Honourable Speaker, Ms Thandi Modise, 2007/08
10 May 2007
Honourable Deputy Speaker
Honourable Premier
Honourable Members
Our Executive Management and Employees
Ladies and gentlemen
On this occasion, I thought it would be appropriate to re-echo the words in
the preamble of the Constitution of our beautiful Country that:
We, the people of South Africa,
Recognise the injustices of our past,
Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land,
Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country and
Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our
diversity.
We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this
Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to heal the divisions of
the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and
fundamental human rights. Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society
in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is
equally protected by law. Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free
the potential of each person; and build a united and democratic South Africa
able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of
nations.
May God protect our people.
Nkosi Sikelelâ iAfrika. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso.
God seën Suid-Afrika. God bless South Africa.
Mudzimu fhatutshedza Afurika. Hosi katekisa Africa.
I therefore once again stand before this esteemed House to present our
budget speech for 2007/08 in our endeavour as freely elected representatives to
"Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic
values, social justice and fundamental human rights" as our Constitution of
1996 dictates to all of us.
Our esteemed House offers us, as freely elected representatives, an
exclusive moment to determine whether, for the past 12 months, we have betrayed
the overwhelming aspirations of our people or have we progressed to inflict an
indelible dent on the injustices of the past in pursuit of a "Better Life for
All." In addition, today is also a special moment to critically reflect by
engaging in introspection upon our achievements, failures and our immediate and
long term challenges to ensure that the popular will of our people as
encapsulated in our supreme law of the land becomes a reality.
Deputy Speaker,
It is our shared dream that as we collectively march forward in pursuit to
realise the dictates of our Constitution of 1996, tomorrow will be better than
yesterday and today, because of our memorable gains of twelve years of a
democratic government, we remain inspired by our collective efforts that the
season upon us will continue to usher in a beacon of hope for a better future.
I am therefore reminded that during the past years nothing could justify the
conclusion, similar to the one of Macbeth, a tragedy portrait by William
Shakespeare reached, that any of your yesterdays has only served to guide fools
to avoid catastrophe.
In the previous year, within the context of one of our primary mandates of
public participation we reached 80% of our expenditure. In other words, we
continue to make good strides through sectoral parliaments such as youth,
women, older people, disabled people, workers, HIV and AIDS, human rights and
other issues that we may deem relevant to involve all sectors of our
communities to raise awareness.
In Committees which most importantly focuses on public hearings, study tours
by our Honourable Members and the overall oversight functions, which is also
one of our primary mandate we reached 95% expenditure. To ensure that the
public profile of the Legislature is enhanced, a matter that all of us honestly
complained about in the past, we have exceeded our expectation by reaching 97%
expenditure.
The following explicitly indicates that we have performed as promised when
we appeared before the ever-hard working Portfolio Committee on Premier and
Legislature:
Office of the Speaker, 92,10%
Office of the Secretary 87,03%
Internal Audit 69,38%
Finance: 94%
Finance: CFO 78,25%
Financial Transactions: 94,27%
Income and Budgeting 93,88%
Corporate Services: 74,28%
Office Support: 90,03%
Information Technology:62,80%
Human Capital Services: 82,75 %
Members' Salaries: 91,60%
Logistics: 81,57%
Exposure to Parliament: 75,49
Proceedings: 62,11%
National Council of Province (NCOP): 56,47%
Communications: 94,30%
Learning and Knowledge Man: 78,51%
Total: 82,58%
Total Vote Expenditure: 79,69%
All these remarkable percentages, with the exception of the NCOP,
interpreted comprehensively clearly indicates that our collective dream of
inflicting an indelible dent on the injustices of the past will gradually
become a permanent beaming face with confidence of our people in recognition of
our good progress towards addressing their genuine aspirations.
