Address by Hon. MEC Collen Mokone Maine on occasion of the 2015/16 Budget Vote 09 for Department of Local Government and Human Settlements Bokone Bophirima Provincial Legislature, Mahikeng
Hon Speaker of Bokone Bophirima Provincial Legislature
Honourable Premier of Bokone Bophirima province
Hon Members in the Executive Council
Hon Members of the Bokone Bophirima Provincial Legislature
Executive Mayors and Mayors
Speakers of Municipalities
Councillors present here
Magosi A Rona Aa Tlotlegang
Acting Director-General of Bokone Bophirima Administration
Head of Department of Local Government and Human Settlements
Municipal managers and municipal officials
Executives from business fratenity
Managers of public entities
Civil society
Government officials
Citizens of Bokone Bophirima
Distinguished guests
Motlotlegi Mmusakgotla, re neelana ka puo-tekanyetso-kabo ya Lefapha la Dipuso- Selegae le Matlo, monongwaga, re le mo boitumelong jwa go keteka dingwaga di le some-a-marataro tsa Papetlana ya Kgololosego (Freedom Charter). Megopolo ya rona le dikakanyo, di etleediwa ke ponelopele ya Papetlana e ya Kgololosego, e e reng, “Afrika Borwa ke wa botlhe bao ba nnang le go tshela mo go yone, basweu le bantsho; e bile ga go puso epe ee ka itlotlomatsang serodumo, ntle le gore e bo e itshetlegile ka dikeletso tsa batho” Se ke segopotso gape mo go rona gore re tshwaragane le namane e tona ya tiro, ya go tsholetsa seriti le serodumo sa baagi ba Bokone Bophrima le Afrika Borwa ka karetso. Re dira jaana gape ka mogopolo o le mogwe fela wa go ipakanyetsa ditlhopo tsa di puso selegae tsa ngwaga wa 2016.
Re boa re neelana gape ka puo-tekanyetso-kabo ya monongwaga, moragonyana fela ga ditiragalo tseo di re dirileng motlotlo, jaaka baagi ba Bokone Bophirima le Afrika Borwa ka bophara, moo re neng re amogela le go boloka masaledi a bagaka ba rona ba kgololosego, e leng Malome Moses Mauwane Kotane le Malome John Beaver Marks. Kgaratlho eo bagaka ba, ba neng ba le mo go yone, e tswelela go godisa serodumo sa rona jaaka puso le baagi.
Madam Speaker, it is the vision of the Freedom Charter and the values for which Malome Moses Kotane and Malome JB Marks lived, which inspired a process by government, led by the President, Hon. Jacob Zuma, in 2014, to arrive at the conceptualisation, development and adoption of the Local Government Back to Basics Strategy for the next five years. This Strategy came into existence against the background that;
“Local government is a primary point of delivery and it is where most citizens interface with government and it is a place in which the citizens of our country could engage in a meaningful and direct way with the institutions of the state.”
Therefore, the Back to Basics strategy will be focused mainly in the five pillars of Good Governance, Public Participation, Basic Services, Sound Financial Management and Building Capable Institutions, to ensure that the most basic functions are in place, at municipalities.
The National Back to Basic was official piloted in the province and launched by the Hon Premier of Bokone Bophirima in December 2014. Subsequently, all four Districts and 19 local Municipalities developed Implementations Plans which were finalised and adopted by various Council in the month of April 2015.
Madam Speaker, the Back to Basics expected outcomes entails improved and enhanced political oversight; improved provisioning of quantity and quality of
municipal basic services to the people; improved expenditure on capital budget especially infrastructure Conditional Grants; revenue enhancement and debt effectively utilizing public participation and community structures; fraud, corruption, nepotism and all forms of maladministration affecting municipalities.
The ultimate intended objective is to acquire an improved Municipal Audit Outcomes in all municipalities in the Province. As part of ensuring continued performance monitoring and evaluation, we will ensure that municipalities report on weekly basis to the Department and subsequently to the Office Premier.
adam Speaker, as a matter of principle, the Back to Basics Strategy does not compromise when it comes to public participation. Leadership that is rooted in communities, is precisely the values for which Moses Kotane and JB Marks admonished and lived for. Furthermore, we are reminded by Paolo Freire, in The Pedagogy of Oppressed, when he assets as I quote;
“To simply think about the people, as the dominators do, without any self-giving in that thought, to fail to think with the people, is a sure way to cease being revolutionary leaders.” Close quote. Freire further continues to assert, Madam Speaker, as I quote, “To glorify democracy and to silence the people is a farce; to discourse on humanism and to negate people is a lie.” Close Quote.
