Honourable Acting Madam Speaker
Honourable Premier of the Free State Province
Honourable Members of the Free State Provincial Legislature
Honourable Members of the Executive Council
Executive Mayors, Speakers, and Councillors
Representatives of the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho
House of Traditional Leaders
HoDs, Provincial Commissioner SAPS, Regional Commander SANDF and Regional Commissioner of Correctional Services
Provincial Director of Public Prosecutions
Regional Head of State Security Agency
Members of the Community Policing Boards and Forums
Members of the Road Safety Councils
Representatives of NEHAWU, POPCRU and SAPU
Media Houses
Comrades and Compatriots
Esteemed guests,
Good Morning
In the same vein, police play an important role in the safety and security of people and their means of economy.
Therefore, Madam Acting Speaker, we are leading a very critical department in the lives and well-being of the people of this Province and Country – the Department of Police, Roads and Transport.
It is therefore with great honour and privilege for me as your humble servant to once again stand on this platform to deliver another budget vote for the Department of Police, Roads and Transport. Let me thank the Acting Speaker for affording me the opportunity to share our 2012/13 achievements and 2013/14 Programme of Action.
We are exactly 5 weeks since President Jacob Zuma delivered his State of the Nation Address. Following this State of the Nation Address, the Premier of the Province, the Honourable Ace Magashule, delivered his State of the Province Address on 21 February 2013. Soon after, on the 27th February 2013, Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan delivered his Budget Vote Address.
All these three speeches emphasized the determination of Government to leverage investment in infrastructure as a conscious instrument to reverse the scourge of unemployment as well as the very real challenges of poverty and inequality. Underlying these challenges are also the issues of safety and security for the people of the Free State Province.
Madam Acting Speaker, 58 years later we still derive our mandate from our founding document, the Freedom Charter. It is this founding document which entrusts us to ensure that the people of this country and province are and feel safe.
Honourable Acting Speaker, the Budget Vote which I am presenting for your consideration today, must also be considered in the context of the 2012/2013 Budget Vote and the Annual Performance Plan that underlined it:
ALL PEOPLE ARE AND FEEL SAFE
Madam Acting Speaker, our communities are being ravaged by crime, especially violent crime against vulnerable groups in our society. This is also evident and confirmed by the crime statistics, released late last year. These statistics indicate that we need to heighten up our fight against crime.
Contact crime remains a challenge with specific reference to murder, attempted murder and sexual offences. Another area of concern is the prevalence of stock theft. In this regard, the Police are already in the process of restructuring stock theft units to increase human resources and investigative capacity.
Addressing the Nation on 14 February 2013, the President of the Republic of South Africa, President Jacob Zuma emphasized that, “[the] brutality and cruelty meted out to defenseless women is unacceptable and has no place in our country… [we therefore urge for]…the campaign of fighting violence against women [to be] an everyday campaign”.
By this the President was also making a clarion call to each and every citizen of this country to play his or her civilian role in dealing decisively with this scourge that is afflicting pain and sorrow in our society. These days it is very much traumatic just to follow the headlines in our newspapers.
Madam Acting Speaker, this point is amplified by the 2013 State of the Province Address, in which Premier Ace Magashule reminds us, and I quote “ [dat]…ons moet egter ook melding maak van die moorde en aanvalle op boere en plaaswerkers sowel as die mishandeling, verkragting en moorde van vroue en kinders”.
Madam Acting Speaker, over the last few months we have experienced a new wave of “farm attacks” which resulted in some instances of fatalities. I must commend the South African Police Services for their swift response in apprehending the perpetrators within short periods of time. In about 90% of these cases perpetrators received life sentences. This is a direct result of quality investigations and improved relations with the prosecuting authority.
I need to re-emphasize again that there is no formal crime category called “farm murders”. A murder is a murder, no matter where it is committed or what the circumstances are.
Madam Acting Speaker, the time has come for the citizens of this Province to start taking responsibility of their role in preventing and fighting crime.
Since the dawn of democracy in 1994, crime prevention has been institutionalized and introduced as a key policy of this government and as such we call on community members to play an active role in preventing crime.
