Programme Director,
The President of South African Federation of Civil Engineering Constructors, Mr Frik Venter,
Executive Director Ms Lindelwa Myataza,
Distinguished Members of the Construction Industry,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening to you all.
The most visible product of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup is the new infrastructure that we see across the country. We think of the roads, stadiums, airports, refurbished hotels and other buildings. It is therefore proper that we meet with the construction industry to applaud the success of this massive project.
South Africa is extremely proud to have hosted what has been by all accounts the best FIFA World Cup to date, even if we say so ourselves! We congratulate and thank all members of the construction industry, the engineering fraternity and allied disciplines and all those who work in the built environment for a job well done.
Your industry, whether it is the planners, the designers, the contractors, or the materials manufacturers, have shown that we can deliver construction to international standards. Your impressive delivery of mega projects for the 2010 FIFA World Cup has left an indelible legacy. We knew we could do it.
We can do big things in South Africa, and we do them very well. We are proud that we used our own planners, our own builders, our own firms, our own managers, our own workers. We have top class dedicated people. And we are very proud of the fantastic effort they have all put in. That is why South Africans are so excited at the success of the World Cup. It is the fruit of their collective labour. And the results speak for themselves.
Figures from FIFA indicate that more than 3.1 million spectators paid to watch the 64 matches of the 2010 tournament, the third highest aggregate attendance in the history of the event. This does not include the millions of people who went to fan parks, public viewing areas and other entertainment centres to watch the matches. Our common modes of transport -namely road, rail and air transported these fans to sporting venues and host cities safely and efficiently with minimum challenges. For that we are very proud as it has shown what we capable of.
The world cup has come and gone. We have learned many valuable lessons. We are already using the project management approach in improving service delivery. Our new outcomes approach in government is designed to help us achieve results faster. That is why Ministers have signed performance agreements with the President. The Ministers will now conclude and sign delivery agreements with MECs and other partners who will help them deliver their services.
Government is currently conducting a detailed assessment of the soccer tournament which should be completed by the end of September. From this review will emerge the lessons that will make us implement our new way of doing things even better in government? We know that our people want the trains and buses to run as efficiently as they did during the world cup.
They want the police to investigate and arrest suspects as swiftly as they did then, and the courts to conclude the cases as fast as they did! Our immigration services and customs and all other services should not lose the expertise they have gained. We share that view as government and the world cup review will certainly help us to achieve that goal.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We must single out this federation for having been the "midwife" of South Africa’s development for over 60 years. Your members were intimately involved in the creation of the infrastructure that has made our economic growth and development possible.
In South Africa, as in many other parts of the world, infrastructure investment has become an important instrument to stimulate the economy and encourage sustained growth. South Africa’s programme to upgrade and expand infrastructure began in 2005 with an initial investment of four hundred and twenty billion rand. Between 2008 and 2013, major state owned entities will have spent over eight hundred and forty-six billion rand on infrastructure alone. Working in partnership, we will ensure that this spending indeed achieves our objectives. The World Cup tournament does not mark the end of our infrastructure programme. We are going forward.
A massive build up programme in energy, telecommunications and water infrastructure is underway. The infrastructure programme must make a difference in the lives of our people in tangible ways. Going forward, in addition to facilitating the movement of goods throughout our economy, our transport infrastructure must change the lives of ordinary people in the townships and rural areas. The next phase of our growth in infrastructure investment must shorten the distances our people travel, reduce the cost of transportation and increase levels of reliability, safety and efficiency.
Transport must bring services and economic opportunities closer to all our people. The infrastructure development programme must also benefit our broad based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) programme. We are pleased that the number of medium size black-owned companies registered with the Construction Industry Development Board in grades five to seven has more than doubled, from 540 in 2007 to 1 600 in 2009. We want to see real broad based empowerment arising from our infrastructure investment programme.
Ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of government and the people of South Africa, we once again congratulate you on these achievements. Your work has helped to change the landscape of our country and has contributed significantly to much needed development, employment and economic growth.
Congratulations for a successful first ever Soccer World Cup tournament on African soil!
I thank you.
Source: The Presidency