For 2007/08 financial year, the Legislature was allocated a total budget of
R97 298 000. This amount is divided into three programmes which consist of
administration, membersâ salaries and parliamentary operations. This is a
decrease of 23,4% over the previous financial year's budget of R127 014
million. This amount is allocated as follows to the various programmes of the
legislature:
Programme 1: Administration
An amount of R59 701 000 has been provided for the Administration Programme.
The programme provides funding for the Speaker, Secretary, Finance, Corporate
Services and Internal Audit.
Programme 2: Members salaries
This programme is allocated an amount of R14 165 000 for the payment of
salaries of Members of the Legislature. It is a statutory programme, because
this money is disbursed in terms of the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers
Act 20 of 1998.
A point should be made that in respect to the proposal by Moseneke
Commission to the President of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) about salary
increments for elected representatives, we foresee not to encounter any problem
on whatever decision is made, because this is a statutory matter. In other
words, whatever will emerge out of the current discussions between all
interested parties about our rightfully deserved increment and which will
thereafter be approved by the President of our Country, will be implemented in
all respect.
Ke lo kopa gore lo none pelo ka mathe. Bayang pelo bagaetsho. Ons vra u
hartlik om langmoedig te wees.
Programme 3: Parliamentary operations
The budget allocated for this programme is R23 432 000. This programme
provides funding for Membersâ Support for the secretarial and constituency
allowance, the hosting allowance, and expenditure on committee work regarding
oversight activities such as dealing with annual reports, oversight visits and
public hearings on legislation. This programme will in due course be divided
into Membersâ Support and Committee Work. Other activities funded under this
Programme are:
* expenditure towards NCOP activities
* workshops, conferences and seminars that Members of the Legislature attend
and exploratory visits to other countries, including national and international
conferences
* the review of the effectiveness of legislation passed by the Legislature
since 1994
* sectoral Parliaments as a form of increasing public participation in the
activities of the Legislature within particular sectors of our society;
* organising activities, such as the back to school campaign and the
adopt-a-school and donate a flag campaigns
* for committees such as public hearings and oversight for Members of
Parliament (MPL).
The Legislature is in the process of introducing an Integrated Finance,
Human Resource and Procurement system to replace the current obsolete systems
such as, Walker and Persal, which are not compatible with each other.
Deputy Speaker
It is worth emphasising that, after we engaged in budget processes, where
all different units of the Legislature were involved, we reached a realistic
budget figure of R118 527 000 which we then presented to Provincial Treasury as
per Treasury Regulations and the Public Finance Management Act of 1999.
Unfortunately, because of barrage of various challenges to our entire
province, which inevitably had a negative effect on the final allocation of our
departments and quasi government institutions, our budget was reduced to R97
298 000.
A point that requires mentioning in this respect, we are told by Treasury,
is that due to the shortfall that resulted from the financial impact of
demarcation, all of us had to face the consequence of budget cut. The areas
that were affected are the following:
Programmes: Administration
%Decrease: 14,7
Programmes: Legislature Operations
%Decrease: 31,9%
Areas: Compensation of employees
%Decrease: 6,1%
Areas: Goods and services: 26,5%
%Decrease: 26,5%
Areas: Capital
%Decrease: 29,9%
Deputy Speaker
It is with a huge sense of relief as today marks the end of "we have always
done it in this way" as Keats put it in his poem: To Hope and it marks the
beginning of a moment different to any other. After 12 years, we now have a set
of policies intended to harmonise work relations ranging from work place
harassment, HIV and AIDS, risk management, disciplinary procedure, recruitment,
asset management disposal and supply chain management which in part empowers
the Speaker to act within the law, e.g. "Where computer equipment is to be
disposed of, the relevant Department of Education should be approached to make
arrangements for free transfer of such assets to educational institution."
(Legislature Supply Chain Management policy).
Approximately 450 computers with minor deficiencies and others not with
Pentium four will be donated to needy schools by the beginning of the second
quarter of 2007. My office will ensure that the necessary interaction with the
office of the Member responsible for Education ensues in earnest to expedite
this matter.