Madam Acting speaker, on 11 and 12 April 2013 our Department will host the first ever Crime Prevention Summit for the Province towards the development of a Provincial Crime Prevention Strategy which will formalize the multi-agency approach and align the National Crime Prevention Strategy to our unique provincial crime situation and challenges.
This initiative has been properly sanctioned by the Executive of the Province and will serve as the blueprint for all crime prevention programmes. The roles and responsibilities of each role-player (including Community structures and members) will be clarified and responsibilities allocated. Resources will be reprioritized and planning will be integrated.
Madam Acting Speaker, we will continue to assist and strengthen the functionality of community policing structures in the province and intervene where problems manifest themselves. Our focus will remain on the community policing boards and forums. It is still our firm belief that sector policing must form the foundation of these structures.
In this regard, our Department will assist in mobilizing and training community members to play an active role in sector policing structures to ensure CPFs are functional and properly represented. We will also intensify our awareness campaigns in creating awareness and educate our communities on their human and other rights.
We experienced serious challenges in establishing Community Safety Forums (CSFs) during the 2012/2013 financial year. These structures aim to introduce local crime prevention strategies and call on a wide variety of role-players and stakeholders towards the same multi-agency approach as dictated by the National Crime Prevention Strategy, and soon to be finalized Provincial Crime Prevention Strategy.
We will therefore convene all Municipalities to present the concept to them for a resolution by each Council on the formal establishment and launching of the concept. I want to appeal to municipalities to avail themselves for us to expedite this matter since the CSFs have now been formally declared priority by national policy.
Madam Acting Speaker, we will continue to strengthen our efforts in assessing service delivery by police stations in the Province. We must acknowledge that the police also experience resource shortages and we will ensure that the current base of resources is utilized effectively, economically and sufficiently. We will also continue highlighting areas of concern to the police management towards redress.
During the 2012/2013 financial year we started to implement the additional function of monitoring the implementation and compliance of the SAPS to the Domestic Violence Act. This function was previously executed by the Independent Complaints Directorate and transferred to the Department by the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service Act.
This is a very important area since the reports are consolidated at National level and tabled with the National Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police, on a quarterly basis. We were able to reach the target of performance audit reports in this regard.
Madam Acting Speaker, I am making a fervent appeal for community involvement in the fight against crime because criminals are now disregarding the lives of our police officials.
Just recently, we lost two dedicated police officers, one who was responding to a robbery at a shop and the other innocently passing a shopping complex where an ATM bombing was in progress. Thanks to the swift reaction of the police, these criminals were apprehended and cases against them are before the Courts of Law.
Our communities are still seen as the eyes and ears of the police. Some of them see these things being planned or know about them but choose to keep such information to themselves. Such people should be regarded as accomplices to the murders of police members.
There are instances where police members choose to side with criminals and as such putting the whole Police force in disrepute. It is public knowledge that one of the gang members who bombed the ATM and killed a police officer comes from the ranks of the SAPS. I want to assure the citizens of this Province that we are going to flush these bad elements from the police service and remain with people who understand their constitutional obligation to prevent, combat and investigate crime, to maintain public order, to protect and secure the inhabitants of the Republic and their property, and to uphold and enforce law.
In the same breath, I condemn in the strongest terms police officials who choose to apply their own justice on unarmed people. Police must be firm in the execution of the law but must never be tempted to use methods outside of the law.
Madam Acting Speaker, together with our partners such as traditional leaders, farming communities, business and relevant NGOs, we will intensify our community awareness programmes to ensure we narrow all the corners of this Province for criminals. As we do that, we will also be taking a hard stance against illegal shebeens, public drinking and taverns which operate beyond hours permitted by their licences.
We need to revert back to the “Letsema” principles and mobilize communities who are willing to volunteer their services. Government simply does not have sufficient budget to implement stipend programmes. For example, a Community stock theft patrolling system has been established based on pure volunteering in Qwa-Qwa. These people are making an impact and so assist in reducing stock theft in their areas. We have assisted them in providing mobility by partnering with the local Municipality to avail a 4x4 vehicle for their patrols.
