Issued by: Office of the President
DEVELOPMENT PLANNING BRANCH (Reconstruction and Development Programme)
PRESS RELEASE May 13, 1996
RDP PROGRAMME STEERING COMMITTEE APPROVES PLANS FOR THREE NEW PROGRAMMES
Three new programmes were among the business plans approved by the RDP Programme Steering Committee in April. These are community service centres, a community-based road traffic safety programme and an award programme for communities who have shown initiative in implementing the RDP.
Other business plans approved in April include the first RDP money to be allocated to AIDS awareness and prevention, a national schools building programme and two new Special Integrated Presidential Projects on Urban Renewal for Mpumalanga (Masoyi and Siyabuswa).
Community Service Centres aim to mobilise resources from other agencies (government and non-government) to offer a more effective "one-stop" service in a safe environment. The Dept of Safety and Security will co-ordinate the involvement of other agencies in the programme. The centres - aimed at rural, deep rural and informal settlement areas - will ideally consist of a police station, clinic, day-care center and courthouse from where various social services can be offered. "The RDP Fund has allocated R200 million to this project. The business plan proposes the establishment of a pilot community service centre. The lessons learned from this will then be duplicated in centres to be established in every province," according to Dr Bernie Fanaroff, deputy director general in the Office of the President. More information is available on request.
A total of R25 million has been allocated to launch a three-year road traffic safety programme in disadvantage communities. The programme proposes the establishment of road-user forums and traffic safety training centres. "The road-user forums will address problems such as provision of pedestrian facilities and the need for law enforcement and education of road users," Fanaroff says. "The traffic safety training centers will be used for practical training of young pedestrians, adult pedestrians, learner drivers and taxis in basic road user safety." More information is available on request from the Dept of Transport.
The winner of the first President's Award will be announced in February next year by President Nelson Mandela in his opening of Parliament speech according to the business plan approved in April. A sum of R20 million from the RDP Fund will be spent over the three-year period on the project. The aim is to reward communities which have shown initiative in making a difference with limited resources, and to acknowledge communities which have embraced the spirit of Masakhane - "building our country together". We hope to galvanise South Africa by focusing attention on communities which have made a commitment towards achieving the goal of national development," Fanaroff says.
R65 million from the RDP Fund for South Africa's AIDS awareness and prevention campaign was also approved at the April meeting of the RDP Programme Steering Committee. The money will be used to fund a number of initiatives to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These include improvement of capacity at national and provincial levels; initiation of HIV/AIDS and STD programmes in other government departments; initiate and strengthen counselling, outreach and community care services; get NGOs involved in AIDS programme to adopt the National Programme; conduct research to determine care and support needs. Further information is available on request from the Dept of Health.
A total of R57 million has been allocated to two urban renewal projects in Mpumalanga. The business plans approved will see R10,8 million spent in phase one in Masoyi and R23,4 million spent in phase one in Siybuswa. Matching funds from the Mpumalanga government will double the spend in phase one of each area. Further information is available on request from the Dept of Housing.
A national, R1 billion plan for the construction of new schools in all provinces was also approved in April by the Programme Steering Committee. "The programme aims to address the massive backlog of classrooms and new schools, particularly in provinces which cannot afford major capital expenditure," says Fanaroff. The Northern Province will get R237,5 million, Mpumalanga R69,7 million, North West R95 million, Gauteng R58,2 million, Western Cape R35,2 million, Eastern Cape R262,9 million, Northern Cape R7,9 million, KwaZulu Natal R202,5 million and Free State R30,8 million. Further information is available on request from the Dept of Education.
ISSUED BY: Mandy Jean Woods Director: Communications Office of the President: Development Planning Branch (Reconstruction and Development Programme) Phone (012) 341-5569 Fax: (012) 341-9612 Pager: (011) 804-2777 code 71799
For further information please call the relevant department or Mandy Jean Woods in Pretoria.