We recognised that life in an institution such as our Legislature has also
produced in the past many years variable new challenges which necessarily
required our well-thought intervention. The challenges required the objective
perspective of management, general employees as well as the brilliant flashes
of vision wise leadership provides. In the process, we became acutely mindful
that if our institution is over-managed but under-led, it would eventually lose
any sense of spirit or purpose.
A poorly managed institution with a strong, charismatic leader may soar
briefly only to crash shortly thereafter. Malpractice can be as damaging and
unethical for managers and the general employees as for physicians or
sportspeople. Myopic managers or over zealous leaders usually harm more than
just themselves.
It is in this context that we will continue to recruit versatile and
flexible employees who are artists as well as analysts, who can reframe
experience to discover new issues and possibilities. In other words, the urge
to recruit managers and the general employees who love their work, their
institution and the people whose lives they affect will remain unstoppable.
Similarly, we need employees who appreciate management as a moral and ethical
undertaking. We need managers who combine hard-headed realism with passionate
commitment to larger societal values and collective purposes. But if we
tirelessly endeavour to encourage and nurture such qualities and possibilities,
the Policy Manual I have already mentioned within the workplace should become a
bed-rock of our Legislature.
Deputy Speaker
It will be a disservice on my part if I do not elaborate on our long-term
inspirational intention to empower or capacitate not only the individual
Honourable member, but to develop, through your indulgence, what I have coined
as a "Golden Ring" of expertise around each and every chairperson of a
Committee. In simple words, a chairperson of a Committee should have be a basic
legal, research, budget analyst, with the support of both the committee
administrator and administrative assistant who are already in place.
In essence, this approach we are optimistic will enable us to manage
Committee political workflow demands. We will become "working political
managers" managing socio-economic and political workflow demands on the
boundaries between departments, community expectations, the general
socio-economic and political imperatives of our province and making things work
effectively and efficiently within the broad parameters of our Constitutional
mandate of law making, public participation and oversight.
I am inclined to restate that this approach will also present us with a
unique opportunity to be a "working political manager" who knows the
expectations of the province and if need be of the country, inside out, is
comfortable with fluidity and recognises that different parts should be made to
fit into an integrated whole.
Our success in this respect will surely depend upon planning,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation including expertise. Astute
politicians should recognise that extraordinary efforts are required to attain
and sustain our young democracy and an efficient and effective Chairperson of a
Committee is a must. With an in-depth understanding of our socio-economic and
political environment, we are bound to resolve inherent contradictions and
ambiguities within our communities.
Deputy Speaker
Within this financial year (2007/08) we will conclude on the process for the
Speaker as the Executing Authority of the Legislature to exercise treasury
functions. We are hopeful that this process will inevitably safeguard the
autonomy of the Legislature and clearly illustrate the separation of powers as
stated in the Constitution of our Country. For the Legislature to exercise its
treasury functions is sacrosanct as per the tradition of all developed
democracies as it was prophesied by Montesquieu, a political thinker and social
commentator who occupied a prominent role during the enlightenment period
around eighteen century and founded the notion of trias politicas separation of
powers. Central to this process of exercising the treasury functions is our
endeavour towards implementing a human resource, financial and procurement
system namely Oracle before the end of July 2007.
With all humility at my disposal I would like to inform all Honourable
Members that this new system will be called Mphatlalatsane or Ikwezi. The name
emerged out of a freely run competition by all our employees yesterday. This
name means an early morning star which is believed to drive darkness away and
ushers in brightness. Mphatlalatsane is a sign of hope, prosperity and
success.
Our employees have urged me to request all Honourable Members that in future
around July when this system will be properly functioning, if a Member want to
inquire about a claim, a reference to Persal or Walker should not be made but
rather Mphatlalatsane or Ikwezi reference would solve a Members' problem. Well
done to Mr Makapane who coined the name and all other competitors for having
entered the competition.
