The Premier of the Eastern Cape, Hon. Kiviet,
MEC of Local Government and Traditional Leaders, Hon Qhoboshiyane,
Executive Mayor of Alfred Nzo District Mucipality, Cllr. E Biko,
The Mayor of Matatiele Local Municipality, Cllr. Nkopane,
Councillors and Traditional Leaders,
Senior Officials of the South African Post Office,
CEO of MDDA,
Senior officials of the department,
Members of the media,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
I feel good to be back in Mvenyane again to since my last visit in March 2012 to officially open Cyber Lab (iLab) in Mvenyane Secondary School. I hope that the Cyber Lab (iLab) has made impact in improving the learning and teaching in the school.
Today, I am particularly pleased to be back here on this "Human Rights Month‟ for the official opening of this Post Office that has been long awaiting necessary infrastructure and equipments to fully be operational.
First of all, I want to thank the Mvenyane community for their patience whilst government was attending to the infrastructure challenges that inhibited the operations of this Post Office. We really appreciate the efforts made by the leadership of this community (i.e.Cllr Nxesi, Mr.Mtimde, etc.) who reported the postal problems in this community during my last visit and the journey we traveled together until the official opening of this Post Office.
Such congratulations are in order not only because another public edifice adorns your lovely homes and hills, but now brings government services closer to the people. I also want to thank the officials from Post Office and DoC who working together with the local municipality have made the functioning of this Post Office a reality.
You will recall that previously the community of Mvenyane had to travel either to Kostad or Matatiele to access postal services. Today, we are here to put a stop to that hardship of travelling long distance, by opening a service point that is nearer to you and that will be accessible at all times.
As a department, we are aware that this post office started operating in December last year, but no official event had been conducted to officially launch and celebrate this important milestone.
I guess we all know the history of our struggle and we are gathered here to ensure that we move forward with speed to redress the imbalances of the past. In reflecting upon what the postal service means to us, as individuals, as a community and as a nation.
The postal service is described as “a messenger of sympathy and love, servant of parted friends, consoler of the lonely, bond of the scattered family, carrier of news and knowledge, instrument of trade and industry, promoter of mutual acquaintance, of peace and goodwill among men and nations.”
President Jacob Zuma declared upon taking office that this government will work with the people to address the challenges of infrastructure rollout and the provision of basic services. Infrastructure development in the country is one of government's key priorities. Through the National Development Plan (NDP) it has been listed as government's first job driver.
Having inherited the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequalities, the democratic government has had to adopt strategies which would encourage economic growth which would translate in the creation of jobs and the reduction of poverty and inequality in the country. The adoption and implementation of the NDP will thus require a total restructuring of the economy to ensure that the country yields the results it hopes to achieve.
The postal sector to date is faced with unprecedented competitive pressure from new modes of communication such as electronic mail and instant messaging technologies such as face book, twitter, etc. However, the good news is that the postal infrastructure such as the one we are launching here today remains in the centre of information dissemination in the rural areas, such here in Mvenyane.
The government of the day realised that the importance of the postal service, hence integral to our national policy for the postal sector is the provision of a universal service and universal access. This ensures that all citizens have equal access to a basic letter service that is reasonably accessible to all people in the country regardless of physical location at a uniform rate of postage, and which is reliable.
The postal sector is one of the key drivers of economic development that present an opportunity for all the people to access information and connect to each other. Post office outlets are well located even in rural and under serviced areas.
It is imperative that the importance of the postal sector to economic development be recognised in order to create and to encourage investment opportunities in the country. The Post Office continue to ensures that people, especially those in rural communities like you, are not sidelined from the core activities of government.
Government through the Department of Communications is currently in a process of corporatising the Postbank to be a subsidiary of Post Office. The main aim for the corporatisation of Postbank is to give under-serviced communities access to vital financial and related services and thereby contribute to economic and social development.
