18 February 2002
Speaker and Deputy Speaker
MEC's
Honourable members
Gauteng delegates to the NCOP
Mayors and other representatives of Local Government
Excellencies
Distinguished guests
Fellow citizens
We are gathered here today, as public representatives and humble servants of the people of Gauteng, to answer the critical question of whether we are succeeding in our efforts to build a democratic and united nation and to uplift the quality of life of all our people.
Two years ago we presented to this house a plan to develop Gauteng, focusing on economic growth, poverty eradication and deepening democracy. Of importance is that the people of Gauteng, whose needs and aspirations the plan sought to respond to, have had an active and key role in defining its direction.
Even more importantly, our people know that they have to work together with their government to achieve their goals. They correctly consider themselves as important players in this work.
The views of the people of Gauteng are critical in the assessment of whether we remain on course. The manner in which we implement their plan impacts on their lives every day. They are the most objective and unbiased judges.
During the year 2001 we saw earnest implementation of the plan. At the end of that year we reported to this house some of our key achievements we have made. In the report we provided figures which reflected that through our united action, the quality of life of more people in the province has improved.
We also indicated that in various meetings we had with the people, they made their own observations and agreed that we were implementing their plan. Where they pointed us to certain shortcomings we agreed to take appropriate steps to correct them. Our achievements over the past period speak for themselves.
We have a stable economy that is continuing to grow. Our economic development strategy is bearing more fruit. Foreign and local investors have continued to show confidence in our economy, as evidenced by increased investment in the real economy. Through the Gauteng Economic Development Agency we have brought in over 500 million rand worth of foreign direct investment.
A growth rate of 4,8% was reported in the last quarter of 2001. Economic infrastructure is expanding as we continue to rollout our Blue IQ projects.
Through action, we have demonstrated how the public sector can deploy much needed resources in infrastructure and economic activity and create much needed jobs.
Our programmes are creating jobs albeit at a slower pace than we would prefer. We have consistently set aside huge resources for CAPEX. In the process we will have increased our job creation by the end of this financial year to over 30 000 from an average of 18 000 per annum.
We have also created 22 000 jobs through the use of labour intensive methods in building houses. We are truly beginning to turn the tide against the massive social and economic infrastructure backlogs we inherited.
We are improving our public health care system. Disease prevention has improved through services such as the immunization programme, which has reached 138 408 children. Nutrition programmes have reached 334 903 children at 1244 crèches and 1047 schools. Our hospital management and revenue collection have improved. More people now have access to primary health care.
We have implemented an expanded strategy against HIV/Aids. Care and prevention programmes, including working with national government to develop mother to child transmission sites, are top priority. We also expanded funding and capacity development for NGO's that are involved in the fight against the scourge of HIV/AIDS.
We have made strides in eradicating poverty not only through an expansion of the social safety net and better access to social grants but also through improved employment opportunities, social services and infrastructure.
We have improved the pension pay out system and have put in place effective security measures at all pay points to prevent robbery and other criminal activities. More people who qualify to receive social security grants are being brought into the social security system.
We are improving the quality of public education. Matric pass rates are above target. More black learners are achieving distinctions, excelling in maths and science and are entering institutions of higher learning. The backlog in classrooms and facilities has been reduced. Many more public schools now have electricity, water, telephones and fencing.
Since 1999 we have provided shelter to 380 000 more people who were homeless through a multi-pronged housing strategy. We have also provided more land by allocating 6000 serviced stands.
We are succeeding in our efforts to fight against crime. Working together with the Johannesburg Metro and the private sector we continue to curtail crime in the Johannesburg CBD through the use of CCTV cameras and a wide range of other strategies.
Once a no go area, the taxi industry in Gauteng has been stabilized.
Although we still have some way to go before we can say we have achieved our goal of a better life, we can now say without any equivocation that we are gradually but surely progressing towards our goal.
As part of our commitment to improve service delivery and government efficiency and adhere to the principle of accountable government, we established the Gauteng Shared Services Centre as a provincial department.
We have maintained direct communication with the people through our Roving Executive Council meetings throughout Gauteng as well as through other forms of direct communication with our people.
As the people of Gauteng we all have a responsibility to work to meet our objectives of a better life. Through our sustained and determined efforts in partnership with the people, we can and will achieve our goals.
The impact of our successes goes beyond the confines of our province. A transformed Gauteng contributes towards the broader transformation process in our country, continent and the world to better the lives of the most vulnerable, the majority of whom are found on our continent. This transformation must lead to a world that is politically democratic and socially and economically egalitarian.
Preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which will take place in Johannesburg during August and September this year, are at an advanced stage. This, the biggest gathering in our province, will bring together global leaders from government, civil society and business to agree on action needed to strengthen sustainable development.
Together with our people, especially small medium enterprises, we should use the occasion of the summit to promote our province and country as a tourist destination.
We are aware of the major challenges facing Gauteng, such as the depletion of non-renewable resources and negative environmental consequences arising from pressures of development. These should be managed in ways that avert or minimise potential threats to health and safety.