This system must assist us to move further in addressing perennial questions
of Honourable Members about delayed payments on transport claims and other
related matters. At the same time, a matter of serious concern from all of us
in respect to the security of the Legislature is now receiving urgent
attention. We have terminated the contract of Rentcop Pty (Ltd) which has been
providing electronic security system at a fee of approximately R28 million
monthly not proportionate with the quality of service we require as the
Legislature is declared a National Key Point.
A totally new process will have to commence and I sincerely believe, that
Honourable Members should clearly articulate their expectations for the new
system and thereafter the necessary Supply Chain Management System from
evaluation to adjudication could proceed. I would humbly like to caution all
Honourable Members that this approach does not mean Honourable Members would be
involved in the tendering process, but we would like to safeguard that our
security expectations are fully integrated in the new system.
In addition, I have continuously raised the matter of South African Police
Service (SAPS) personnel that provides physical security at our Legislature
with top SAPS authorities and I am confident that all our concerns will be
adequately considered.
Deputy Speaker
For the Legislature to achieve its constitutional mandates, it is vital that
its programmes and workforce is guided by a targeted performance. Failure to
which, will result in complacence and loss of focus, consequently, the
institution will produce "irrelevant" products. It is in this context that the
Performance Management and Development System were introduced. The programme
started in 2006 financial year and on of the total budget was set aside for
rewarding good performing employees. Managers conducted the quarterly reviews
and we are in a process of finalising the last assessments.
It is within this context that in December 2006 I appointed a multi party
team of Honourable (Hon) Tshwene, Hon Matladi, Hon Hattingh, and Hon Mahlakeng
to assess the performance of the Secretary to the Legislature, and the
recommendation demonstrated his commitment to assisting this hallowed House to
execute its Constitutional mandate proficiently. We continue to appreciate his
steering leadership on the management and the cooperation of all our employees
thereof. The process of assessment of each and every employeeâs performance
continues and I should mention that executive managers are scheduled to present
their performance targets to the Secretary to the Legislature within two
weeks.
Deputy Speaker
The Legislature's affairs should be guided by the government policies and
regulations, such as the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). Failure to do so
will give an impression that we do not respect the law we erect. It is in this
background that we need to pass the Legislature â Management bill to be
fast-tracked. (The current system, of the management board, is against the
stipulations of the PMFA, which, contradict the treasury regulations).
We therefore, beseech the Committee concerned, to follow traditional
procedures of refining and ensuring that the bill enhances the effective
management of the institution and curb elements, which might contradict
treasury and other institutional management regulations.
Deputy Speaker
Let it be stated today without any fear of contradiction that all of us, as
elected representatives in our Legislature have painfully observed for a
considerable period that some quasi-government entities have not respected all
the Constitutional provisions and other related legal remedies to be
accountable to the Legislature.
Without mentioning the names of such institutions, I would like us to note
that the Legislature will never shy away from its Constitutional sacrosanct
mandate of conducting oversight function over all government departments and
government institutions. This, under no circumstances should be construed as a
which-hunt exercise but we shall intensify our efforts to entrench the culture
of accountability and to uphold the sanctity of the Legislature.
The establishment of the ad hoc committee is a direct result of compliance
with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Section 116 of the said
Constitution clearly stipulates that the Legislature is empowered to determine
its internal arrangements, proceedings, and procedures. The section further
gives the legislature the powers to determine the establishment, composition,
procedures, functions, powers and duration of its own Committees. The Ad Hoc
Committee of this institution therefore was established as a result of
Constitutional requirements and this house would be tabling its findings in due
course.
Deputy Speaker
I would also like to record our appreciation for immense contribution of the
European Union (EU) to have funded a number of our important projects, which
ranges from capacity building for the Honourable Members to gender related
programmes. Through good performance, we also managed to access more funds than
it was budgeted for due to our speedy response to spending on specified
projects. The European Union (EU) funding was primarily focused on four result
areas such as law making systems, public participation, gender and disability
and skills development.
