Chairperson of National Press Club, Yusuf Abramjee
Members of the National Press Club
Thank you very much for affording us with an opportunity to further expand on the Gauteng Provincial Government’s key programmes for the year ahead. Indeed, it is these types of engagements which enhance the relationship between the government and the fourth state. It is such interactions that strengthen our democracy.
Ten months ago we announced that a new Gauteng was in the offing. We said then that for this new Gauteng to work, we needed to do things differently. Accordingly, we embarked on a reconfiguration process to align all our departments and public entities to meet the new mandate given to us by the electorate. This mandate is one that will ensure that we focus all our energies on the needs of the people and not on what we think our people need. This necessitates that we put emphasis on our province doing things better, faster and more efficiently.
At the time when we took office the country was going through economic downturn. It therefore meant that we had to explore new and creative ways of stretching the rand so that we can meet the ever-increasing demand for services without, at the same time, compromising quality. We had to find ways of cushioning the poor from the vagaries of the recent recession by ensuring that jobs are created and preserved, education and health continued to be prioritised.
Because we had to learn to do a lot with too little, the economical approach we adopted will ensure that throughout our term of office we concentrate on tangible things which will have a material benefit to as many of our people as possible.
As some of you seated here are aware, we have concluded the re-designing process of our departments. We have already appointed personnel in the senior echelon of our administration.
As President Jacob Zuma said during the State of the Nation Address, 2010 is the year of action. Much of our first year in office was spent on planning and reconfiguring our institutions in order to ensure that we were well-capacitated to meet the strategic priorities we set our selves. This year we implement and deliver.
Our programme as reflected in the State of the Province Address is outcome focussed. Our key outcomes are:
* improving the quality of basic education
* A long and healthy life for all the people
* Safety and security for all
* Economic growth that translated into decent work and improved living standards
* developing vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities with food security for all
* Infrastructure development and sustainable human settlements; and
* A responsive, accountable and effective local government.
Any country that seeks success in this modern era must have access to a highly skilled labour force which is also able to mould itself to meet contemporary economic challenges.
As American writer and futurist, Alvin Toffler, once said, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”
In short, anyone who expects to be successful in the 21 century should not just rely on people who can read and write; much more than that will be required.
That is why we have made education a top priority with great emphasis on skills development and training. We are investing heavily in the education of our children. Our interventions start at the very foundation of our education Early Childhood Development (ECD). Our approach focuses on all levels of education from early childhood, primary through to secondary education. At foundation level we are doing everything to ensure that every child has access to early childhood development. All six year-old children must be enrolled for Grade R.
We are providing workbooks to learners from primary level to ensure that learners complete their syllabus and are well-prepared for various stages of education, including matric.
As Gauteng government, we are serious about instilling and promoting a culture of learning and teaching at our schools.
All learners and teachers must be at school on time. In this regard we have had fruitful consultations with School Governing Bodies Associations and Teacher Unions in Gauteng. We all agreed on a need to ensure that the African child education should not be compromised. Every parent, teacher and learner must work in tandem with government in promoting quality education for all.
Steps to improve teacher development and knowledge enhancement are being taken. The conditions of service for teachers are also given the necessary attention.
The Gauteng government will do everything to ensure that every learner does well at school and leaves our institutions with knowledge, skills and qualifications that will give them the best chance of success in adult life.
All people need to live long and stay healthy. In relation to this outcome we are working hard towards improving the effectiveness and efficiency of our healthcare system to provide primary healthcare services to all, reduce mortality rates and step up the fight against HIV and AIDS and TB.
We are taking steps to improve access to primary healthcare by extending service hours in a number of community health care centres and clinics so that all our people can access health services after hours.
We have taken concrete steps to reduce long queues in our hospitals and clinics and employed more community health workers to serve the people.
Yesterday, in Soweto, we had a successful meeting with more than 2 000 Community Health Workers (CHW) and Community Development Workers (CDW). We addressed various issues ranging from their role, expectations and commitment in serving our people.