We should all take conscious steps to minimise the generation of waste. We must not waste and pollute water. It is a scarce commodity. We must also not waste energy. It is the biggest single consumer of non-renewable fossil fuels and the biggest generator of air pollution.
We can all contribute to a better and environmentally friendly Gauteng if we:
Our plan to improve public transport is aimed at encouraging people to use public transport in order to reduce hazardous emission from vehicles in urban areas which is reportedly the single biggest contributor to air pollution in Gauteng.
We have inherited many negative environmental impacts of mining. These are exacerbated by the fact that mining and human settlement patterns have had a racial and class dimension, with black townships established close to mine dumps.
The lack of legal requirements for the rehabilitation of exhausted mines and many abandoned ones, which serve as another source of pollution, does not help the situation.
Together with the national government, the mining sector, communities and other interested parties we will continue work to determine the exact status of mining in Gauteng including the status of rehabilitation funds. Through practical action, we want to focus on the problems and to identify and implement different technologies to address these environmental challenges.
Various initiatives are underway to ensure that pollution and degradation are contained and that degraded areas are rehabilitated. Partnerships have been signed in the West Rand resulting in vegetating exhausted mines in order to address the mine dust pollution problem.
As part of the build up and legacy of the Summit, we will set aside funds to focus on the clean-up of the Klip River and a major publicity and environmental awareness campaign that focusses on cleaner schools and cities. This campaign, to be known as Bontle ke Botho, will be launched next week.
We will also initiate environmental management projects, which will include the piloting of the use of alternative low emission technologies for the provincial government's fleet of cars.
The results of the pilot will be used to support decisions on the conversion of the entire provincial fleet over the forthcoming years.
We call on all motorists to fit catalytic converters to their vehicles.
Our strategy to stimulate sustainable economic growth and job creation through infrastructure investment and targeted interventions in key growth sectors is on course. The fact that our economy continues to grow despite the negative global economic environment is a sign of hope.
There is visible delivery on our flagship economic development projects under the banner of Blue IQ. What began years back as a bold idea has become a reality, a smart plan which is being implemented and which has awakened enthusiasm throughout industry, among local business, big and small, and even among international investors. We have the ingredients to ensure that the province's economic development continues to gain momentum.
As stated before, our strategy to improve the economic growth of the province includes:
If we are to match these elements successfully we need to look for, explore and exploit the best technologies available in the world that can be applied to our conditions as a developing African country gradually rising from the deprivations of apartheid, racism, sexism, and the incessant and deliberate denial of opportunities to the vast majority of our people.
Blue IQ provides us with an opportunity to provide further opportunities for people across the province.
Blue IQ projects are medium to long-term projects. While 80% of them will be complete by 2004, others like the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link will be completed only in 2006.
Recent economic trends regarding the growth of certain sectors of the economy, notably information and communication technology, finance, transport, construction and manufacturing are a positive indication that our economic development strategy is on track.
Spearheaded by a number of major initiatives, the strategy aims to focus investment in growth sectors, build the economic infrastructure of the province to create a conducive environment for both local and international investors, while at the same time supporting SME's, black economic empowerment, skills development in key sectors of the economy and helping to create employment in the short, medium to long term.
The automotive industry is a major contributor to our province's gross geographic product and recent investment in the province by companies such as BMW indicates the growing confidence the industry has in the province.
Through the Automotive Industry Development Centre we are working with the auto manufacturing companies to improve productivity, build skills and foster co-operation within the vehicle and component manufacturing industry.
To build the requisite skills, the Automotive Industry Development Centre is working with institutions of higher learning around Tshwane to design appropriate courses in the field of automotive manufacturing. Last year 3075 students enrolled for automotive related courses. This year students will learn more advanced technology including new robotic systems. 30 students have enrolled for Masters degrees in this field.
The Automotive Industry Development Centre and the participating higher learning institutions have also designed short courses, workshops and seminars to address various training needs for the automotive manufacturing companies. 1100 people have attended the courses since March 2001.
In addition, the Auto Industry Development Centre has, as part of a consortium, won a major contract to develop a special off-road vehicle in South Africa, bringing in much needed investment and employment opportunities.
In the transport sector, we have focused on two key areas. The first is reducing congestion and making consumer transport more accessible and efficient. The second area involves improving transport networks that the manufacturing bases in various nodal points of our economy are dependent on. To this end we initiated the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link, Wadeville-Alrode Industrial Development Zone, the City Deep Container Depot and the Johannesburg International Airport Industrial Development Zones projects.
I am pleased to announce that National Treasury through its Public Private Partnership unit has confirmed the viability of the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link project. This means that the project has passed the feasibility test, paving the way for us to commence the tendering process. Indeed the train is now ready to leave the platform and move to the next station.
The environmental impact study of the project is in progress and the public are making their representations to the project team. We are encouraged by the number of people who are taking part in this process. We expect the report of the environmental impact study to be completed during the third quarter of the year.
