Date: 27/08/2004
Source: Department of Public Works
Title: S Sigcau: Launch of N Cape Expanded Public Works Programme
ADDRESS BY MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS, STELLA SIGCAU AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF NORTHERN CAPE EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, Galeshewe, 27 August 2004
The Premier of Northern Cape, Mme Dipuo Peters
The Deputy Minister of Public Works, Mr Ntopile Kganyago
The Members of the Executive Council
The Members of the Provincial Legislature
The Mayor, His Worship Councillor P Lenyibi
The Executive Mayor, M Marais-Martin
Senior government officials
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
The purpose of our visit today is to honour the contract we entered into with the people of South Africa; to create jobs and improve quality of life. As government, we want to say we have heard your voices and we are here to honour the resounding mandate you gave to us on 14 April 2004 when you cast your vote in the General Elections.
On 18 May 2004, the President, Mr Thabo Mbeki, launched the Expanded Public Works Programme to the nation. He expressed a desire to see the provinces embracing the Programme and contributing to social development and growth. It is with pride to announce that the Northern Cape is the first province to launch their version of the Expanded Public Works Programme. KwaZulu-Natal will launch theirs tomorrow.
The Expanded Public Works Programme is an initiative of government to create jobs, develop skills, improve our communities and take the marginalised poor people out of the spiral of poverty.
To quote the President, "EPWP is a nation-wide programme which will draw significant numbers of the unemployed into productive work, so that workers gain skills while they work, and increase their capacity to earn an income", and is one of many government attempts to alleviate poverty and unemployment in the country.
On regular basis, government spends millions of Rands to buy goods and services from the private sector including the public. Given the shortage of jobs, government has conceptualised the idea of Expanded Public Works Programme as a way for government to use its financial resources in programmes that have the potential to use labour-intensive methods thereby opening job opportunities for many of our people. EPWP is by no means the only initiative of government poverty relief.
Poverty has many causes and also manifests itself in various ways. Poverty is characterised by lack of access to means of production including land, jobs skills, infrastructure and essential social services. In response government has, since 1994, come up with a multifaceted approach to fighting poverty. Social grants, affordable public health care, free basic services, free education, systematic tax reduction for lower income, groups, tax relief for other income groups, infrastructure development, crime prevention, urban renewal and rural development are some of the government interventions to create a better life for all and turn the tide against poverty.
Government departments at national and provincial level have received the programme with lot of enthusiasm. Institutional arrangements are in place to ensure the successful co-ordination and execution of the programme. This will include monitoring and evaluation, which will bring value for money. Government relies on patriotism and diligent work ethic of its officials to make the programme a success.
Various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) are leaving no stone unturned in their effort to rollout learnership programmes as part of skills development. For example, a standard training course for workers in the infrastructure and environment sectors has been developed which will provide workers with general like skills, awareness and understanding of HIV/AIDS, labour market information and information about EPWP exit opportunities such as learnerships, internships and national youth service opportunities. Through the National Youth Service Programme, the Umsobomvu Youth Fund is funding training of labour -intensive construction supervisors in some provinces.
At the Growth and Development Summit last year, the government presented the EPWP framework as part of its position to facilitate growth and create jobs. Both business and labour amplified their support for the programme. We are continuing to engage with both stakeholders to make EPWP a truly national affair. As a result, business, through the Business Trust, has agreed to make EPWP one of its key focus areas in the coming years. Recently we were heartened by the ABSA Bank when they entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with Public Works and the Construction SETA. They undertook to finance construction projects and facilitate easy access to credit for contractors.
Most sectors under the Expanded Public Works are making a remarkable progress. The infrastructure sector is expected to generate more than 750 000 job opportunities in the next five years primarily from conditional infrastructure grants allocated to Provinces and Municipalities. These numbers might increase with the adoption of EPWP labour intensive guidelines by other programmes such as electrification, public infrastructure maintenance and the construction of civil infrastructure for housing programmes.
