Date: 09/05/2003
Source: Department of Public Works
Title: Zondi: Opening of Zalu Hill MPCC and royal chambers at Qaukeni Great Place
SPEECH BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS, REV KM ZONDI, AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF ZALU HILL MPCC AND ROYAL CHAMBERS AT QAUKENI GREAT PLACE BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA, 9 May 2003
The Deputy President, Mr Jacob Zuma
His Majesty, King Mpondombini Sigcau
Their Majesties, other Kings and Queens present here today
Amakhosi and other Royalty present
The National Minister of Public Works, Nkosazana Nomzamo Sigcau
The Premier of the Eastern Cape, Reverend Makhenkesi Stofile
All MECs present here today
The Executive Mayor of O.R. Tambo District Municipality, Her Worship Councillor Zoleka Capa
All Councillors present
Members of the Provincial Legislature
Ladies and Gentlemen
It fills me with pride to stand in front of their Majesties (the Kings) and all other Amakhosi and Royalty present here today. Flowing in their veins is the blood of kings, warriors and great leaders par excellence who over the centuries shaped the political, social and moral lives of many nations in Africa. Collectively, they bequeathed to this continent pristine and impeccable cultural and traditional leadership systems.
In defence of their people, culture and land, many took up arms to fight off invading forces of colonialism and imperialism. Vanquished by sophisticated military machinery, many Kings became the victims of torture, repression and continuous harassment.
Under apartheid, Kings and other traditional leaders were systematically stripped of their powers and status, and relentlessly relegated to parochial roles. Their Great Places were ransacked, their sacred places were desecrated and their subjects scattered into all directions in search of new livelihoods. Conditions of poverty, underdevelopment and hopelessness that prevailed in many rural areas under kings and chiefs, were preceded by the weakened traditional systems, which could barely sustain themselves.
But military superiority did not conquer the spirit of resistance. Members of the royalty to name a few, King Dinizulu of the Zulus, Dalindyebo of the Tembus and Letsie II of the Basotho were founding patrons of the ANC in 1912.
Since April 1994, government has been confronted on a daily basis by conditions of poverty related to among others, lack of appropriate infrastructure. To fight the scourge of poverty, government is working with civil society to build a people's contract in an effort to turn the tide of rural underdevelopment and neglect.
Building a people's contract for a better life simply means that government should engage with civil society, as partners, to create better conditions for growth, development and general well-being for all South Africans. Traditional leadership is an important element to that contract.
In response to rural poverty brought by lack of appropriate infrastructure, government through the national Department of Public Works, initiated the Community Based Public Works Programme in 1994 to build basic but essential infrastructure in the lives of the poorest of the poor rural communities in South Africa.
Incrementally, the Community Based Public Works Programme (CBPWP) grew from strength to strength as more buildings, roads, gardens, job opportunities and other economic opportunities became a reality in the once neglected rural communities. Since 1994 government through the National Department of Public Works has invested more than R2 billion in rural infrastructure and built in excess of 3000 community - owned projects using labour-intensive construction methods to create more than 100 000 job opportunities as part of poverty relief.
The (CBPWP) programme is pivotal to the roll out of the Presidential Integrated and Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP). So crucial is CBPWP that it is actually active in 11 of the 13 nodal zones identified by the President for poverty eradication in the rural areas.
In 2002/2003, the Department of Public Works invested R274 million in CBPWP for the construction of 626 community-owned projects in 6 provinces. The Eastern Cape, which is one of beneficiary provinces, yielded 173 infrastructure projects out of an allocation of just R70 million. A total of 8 500 jobs were created in the Eastern Cape as a result.
To date, seven Great Places have been identified for funding by the CBPWP of which 3 are complete, 2 are under construction and 2 are in planning stage. During the construction of the R5 million royal chambers at Qaukeni Great Place, more than one thousand and five hundred (1 500) job opportunities were created of which 62% and 61% went to women and youth respectively. A total of 309 local people were trained on technical and institutional skills.
The construction of additional infrastructure at Great Places is intertwined with government programmes to develop infrastructure, create jobs, promote local economy and generally push back frontiers of rural poverty. None other than the Deputy President, Mr Jacob Zuma, is more appropriate to officiate at this important occasion as we officially open and hand over the facility to the Qaukeni Great Place.
Born and bred at the rural Nkandla area in KwaZulu-Natal, the Deputy President understands the pains of rural poverty first hand. Growing up under amakhosi, uMsholozi knows the importance and history of traditional leadership in the development of the country and its people. Banished and harassed under the apartheid regime, the Deputy President recognises the ravaging effects and permanent scars brought by that system. Committed to peace, development and democracy, the Deputy President spends his working life promoting moral regeneration, developing empowerment strategies to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS and brokering peace deals in Africa to assist the continent with an agenda of social/political stability and economic development.
He is currently the Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly, the Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council, a Chancellor of University of Zululand and a patron of Jacob Zuma Bursary Fund. He is also the patron of the Peace and Reconstruction as well as Albert Luthuli Education and Development Foundations.
Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the Minister of Public Works, Nkosazana Stella Nomzamo Sigcau, I introduce to you the Deputy President of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma, to address the audience.