In the past six months we bought 115 more ambulances and this year, we will put 120 more ambulances in service to improve efficiency of our emergency services.
On HIV and AIDS infections in Gauteng, we aim to achieve a target of 50 percent reduction in new infections by 2011 as well as prevent death from AIDS by extending treatment, care and support to 80 percent of people with HIV.
In terms of our program, the creation of decent jobs is also a priority we take very seriously. Through interventions such as the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), we intend to keep investing in the skills of our people.
Our Community Works Programme will assist the poorest in our fifty poor wards within the 20 prioritised townships with a job for each household for 100 days.
We are aware of the untapped potential that cooperatives have in changing the employment landscape of Gauteng. In that light we have already incorporated the awarding of business to cooperatives to provide services such as gardening, laundry, security and cleaning services, among others in ten hospitals Chris Hani-Baragwaneth included. We will also actively assist some 300 cooperatives develop and market their products in the new financial year as the means of curbing unemployment while advancing food security programme and economic empowerment.
We will intensify our partnership with labour in order to revitalise industries such as clothing and textile, to name but a few.
As is common knowledge by now we will be introducing the intelligent number plate project later this year. This will not only help drive Gauteng towards being a better, smart province; but it will also help combat crime and improve the regulatory systems in the plate production industry.
Still on boosting safety on our roads, we will also be taking road safety to our schools in the coming year. We will introduce mobile computerised learner licensing facilities to Gauteng schools.
Grade 11 and 12 learners will also now be able to apply for learners’ licences at their schools. This will go a long way in inculcating a culture of responsible driving among our people.
As Gauteng, we have realised that building sustainable human settlements requires functional and efficient bulk infrastructure. We will therefore begin a bulk water infrastructure programme which will attend to the upgrading and development of new bulk infrastructure. This multi-million rand project will begin with the Sedibeng Waste Water Treatment Works.
The project is expected to unlock major social and economic opportunities in the region including prospects in areas such as water sports.
While we appreciate and uphold the right of the citizens to register their discontent through such methods as protests, marches or petitions; it is the government’s position that such disgruntlement must be conducted within the ambit of the law. The fact that we are a constitutional democracy does not imply that disgruntled citizens must do as they want even if they infringe on other peoples’ rights. Destruction of community facilities does not hurt anyone more than the protesters themselves because what they destroy belongs to their community. This kind of behaviour results in government having to spend repeatedly the scarce resources on the same projects or facility.
The blatant disregard of the law will not be tolerated and those who are hell-bent on causing havoc and chaos in our communities will be dealt with harshly. We therefore would like to appeal to our people to exercise restraint and respect for law whenever they are protesting.
On 26 February 2010 we celebrated the milestone of reaching 100 days before the World Cup and much of which will take place right here in Gauteng. While it was important to show the foreign press that we were indeed ready to host a wonderful World Cup, the occasion was important for us to remind our people that this was their World Cup and they should take ownership of it. We reiterated the message that people would only return here time and time again if they are treated well and are given the warm Gauteng welcome we are so famous for.
We are convinced that our people will do a good job of hosting the world as this is not the first time we are doing so. We call on all, including members of the Press Club to assist us in making the upcoming World Cup the best the world has ever seen.
We have invested in infrastructure development. We are aware of the inconvenience that our motorists and people in general have to put up with as we work in improving the road networks. But the long term benefits of these developments far outweigh the current irritations. Kindly bear with us; a better and smarter Gauteng is in the making.
In addition, we would like to invite the private sector to come to the party as we are busy repairing the potholes on our roads. Some businesses have come forward and if more can contribute the situation will be improved much quicker and very economically. Lastly, we would like to urge the members of the Press Club to continue to work with us in building a better Gauteng for all. It is only through meaningful partnership that we can all be proud residents of a prosperous Gauteng because it belongs to all of us.
I thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
11 March 2010
Source: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gautengonline.gov.za/)