We are also encouraged by the comments made by the public which show that they correctly understood that the project is part of a broader strategy to reduce congestion and the resulting environmental degradation in the province. Through action, we are committed to promoting public transport, efficient land use, and the utilization of non-motorised transport.
The Newtown Cultural Precinct, the Constitutional Hill, Dinokeng and the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site embody our commitment to the principles of sustainable development.
By integrating economic development, culture, natural resources, heritage and service sectors such as tourism we will create the right environment to preserve what is precious to us, while at the same time developing our province economically, socially and culturally.
The Newtown Cultural Precinct is on track to become a hive of cultural production and consumption.
The Mary Fitzgerald Square was completed, and on December 17 last year Johannesburg rocked to some of our country's jazz greats to mark the opening of the square. The Metro Mall will be completed by July this year. Construction has begun on the Nelson Mandela Bridge and the Carr Street on and off ramps.
The Constitutional Hill will preserve the foundations of our democracy by creating a public space in which current and future generations can celebrate years of struggle against apartheid.
Dinokeng and the Cradle of Humankind will boost economic development through tourism.
In line with our commitment to assist small and medium size manufacturers improve their efficiency in production, business management and skills development we have established Gauteng Manufacturing Advice Centres.
Building a "smart economy" and "bridging the digital divide" are among our core priorities. With the initiation of the Innovation Hub, a project that will concentrate smart industries in a smart industrial park setting, and develop smart industries through an incubator or business development system, we are already making a significant contribution to this objective.
We are working on a strategy to address the growing congestion on our roads. The strategy will include among other things the improvement of the public transport system and the modification of roads and intersections to allow free flow of traffic. We are investigating various ways of encouraging the usage of public transport as opposed to private cars. We are discussing with Minister Omar how to improve the current metro rail system.
Together with all road users, especially workers, we should work towards improving the quality and image of the public transport system. We are committed to dealing with the key issue of reducing travel times as well as enhancing reliability, safety and security.
We must continue to create a culture of respect for the road traffic laws so that we significantly reduce the number of accidents, many of which have resulted in death and serious injuries to people. In this regard we have created 50 additional posts for traffic inspectors.
Last year we launched the pilot phase of the gautengonline project with the initial installation of 25 computers in each of the first 25 schools. Before the end of this financial year more schools will have received their computers with the appropriate software.
We are very encouraged by the support we are getting from ICT companies which are providing the knowledge, resources and expertise needed for the success of the initiative.
We will soon be meeting with national government and Microsoft to look at how Bill Gates' offer of Microsoft software, which the President announced during his state of the nation address can be integrated into this initiative.
Academic and research and development institutions have also made a commitment to generate research to look into various issues related to the project including post school careers and study options for ICT competent learners.
The development of infrastructure remains a key pillar of our strategy to reverse social backlogs and improve economic efficiency.
To further enhance job creation within the province, we will this year maximize the labour content of all our CAPEX projects. Infrastructure projects have been reviewed and professional interventions were implemented in the construction methods to ensure a minimum labour content of 60%.
Through a variety of strategies we have also boosted the participation of previously disadvantaged contractors in the mainstream of the construction environment. Such contractors won 169 out of 227 contracts given out at 69 sites. This amounted to R65 million or 59% of the total value of the contracts.
Together with the black owned companies in Gauteng we will be looking at how to overcome problems that face black owned companies. These range from access to capital and markets. Such companies also need to commit themselves fully to job creation through investments in the productive sector of the economy.
We believe that the unemployed and the poor should not be seen as just recipients of welfare services but also as people capable of gainful and constructive work. This will enable our welfare system to more effectively target those in need - the aged, the disabled and children.
As mentioned by the President in his state of the nation address, we will in the next few months launch a new public works initiative to be known as Zivuseni - uplift yourselves. The Zivuseni special job creation programme will contribute to the renewal of our communities and create short-term jobs to help alleviate poverty.
The programme will also improve service levels, build local capacity through skills development and mobilize public and private sector resources to improve community facilities. This will include the maintenance and upgrading of provincial social assets such as schools, hospitals, clinics, libraries, welfare pay points, multi-purpose community centres and sports facilities.
MEC Mosunkutu will soon announce further details on Zivuseni.
The people of our province have responded with great enthusiasm and creativity to our President's call to join the volunteer campaign. We are committed to support this national initiative to build a new patriotism, to ensure that our people do not stand aside as spectators but are themselves central in the reconstruction and development of our province.
Our actions should speak louder than words. We must all act together to develop our own communities. The Zivuseni special job creation programme, together with the need for citizens to engage in volunteer activities to rebuild their communities through the maintenance of community assets and public institutions such as schools, clinics, hospitals and libraries, is vitally important. We call on all our citizens to join hands in this national campaign.
The UN General Assembly had this to say about volunteerism: "volunteering helps to widen social, economic and cultural networks, enhances self-esteem, meets the need of people to learn from each other, facilitates the acquisition of goodwill that can be drawn upon when needed. Young people who volunteer are better able to develop their potentialities, share knowledge and skills and secure employment".