On the other hand, the environmental sector has many ongoing programmes and their expansion could yield additional 200 000 jobs in the same period. According to the Social Sector Plan, a target of 150 000 job opportunities has been set and this will be achieved, among others, through the expansion of Home and Community Based Care Programmes in health, social and education areas. We are pleased with the progress we seem to be making.
I like to thank the people of Galeshewe for their warm welcoming reception, today and in the past. In October 2002, I was accompanied by the Minister of Safety and Security, Mr Charles Nqakula, to lay the foundation stone for the R35 million Galeshewe Community Safety Centre. On the same day I also officially opened the relocated Regional Office of the National Department of Public Works at the Old Magistrate Court Building. I plan to visit this area again soon to turn the sod for the construction of the R364 million New Generation Prison. This will be one of the four such prisons to be built on behalf of Correctional Services who are our top client. Other prisons will be at Klerksdorp, Nigel and Leeuwkop north of Johannesburg.
The National Department of Public Works provides land and buildings to other national government departments so that government has a conducive physical environment from which to operate and service you the public, better. Among some of our investments in the Northern Cape, my Department is currently busy with the R21 million construction work at Kuruman Police Station and the completion of the R40 million Nakop Border Control Post on behalf of SAPS, Home Affairs and South African Revenue Services.
In the last ten years to January this year, the National Department of Public Works has spent R10 billion in the provision of 7 692 construction projects on behalf of government and its departments. In that period we have demonstrated both expertise and resilience in the delivery of world-class public infrastructure. We have also guided our construction and property industries in the right direction and made everybody think transformation and development. With this vast experience and capability, we proudly welcomed the announcement of South Africa as the host for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The construction industry is going to play a vital role in the provision of essential infrastructure including stadiums, airports, roads, accommodation and public buildings such as police stations and magistrate courts. The Expanded Public Works Programme will benefit from such developments.
Issued by: Department of Public Works
27 August 2004
Source: Department of Public Works
Title: S Sigcau: Launch of N Cape Expanded Public Works Programme
ADDRESS BY MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS, STELLA SIGCAU AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF NORTHERN CAPE EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, Galeshewe, 27 August 2004
The Premier of Northern Cape, Mme Dipuo Peters
The Deputy Minister of Public Works, Mr Ntopile Kganyago
The Members of the Executive Council
The Members of the Provincial Legislature
The Mayor, His Worship Councillor P Lenyibi
The Executive Mayor, M Marais-Martin
Senior government officials
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
The purpose of our visit today is to honour the contract we entered into with the people of South Africa; to create jobs and improve quality of life. As government, we want to say we have heard your voices and we are here to honour the resounding mandate you gave to us on 14 April 2004 when you cast your vote in the General Elections.
On 18 May 2004, the President, Mr Thabo Mbeki, launched the Expanded Public Works Programme to the nation. He expressed a desire to see the provinces embracing the Programme and contributing to social development and growth. It is with pride to announce that the Northern Cape is the first province to launch their version of the Expanded Public Works Programme. KwaZulu-Natal will launch theirs tomorrow.
The Expanded Public Works Programme is an initiative of government to create jobs, develop skills, improve our communities and take the marginalised poor people out of the spiral of poverty.
To quote the President, "EPWP is a nation-wide programme which will draw significant numbers of the unemployed into productive work, so that workers gain skills while they work, and increase their capacity to earn an income", and is one of many government attempts to alleviate poverty and unemployment in the country.
On regular basis, government spends millions of Rands to buy goods and services from the private sector including the public. Given the shortage of jobs, government has conceptualised the idea of Expanded Public Works Programme as a way for government to use its financial resources in programmes that have the potential to use labour-intensive methods thereby opening job opportunities for many of our people. EPWP is by no means the only initiative of government poverty relief.