Within this context of revolutionary leadership, the Department has embarked on a programme to monitor and support public participation, through capacity building and empowerment programmes, for ward committees to effectively convene community meetings.
Furthermore, municipalities were encouraged to submit schedules of community meetings as part of monitoring and promotion of public participation. This is in response to the commitment we made that all Ward Councillors in the Province, should hold at least one monthly community meeting, in their area of responsibility, to report on all pertinent service delivery issues. As part of our commitment and support for good governance and administration, we have put plans on course to establish a provincial municipal training academy to focus mainly on basic, practical and empowerment courses for councillors and officials.
In further response to the call for more integrated approach towards rendering of services between our spheres of government, as emanated from the State of the Province Address, the District Shared Service Model will be introduced as a vital link in Intergovernmental Relations system, to facilitate cooperative government through communication, consultation and joint decision making. The shared services model will be an enabler for implementation of villages, townships and small dorpies support, in an integrated and coordinated manner
Key focus areas of shared service will be on technical services, town planning, local economic development, internal audit, ICT, risk management, revenue management, corporate services and legal services. All four districts are expected to have fully functional District Shared Services Units by the end of this financial year, with the pilot being established in Ngaka Modiri Molema in the first quarter. Through this model, the Department will intervene to take over the refuse removal services of Matlosana and Mahikeng Local Municipalities.
Auditor General of South Africa
Madam Speaker, efficiency in government as we said, underpins the objectives of the Rebranding, Repositioning and Renewal of Bokone Bophirima. We are bold to state that the Auditor-General is a critical link in the achievement of such. In response to the call we made on the implementation of the clean audit targets and the Auditor General’s recommendations being built into the performance management contracts of all municipal managers and other senior management officials. We will relentlessly continue to monitor this part of our commitment. We will further ensure that in all affected municipalities, this commitment becomes part of the performance management and assessment indicator in their plans.
We continue to remain committed towards fostering the implementation of proper records and information management systems, in municipalities, as well as date, they have been assisted with the development of Records Control Schedule and file plans. Our main concern is that municipalities seem not to be taking record management seriously. Most Municipalities continues to fail to appoint qualified record management practitioners and record managers. There is generally a lack of proper office space and tools of trade to carry out this function successfully.
To date 14 municipalities’ Audit Action Plans have been assessed with the view of ensuring and establish if all issues raised by the Auditor General have been addressed. It remains a huge concern that some Municipalities are not submitting their Audit Action Plans on time, for intended assessment. This is another area that will have to be prioritised for administrative and political intervention in this financial year.
Forensic investigations
In the previous financial year, we committed that forensic investigations would be conducted in five municipalities, namely Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Matlosana, Tswaing, Maquassi Hills, Mahikeng and Ditsobotla Local Municipalities. These investigations were to mainly focus on alleged fraud, corruption and maladministration. To this end, investigations have commenced in Ngaka Modiri Molema, Ditsobotla and Matlosana municipalities whilst in Tswaing, Maquassi Hills and Mahikeng Local Municipalities are commissioned to start in this financial year.
Section 139 interventions
In the last financial year, the Provincial EXCO resolved to invoke provisions of section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution in three local municipalities which are Maquassi Hills, Ditsobotla and Matlosana and section 139(1)(c) in Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality.
Motlotlegi Mmusakgotla, mabaka-magolo a gore re bo re itebaganya le bomasepala ba; ke ketsaetsego mo dikhanseleng; tsamaiso eo e sa siamang ka ntlheng ya tlhokego ya boeteledipele; dipegelo tsa tshenyo mo tsamaisong; thebolelo e bokoa ya ditirelo; bogodu le tsietso mmogo le tsamaiso e sokameng ya matlole. Tshamagano e, e tla re kgontsa gore go nne le katamelano, mo gare ga rona le bomasepala.
In Matlosana, challenges of instability, fraud and corruption that were still outstanding have been attended to, prompting the Department to take over the administration of the municipality. The intervention was initially on finance and we are happy to announce that the municipality has currently received an improved audit opinion from the previous instances when the municipality used to receive disclaimers. The municipality is now able to pay its creditors, signalling that there is progress from the intervention.
Madam Speaker the Department noted with great concern the withholding of R523 54 000.00 worth of Equitable Share and R124 175 000.00 worth of MIG funds, affecting fifteen municipalities across the province. This came as a result of the failure by the affected municipalities, to comply with the directive from National Treasury, to speedily settle the current account related to the payments of service providers in the form of Eskom and Water Boards.