Madam Acting Speaker, in his state of the Province Address, Premier Ace Magashule, expressed great concern about the increasing problem with gangs and gang-related activities, including drug abuse in certain parts of the Province. Through the Crime Prevention Summit, we will also develop an appropriate intervention strategy to address this scourge and rid our communities from opportunists who think they own our communities and streets.
FLEET MANAGEMENT
Madam Acting Speaker, I am proud to inform you that the role of Fleet Management, the trading entity of our Department, has undergone a drastic change. It has moved from being an ordinary Government Garage into a lead project initiator. Since the decision to utilize this section in the real service provision mode, we have managed to take on more departments including EMS, Municipalities and the SANDF.
We also provide advisory services to other Provincial Governments such as the Northern Cape, Limpopo, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape on their Trading Entities. To the municipalities we provide services such as Fleet Management and technical advice on both yellow and white fleet, road and street repairs, right-sizing and disposal of out-of-service movable assets and procurement from previously disadvantaged communities.
Madam Speaker we are presently assisting 14 municipalities. We are also engaged in assisting the Xhariep District Municipality with the procurement of yellow fleet. The latest applicant for our services is Matjhabeng Local Municipality. The going has not always been so smooth, seeing that these new responsibilities have not been funded through the normal budget vote. We have been using our own reserve funds, hence the need for capital augmentation.
In this new financial year, we will continue to right-size our fleet, expand the municipality intervention programme and increase procurement from previously disadvantaged communities.
SECURITY FOR GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS
Crime knows no boundaries. Government employees and property are at risk all the time. We took a conscious decision to train and equip personnel to provide security services at all government buildings including hospitals.
I am pleased to report that 1 628 security officers - some drawn from the police reservists - have been trained and are ready for deployment. We are proud to announce that in this financial year the in-sourcing of trained security officers will be effected in line with the EXCO resolutions.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Madam Acting Speaker, the Premier also referred to our Free State Vision 2030 which commits us to “…a resilient, thriving and competitive economy that is inclusive, with immense prospects for human development anchored on the principles of unity, dignity, equality and prosperity for all”.
In institutionalising and inculcating the culture of good governance and economic empowerment, the transformation of Maluti Bus Services has been completed. The transformation was moulded in a manner ensuring that the venture provided to the taxi industry, current employees and the former operator is run very successfully and profitably, dismissing and dispelling the myth that the taxi industry and ordinary employees cannot be corporate business people.
To this end, the Free State Taxi Council is the first in the country to acquire its premises and offices to operate professionally and register a company. We appreciate the intricacy and challenges of any transformation and confirm that the route we opted for, is necessary, no matter how painful it may be. We take solace from the fact that the Board has been appointed, shareholder certificates have been issued, and the process of procuring busses is at an advanced stage. The Department has already put aside R9.6 Million for the procurement of such busses.
The next assignment which has begun in earnest is the transformation of Itumele Bus Lines. The approach with which it is done is to ensure that previously disadvantaged groups such as taxis, unionized and non-unionized employees, and small bus operators are in a majority. In this regard, the Public Transport Operations Grant (PTOG) increased with 5.45% to the amount of R203 million.
Madam Acting Speaker, it pleases me to state that the Free State has become a model for other Provinces in terms of the transformation of bus operations and the empowerment of the previously unsubsidised modes. Other provinces are even visiting the Free State for best practices in this regard.
In his State of the Nation Address, President Zuma specifically refers to a South Africa “…where all will have … jobs… public transport… [and] social protection”. President Zuma does also make the point that “…due to the global economic recession …these goals will be difficult!”
However, the President reminds us of the five priorities of Government which include the fight against crime, creating decent jobs as well as rural development (which includes rural safety).
The President also specifically refers to “the improvement of the movement of goods and economic integration through a Durban-Free State-Gauteng logistics and industrial corridor” as an important infrastructure towards improving public transport and creating decent jobs.
