Date: 29/03/2004
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: J Thibedi: Handover of access road projects in Moretele municipality


SPEECH BY NORTH WEST MEC FOR ROADS AND PUBLIC WORKS, JERRY DIMOTANA THIBEDI, ON THE OCCASION OF THE HAND OVER OF ACCESS ROADS PROJECTS AT GA-MMOTLA AND GA-MOEKA, 29 March 2004

Programme Director
The Mayor of the Moretele Local Municipality, Ms Annikie Selebego
Councillors
Dikgosi
Honoured Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.

Today we are gathered here to witness another achievement of government to improve lives of our people. Our gathering is an acknowledgement of progress we made in improving quality of lives of the people of North West, since we took over power from the Bantustan and apartheid regimes in 1994. As a demonstration of the legacy of apartheid, where majority of this country did not enjoy any form of benefit or services. My office continues to receive complaints and requests from different communities concerning bad conditions of roads infrastructure in this province. I need to say that although we operate within a limited budget, as a department and as government we have indeed managed to change and improve conditions of our roads to the better.

As I stand here before you there is a clear and visible reduction of potholes in our roads, over the last ten years. When I took over as MEC of the Department of Roads and Public Works, I declared war on potholes by launching Emerging Patch Work programme. This programme was intended to do away with potholes in our roads, and there has been remarkable improvement in this regard. But of course the challenges will still remain, given our limited budget constraints. This programme managed to drastically reduce the number of potholes in the province. When we launched the programme we targeted some roads per region and I am happy to say that we succeeded to do patch work on number of roads that we had targeted. Many people have expressed their appreciation on the matter. They say the dawn of democracy has changed their lives to the better. Indeed ladies and gentlemen, the tide has turned for better roads condition and thanks to the democratic government. This ladies and gentlemen, says we must not forget where we are coming from. The previous government did not bother at all to build and maintain our roads. But this government, is more than willing to ensure that our roads are maintained and you can all bear witness to that .We are building peoples contract for better roads network also in Ga-Motla and Ga-Moeka. We are building peoples contract for better roads network here in Moretele Municipality. So do not be deceived by anyone who will come and say that this government has failed to deliver.

There's a song that says, if you think God is dead you better think again. I think this is relevant to us especial when we celebrate our decade of democracy. If you think that the ANC government has failed to deliver, look at the schools we have build and are still building. Look at the clinics we have built. If you think we have failed to deliver look at the roads we have built and are handing over today here at Ga-Moeka, and not only here but across the province and across the country.

The roads that we are handing -over today have cost us about R 2-million. The total approved budget of the construction of Ga-Motla Access Road was R803 143.57 and it was identified jointly with councillor T.K Mokonyane. This road provides access to schools, clinic and a cr