Working with the Department of Finance, Economy and Enterprise Development, we engaged with a view to seek ways in which this dire situation could be resolved. To ensure that this is not repeated, we resolved that the following will have to be attended to as a matter of urgency;
- Conduct an in-depth analysis of the capabilities of the affected municipalities which are in Financial Intensive Care Unit;
- Engage with every municipality to make a commitment and undertaking to address the ESKOM and water-boards accounts;
- Municipalities need to cleanse the data on billing, metering, the elimination of illegal connections and be assisted to identify new and alternative sources of revenue;
- Ensure that an agreement is signed by affected municipalities on consequence management where there are transgressions.
In this regard, we must report that municipalities committed that failure to adhere to the National Treasury commitments will, result in disciplinary and/or civil and criminal proceedings, instituted against the relevant authorities in terms of sections 172 and 173 of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Madam Speaker, as part of our commitment to ensure continued provision of basic services to our communities, we are further going to provide support to municipalities on:
- Analysis of cash flow status to determine critical challenges in the budget for the remainder of 2014/15 financial year;
- Cash flow management relating to prioritisation of expenditure capital and operational cost curtailment measures.
- Budgeting processes for the 2015/16 financial year to ensure that budgets are credible, realistic and cash-backed;
- Engagement with key creditors on bulk services such as Eskom and Water-boards, as a measure to facilitate realistic payment agreements;
- Support on filling of key vacancies in finance departments;
- And engagement with the national treasury on financial recovery services for each municipality
Revenue and debts
We responded to the call made in the Premier’s State of the Province Address, at the commencement of the Fifth Administration, in 2014, on clearing of all debts owed to municipalities, by government departments, by the end of the 2015/16 financial year. To this end, the Department of Finance, Economy and Enterprise Development, in partnership with the Department of Local Government and Human Settlements, deployed a task team to municipalities to assist in clearing the outstanding government debt.
Madibeng, Rustenburg, Kgetlengrivier, Mahikeng, Ditsobotla, Ramotshere Moiloa, Naledi, Lekwa-Teemane, Ventersdorp, Tlokwe, Matlosana and Maquassi Hills local municipalities were identified to be supported on government debt collection project. The project team started with the verification of information from the municipal billing system, against the submitted reports, to reconcile the data and arrive at the total outstanding amount. The team is currently engaging the departments on payment of total outstanding debt.
Madam Speaker, the Department has developed simplified revenue enhancement plans for municipalities that were identified as on-going-concerns by the Auditor General, and those municipalities that could not honour payment agreements with bulk services suppliers such as Eskom and the Water Boards. The department monitored and supported the implementation of these plans, with a focus on data cleansing, debt collection and credit control. To this end our records indicates that for the period ending December 2014, the average collection rate for own revenue showed improvements.
To continue with this important plan which has greatly assisted, the department commits to intensify support to more municipalities through this programme. Fourteen of them shall be supported with a specific focus on indigent management.
Customer care, services department, debt collection and credit control.
In an effort to ensure that all 19 Local Municipalities are supported with processes of Municipal Property Rates Act, as part of the implementation of new generation valuation rolls, 13 municipalities were supported with implementation of their second generation valuation rolls on 1 July 2014. The remaining 6 municipalities are at different implementation stages of the valuation rolls and the department continues to closely monitor and support them to ensure compliance to the Act.
Madam Speaker, all municipalities have been supported with the promulgation and gazetting of the Property rates policies and tariffs in the 2014/15 financial year and the department will continue to do so in this financial year. Ditsobotla, Madibeng and Rustenburg Local Municipalities have been assisted with the Appeal Board Sittings. Processes are in place to assist the remaining municipalities to conclude on their appeal processes before 1 July 2015.
Setsokotsane (Turning Bokone Bophirima into a construction site)
Motlotlegi Mmusakgotla, Setsokotsane se tswelela go nna lenaneo-kakaretso la kgaratlho ya go fetola seemo sa ekonomi ya loago. Lenaneo le jaaka le itsisitswe ke Tonakgolo, Motlotlegi Rre Mahumapelo, a dira le khuduthamaga, le lebeletse mo go reng re dire le baagi ba Bokone Bophirima mo go semaganeng le dikgwetlho-tharo tsa bohumanegi, botlhokatiro le go sa lekalekaneng.
This programme continues to be an inspiring pillar in the work of the Department, as we continue to turn the Bokone Bophirima into a construction site.