Towards that end, Maluti-a-Phofung has been registered as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) segmented into 2 complementary nodes namely, Tshiame Industrial Development and the Harrismith Gateway Development, championed by the Department of Police, Roads and Transport and DETEA. These projects comprise what is called the Harrismith Gateway Development and are registered as a PPP venture and form part of the bigger Durban- Free State- Gauteng Economic Corridor, Strategic Infrastructure Programme 2 (SIP 2).
The cluster project of SIP2, which includes the projects in Harrismith that ensure the re- alignment of the movement of freight in, around and through the Province, will lead to logistics catalysing the development of rural towns within the province. The Department has allocated R12 million for this project in the 2013/14 Financial Year. We are partnering with DBSA and National Treasury in the funding of the project and as a PPP project, the private sector will also have to come on board.
Discussion has been initiated with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for the incorporation of the Makgolokweng potato plant into the Harrismith Gateway Development.
Madam Acting Speaker I am happy to report that on the 8th and 9th March 2013 Honourable Ministers Malusi Gigaba and Ben Martins visited Harrismith in their capacity as leaders of SIP 2. They interacted with business people and the community and comprehensively explained SIP 2 and the status quo regarding the De Beers Bypass.
The N8 Corridor Rail Link has been registered as a PPP with National Treasury. The Japanese Industrial Corporate Agency has expressed interest in this project and negotiations need to be pursued vigorously. We hope our interaction with PRASA will pave the way for the project to be included in SIP 7. The completion of the feasibility study for the N8 Rail Corridor will be conducted in the 2013/14 Financial Year.
Madam Acting Speaker, the Department has embarked on a program to measure and realign the movement of agricultural commodities within and through the province as part of its agro-logistics strategy.
This initiative will facilitate the ease of movement on the roads and rail networks. The venture is done in partnership with Transnet Freight Rail and the first initiative culminated in the re-opening of the Kroonstad – Vierfontein line on 4 November 2012.
The Department, Madam Acting Speaker, has identified an opportunity to cooperate with Transnet Rail Engineering at the Transwerk facilities that are used to assemble carriages and the manufacturing of boogies. This initiative will ensure that the N8 Corridor Rail Link Project contributes to skill development and sustainable jobs. This will strengthen the partnership of the Department with Transnet.
Madam Acting Speaker, in dealing with the rampant abuse of government vehicles, we are in 2013/14 going to introduce a government driving permit. This process will ensure that only qualified and accredited drivers will be allowed to drive and use GG vehicles.
The establishment of the Tracing Unit should also go a long way in changing and improving driver attitudes, as we all know that with little follow up on fines issued, drivers take it for granted that the fines issued are just a wasteful exercise. With this initiative, revenue collection should also be greatly enhanced.
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Madam Acting Speaker, the carnage on our roads which the Honourable Premier raised grave concerns about, continues to be a torment into the collective soul of our communities.
Irresponsible and reckless driving remains a perennial feature on our roads with speeding, drunken driving and dangerous overtaking, leading in the cause of crashes. I want to re-assure the Free State citizens that we are not going to fold our arms and watch as people die like flies on the roads, even worse during Easter and Festive Season. This Department will continue looking into strategies to improve the situation on our roads. As former Minister of Transport, Honourable Mac Maharaj put it, “one death on the road is one too many”.
With a view to improve on our law enforcement visibility, the new traffic officers who were appointed in 2011 were given intensive training on various aspects of traffic policing. Refresher training was also given to existing officers, also on aspects pertaining to their job. Some were trained as examiners for driving licences, whilst others have been trained as examiners of vehicles. Our approach is to continue multi-skilling our officers so that they can perform all related duties.
This Department intends to appoint a further one hundred and fifty new officers during the 2013/14 financial year. We still firmly believe that high visibility of officers goes a long way to enhance discipline on the roads. We will also continue to intensify our integrated Law Enforcement that includes SAPS, SANDF, Home Affairs, Health (EMS) and Local Municipalities.
The project which we are piloting of making sure that learners obtain driver’s licences before they pass matric is taking root albeit at a slow pace. However, the teething problems that we encounter are giving us valuable lessons moving forward.