As I have already stated, the following percentages demonstrated our
relentless effort in augmenting our ever-limited resources with EU funding to
achieve specific projects which without EU funding would have been a pipe
dream. (1) Law Making Systems 92%; (2) Public Participation 214%; (3) Gender
and Disability â36%; (4) Skills Development 46%. These percentages converted
into monetary value, our Legislature used R3 325 332. It is worth mentioning
that due to the completion of this EU programme and to avoid forfeiting the
funds back to the EU, towards the end of September 2006 the EU funds were
transferred to the pool for continued usage by the Legislative sector of our
Country.
It is noteworthy Honourable Members that the Legislative Review is
continuing funded by the EU and the final report will be table to the relevant
Committee in due course. We are hopeful that the interaction between the
Speakers Forum and the Resident Ambassador of the EU in South Africa will
culminate into a new funding for the Legislative sector to engage in new
projects and enhance our performance such as gender and disability and skills
development.
Deputy Speaker
It should be stated categorically that we are mindful of the urgency to
develop the Petitions bill and I therefore promise this august House that this
very important piece of legislation will be processed by the relevant Committee
and passed as a law before the beginning of the second quarter in this
year.
The standard of debates in the House has improved. Most of the Legislature
committees are functional and are in line with adopted programme of the
legislature. I also want to put on record the fact that the ill-disciplined who
do not respect the norms and standards of this will be reported to their
respective political parties.
Deputy Speaker
Under an illegitimate government such as the erstwhile Apartheid system of
government, anarchy and violent means in pursuit of whatever objectives will
thrive in leaps and bounds. Put differently, anarchy and violence breeds
anarchy and violence under a government for the few; of the few; and by the
few. That is why as a liberation movement (ANC) we engaged in mass action to
make the country ungovernable because we were fully convinced that "Freedom in
our Life Time."
However, under a legitimate government such as ours, which draws its
legitimacy from the popular will of our people, a government of the people; for
the people and by the people, anarchy and violence invites State security
apparatus to act decisively in defence of peace, stability, prosperity, and to
instil lawfulness.
This must communicate the message to our people in Merafong that all civil
or lawful means should be exploited to air whatever legitimate grievances the
people of Merafong have about incorporation into the North West province. We
are all agreed to remember as the preamble in our supreme law of the land
asserts "Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our
diversity." It is our fervent wish and we will continue to contribute for
normality to prevail that workers go to work, school kids attend school
regularly and above all, the Merafong Municipality discharge its Constitutional
mandate of service delivery to the community without any tinge of hindrance. We
also wish to pay tribute to all our national security agencies for the
consistent role they are playing as part of the midwives of stability, peace,
prosperity and lawfulness in Merafong.
Honourable Members
I would like to conclude by saying that we owe these outstanding
achievements to the sterling efforts made by all the employees of our
Legislature through, Honourable Members' collaborative understanding in
responding to the demands and challenges to our Legislature. To that extent, I
would like to take the opportunity of this Budget Speech to salute and thank
all Honourable Members of this House for responding to the silent call of our
people that constrained by and yet regardless of the accumulated effect of our
historical burdens, seize the time to define for ourselves what we want to make
of our shared destiny.
Millions in our province did indeed seize the time and, in action, continue
to define ours as a shared destiny of peace, democracy, non-racism, non-sexism,
shared prosperity and a better life for all. It is because of what these
millions of our people did that our people know from their own experience that
today is better than yesterday, and are confident that tomorrow will be better
than today.
Certainly, as one of our great leaders once said "It is up to all of us,
through our National Effort, to build a winning nation, to do all the things
that will ensure that the mountains and the hills of our country break forth
into singing before all our people, and all the trees of the field clap their
hands to applaud the peopleâs season of joy."
Ke a leboga;
Kgotso a e yate.
Issued by: North West Provincial Legislature
10 May 2007