Madam Speaker, human settlements programme undertaken by the Department in the previous financial year yielded 9 362 housing opportunities in line with the commitment we undertook to availing 14 650 housing opportunities. We were challenged by nature and terrain of land such as dolomite conditions which affect delivery, land availability, escalating costs of building material as well as lack of qualifying beneficiaries/applicants. Going forward we will have to ensure improved planning processes; continuous engagement with Municipalities to assist on expedition of bulk infrastructure; engagement of land owners to acquire well located land for human settlements through Housing Development Agency (HDA) and finalisation of the housing needs register, continuing partnerships with the mining community within the spirit of saamtrek-saamwerk philosophy.
Mining towns
Madam Speaker, as posited by the State President Jacob Zuma in his 2014 state of the nation address, as I quote that “We will implement the undertaking to build housing and other services to revitalize mining towns, as part of the October 2012 agreement between business, government and labour”.
In tandem with the aforementioned, we remain committed to continue with our focus on bringing dignity to our people living in mining communities. In this regard 2999 housing units, of the 3462 units which were promised, for the 2014/15 financial year, have been constructed around mining towns.
Furthermore, the Department has ring-fenced R482 681 000.00 to be directed towards the development of the mining towns. To this end, Eleven Informal settlements have been assessed and we will therefore continue with installation of internal services for levels 1 and 2. The planned informal settlements are Nkaneng, Ikemeleng, Freedom park, Popo Molefe, YizoYizo, Maditlokwa, Sporong North and Sporong South, Mbeki-Sun, Inkaneng and Wonderkop. We further commit to deliver 500 units at Segwaelane village.
In Matlosana, Alabama we are planning for this financial year to service 966 sites and construct 588 top structures. On the overall 4 188 houses will be constructed around mining towns inclusive of Madibeng, Rustenburg, Kgetlengrivier, Moses Kotane and Matlosana, in this financial year.
Marikana Extension 2 Integrated Development Project continues to be implemented, in partnership with LONMIN and Rustenburg Local Municipality, and it will yield over 2000 housing units over a period of three years, having commenced from 2014/15.
Madam Speaker, initial phases of 292 Breaking New Ground (BNG) housing units and 252 Community Residential Units were planned for the 2014/15 financial year and currently contractors are on site. A considerable progress have been registered to date. This is despite having encountered interference from the community and other concerned groups. However, constant engagement with all concerned groups continues on a weekly basis. This phase of the project is envisaged to be completed in July 2015. This financial year we have planned to build 300 Breaking New Ground as part of the second phase.
As part of the continued development of the Marikana Area, more than 200 hectares of well-located land suitable for human settlements has been purchased, and it will yield at least 7 000 mixed development housing opportunities over the next five years. An amount of R18 million has been budgeted for, in the 2015/16 financial year, for township establishment, engineering services design and environmental authorisation as well as design and approval of top structures. The joining planning processes for this project will be undertaken by Housing Development Agency (HDA) and the Department, in this financial year.
In Madibeng Sunway Integrated Development Village, 1 000 low cost housing units have been completed and handed over to the beneficiaries in the last financial year. Additional 500 units will be constructed in this financial year. At the end, this project will, yield 1 500 units comprising of different typologies of community residential Units, social housing and Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP).
Villages, townships and small dorpies (VTSD)
Madam Speaker, at some point in our history, we were taught, sometimes in a very positive way, to despise ourselves and our ways of life. We were made to believe that we had no past to speak of, no history to boast of. The past, so far as we were concerned, was just a blank and nothing more. Only the present mattered and we had very little control over it. It seemed we were in for a definite period of foreign tutelage, without any hope of our ever again becoming our own masters. The end result of all this was that our self-pride and our self-confidence were badly undermined.
Professor Andre Gunder Frank qualifies this assertion when he writes in the Development of Underdeveloped, that, as I quote; “We cannot hope to formulate adequate development theory and policy for the majority of the world’s population who suffer from underdevelopment without first learning how their past economic and social history gave rise to their present underdevelopment.”
As masters of our destiny, we have taken a conscious decision, as the Fifth Administration, as pronounced by the Honourable Premier during his recent State of the Province Address, that we are going to reverse the unjust tide of history, by deliberately promoting the Villages, Townships and Small Dorpies economies, as an effort to reclaim our self-pride and our self-confidence. As opposed to the normal focus on the urban development, focus will be on villages to eradicate poverty through building of houses, further curbing proliferation of informal settlements in urban areas. We do that Madam Speaker, driven by Thomas Sankara’s assertion that “you can kill revolutionaries, but you cannot kill ideas”.