Madam Acting Speaker, we look forward to 2013/14 energized that we are going to implement valuable programmes such as:
• Intensification of Security at various Testing Stations in the Province, by installing CCTV systems. This will not only curb corrupt activities, but will also improve security of our personnel.
• Acquisition of an Integrated Traffic Management System and Electronic Filing system.
• Introduction of the Stray Animal Bicycles projects which will ensure that road users are protected.
Road Safety Education remains our pillar in an endeavour to inculcate responsible attitude and behaviour on our roads. It is for this reason that we will continue to work hand in hand with the Department of Education and other stake-holders, to nurture future citizens as part of our important target groups. Road Safety Education will continue to receive the necessary resourcing and empowerment, with the intention to ensure that the knowledge and skills of road users improve as basic conditions to reduce the potential for road accidents and fatalities.
We take cognizance of Operation Hlokomela, a campaign initiated and implemented by the taxi industry, with a view to contribute to the “Decade of Action”. This Department will continue working hand in hand with this important stakeholder, with the hope that taxi drivers will heed this noble call and refrain from making public transport vehicles moving coffins.
RISK AND INTERNAL AUDIT
Madam Acting Speaker, the Department is going a long way to curb fraud and corruption and identifying risks to enable it to take risk adjusted decisions.
In this regard, we have established Risk Management and Internal Audit Units with relevant committees as dictated by the PFMA. The Anti-corruption Fraud Prevention Plan and Policy have been developed and implemented confirming the zero tolerance stance of the Department regarding fraud and corruption.
70% of employees in the Department have been exposed to Risk Management Education and Awareness Programmes. The Department also successfully managed to identify risks at areas of importance in identified Chief Directorates.
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE (ROADS)
In tabling the National Budget, Minister Pravin Gordhan describes Government’s budget as one that would ensure, and I paraphrase:
- That the National Development Plan (NDP) remains our vision, one which also cautions us that our development objectives will take time and hard work to achieve.
- At the same time, the NDP is also very emphatic about the urgency of eliminating poverty and reducing inequality by 2030.
Hence therefore, our government remains committed to a large-scale infrastructure investment programme. The National Budget therefore emphasizes job creation, transport…infrastructure and investment in modernizing our infrastructure and transport logistics.
Madam Acting Speaker, the Department has over the past few years embarked on a concerted effort to maintain the Free State Provincial Roads.
I should however acknowledge that the Department is not meeting the current need to provide a provincial road network that is at an acceptable level of service. The condition of Free State roads has in fact deteriorated.
The challenges that road network development faces nationally are articulated in the Road Infrastructure Strategic Framework for South Africa, and these include road deterioration.
This rapid deterioration of especially the surfaced roads is due to various factors such as:
- Old age of the road pavements and seals;
- Inadequate normal and preventative maintenance due to insufficient funding;
- Inadequate reconstruction/rehabilitation of roads due to insufficient funding;
- Unforeseen growth in heavy vehicle axle loads over the last decade for which our roads were not designed;
- Previous flood damages stretching as far back as 1988 that were never fully repaired due to insufficient flood damage funding;
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Unusual High Rainfall / Flooding:
- 1988 - Heavy flooding which caused substantial damage on the Free State Road network.
- 1998 and 2000 somewhat similar floods
- Above average rainfall in January to March of 2006.
- Severe damage to surfaced and gravel roads and drainage and bridge structures.
Insufficient funding played a major role in the deterioration of the Free State Roads. One example is with regards to the Provincial Road Maintenance Grant Allocations. Other Provinces such as EC, Mpumalanga, KZN and Limpopo received more funding on Provincial Road Maintenance Grant in 2012/13 as compared to Free State even though our length of both gravel and surfaced roads is higher than the ones in these provinces. More details are on the table provided.
