Sanda Security, Platfontein
4 April 2006
Honourable Mayor
Honourable MECs
Heads of Department
Councillors
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
I am immeasurably delighted to join all of you here to launch yet another
venture which will empower our people. Our excitement is heightened by the fact
that these services are provided to a community which has endured the hardships
for far too long.
Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to take this opportunity to thank ABSA as our
eminent partner towards the growth and development of our province. You have
indeed heeded to the call made by President Thabo Mbeki, that we should empower
our people.
The challenge is to ensure that such empowerment opportunities reach even
the poorest of the poor. We are launching an initiative that will empower this
community with skills and business knowledge, which will enable them to access
job opportunities and wealth.
Amongst others, this programme is geared towards addressing other challenges
in our communities, integrating our service delivery programme and also forging
a partnership with our communities, parastatals, non-governmental organisations
(NGOs) and community based-organisations (CBOs), business and labour and
religious communities.
In a bid to counter rising stock theft, individuals from the Xhu and Khwe
communities will be trained as security guards to be deployed in strategic
areas. These guards retain the tracking skills and capabilities of the Xhu and
Khwe. These communities previously served the old South Africa Defence Force
where they were responsible for providing tracking services to the force.
Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to be associated with a
venture which is aimed at providing skills and opportunities to our people.
Your intervention in dealing with these challenges is a strong indication to us
that you have placed yourself as strong drivers of growth and development
believing that these mechanisms are vital in the reduction of poverty levels
amongst our people.
I am particularly excited about the fact that the Xhu and Khwe communities
are part and parcel of Sanda which is a community-owned business
initiative.
The Xhu and Khwe communities own 34% and 24% shareholding respectively,
through the start-up funding which was provided by the Absa incubator fund.
I believe that this launch seeks to promote the principles of Batho Pele,
particularly that of broadening public access to empowerment opportunities and
skills development.
We are equally proud that currently 300 trackers are already servicing
various farming communities across the country. This project was run informally
where a verbal service agreement was reached between the tracker and the
farmer. When this concept is coupled with a formal business approach it is
believed Sanda Security can significantly reduce the amount of livestock theft
on South African farms. In addition the presence of trained guards can
potentially reduce the vast number of farm attacks.
We also believe that through this initiative we will be able to implement
our crime prevention strategies.
The company is already positioned to provide the following security
services:
* anchor guards to monitor livestock and act as a deterrent to criminals
* mobile guards (supplied on an ad hoc basis) form part of a reaction team to
investigate and eradicate crimes in hot-spots and
* the deployment of industrial guards utilising guards in rural town, digging
and diamond mines.
* the San people are known as experts of the field and are excellent trackers
who have operated in a military environment for the past 30 years or have
acquired military skills which will be utilised as part of their own unique
offering.
On behalf of the Northern Cape Government I therefore wish to use this
opportunity to express our appreciation for the vital role Absa continue to
play in our communities. You are creating wealth and unlocking the potential of
our people and, in so doing, you are walking through the developmental
path.
Absa is indeed ensuring that we to continue fulfil the promises we made to
our people.
Ladies and gentlemen, we believe that with you as key socio-economic
partners in the private sector, we will find new creative, practical and impact
orientated modes of engaging, supporting and working with our communities.
As government we equally have a responsibility to support entrepreneurship
to create new jobs and ensure that our communities are vibrant and prosperous.
The opportunities are endless, what is left is for you to seize them and create
much needed jobs for our people.
We call on other business institutions who have not yet heeded to our call
and other developmental sectors to join us as partners who are developmental
activists and champions of people centred development strategies.
We are encouraged by the partnership we have developed between the
Provincial Government, Absa and the San community in advancing the growth of
our province. The ultimate goal is to ensure that through societyâs growth and
development expectations, the Northern Cape is built into a prosperous province
where its citizens celebrate as a united nation its economic benefits and
natural beauty.
Decision makers in many parts of the world agree that the struggle to
eradicate poverty and underdevelopment is fundamental to the well being human
society. What I know and can say, without hesitation, is that our country,
within its means, is moving further towards a society free of poverty and
underdevelopment.
Step by step we are progressing towards the achievement of the historic goal
of reducing the number of people who rely solely on the social grants for
survival. What guides our approach is that each one of us should lend a hand in
doing the simple things that will make a difference to the lives of the
poor.
Together let us continue to do what we have to do for the sake of our people
and our country.
I thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Northern Cape Provincial Government
4 April 2006