Poverty has many causes and also manifests itself in various ways. Poverty is characterised by lack of access to means of production including land, jobs skills, infrastructure and essential social services. In response government has, since 1994, come up with a multifaceted approach to fighting poverty. Social grants, affordable public health care, free basic services, free education, systematic tax reduction for lower income, groups, tax relief for other income groups, infrastructure development, crime prevention, urban renewal and rural development are some of the government interventions to create a better life for all and turn the tide against poverty.
Government departments at national and provincial level have received the programme with lot of enthusiasm. Institutional arrangements are in place to ensure the successful co-ordination and execution of the programme. This will include monitoring and evaluation, which will bring value for money. Government relies on patriotism and diligent work ethic of its officials to make the programme a success.
Various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) are leaving no stone unturned in their effort to rollout learnership programmes as part of skills development. For example, a standard training course for workers in the infrastructure and environment sectors has been developed which will provide workers with general like skills, awareness and understanding of HIV/AIDS, labour market information and information about EPWP exit opportunities such as learnerships, internships and national youth service opportunities. Through the National Youth Service Programme, the Umsobomvu Youth Fund is funding training of labour -intensive construction supervisors in some provinces.
At the Growth and Development Summit last year, the government presented the EPWP framework as part of its position to facilitate growth and create jobs. Both business and labour amplified their support for the programme. We are continuing to engage with both stakeholders to make EPWP a truly national affair. As a result, business, through the Business Trust, has agreed to make EPWP one of its key focus areas in the coming years. Recently we were heartened by the ABSA Bank when they entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with Public Works and the Construction SETA. They undertook to finance construction projects and facilitate easy access to credit for contractors.
Most sectors under the Expanded Public Works are making a remarkable progress. The infrastructure sector is expected to generate more than 750 000 job opportunities in the next five years primarily from conditional infrastructure grants allocated to Provinces and Municipalities. These numbers might increase with the adoption of EPWP labour intensive guidelines by other programmes such as electrification, public infrastructure maintenance and the construction of civil infrastructure for housing programmes.
On the other hand, the environmental sector has many ongoing programmes and their expansion could yield additional 200 000 jobs in the same period. According to the Social Sector Plan, a target of 150 000 job opportunities has been set and this will be achieved, among others, through the expansion of Home and Community Based Care Programmes in health, social and education areas. We are pleased with the progress we seem to be making.
I like to thank the people of Galeshewe for their warm welcoming reception, today and in the past. In October 2002, I was accompanied by the Minister of Safety and Security, Mr Charles Nqakula, to lay the foundation stone for the R35 million Galeshewe Community Safety Centre. On the same day I also officially opened the relocated Regional Office of the National Department of Public Works at the Old Magistrate Court Building. I plan to visit this area again soon to turn the sod for the construction of the R364 million New Generation Prison. This will be one of the four such prisons to be built on behalf of Correctional Services who are our top client. Other prisons will be at Klerksdorp, Nigel and Leeuwkop north of Johannesburg.
The National Department of Public Works provides land and buildings to other national government departments so that government has a conducive physical environment from which to operate and service you the public, better. Among some of our investments in the Northern Cape, my Department is currently busy with the R21 million construction work at Kuruman Police Station and the completion of the R40 million Nakop Border Control Post on behalf of SAPS, Home Affairs and South African Revenue Services.
In the last ten years to January this year, the National Department of Public Works has spent R10 billion in the provision of 7 692 construction projects on behalf of government and its departments. In that period we have demonstrated both expertise and resilience in the delivery of world-class public infrastructure. We have also guided our construction and property industries in the right direction and made everybody think transformation and development. With this vast experience and capability, we proudly welcomed the announcement of South Africa as the host for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The construction industry is going to play a vital role in the provision of essential infrastructure including stadiums, airports, roads, accommodation and public buildings such as police stations and magistrate courts. The Expanded Public Works Programme will benefit from such developments.
Issued by: Department of Public Works
27 August 2004
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