22 July 2000
MEC Mashatile
Mayor Padi
Councillors
Community leaders
Comrades and friends
Today feels to me like a homecoming ceremony. Many of the faces I see here today worked together with me to build a strong ANC in Dobsonville and in Soweto.
I feel honoured to once more take strides with you to change the lives of our people for the better. We are here to give practical meaning to our commitment to work with communities to ensure that our citizens have decent shelter. We regard shelter as a basic necessity for human survival.
Addressing this basic need gives meaning to democracy and the bill of rights. Together with communities, the private sector, local and national spheres government, we can not relax while some of our citizens have nowhere to stay, particularly during a bruising cold such as the one we are experiencing.
We must double our efforts to do everything we can to address the housing problem in our province as well as eradicate the legacy of apartheid. Whereas apartheid sought to divide South Africans on the basis of race, class and ethnicity in its approach to housing, we seek to build viable communities. A viable community lives near areas that has opportunities for economic activity. A viable community lives in a safe environment, is provided with security, have schools, clinics and other amenities. A viable community is accessible - hence the need for transport and roads. Where these were not taken into account during the planning stages, we are committed to address them.
Together with you we must create places where children can be raised properly. Unlike many of us whose houses were until recently provided on ninety-nine year leasehold, these are your houses. Unlike houses provided by the apartheid government, all our houses have the minimum requirements of water, sanitation facilities, and electricity.
Our housing policy strives to develop viable and sustainable communities through the promotion and provision of tenure, services and proper homes for our citizens. To manage the housing delivery process in an integrated, transparent and effective manner, we have put in place a plan that combines building new houses and the development of some of our informal settlements. In certain instances we will encourage communities especially those who are unemployed to form co-operatives to build their own houses. We are committed to ensuring that our housing policies contribute to the eradication of segregation in society. We have to make a fundamental break with the past by enabling people of different income groups to live together in the same area in houses built according to need and ability. Mixing people of different income levels will ensure that there is equal access to educational and employment opportunities. This will also lead to an efficient utilisation of resources. We cannot continue to have shopping centres for the poor located in townships and beautiful shopping malls for the rich in suburbs or well equipped schools in suburbs and poorly resourced schools in the township.
Integration is not only good for our country but also necessary. These 5000 housing units we are handing over today are only a part of our commitment to reduce the backlog of housing in the province. We will also work hard to root out corruption by people who present themselves as needy people so that they can get houses and later use them to rent out to vulnerable members of our society. As a government, we have a commitment and obligation to serve the interests of the poor and the destitute.
In a few months time, we will be holding local government elections. I call on all of you who did not register to vote last year to go out and register. We must work together with the ANC and its alliance partners to ensure that we deploy as Councillors, leaders of high quality. These must be people of integrity - people who will put the interest of their community first and not rob us of our limited resources through corruption. Local government is not a dumping ground for poor performing leaders. This is why the ANC recently embarked on a major audit of all our Councillors so that we have a good sense of what each one of them is doing for their communities.
Good leaders are accountable to those who elect them. Good leader gives periodic report backs on progress, challenges and setbacks. Good leaders do not engage in acts of corruption. They use the limited resources at their disposal to strengthen and consolidate service delivery in a manner that contributes to employment creation, economic growth, equity and social delivery.
I thank you.
Issued by Office of the Premier
Gauteng Provincial Government
30 Simmonds Street
Johannesburg