Madam Speaker, human settlements will be used as a point of convergence to lead development and provision of social amenities and economic activities, particularly as a contribution to the pillars of Agriculture, Culture and Tourism (ACT) and private business in the villages, townships and small dorpies. We thus aim to contribute immensely to the 6% economic growth target the province has set by 2019, by playing the role of a catalyst, for economic activities, enhancing the economic pillars of Bokone Bophirima in as far as Agriculture, Culture and Tourism are concerned.
Housing development contractors will have to work with cooperatives as part of stimulating economic activity and empowerment. We will enter into agreements, within the spirit of Saamwerk-Saamtrek philosophy, as we seek to move Bokone Bophirima forward.
As masters of our destiny, 60% of our procurable good and services will be focused on the development of villages, townships and small dorpies. This will ensure the rendition of decent services on water and sanitation in the rural communities, further affirming our commitment to full achievement of ideals espoused in the Freedom Charter of JB Marks and Moses Kotane.
Madam Speaker, in Ngaka Modiri Molema, the Rooigrond Integrated Development, in ward 27 of Mahikeng Local Municipality, is envisaged to yield 1000 units over the Medium-Term Expenditure Frame Work (MTEF), as part of our commitment to the Mahikeng Rebranding, Repositioning and Renewal Programme. Feasibility studies and installation of services inclusive of water, sewer, roads and storm water has commenced on site. Land release has been obtained from the Department of Public Works and 324 hectares of land has been transferred to Mahikeng Local Municipality. Construction of top structures will commence during the month of July 2015.
In Ottoshoop, geotechnical and dolomite stability investigations have been concluded, along with the appointment of a contractor, wherein we committed to deliver 503 housing units during the 2014/15 financial year.
Further to the Rebranding, Repositioning and Renewal of the City of Mahikeng, the Department will embark on a planning process for the construction project of 1000 housing units, during 2015/16 financial year, to ultimately form part of the Mahikeng Airport Road Mixed Development over the MTEF.
We remain pleased to announce that, the aforementioned projects (Rooiground Development and Mahikeng Airport Road Mixed Development) will be official launched in the next quarter.
Madam Speaker, in the planned Naledi Precinct at Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati we commit to install internal services and construction of Breaking New Ground units, Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme and rental housing. This is in ward 25 and 28 of Naledi. 3000 units are currently under construction and 900 more units will be achieved over the MTEF.
Madam Speaker, the Department has, as part of its 2015/2016 business plan, submitted a list of catalytic projects to National Department of Human Settlements and among beneficiary areas are villages, townships and small dorpies such as Ventersdorp, Vryburg, Mahikeng and Taung. In Taung, restructuring / zonification and the feasibility study for the development of different typologies is at an advanced stage. The Greater Taung Integrated Development will see the first phase yielding 100 units in this financial year. This is made up of 50 Community Residential Units and 50 social housing units.
In Ventersdorp Local Municipality, construction of 800 BNG housing units for the 2015/16 financial year, targeting the villages of Goedgevonden, Welgevonden, Tsetse, Boikhutsong and Boikhutso will commence in this financial year.
Madam Speaker, in a drive to establish new towns, the province has through the Department of Human Settlements and in conjunction with Bakgatla ba Kgafela, identified Dwarsberg as an area for development of a new town, within the mould of the development of Bojanala Eco-Tourism City. We therefore envisage to build mixed typologies. Joint planning has commenced. In this financial year we have budgeted R10million towards planning processes for this project. This will also see the establishment of the new Bojanala district offices in that area over the MTEF.
Other projects in Bojanala District Municipality include the Bokamoso Integrated Development, in ward 34 of Rustenburg Local Municipality. This has seen the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) giving rise to installation of internal services of 1600 for the 2015/16 financial year.
The Department and the Rustenburg Local Municipality have agreed to embark on a joint planning process for the Boitekong Ext 16 Integrated Development, in 2015/16. This project is envisaged to yield rental housing units, community residential units, social housing, FLISP and BNG units.
Seraleng Integrated Development in Rustenburg Local Municipality will see the construction of rental housing and Breaking New Grounds in ward 37 of Rustenburg Local Municipality. The first phase of this project will see the construction of 560 BNG units, intended to benefit the residents of Yizo-Yizo informal settlement, in this financial year. The second phase of this project entails planning processes for the construction of rental stock.
Madam Speaker, we further make an undertaking and commitment to unblock all blocked projects as we continue to ensure that there are repercussions for shoddy work. In this regard, the process still continues. We however acknowledge that improvement of planning processes will have to be ensured, alongside continuous monitoring of contractors to adhere to delivery schedules in order to yield more completions.
