Nkoana-Mashabane on the occasion of the launching of the websites for five
Project Consolidate Municipalities in Elias Motsoaledi
20 April 2007
Programme director
Members of the Executive Council present
The Executive Mayor of Sekhukhune District Municipality
The Mayor of Elias Motsoaledi Cllr Lionel Seloane
The Mayors of Mutale, Fetakgomo, Giyani and Tubatse
Officials from our Government
Traditional leaders
Representatives from Business Fraternity
Our friends from the media
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
In 2001 Nigeria Abuja, African heads of states met and made a pledge for a
New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) based on common vision and a
firm and shared conviction to eradicate poverty and to place their countries on
a path of sustainable growth and development. The summit further acknowledged
that a historic opportunity presents itself to end the scourge of
underdevelopment that afflicts Africa. The resources including capital,
technology and human skill that are required to launch a war against poverty
and underdevelopment.
It is against this backdrop that our President Thabo Mbeki on the occasion
of the 95th anniversary of the ANC proclaimed, "the year for the
intensification of a struggle against poverty".
Programme Director
Information and communication technologies (ICTs), driven by computers,
telecommunications and traditional are crucial for the knowledge based economy
of the future. Intensive use of information technology can bring unprecedented
comparative advantages to our municipalities and it can give and impetus to the
democratisation process and good governance. In concert with our developmental
agenda information and communication technology can facilitate the integration
of our province into the new information age using its cultural diversity as a
leverage. ICTs can be useful tools in a wide range of applications, such as
remote sensing, environmental, agricultural and infrastructural planning.
As a growing and emerging economy and with our commitment of pushing back
the frontiers of poverty and creation of employment opportunities by halving
unemployment by 2014, we must exploit opportunities for trade, investment and
finance. Given the fact that Sekhukhune District has an abundance of an
explored mineral wealth, platinum we must strive to exploit the information
technology advancement to enable us to be able process this commodity in our
area thus creating employment for our people.
Programme director, the Department of Local government and Housing is
mandated by the constitution of the Republic of South Africa Chapter seven and
other legislations to support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to
manage their own affairs. We have gathered here today to bear testimony to our
efforts as a Department of Local Government and Housing to strengthen and
support municipalities through information technology to deliver services to
our people.
The national and provincial government has a targeted programme to assist
municipalities to effective and efficiently deliver services to those who need
to them most, the masses of our people who happen to be poor and African. The
project consolidate programme was established in line with our mandate of
strengthening and supporting municipalities in order to assist municipalities
in service delivery and challenges around billing systems.
As we launch these five municipal websites today, we are cognizant of the
fact that eight other municipalities are still to follow in the footstep that
we have already embarked upon. Yesterday my councillor and I launched a
programme that is geared towards consolidating our partnership with
communities. This program serves as an embodiment of "A people's contract to
advance the vision of the Freedom Charter and "A plan to make local government
work better for you". Our strategic objective is to ensure that councillors are
given opportunities to respond to critical questions from the communities
through radio interviews with Thobela FM, Munghana Lonene and Phalaphala FM. We
will continue to use other 10 community radio stations in the province to
advance this project as part of our efforts to fight against poverty and
underdevelopment.
Programme director, central important as the matter of the building of the
people's contract for a better South Africa and the advancement of the vision
of Freedom Charter, we must do much more to promote the profound process of
social transformation for a better life for all to which we are committed. I
further reiterate that we must remain vigilant of some people masquerading as
concerned groups. Their concern is a fight for their stomach and self
enrichment.
We call upon our new cadre for local government to ensure service delivery
takes place and genuine grievances of our people must be raised through proper
channels and procedures known to all. It is my firm view and that of the ANC
that development is about people. It is for this reason that a launch of these
websites will immensely contribute towards development of our people through
information and communication technology.
May I take this opportunity to thank all officials from our department and
municipalities for their selfless dedication for the success of this milestone
and momentous event.
May I pronounce that the website development for Elias Motsoaledi, Greater
Giyani, Fetakgomo, Makhuduthamaga and Mutale is officially launched.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, Limpopo Provincial
Government
20 April 2007
Source: Limpopo Provincial Government, (http://www.limpopo-dlgh.gov.za)