This Bank will take advantage of the post office vast infrastructure network countrywide. Postbank access to the post office infrastructure enables it to reach rural people in a way most alternative institutions cannot.
I am pleased that people of this community and the surrounding areas will access financial services and facilities in this post office. As a financial services institution, Postbank will become one of the most trusted cost effective banking institutions which will encourage a culture of saving and thus help curb the debt many South Africans are burdened with.
The Post Office and Postbank are also trusted brands in communities; the products which are offered will thus be tailored to meet the needs of the very communities it aims at servicing. In so doing the Postbank is also fulfilling government's mandate of serving the underserved and bridging the banking divide between the banked and un-banked groups of our society.
As a policy maker, my department will continue to strive to develop policies that address the ever-changing needs of South Africans, especially those in rural and under serviced communities.
Primarily, is to establish policies and frameworks that seek to promote the development of postal services that are responsive to the needs of users and consumers and ensure greater access to basic services through the achievement of universal postal service, by providing an acceptable level of effective and regular postal services to all areas including rural areas such as Mvenyane.
Most importantly is to ensure that our initiative develops greater equity in respect of the distribution of services, particularly within the areas of the historically disadvantaged communities like Mvenyane, and further ensure that the needs of disabled persons are taken into account in the provision of postal services.
The postal service is the most basic and most common means by which messages can be communicated and goods delivered. It also serves as an important medium of communications for business and commerce.
The government is committed to facilitating the growth and development of this sector and to ensuring the provision of universal and affordable postal service to all South Africans irrespective of race, gender, class, age or geographical location.
Today, this post office outlet is more than a unit in the postal system serving your community and the nations, but also connects people to the world at large. Apart from its traditional business of mail and parcel delivery, this postal outlet forms the backbone of service provision, especially to the rural communities.
Amongst others, the Post Office provides the following services: Money transfers, Third party payments such as TV Licence and payments of accounts, Motor Vehicle Licences renewal, Payment of traffic fines, Payment of utility bills, Access to financial services which include banking as well as pension and grants payouts, Online registration with UNISA and delivery of study material, Photocopying and certification of documents.
Post Office will also play a major role as distribution outlet for Set Top Boxes (decoders that convert analogue broadcasting signals to digital) when the country migrates to Digital Television.
Again, allow me to remind you that the postal sector is the most effective instrument of human democracy that exists in this country. As such, one of the key elements within the postal sector is the provision of addresses which gives an identity to all citizens.
Our Government has prioritised the rollout of addresses to rural areas and informal settlements to ensure addressability for all households and fulfilment of economic inclusion. No doubt address gives you national identity and further encourages the spirit of social cohesion which is a sense of belonging.
We are therefore very delighted to be part of this ceremony and to re-commit ourselves to the promise we made to our people to deliver essential services, speedily. We will continue to work tirelessly to deliver other services in line with our priorities.
In conclusion, I would to urge and encourage postal customers, consumers and the community at large to voice their complaints with ICASA as the regulator on issues of poor postal service provision. As I said that government regards postal services as a basic right, it is imperative for people during this human rights month to ensure that their rights are respected.
With those few words, I would like to thank the entire community of Mvenyane at home and those who came to be with us today. As long as we can still hear your cries and complaints, as long as we can still see with our own eyes your plight, we shall not rest but work every day towards building communities of which we can all be proud of. The local government leadership is here to serve your interests, please engage them because they are your servants in service delivery.
The development of our communities, delivery of services and job creation are the most important drivers of this ANC government. Our own assessment has shown that it is at the local government level where we need to accelerate service delivery.
Namhlanje urhulumente wenu uthi; sinendlebe nje, sizivile izikhalo zenu. Sithi umzi walapha eMvenyane mawuxhamle kwizibonelelo zoluntu. Kaloku lo Rhulumente wathatha isigqibo sokuba uzakuwaphuhlisa amaphandle nokwenza ngcono ubomi nempilo yabemi basemaphandleni.
Ndiyabulela ngokundipha iindlebe!