| Province | PRMG budget for 2012/13 | Km of surfaced roads | Km of secondary gravel roads |
| Eastern Cape | 1,369,985 | 3 608 | 26 391 |
| Free State | 564,930 | 6 613 | 21 534 |
| Gauteng | 487,600 | 3 600 | 1 895 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 1,433,671 | 6 749 | 14 437 |
| Limpopo | 1,191,337 | 6 639 | 15 396 |
| Mpumalanga | 911,103 | 5 298 | 8 523 |
| North West | 590,360 | 4 130 | 14 961 |
| Western Cape | 478,895 | 6 286 | 10 538 |
| Grand Total | 7,027,881 |
Madam Speaker, I am however very happy to announce that our Provincial Road Maintenance Grant has been increased from R 564.9 million in 2012/13 FY to R 1,130 billion in 2013/14 FY. This increase will go a long way in ensuring that maintenance of Free State Roads is enhanced. We are confident that we are on the right track to win the battle against road carnage caused by poor road conditions. It is therefore imperative to upscale our investment on road infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation.
Madam Acting Speaker, this point was emphasized, by the Premier Ace Magashule in the State of the Province Address, when he said:
“Up-scaling our investment in infrastructure development holds the key to achieve the growth path that will significantly address the economic profile of the Free State”
Our objective is therefore to provide road infrastructure network that facilitates safe conveyance of people and goods in the Province. Stemming from our commitment to provide safe roads, protect the network and enhance job creation in the Free State, the following key achievements were made for the 2012/13 Financial Year.
- • 107 671 square meters of potholes were patched
- • 20km of surfaced roads were rehabilitated
- • 42 994km of rural roads were bladed
- • Repair and calibration of the Bothaville Weighbridge. This weighbridge will be in operation in April 2013.
EPWP Projects: The following projects are executed using the labour intensive model which enhances employment opportunities for local people.
- Upgrading of Qwa-Qwa Route 4, linking the far flung rural villages of Qwa-Qwa to social amenities such as schools, health care centres, retail shops, etc.
- Upgrading of Monontsha Pass Road: a vital link between South Africa and the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. It also facilitates faster mobility of the Stock theft Unit as and when they pursue stock thieves.
I must add that 142 emerging contractors are currently on Contractor Development Programme (CDP). The aim of the CDP is to:
- Deliver a competitive contractor in the civil engineering industry,
- Build and enhance the capacity of the learner contractors in civil engineering industry; and
- Upgrade the CIDB Grading of the learner contractors from Grade 1 – 4.
We are confident that this programme will produce skilled and competitive civil contractors.
Madam Acting Speaker, I am pleased to announce the death of the infamous “23 Roads”. The Department has worked hard to provide a lasting solution to a very challenging situation. I wish to take this opportunity to also announce our key priorities and projects to be rolled out in the 2013/14 Financial Year.
Our 2013/14 Key Priorities will include the following:
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The Roads Hlasela Household Development Programme
- In the coming financial year, we shall implement the Roads Hlasela Household Development Programme to enhance job creation.
- This programme will involve appointing poorest households to maintain selected roads within their communities. The focus will be on female and youth headed households.
-
Establishment and enhancement of internal maintenance teams (PAO)
- Madam Acting Speaker, in our quest to insource services and intensify the maintenance programme on our roads, we are beginning to enhance and reinstate the maintenance teams that were a feature of PAO.
- The Department currently has 32 Routine Maintenance Teams across the Free State Province as follows: 7 in Fezile Dabi, 9 in Thabo Mofutsanyane, 5 in Motheo, 4 in Xhariep and 7 in Lejweleputswa.
- The Re-gravelling team will be re-instated in 2013 FY.
- Key focus in 2013/14 FY will be on enhancing the current routine maintenance teams and establishing the Provincial Departmental re-gravelling team which will focus on re-gravelling activities across the Province.
- The Department has a challenge with regards to an ageing workforce and has put measures in place to address this encounter. A learnership programme will commence in 2013/14 Financial Year to train road workers, operators, foremen and road superintendents, who will be absorbed by the Department as and when the ageing workforce retires.
- Massification of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP):
Job Creation remains a key priority of the Department as dictated by both the National Development Plan and the Free State Growth and Development Strategy (vision 2030).
To enhance job creation, the Department will increase focus in the cost efficient use of labour absorptive methodologies in road construction and maintenance (EPWP).