In our effort to do more with little and meeting the provincial housing backlog, the Department is formally engaging various researchers in the institution of high learning such as the North West University, to find better and efficient alternative housing technologies and sanitation.
Through the utilisation of the Community Development Workers (CDWs) we will launch verification and clean-up of provincial beneficiary lists, the outcome of which will result in the establishment of the Housing Needs Register. Part of this exercise will entail identification of all incomplete housing projects so as to make an informed intervention.
In view to curb mushrooming of illegal informal settlements, the Department will develop a policy framework / legislative directive towards discouraging mushrooming of informal settlements.
Madam Speaker, in view of the aforementioned, we had convened the Housing Indaba on the 21-22 May 2015 in Taung Manthe Sports Ground, which its main objective is to have a discussion with our critical stakeholders in pursuit of completely eradicating housing backlogs and blocked projects in the province.
North West Housing Corporation (NWHC)
Madam Speaker, we are pleased that the resuscitation of the North West Housing Corporation is beginning to yield positive results. Whereas from the financial years of 2007/08 to 2012/13, the North West Housing Corporation received disclaimed audit opinion, for the 2013/14 it received a qualified audit opinion. The Department will continue to work with the Housing Corporation to ensure that it achieves clean audit reports.
Out of 32 cases of litigation against the North West Housing Corporation, the Department managed to settle 16 cases and 16 are still pending. An asset register with about 7 000 properties has been developed and audited in 2014 for the first time after 8 years. This is a positive step towards the proper management of all the assets of the NWHC. Madam Speaker we are pleased to announce that all systems are in place for us to appoint the new Board of the North West Housing Corporation, very soon.
Military veterans
Madam Speaker, a noticeable progress has been registered regarding the provision of habitable houses for the military veterans in the province. We are continuing to provide shelter for this important group our society. Their importance in the liberation of our country cannot be over emphasised. We will therefore continue to build additional
227 units for Military Veterans, in partnership with the Department of Military Veterans, in the 2015/16 financial year. The areas to be covered will be in the Districts of Ngaka Modiri Molema (Mahikeng, Dinokana and Gopane villages), in Dr. Segomotsi Mompati (Huhudi, Blomhof). In the previous financial years our key challenges has always been that some of the beneficiaries do not have sites and some do not qualify. We will engage municipalities to intervene in allocating sites and the Department of Military Veterans to perform a pre-screening process.
Madam Speaker, all procurement processes has been finalized and developers will take site soon.
Women
Madam Speaker, we remain ever inspired by the words of Thomas Sankara, that, as I quote, “The revolution and women’s liberation go together. We do not talk of women’s emancipation as an act of charity or because of a surge of human compassion. It is a basic necessity for the triumph of the revolution. Women hold up the other half of the sky.” Close quote.
18 Women contractors were appointed during the financial year 2014/15 in the month of August 2014 alone, when we dedicated 1 956 housing units to women as part of celebrating the 1956 March to the Union Buildings. This was to the amount of R193 685 932.00. This was in line with the commitment we made that 30% of Human Settlements Development Grant will be allocated to youth, women and people with disabilities.
Youth Brigade projects
Madam Speaker, today one cannot help but remember the poignant words of one of the founding members of the ANC Youth League and former President of the ANC, the late Comrade Oliver Reginald Tambo, when he made assertion that, “A nation that does not care of its youth has no future and does not deserve one”.
Within this context therefore, the department has a mandatory obligation to implement Youth Empowerment programme, this initiative is a manifestation of government’s commitment of prioritizing youth employment and empowerment in the human settlements environment and creating a sustainable pool of skills within the construction and related sectors, Within this context therefore, we commit to allocate 700 units to Youth in this financial year.
In implementing this programme, the department will align itself with the national and provincial objectives. After appointments, the department will conduct capacity assessment and, if needs be, at its own discretion, appoint a project manager to mentor these youth contractors.
Title deeds
Madam Speaker, we unfortunately find the provincial backlog in title deeds transfers sitting at 66 000. Of the 17 000 audits that were done, 5 000 title deeds are currently being transferred. We further envisage to conduct 35 000 audits and transfer 20 000 pre and post 1994 title deeds in this financial year. More often, delays in the transfers are due to contractors usually starting the process of title deed issuing at the end of the project instead of doing it in the beginning. We continue to work with them to immediately start the process when they have approved beneficiaries. This will afford our people an opportunity to have ownership on the properties, and will go a long way in retaining the dignity of our people.