Thank you, Issued by the Department of Public Works
Source: Department of Public Works
Title: Zondi: Opening of Zalu Hill MPCC and royal chambers at Qaukeni Great Place
SPEECH BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS, REV KM ZONDI, AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF ZALU HILL MPCC AND ROYAL CHAMBERS AT QAUKENI GREAT PLACE BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA, 9 May 2003
The Deputy President, Mr Jacob Zuma
His Majesty, King Mpondombini Sigcau
Their Majesties, other Kings and Queens present here today
Amakhosi and other Royalty present
The National Minister of Public Works, Nkosazana Nomzamo Sigcau
The Premier of the Eastern Cape, Reverend Makhenkesi Stofile
All MECs present here today
The Executive Mayor of O.R. Tambo District Municipality, Her Worship Councillor Zoleka Capa
All Councillors present
Members of the Provincial Legislature
Ladies and Gentlemen
It fills me with pride to stand in front of their Majesties (the Kings) and all other Amakhosi and Royalty present here today. Flowing in their veins is the blood of kings, warriors and great leaders par excellence who over the centuries shaped the political, social and moral lives of many nations in Africa. Collectively, they bequeathed to this continent pristine and impeccable cultural and traditional leadership systems.
In defence of their people, culture and land, many took up arms to fight off invading forces of colonialism and imperialism. Vanquished by sophisticated military machinery, many Kings became the victims of torture, repression and continuous harassment.
Under apartheid, Kings and other traditional leaders were systematically stripped of their powers and status, and relentlessly relegated to parochial roles. Their Great Places were ransacked, their sacred places were desecrated and their subjects scattered into all directions in search of new livelihoods. Conditions of poverty, underdevelopment and hopelessness that prevailed in many rural areas under kings and chiefs, were preceded by the weakened traditional systems, which could barely sustain themselves.
But military superiority did not conquer the spirit of resistance. Members of the royalty to name a few, King Dinizulu of the Zulus, Dalindyebo of the Tembus and Letsie II of the Basotho were founding patrons of the ANC in 1912.
Since April 1994, government has been confronted on a daily basis by conditions of poverty related to among others, lack of appropriate infrastructure. To fight the scourge of poverty, government is working with civil society to build a people's contract in an effort to turn the tide of rural underdevelopment and neglect.
Building a people's contract for a better life simply means that government should engage with civil society, as partners, to create better conditions for growth, development and general well-being for all South Africans. Traditional leadership is an important element to that contract.
In response to rural poverty brought by lack of appropriate infrastructure, government through the national Department of Public Works, initiated the Community Based Public Works Programme in 1994 to build basic but essential infrastructure in the lives of the poorest of the poor rural communities in South Africa.
Incrementally, the Community Based Public Works Programme (CBPWP) grew from strength to strength as more buildings, roads, gardens, job opportunities and other economic opportunities became a reality in the once neglected rural communities. Since 1994 government through the National Department of Public Works has invested more than R2 billion in rural infrastructure and built in excess of 3000 community - owned projects using labour-intensive construction methods to create more than 100 000 job opportunities as part of poverty relief.
The (CBPWP) programme is pivotal to the roll out of the Presidential Integrated and Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP). So crucial is CBPWP that it is actually active in 11 of the 13 nodal zones identified by the President for poverty eradication in the rural areas.
In 2002/2003, the Department of Public Works invested R274 million in CBPWP for the construction of 626 community-owned projects in 6 provinces. The Eastern Cape, which is one of beneficiary provinces, yielded 173 infrastructure projects out of an allocation of just R70 million. A total of 8 500 jobs were created in the Eastern Cape as a result.
To date, seven Great Places have been identified for funding by the CBPWP of which 3 are complete, 2 are under construction and 2 are in planning stage. During the construction of the R5 million royal chambers at Qaukeni Great Place, more than one thousand and five hundred (1 500) job opportunities were created of which 62% and 61% went to women and youth respectively. A total of 309 local people were trained on technical and institutional skills.
The construction of additional infrastructure at Great Places is intertwined with government programmes to develop infrastructure, create jobs, promote local economy and generally push back frontiers of rural poverty. None other than the Deputy President, Mr Jacob Zuma, is more appropriate to officiate at this important occasion as we officially open and hand over the facility to the Qaukeni Great Place.
Born and bred at the rural Nkandla area in KwaZulu-Natal, the Deputy President understands the pains of rural poverty first hand. Growing up under amakhosi, uMsholozi knows the importance and history of traditional leadership in the development of the country and its people. Banished and harassed under the apartheid regime, the Deputy President recognises the ravaging effects and permanent scars brought by that system. Committed to peace, development and democracy, the Deputy President spends his working life promoting moral regeneration, developing empowerment strategies to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS and brokering peace deals in Africa to assist the continent with an agenda of social/political stability and economic development.
He is currently the Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly, the Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council, a Chancellor of University of Zululand and a patron of Jacob Zuma Bursary Fund. He is also the patron of the Peace and Reconstruction as well as Albert Luthuli Education and Development Foundations.
Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the Minister of Public Works, Nkosazana Stella Nomzamo Sigcau, I introduce to you the Deputy President of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma, to address the audience.
Thank you, Issued by the Department of Public Works
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