel indebted and grateful for what you have been to South Africa, Africa and the world.
We thank you, once again
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Limpopo Provincial Government
4 November 2005
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