Madam Speaker, on the overall, in this financial year, 13 234 housing opportunities will be provided across all housing programmes. This translates to 3 966 for Bojanala, 929 for Dr Kenneth Kaunda, 2 610 for Ngaka Modiri Molema, 3 237 for Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati. 100 Individual Subsidies and 2 392 sites which will be serviced. The contractors will be required to work with the local cooperatives, invest in buying material from locals and encourage local labour. Through a partnership with the Department of Finance Economy and Enterprise Development, each district will be empowered so as to ensure that cooperatives are able to supply the required building material.
Madam Speaker, in line with the pronouncement made by the Honourable Premier during his State of the Province Address in 2015, we are going to act on politicians who are owning RDPs. We emphasise that this is one of the practices that exacerbates community unrest, leading to protests. We will work with SIU to assist with investigations on this practice, as a way of eradicating this corrupt scourge from local municipality officials and politicians.
Setsokotsane (water and sanitation)
In addressing rural sanitation challenges, the department was able to construct 14 133 VIP units, on affected local municipalities, which were shared as follows:
Greater Taung received 5 140 units, Lekwa Teemane received 1 570 units, Ratlou received 1 000 units, Madibeng received 2 350 units, Moses Kotane received 2 500 units, Ventersdorp received 350 units, Kagisano Molopo received 833 units and Maquassi Hills received 390 units.
In addressing sanitation challenges in Boskuil in Maquassi Hills Municipality, studies and designs for Boskuil Sewer Reticulation and Oxidation Ponds have been completed and construction will commence during this Financial Year.
In addressing water challenges within Moretele Local Municipality, the Department assisted the municipality with R27 000 000.00 for the Themba Bulk Water Supply Project which commenced in the previous financial year.
The project entails the construction of three water storage reservoirs with a total of 13 Mega Litres to supply 22 000 households, across 20 villages on the southern bank of Moretele Local Municipality. These villages are inclusive of Makapanstad, Mathibestad, Mmotle, Noorkie and Tloumane villages. This project is expected to be completed during this financial year.
The first phase of Khunotswane Water Reticulation, entailing source development, has been completed. The source has been identified and two boreholes have been drilled which will yield 8 litres per second to supply the 200 kilo litre storage tank, which will serve 678 households. The second phase, which will be for internal reticulation, will commence this financial year.
Rural sanitation
Madam Speaker, focus on rural sanitation continues to express our commitment to retaining the dignity of our people. The total number of VIP toilets constructed in the Province adds up to 14 133 units.
Greater Taung benefitted 5 140 units, Lekwa Teemane received 1 570 units, Ratlou 1 000 units, Madibeng 2 350 units, Moses Kotane 2 500 units, Ventersdorp 350 units, Kagisano Molopo 833 units and Maquassi Hills 390 units in the 2014/15 financial year. We further commit to continue with rural sanitation in Greater Taung and Madibeng in this financial year.
Disaster Management Centre
Madam Speaker, as we continue to turn Bokone Bophirima into a construction site, which will make possible the realisation of vibrant villages, towns and small dorpies (VTSD) economies and pioneer the building of new cities and townships, we remain forever mindful of the need to ensure planning against disasters, which have the potential to undermine the achievement of the objectives we have set ourselves.
We made a commitment on the construction of the Provincial Disaster Management Centre, in Mahikeng, to the amount of R18,6 million. The construction of the centre has already commenced and it is envisaged to be completed in June 2016. The centre will be used to facilitate and coordinate disaster management activities across the Province. In 2014 the interim disaster management centre was utilised to coordinate the response activities during the earthquake disaster in Matlosana Local Municipality.
In this regard, the Department through the Provincial Disaster Management Centre managed to source funding from national government for the repairs and reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure as follows:
Earth quake disaster 2014
R38,5 million will be utilised for the repairs of residential property; R102 million for repairs on affected schools and R7,1 million for repairs on health facilities. As I speak, contractors are on sites, repairing the damages caused by the earthquake of 5 August 2014 mainly affecting Matlosana.
Madam Speaker, the department provided financial support to the following municipalities to procure fire engines at the value of R9,1 million; Kagisano Molopo, Tswaing, Ditsobotla, Mamusa and Naledi Local Municipalities. The purpose of the support is to ensure that our municipalities respond to emergencies and disaster timeously.
The Department provided disaster management support to four districts disaster management centres for capacity building in Risk reduction campaigns, to the amount of R2,5 million. In Greater Taung Local Municipality, 330 women from 26 wards were trained in basic fire-fighting and first-aid, during the commemoration of the Women’s Month, as part of the Women in Disaster Management Project. They were issued with certificates of competency so that they are able to manage disasters and emergencies in their own localities.
In Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, we hosted United Nations International Day Event for Disaster Risk Reduction which was held on the 13th and the 14th of October 2014 in Rustenburg Local Municipality. The event was held to raise awareness on older persons’ vulnerability to disasters, in line with the United Nations theme for 2014. More than 1000 older persons from across the province attended.
Madam Speaker, for 2015/16 financial year, Bojanala Platinum District Municipality will receive R6 425 000.00. An amount of R725 000.00 will be spent on disaster management capacity building. A total of R5 700 000.00 is allocated to procure of fire fighting vehicles with Moretele Local Municipality receiving R2.2 million, Moses Kotane Local Municipality receiving R2.2 m and Kgetleng-rivier R1.3 m.
Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality will receive the amount of R725 000.00 in this financial year, which will be spent on disaster management capacity building.
Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality has been allocated the amount of R5 125 000.00. R725 000.00) will be spent on disaster management capacity building. A total of R4 400 000.00) is allocated to procure fire fighting vehicles for Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District with an amount of R2.2 million and City of Matlosana receiving R2.2 million.
Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality will receive the amount of R725 000.00 which will be spent on disaster management capacity building.
The allocations will ensure rapid response; improve ward-based planning and reduction of disaster incidents such as floods, drought, fires and accidents.
In 2014/15 we supported all departments to develop level 2 disaster management plans. For this financial year, the Department will continue to support all provincial departments with the development of level 3 disaster management plans in order to ensure that government responds to disasters rapidly and effectively.
Radical socio-economic transformation (job creation)
Madam Speaker, we commit to create 13 500 job opportunities in 13 municipalities, through the Community Works Programme (CWP). The CWP was successfully implemented in 15 Local Municipalities and 15 208 jobs were created.
The Department is indeed proud to have contributed towards job creation in Bokone Bophirima. The municipalities which benefitted through this programme are Moretele, Madibeng, Rustenburg, Moses Kotane, Kgetleng River, Ventersdorp, Maquassi Hills, Mahikeng, Ramotshere Moiloa, Tswaing, Ratlou, Mamusa, Naledi, Kagisano Molopo and Greater Taung.
The national department has allocated 1000 opportunities for CWPs, 350 of which will be Lekwa Teemane and 650 for Greater Taung. The R2 million will be ring-fenced for MRRRP to afford us the opportunity to create more CWP job opportunities in the City of Mahikeng, with primary focus on keeping the city clean.
Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA)
Madam Speaker, the Department committed itself to render support to Moses Kotane, Greater Taung, Tswaing, Ramotshere Moiloa and Moretele Local Municipalities, on the implementation of Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act. All identified municipalities have been supported with the Municipal Readiness Assessment Template (MRAT) implementation of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA).
Workshop on SPLUMA was conducted in all municipalities for councillors and Officials. Municipalities will begin implementing from the 1st July 2015. Working in partnership with the Department on all processes, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has been identified as the custodian of SPLUMA.
Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG)
Madam Speaker , 288 MIG Projects were approved for Implementation in the whole province for 2014/15 Financial Year and some will be completed by end of June 2015, resulting in the creation of 2160 jobs.
For the current financial year, R1 697 709 000.00 MIG funding has been allocated for municipalities to implement 300 registered projects. A huge bulk of this funding is allocated to water services authorities, which will be prioritised for water and sanitation projects in the Province. Mining towns and surrounding villages within Bojanala and Dr Kenneth Kaunda District will also be prioritised.
We are pleased to announce, Madam Speaker, that there is a slight improvement in terms of expenditure since 2009 to date. Trends observed over the five years commencing from 2009/10 to 2013/14 have been 61%, 70%, 79%, 80% and 93%. The continuous improvement mainly is influenced by coordination and provision of upport and technical capacity by the Department, in collaboration with Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) and other sector Departments.
Conclusion
In conclusion Madam Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to thank Honourable Premier of Bokone Bophirima, Rre Supra Obakeng Ramoeletsi Mahumapelo for his brilliant vision to do my work diligently; Colleagues in the Executive Council for their continued support in sharing great ideas; Members of Portfolio Committee for their continued support and all Members in this august house for their contribution to make this legislature an activist legislature; Thank you very much officials from our Department for their continued support and much appreciation from partners in social delivery for their continued contributions and support. Thank you very much the African National Congress, the only hope for the people of this country to give me an opportunity to serve at this level.
We therefore table before this August House, the 2015/16 Budget Vote, number 09 for the Department of Local Government and Human Settlements, with sheer determination to correct the ills of our past, as we reclaim our soul, in rewriting our history.
I thank you
