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UDM: Bantu Holomisa, Address by UDM Leader, during a State Of The Nation Address debate, Parliament (12/02/2019)

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UDM: Bantu Holomisa, Address by UDM Leader, during a State Of The Nation Address debate, Parliament (12/02/2019)

UDM Leader Bantu Holomisa
UDM Leader Bantu Holomisa

12th February 2019

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Honourable Speaker and chairperson of the NCOP
Mister President
Honourable Members
 
 
South Africa needs key interventions in order to eradicate poverty, place more citizens in jobs, in particular young people, whilst closing the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
 
Firstly, we need massive investment in the maintenance and development of a well-coordinated and integrated socio-economic infrastructure that is driven by government.
 
Reading the City Press report on the state of the Mahikeng’s socio-economic infrastructure is a further confirmation that the country cannot wait for another year without this massive investment into the infrastructure development.
 
Mr President, we invite you to visit places like Khwezi, Fortgale, Noorwood and Northcrest in Mthatha, to witness the reality of a road infrastructure that is in fact non-existent. Like in many other parts of the country, these potholes have caused damage to private property such as motor vehicles.
 
This is not only limited to the infrastructure that does not exist, but it includes that which has been upgraded but not maintained properly.
 
A classic example of this is the Mthatha airport which was upgraded, yet it had to be closed due to poor maintenance. Instead of correcting this anomaly, government is busy fighting with itself on the so-called authority and responsibility. I have no expectation of any leadership to be provided by the current serving Minister of Transport given that in November 2018, he was appraised but he ignored the warnings. For that reason, I suggest that ask the South African Air Force (SAAF) who have specialists in aviation and direct them to assist with the Mthatha airport whilst we are waiting for the sleeping minister.
 
This aviation intervention is urgent Mr President, because the ongoing closure of that airport is affecting the economy in that part of the country negatively.
 
Many projects announced and started by this government and never get finished, are leaving the people poor and without recourse. There was a project to connect water from Mthatha Dam to the surrounding villages up to Coffee Bay. This project was stopped for almost three and the half years, and we are told that there is no money to complete the project. What happened Mr President, is it lack of proper planning or another day of looting?
 
In a village near Burgersfort, in Limpopo, more than 72 RDP house has been left unfinished since 2014. This is the same municipality that is alleged to have illegally deposited R200 million into the VBS Bank which has since been found to be a source of funding bottomless pockets of politicians from the ruling party. Again, another example of daylight looting from the poor.
 
The health infrastructure is another great example of the lack of concern by the ruling party. In some health institutions instead of getting medication you are greeted and kept company by monkeys, this is the case at the Durban’s RK Khan Hospital. Despite the government’s knowledge of the infrastructure challenges in the health sector, there is no convincing long-term solution to problems like these.
 
The current load shedding by Eskom is contrary to the pronouncement and commitments made by government recently. We were told, that load shedding is the thing of the past, yet Eskom is currently on stage three or four.
 
Eskom comes up with a new excuse from the known diesel and coal. Now we are told that the project of Hitachi and Chancellor House in Medupi and Kusile which they built are the reasons for this load shedding. Chancellor House is the ANC fundraising front, it is therefore prudent that your party must take full responsibility for turning South Africa into darkness.
 
It is also clear that the ever-increasing electricity tariffs are as a result of decisions of companies that are syphoning millions from the tax payers to the governing party.
 
We welcome the reconfiguration of the intelligence service as it is a long overdue decision. It has been delayed because of the abuse of its mandate and resources.
 
Local government is unable to deliver services due to intra-ANC factional battles. If you take the KSD municipality’s collapse, you will find that, it is derived from two factions, one in support of the mayor and one against. We call on your government to consider placing this municipality under administration because services just have collapsed.
 
Lastly, Mr President, people of South Africa have spoken volumes about the plight of the King of the AbaThembu, His Majesty Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo. I appeal to you to provide the nation with a comprehensive government’s position on this matter.
 
This may have to take into consideration, the work of the department of justice and correctional services, as well as the issues advanced by various people who made submissions to your office as well as the views of the victims.
 
I thank you
 
 
 

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