Volunteerism also contributes to social capital in the form of knowledge, respect, trust and ultimately co-operation towards common objectives. Our success in ending poverty and improving the lives of the most vulnerable calls for massive self-help and voluntary efforts on the part of people themselves working together with government.
The fight against poverty and the delivery of quality social services, especially in the critical areas of health care, education, social grants and safety and security, remain critical cornerstones of our programme to build a caring province and a caring nation.
While the primary solution to poverty is economic growth and job creation, the impact of this will be evident only in the medium to long term. We will continue to address the needs of those of our people who still suffer from poverty and deprivation. We will continue to address social backlogs and fast-track poverty alleviation through improved access to social grants and the provision of quality social services.
Our poverty eradication strategy therefore encompasses our efforts to develop the economy through infrastructure, co-ops, investment and small business development. It includes projects that provide housing and essential services and general social services.
We dedicate over 80% of our budget to the delivery of social services and some of our greatest achievements have related to this important area of work. Last year, as part of our efforts to strive for excellence in the delivery of social services, we developed, and are now in the process of implementing, a quality social services strategy.
The strategy will, through the integration of six core areas of social service delivery, maximize the impact of our resources on the lives of those most in need. The main focus of our attention in this regard are children, the youth, women, people living with Aids and people with disabilities.
While we face significant challenges in these sectors, our integrated approach will ensure cross-functionality, alignment of targeting and planning strategies and significant improvement of the lives of our people.
The objective of this approach is to build self-reliance, develop social capital and foster sustainable communities that are able to take ownership of their own growth and development and actively contribute to the development of the country as a whole. The President's call for each one of us to identify an area in society in which we can lend a hand is most appropriate in this regard.
Within this framework we will intensify our efforts to alleviate poverty, increase educational opportunities and improve educational experiences, ensure safety and security, improve the quality of services and reduce vulnerability to the HIV/Aids pandemic.
In the year ahead we will expand and improve access to our social grants, thereby ensuring that we directly improve the lives of the most vulnerable, those who have no other means of survival.
We call on all public representatives to join hands with our people to identify people who should qualify for social grants, but for a variety of reasons still do not qualify. We call on public servants, public sector trade unions in particular, to help us weed out the minority of public servants who do not serve our people efficiently and with commitment.
To improve our social services in 2002, we will be launching nine new social service points in Alexandra, Midrand, Senaoane, Eldorado Park, Orange Farm, Ennerdale, Kempton Park, Thokoza and Vosloorus as well as satellite points in Zondi, Meadowlands, Orlando West, Poortjie and Zonkizizwe. We will also increase the range of services we provide and improve existing ones in Diepkloof and Diepsloot.
Our objective is to ensure that no child is expected to learn on an empty stomach. We will continue to ensure that our efforts to build quality public education are underpinned by nutrition programmes for children from disadvantaged families. Every day we will provide a meal to over 250 000 children through this programme until 2004. We call on teachers to help us identify such children and schools.
It is also important that we implement this programme of food security in a holistic way that enhances the health of our children. This requires the integration of food, health and care provision strategies. It also requires that we continue with our programmes to encourage such things as breastfeeding - where there are no risks of passing on infectious diseases - as well as hygienic practices and home health care.
We will see to it that the care and education that children receive at school lays a firm foundation for the development of a nation that is able and willing to learn. We will continue to improve curriculum delivery, develop the school environment and implement an effective life skills programme.
We have already made great strides in improving the school environment in just over 2000 public schools. We have reduced the number of schools without electricity to 105 and the number of schools without water have been reduced to 49. We have reduced the classroom backlog to 421 and have provided telephone access to all schools except 43.
During 2002, we will continue to focus on African learners in township schools, especially girls. A large number of programmes, including curriculum redress activities, were introduced last year.
We allocated 500 additional posts to selected schools in townships to ensure the expansion of curricula, particularly in the areas of maths, science and technology education.
We will continue to transform schools in rural communities in close co-operation with affected learners, parents and farmers. One of the most positive aspects of this process has been the integration of black and white learners into integrated institutions in rural areas.
We applaud the 50 families of the white farming community of Jaggersfontein for enrolling their children in a predominantly black farm school.
In 1999 we set a target to attain a 73% Senior Certificate Examinations pass rate by the year 2003. We are indeed proud that we have reached this target two years earlier. This is another indication that our plans to ensure quality public schooling are indeed working.
Since 1997 the results of the Senior Certification Examinations in Gauteng have improved by 22.2% and the failure rate has decreased from 48.5% in 1997 to 26.3% in 2001. Together with learners, parents and educators we have through united action shown how much we care about public education.
At this point I must applaud independent schools such as Crawford Schools, the Azaadville Muslim School, the Torah Academy, and the Immaculata High School for their decision to opt to stay within the public schooling system and sit for the same examinations as public schools. I must also applaud the Hoer Skool Florida for producing the top three learners in our province.
By showing their confidence in the public school system these schools have demonstrated their patriotism. This is a victory for democracy and non-racialism. We call on other schools and communities to follow this lead and make our democracy work.