- Road Network Protection:
Madam Acting Speaker, the Department is facing serious challenges with overloaded vehicles. In the next financial year, the Department will erect weighbridges on major routes to protect the road network.
- Know your Network:
Madam Acting Speaker, for one to provide the solution to a problem, you need to comprehend the existent problem. We know the conditions of our road network and they are as follows:
GRAVEL ROAD CONDITIONS:
- In 2013/14 financial year, the Department will develop a Web Based Road Management System.
- This system will provide information on how road network assets will be maintained throughout their life cycle.
- It will assist the Department to manage the road network better as priorities for road maintenance will be based on a technical analysis and scientific prioritization.
- Delivering a safe road environment: Key Priority will be on pothole repair, rehabilitation and upgrading of selected public transport routes; and re-gravelling of a number of rural roads. Main focus will be on gravel roads used by the farmers.
- Continue with the Implementation of contractor development programme with the focus on building and enhancing the capacity of the learner contractors in civil engineering industry.
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Recruitment of Qualified Personnel: The Department shall embark on a recruitment drive to acquire additional engineers, technicians and road workers. 33 Personnel with Engineering Qualifications are currently employed by the Department as follows:
- 2 have B. Engineering Degrees
- 9 have B.Tech Civil Engineering
- 18 have P3/S3 Civil Engineering Qualification
- 4 of the above mentioned personnel are registered as Professional Technologists.
- 1 is registered as a candidate Engineer with ECSA.
- 1 is registered as a Professional Engineer
Madam Speaker, the Projects to be completed by the Department in 2013/14 Financial Year are as follows:
a) Upgrading and Rehabilitation of Roads between Warden and Standerton
o The project commenced in July 2010 and will be completed in 2013/14 FY.
b) Rehabilitation of Road P9/3 between Heilbron and Petrus Steyn
o The project commenced in July 2010 and will be completed in 2013/14 FY.
c) The Repair and Calibration of the Bothaville Weighbridge has been completed. This weighbridge will be re-opened in April 2013.
New Projects to commence in 2013/14 Financial Year are as follows:
a) A57 Meadows - Rehabilitation
b) P56/1 Parys through route – Rehabilitation
c) Upgrading of Thaba Nchu Public Transport Route
d) R 74 Harrismith-Oliviershoek - Rehabilitation
e) Re-gravelling Programme
f) R29/1 Deneysville-Viljoensdrift – Rehabilitation
g) Flood Damage Programme – Repair some of the road network infrastructure damaged by floods.
h) Pothole Repair Programme
i) Roads Hlasela Household Development Programme
j) Erection of the Weighbridges
Projects that commenced in prior financial years and will continuing in the 2013/14 FY are as follows:
a) Contractor Development Programme
k) Monontsha Border Post Road
l) Qwaqwa Route 4
m) N8 Traffic Lights
2013/14 BUDGET
Madam Acting Speaker, It is my pleasure to present my Department’s budget for 2013/14 financial year.
- The Equitable share allocation is R502 million which represents a 4.92% increase from the prior financial year;
- Infrastructure Enhancement Allocation amounts to R382 million which signifies a decrease of 39.16%;
- This brings a total increase of the Departmental budget allocation to a 15.41% increase from the prior year.
Madam Acting Speaker, I am pleased to inform this house that the total allocation that was received for the Department of Police, Roads and Transport amounts to R2.260 billion and we will indeed do more with less. We shall at all costs endeavour to minimize the cost of doing business and make sure that the lives of our people are improved.
Before concluding, it would be remiss of me not to pay homage to my family, our HOD and all the staff of the Department. I also salute the men and women who have laid down their lives in the fight against crime.
I end this presentation with the important words of that erstwhile son of the soil, educator and once President of the African National Congress, Chief Albert Luthuli, when he said, and I quote,
“The task is not finished…South Africa is not yet home for all her sons and daughters. Such a home we wish to ensure… [there] remains before us the building of a new land”. Thus Chief Albert Luthuli saw this land as a Home for All!
Ke Ya Leboha !!!
