N Balindlela: Conference for Rural Development

28 August 2007

Theme

Strategies for implementation of integrated sustainable rural development
programmes: basis and planning for sustainable livelihoods

Introduction

I am honoured to be part of this very important conference on integrated
sustainable rural development. Since the last two conferences all stakeholders
have consolidated the rural development policies and vigorously implemented the
strategies for development. Rural development cuts right across 77 % of the
majority of the people of the Eastern Cape Province which is characterised by
extreme levels of poverty, landlessness, huge infrastructure backlogs, economic
stagnation and unemployment.

I strongly believe that co-ordinated poverty eradication strategies must be
woven into the main planning and policy development processes. It is in this
light that the State of the Province address took a trajectory to grow the
rural economy by implementing the nine High Impact Priority Projects.

The government has carefully chosen these projects because they will develop
and strengthen the rural economy in the spirit of the Accelerated and Shared
Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASgiSA) and Joint Initiative for Priority
Skills Acquisition (Jipsa).

Rural development in the State of the Province address

Let me share with you what the government has done and is doing for rural
development. In 2007 the State of the Province address identified 10 poorest
municipalities which are priority areas for resourcing. These areas include
Umzimvubu, Elundini, Intsika Yethu, Mbashe, Mbizana, Mnquma, Ngqushwa,
Ntabankulu, Nyandeni, Qaukeni, Matatiele and Engcobo. The estimated costs for
this phased-in resourcing is R4 million.

What are we doing about these priority areas and other areas for sustained
and integrated rural development?

Using a working definition of poverty the government has begun compiling a
poverty index to determine exactly which households, are poor. Poverty matrix
will soon be announced so that the impact of the integrated poverty alleviation
projects can be monitored.

Second economy interventions through Provincial Lekgotla

Having said that, in our recent provincial Lekgotla held on the 12 to 14 of
August 2007 the government identified strategic interventions to fast track
rural economy and development and reduce social and economic exclusion. Some of
the interventions
include:
* self/employment interventions in the 2nd economy
* speed up Information Communication Technology (ICT) interventions to provide
cheap platforms
* Industrial Development Policy and its implementation plan

Self employment intervention - the Kwam eMakana project

I am happy to say that as I speak the Kwam eMakana project, a group of 100
rural women has been trained to manage their own bed and breakfast businesses
in the rural areas of Grahamstown. They are now sharing their skills with other
up-and-coming business women of Mbizana. Ladies and gentlemen, I do not know
about you, but for me this is a real integrated rural development project.
These people have skills which they are able to put in use in their own
areas.

Closely linked with that project, '2010' is an every one's lips. We are also
positioning the rural small scale crafts people to take advantage of the
business to prepare for the 2010 event as well. Craft Hubs such as the one in
Mthatha have been established to allow craftsmen and women to sell their wares.
These hubs are in the liberation heritage routes which are unique in the
province of leaders. All this craft and ecotourism industry is administered and
managed by the rural communities as part of speeding up ICT interventions to
provide cheap platforms.

Programme Director, I believe strongly that the Information and
Communication (ICT) Skills are very important for rural development. To that
extent, our partnership with Lower Saxony has borne fruit. Five of our Further
Education and Training (FET) Colleges have been installed with computers so
that rural communities can be trained in the use of ICT as well as e-learning.
This will open up other technical avenues for the talents of our learners and
diversify the skills pool in order to drive economic growth and fight
poverty.

Repairing the roads

I am of the conviction that unless the huge spatial development disparities
between the western and the eastern regions of the province are bridged, no
sustainable development can be achieved. That is the reason why in the last
Exco outreach the government took a decision to prioritise the repairs of all
impassable roads. We are targeting these roads to open the means of
communication for people bringing business to the rural areas and link the
western to the eastern side. It is in this area that women in
construction
industry gets employed to build roads and schools.

Registration of AsgiSA

I think by now it is public knowledge that the government has registered the
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) namely, AsgiSA Eastern Cape (Pty) Ltd. This
venture will accelerate growth in labour intensive sectors. As these projects
are in the eastern side of the province they will accelerate growth in labour
intensive sectors and maximise the principle of 'people centred development.'
One of these projects, Umzimvubu Project, will assist us to undertake major
irrigation and water redistribution programmes to sustain crop and livestock
farming, which is a livelihood for rural communities.

Bio fuels – planting trees in Ugie and Maclear- PG Bison

Forestry is one of the few industries that can achieve true rural
development and upliftment, as the areas suited to a forestation are rural. You
will know that the government has earmarked forestry as a significant
development sector or 'lead sector' under the National Industrial Policy
Framework (NIPF), and the associated Industrial Policy Action Plan. This has
the potential for large-scale job creation, the upliftment of the rural
communities and the subsequent alleviation of poverty.

Another high-impact project is PG Bison’s new board plant, located outside
the town of Ugie. I was privileged to witness the product of its work a few
weeks ago. The board plant will supply the furniture and building materials
industries. It has created 2 700 permanent jobs. That is where the 103 houses
for staff have included women who are in construction.

Conclusion

I am sure I have been able to make it clear to this conference that all our
programmes are pro poor. We do not sleep while Rome burns. Poverty is like
fire, eating away at the dignity of the poor rural people. We cannot allow the
pervasive levels of uneven development which are a result of the divide and
rule era to continue. It will require a sustained effort from all stakeholders
to reverse this unacceptable phenomenon.

I urge all stakeholders, civic organisations and business people to
patriotically implement integrated and sustainable programmes. In that way we
can end the social and economic exclusion which is an every day experience for
the rural communities. Asinakudlala ngomlilo libe litsha I Pondo!

I thank you

Issued by: Eastern Cape Provincial Government
28 August 2007
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecprov.gov.za)