By June this year we will finalise a comprehensive youth development strategy focused on building volunteerism, preventing teenage pregnancies, crime prevention, promoting HIV/Aids awareness and developing infrastructure that is youth appropriate and youth friendly. The broader objective of the strategy is to develop our youth to make them worthier citizens.
Our comprehensive youth development strategy will consolidate a number of initiatives such as the AIDC learnership programme and various skills development projects.
We will discuss the strategy with representatives of youth organizations at a youth summit to be held in June 2002. We will also embark on a wide range of activities throughout that month as part of our commitment to youth development.
We are committed to women empowerment. This year we will make every effort to ensure that women are prioritized as we deliver services, build infrastructure and transform government. Our primary aim will be the development and empowerment of women in the economy, with a focus on skills development and poverty alleviation.
A core aspect of our skills development is the funding of bursaries by provincial departments to bolster skills in Gauteng and also to develop the civil service. These bursaries are explicitly targeted at women and people from previously disadvantaged communities.
We will continue with awards to honour women in our province who are making a contribution to the development of our democracy - socially and politically.
We will continue to honour our commitment to the Integrated National Disability Strategy by providing specialized services such as grants, shelters and employment for people with disabilities. Access for people with disabilities remains high on our list of priorities. 80% of our offices and hospitals have been made more accessible to people with disabilities. Our aim is to ensure that accessibility to all our institutions, especially schools and health institutions are addressed through the CAPEX programme by the end of the next financial year..
Recent work has indicated that employment levels of people with disabilities in the province are lower than the desired demographic benchmark. While some progress has been made with regard to reasonable accommodation, more work still needs to be done.
This year, we will aim to address these and other issues such as communication and access, with the development of a focused strategy and plan of action.
We reported in November last year that all our departments involved in social service delivery were developing quality assurance standards that will improve the experience of clients and beneficiaries.
The focus in 2002 will be the reduction of waiting times, the development and continuation of programmes to recognize service excellence and research on consumer's experiences of social service delivery.
We remain unwavering in our commitment to improve access to health care and improve the quality of care at all levels of the health system.
The poor, marginalized and displaced carry the greatest burden of preventable and treatable disease and the threat of death. Women, children, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities are amongst those most vulnerable to ill health, which is exacerbated by poverty.
We will focus on those areas where we will have the greatest impact in improving our people's wellbeing. This will be achieved through providing training and supervision for the effective implementation of best practices and clinical protocols, improving vaccination coverage, caring for sick and nutritionally vulnerable children, and providing high quality antenatal and obstetric services.
This will also contribute to equity and social development by allowing the most poor and vulnerable to enjoy a productive life free of the added burden of ill health.
As part of our commitment to save lives in the province, we have purchased 24 ambulances. The new ambulances will provide relief in areas where there are shortages, and will improve response times and service to the public. Our target is to have ambulances reaching critically ill patients within 15 minutes in urban areas and 30 minutes in peri-urban areas.
We mobilised 9000 volunteers, including 7000 trained volunteers, in the five-day World Aids Day campaign. This is thousands of people in government and civil society, working in unison to take the Aids message to over 400 000 homes and over a million people in our province.
We salute everyone who through action helped make a difference to those infected and affected. Together with them we should ensure that all aspects of the national Aids strategy, ranging from prevention, change in sexual behaviour, our ABC message, care, and social support to mitigating the socio-impact of HIV/Aids are implemented.
At the opening of the legislature last year, we announced a plan to advance our comprehensive programme to curb the spread of HIV/Aids.
The programme encompasses the following:
Through action, we supported a wide range of projects aimed at the prevention of the spread of HIV/Aids. Through the Gauteng AIDS Council, we brought together the insights of different stakeholders, including people living with Aids, to fight against the epidemic. For the next financial year, over R35 million in grants will be allocated to non-governmental organizations for their work against HIV/Aids.
We launched Local Intersectoral Aids programmes in all municipalities, including a home-based care project in each district. Training to develop counselling and home care skills continues to expand.
We extended research sites where Nevirapine, voluntary counselling and testing as well as breast milk substitute are provided to prevent mother to child transmission. To date the following hospitals and clinics are part of the programme:
West Rand - Leratong hospital, Carletonville hospital and Khutsong clinic Sedibeng - Sebokeng hospital and Levi Mbatha clinic Ekurhuleni - Natalspruit hospital and JC Dumane clinic Tshwane - Kalafong and Pretoria West Hospitals Johannesburg - Johannesburg, Coronationville and Chris Hani Baragwanath hospitals as well as Hillbrow, Mofolo, Zola, Chiawelo, Diepkloof and Lilian Ngoyi clinics.
These health institutions, staffed by well trained health workers with the necessary infrastructure, received 17 634 pregnant women and explained to them the reasons for the service, the procedure for voluntary testing and counselling as well as when and how Nevirapine and breast milk substitutes are provided.
To date 6 281 pregnant women have voluntarily agreed to be tested. Those who were found to be HIV positive were counselled and placed on the programme. 1 280 women in the last months of their pregnancies have been issued with Nevirapine and 866 mother and baby pairs have already taken the drug. We look forward to many more taking advantage of this important service.
