Local Government and Housing, Phenye Vilakazi, during the farewell function of
the Cuban Engineers and welcoming of the Provincial Housing Advisory Panel,
Mafikeng
29 August 2006
Programme Director,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen:
The introduction of the National Housing Programme (NHP) 12 years ago
ushered in new hope to the poor and homeless South Africans. The government
immediately set a target of a million houses within the first five years and
started to deliver the much-needed homes to the needy.
The housing programme was however not without challenges. These challenges
ranged from proper interpretation and understanding of policy to insufficient
systems for monitoring and quality assurance.
As government, we did not rest in our laurels and left the situation as it
was at the time. The national government began to introduce proper systems and
the restructuring of provincial housing administrations as part of addressing
the challenges that we faced.
One of the initiatives we took was an agreement between the Cuban government
and ourselves to address the issue of technical expertise in housing delivery.
We were very grateful that the Cuban government agreed to avail professionals
in various fields to come to our rescue and to speed up service delivery.
Our province initially received four professionals from Cuba comprising of
two engineers and two architects who were deployed across the four
districts.
Their contribution was indeed immense and very profound as demonstrated by
the unblocking of projects and the improvement in the housing delivery both in
terms of quality and expenditure.
It is a fact that we are where we are today in terms of housing delivery
because of the contribution our Cuban friends have made during their stay in
our province. Today we boast being the best performing province in housing
delivery throughout the country.
Sadly due to personal and other reasons some of our Cuban colleagues had to
go back home, but it is only befitting that we should all appreciate their
individual and collective effort.
They have imparted their skills and knowledge to our officials at both
provincial and local level. As we bid farewell to them today, I remain
optimistic and convinced that they have been great ambassadors of their country
and have represented the generosity of their government very well.
The benevolent gesture by the Cuban government tells us that the
international community is united against the reduction of poverty, our
economies are inextricably linked and there are best practices that we can
learn from each other. The replacement of these departing selfless and
committed individuals will arrive soon after the necessary recruitment process
has been completed.
As you leave to your motherland we want to be honest and say we still
require your expertise, we will always welcome your assistance in whatever
field in which you offer to impart your skills in.
As we celebrate with you here this evening perhaps it is proper that I take
this opportunity to wish the Cuban President, Fidel Castro, a speedy recovery
from his illness. When you get home please tell your fellow countrymen that we
are with you and President Castro in prayer.
The Breaking New Ground initiative that has been introduced by the Minister
Lindiwe Sisulu will only succeed if we create good partnerships with our
stakeholders and make sure that all role-players play assumes their respective
responsibilities and obligations.
There is no doubt that partnerships have been created, political and
administrative ground levelled, bodies statutory and non-statutory created and
strategic interventions introduced as and when the need arose.
As we officially bid farewell to our Cuban colleagues, it is only with a
hope that theirs was indeed a good stay in the country and in particular in our
province and whatever that they have learnt from us will also improve their
broader understanding of developmental issues but most importantly to take a
message back home that South Africa is a winning nation, a rainbow nation and a
wonderful country.
Ladies and gentlemen, the second part of todayâs event is about a warm
welcome to the Department of the newly appointed members of the Provincial
Housing Advisory Panel.
After the disestablishment of both national and provincial housing boards,
their powers, functions and responsibilities were conferred to both the
Minister and MECs responsible for housing. Due to the legal, technical and
policy issues involved with change of responsibility it was deemed necessary
that the gap created by the boards had to be filled as a measure to support the
executive decisions with regard to provision of housing.
It was therefore on the basis of this background that the Housing Amendment
Act was promulgated by parliament and empowered members responsible for housing
to appoint an advisory panel. This is a creature of statute whose purpose is to
advise the MEC on housing development matters and it is to be constituted by
persons with qualifications, knowledge and experience in housing matters.
After a due process of calling for nominations on both the media and
government gazette, four members were recently appointed. Ladies and gentlemen,
I now have the honour to introduce to you these newly appointed members who are
here with us today. It is my hope and wish that their stay with the Department
will be an enjoyable one based on a cordial and mutual relationship with all of
us. The members are: Mr Dennis Modipa, a project manager for Modipa Development
Consultants, Adv Nazreen Peremanov, a law lecturer at Monash University South
Africa, Patricia Mazibuko, also a project manager at the Royal Bafokeng
administration and lastly, Tshiamo Vilakazi who is a practicing attorney and
conveyancer.
Issued by: Development Local Government and Housing, North West Provincial
Government
29 August 2006
Source: North West Provincial Government (http://www.nwpg.gov.za/)