Through action, we were able to prepare 40% of our provincial hospitals to help curb the spread of HIV/Aids through mother to child transmission.
We were able to manage this MTCT program effectively because of Gauteng's historic resource and infrastructure advantages, as well as the support of experts from local academic and research institutions. Above all it was through the action and dedication of management, clinical and support staff and community members.
They made it possible for us to train professional and lay counsellors, to provide the infrastructure necessary to ensure confidentiality in counselling and testing and to monitor and support mothers and their babies before and after delivery. They work tirelessly against the stigma attached to those infected and affected.
The progress and experience of the past nine months makes it possible for us to announce further expansion of the program within national guidelines and protocols.
Based on the above, and guided by the decision of the last MINMEC and the President's state of the nation address, we are now in a position to further expand the program.
During the next financial year, we will ensure that all public hospitals and our large community health centres provide Nevirapine for the prevention of mother to child transmission.
Within the next 100 days we will launch the programme at Pretoria Academic, Heidelberg, Dr Yusuf Dadoo, Far East Rand, Pholosong, Tembisa, Tambo Memorial and Edenvale hospitals. This will be in addition to the Garankuwa/Soshanguve complex which will be launched by 22 February 2002.
Our long term objective is, to make it possible for pregnant women throughout Gauteng to access the full package of care within a reasonable distance from their homes. An amount of R30 million will be made available to back our words with action.
Local government plays an important role in our system of governance. It is a delivery and developmental organ of the state much closer to our people.
Over the next three years, we will assist municipalities to implement effective billing systems, revenue collection, debt management, integration of systems, financial viability and sound procurement and tendering processes through the Municipal Institutional Support Centre (MISC).
Together with national government and our counterparts in Mpumalanga and North West, we have reached agreements on joint administration on local government matters and methodology to address issues such as effective utilisation of Combined Municipal Infrastructure Programme (CMIP) funds in cross boundary municipalities. We reiterate our call made at the NCOP last year for the NCOP to send a team to look at whether we are living up to our commitment of ensuring equitable service provision in cross-boundary municipalities.
The Premier's Co-ordinating Forum will continue to address issues of service delivery, the challenge of homelessness and the provision of water, electricity and much needed sanitation to our communities.
The feasibility study on the generation of economic activity in the West Rand, Sedibeng and Metsweding municipalities has been completed. We are now in a position to finalise business plans of how, working together with the private sector, we can intervene in the identified areas of industrial development, agriculture and tourism.
The following projects have been identified:
The MEC for Development Planning and Local Government will elaborate on these projects during his budget speech.
We will take the necessary steps to launch the projects to help stimulate the economic regeneration of these areas.
As promised, the Sharpeville Human Rights Memorial has been completed and will be officially unveiled on 21 March, Human Rights Day, when we commemorate the 1961 Sharpeville massacre. The names of the 69 victims of the massacre have been inscribed on the monument in recognition of their contribution to the struggle for human rights in this country.
We call on all our citizens regardless of race to join us in the activities that are being planned for this historic day.
As part of our efforts to contribute to the development of Sharpeville, we will also launch a Multi-Purpose Centre which was built in partnership with the German State of Bavaria. In addition to offering other services, the centre will include a pay-point for 4000 beneficiaries who previously had to travel by government subsidized bus to Sebokeng to access our services.
Taking into account that more than 25% of areas in Gauteng do not have adequate water and sanitation, we are now ready to launch a project that will deal with this challenge within the next four years.
Together with local government and through the Mayibuye project and CMIP, we will help provide every citizen in established and planned settlement areas with clean water and healthy sanitation at an appropriate level of service. I am pleased to announce that R1.4 billion rand will be allocated for the provision of on site services over the four-year period.
MEC's Fowler and Mashatile will provide further details of this project.
To deal decisively with the huge housing backlog facing us, we are embarking on a new approach which includes incremental housing, social housing, and customer services.
Through the incremental housing programme we will guarantee rapid land release, the provision of basic services and security of tenure to thousands of people living in backyards and informal settlements.
Our social housing approach will strengthen our policy of building on well-located land and provide affordable quality rental stock in the inner cities. This approach to housing will mean that residents have better choices to make regarding housing that suits their needs and income.
We will also continue with our efforts to attract private sector finance into the low cost housing market. We call on the financial sector including trade union controlled provident funds to join hands with us as we extend shelter to our people.
During this year, we will establish four agencies for the acceleration of housing delivery. These are the Housing Development Agency, the Urban Regeneration Agency, the Property Management and the Gauteng Partnership Fund. MEC Mashatile will elaborate on the composition and operation of these agencies.
The Gauteng Partnership Fund provides for medium density housing. This will be done in partnership with the National Housing Finance Company and will be launched with an initial capitalization of half a billion rand.
One of the first projects to be supported by this fund is the Brickfields Project in Newtown. This development will build about 2000 housing units at a cost of R300 million. The first phase of this project will commence during the current year. Ten other projects have already been approved for funding.
A major initiative is currently underway to convert all hostels in our province into habitable family and single dwelling units.
To further our efforts to create livable communities and improve the quality of lives of Gauteng citizens we are implementing two important flagship urban renewal projects. Both projects aim to address the social, ecological, economic and cultural environment and reverse apartheid settlement patterns in the Alexandra and Kliptown areas.
The principles underlying these massive projects are the provision of housing, development and upgrading of social infrastructure, greening of the area, various economic initiatives and the development of cultural and tourism attractions.
The Alexandra Renewal Project, one of South Africa's biggest reconstruction programmes, continues to gather speed. I am pleased to announce that we recently secured land for the construction of 50 000 housing units to be built over the next six years. This will provide shelter for over 200 000 people in Alexandra.
Construction has commenced in the Beirut area. The construction of 1 800 housing units in Extension 7 will commence this year and River Park will be also completed this year, providing shelter to more than 9000 residents of Alexandra. A further 4000 units will be constructed before the end of the current financial year.
Greening activities, tree planting and cemetery upgrades will all be completed in 2002/2003. We will also build a new primary school and regional health centre.
To foster economic regeneration in Alexandra we will conduct a regional economic analysis, and complete a skills audit that will culminate in an Alexandra business summit. The Summit aims to draw together local business associations to focus on investment promotion and job creation. Work will proceed with the Department of Labour and the Umsombuvu Trust to train at least 1 000 people in various activities linked to the World Summit on Sustainable Development
All restitution claims in Alexandra are to be finalized and at least 200 households will be granted ownership rights during the course of 2002. At least 5 pilots will be launched to test mechanisms to support owners to redevelop their properties.
The opening of the new Alexandra Police Station in the heart of Alexandra will boost public safety. The process of developing cultural/heritage precincts at the Catholic Church, the Kings cinema area, the Nelson Mandela House and the Alexandra cemetery will commence during the course of this year.
Residents' access to local and provincial government services will be enhanced through the launching of a People's Centre.
Through action, we will turn Alex into ikasi yamampela!
The redevelopment of the Greater Kliptown area is an important task we have taken upon ourselves. This place, where the Freedom Charter was adopted in 1955, will be redeveloped as an historic area in preparation for the 50th anniversary of the Charter in 2005.
The area is characterized by high unemployment, dense informal settlements and a lack of social services and infrastructure. Interventions will be made in the provision of housing, managing the Klip River flood plain, developing infrastructure and transportation networks, fostering economic growth through the development of a Freedom Square and other projects and the provision of social infrastructure.
As part of efforts to create sustainable communities in and around Kliptown, we will provide shelter for over 50 000 people. We have approved the allocation of 6900 subsidies, valued at over R110 million. A further 5700 subsidies will be utilized to de-densify overcrowded areas in Kliptown by developing new areas and upgrading existing areas. Construction will begin in 2003.
The success of this work will require all departments and spheres of government to work together. The culture of working as silo's in pursuit of individual glory has no place in our province. What matters to us is the delivery of services and not the department or sphere of government involved.
We have made great strides in dealing with crime. Following the establishment of the Johannesburg Metro Police service last year, we have now launched the Ekurhuleni Metro Police with Tshwane poised to join the two next weekend. Together with the SAPS, the private sector and communities, we will continue efforts to facilitate the development of local crime prevention strategies in the three Metros of Gauteng.
Social crime prevention, including the mobilization of our communities to entrench safety and security will be a central emphasis.
As part of community mobilisation and in response to the call by the President to communities to join hands with the police in fighting crime, hundreds of volunteers have flocked to our police stations to lend a hand since the beginning of this month. Just yesterday, the President joined hundreds of volunteers participating in crime prevention in Orange Farm.
We salute these heroes and heroines who have correctly understood that combating crime must be a joint effort between the police and communities. We call on more people to follow these gallant defenders of our hard won freedom.
A broad plan to implement gun control, prevent alcohol abuse, prevent the abuse of women and children and empower victims of crime will be a critical focus area for 2002. Through infrastructure such as trauma centres and victim empowerment facilities we will focus on effective rehabilitation, victim support, trauma management and the effective prosecution of perpetrators.
Flagship projects in this area include the development of a hotline in collaboration with the private sector. The hotline will be implemented in crime hotspots. Efforts, such as the 16 Days of Activism Campaign, to sensitize the police and communities to issues relating to the abuse of women and children will be ongoing.
We have significantly increased our budget for monitoring activities. This means that more resources are available to ensure that the implementation of critical pieces of legislation such as the Firearms Control Act, the Domestic Violence and others will be effectively policed.
Honourable members, the abuse of women and children, especially rape, is a heinous crime. The victims' trauma is exacerbated by the fear of HIV infection.
We must continue with efforts to ensure that all those who abuse and rape our people are reported to the police, arrested and sentenced in line with the laws of the country.
I have also requested MEC Ramokgopa to consult with the South African Medical Research Council and other specialists to develop a framework and protocols for the use of post rape exposure prophylaxis in our public health institutions. An announcement in this regard will be made before the end of March this year.
A critical aspect of public sector reform is the development of skills amongst public servants. We have approved a Human Resources Development Strategy that will assist public sector managers to improve productivity, transformation and service delivery. Our aim is to build a public sector leadership that understands the relationship between democracy and service delivery.
Efforts to improve financial management, implement the PFMA, eradicate corruption, improve the management of public institutions and ensure transparency and accountability will continue.
The Gauteng Shared Services Centre has been established as a provincial department. This will considerably improve government efficiency, service delivery and more effective utilization of public resources.
Negotiations with the trade unions on how to best ensure the success of this initiative continue. We call on all involved to move with speed to bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion.
In recognition of public service distinction, we will this year give Service Excellence Awards to teams, groups and institutions that excel in their work. The awards will reward those who truly live by the Batho Pele principles. Among others, entrants of the awards will be judged according to how well they perform and maintain the following:
As public representatives we will continue to uphold ethical behaviour and will support the Integrity Commissioner in discharging his duty of ensuring that the ethical conduct of members of the legislature is enhanced. Those of us who have not registered our private interests must do without any further delays.
We will continue to support the legislature to maintain transparent and accountable government. We must continue to strengthen our relationship with the National Council of Province so that our interests are properly articulated in the national political discourse. The legislature should develop plans to give effect to its policy on the promotion of public participation by GALA and communities.
As we have done over the years, we will continue to interact with various communities and community leaders including leaders of the faith, business, labour and civil society. We will pursue our Let's Talk campaign to engage directly with our people throughout the province. The objectives is to ensure that we truly take government closer to the people as well as communicate with them on the work we do - listening to their concerns and suggestions.
This year will also see us producing a mid-term report to the citizens of the province in which we give an account of what we have done since we assumed office in June 1999. This will be another good governance initiative on our part.
We will continue to strengthen relations with provinces, regions or states with which we have entered into friendship agreements. As part of this work we are host to a high-powered delegation from Ontario, Canada, led by the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, the honourable Brenda Dianne Elliot. They brought a letter from the Premier of Ontario, the Honorable Michael D. Harris.
He has this to say: "We're excited about the opportunities that this new relationship between Ontario and Gauteng will bring… We may live poles apart, but I hope that this agreement will make us neighbours and the best of friends."
In addition to several international missions to strengthen our co-operations, in the coming months we will be hosting delegations from Havana Province in Cuba, the German State of Bavaria and the State of Ile-de-France.
The President spoke last week about the 5th anniversary of our supreme law, the Constitution. This year we must all consider our lives in the context of what we have fought for and all that this important foundation of our democracy enshrines. We must look to the past and draw strength from what we have gained and make the future into what we want it to be.
We therefore urge all members of this house to take constituency work seriously as an important part of educating our people about the values of our democracy and the importance of maintaining and upholding its core principles.
We applaud all those who have taken on tasks beyond the call of duty to see to it that the interests and aspirations of the poor in our province are truly represented. Many of you continue to visit your constituencies to assist our people to solve some of their day-to-day problems.
We congratulate you for the hard work you have done over the last two and half years to help us meet the obligation of serving our people and thank you for your dedication to the cause of freedom and democracy.
During the budget debate of the Presidency last year, President Mbeki said:
"To summarise the message we seek to communicate to this House and to the country today, it is simply this - let us get down to the serious business of work - working together to create a new South Africa; working together to build a country free of racism and sexism; working together to end poverty, unemployment and the social marginalisation of any of our people; working together to give an example to the whole world, that, as a people, we have the capacity to succeed, however difficult the challenges we face. The order of the day is to get down to the serious business of working together for change."
This year, in his state of the nation address he said:
"Of decisive importance to the millions of our people and the future of our country, as we meet here today, the central question we will have to answer at the end of the day is whether what we are doing as the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, as well as the fourth estate and civil society, is helping to lift from the shoulders of our people, the intolerable burden of poverty and underdevelopment."
The plan we developed and implemented last year shows that we correctly understood that the order of the day is to get down to serious business of working together for change.
The plan we present today shows that this year too, we have understood that the key challenge is helping to lift from the shoulders of our people the intolerable burden of poverty and underdevelopment.
We call on all members of the legislature to see this programme as your programme.
We call on you regardless of political affiliation and ideology to join us as we take decisive steps to improve the lives of our people.
We call on our people to do as they have done last year - work together with us to fight poverty and create jobs.
The plan we have presented indicates that through the Blue IQ projects, quality service delivery, housing, CAPEX and labour intensive methods we can generate economic growth and job creation.
In the main our plan also en compasses the following:
With all these interventions we are implementing, today we can answer the question whether we are achieving our objective of improving the lives of our people in the affirmative. We must however all work towards increasing our momentum in this regard and call on the elected representatives of our people to join hands with us to achieve this noble cause.
To my colleagues, especially the MEC's, I say: "nothing is done until it is done". It is not "business as usual". Let us go back to work!