Gauteng Legislature Johannesburg
13 February 2006
Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Gauteng Legislature
Members of the Executive Council
Leaders of Political Parties
Honourable Members
Executive Mayors
Representatives of Salga Gauteng
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners
Heads of Departments
Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service
Heads of Chapter Nine institutions in Gauteng
Community Leaders
Leaders of Faith Communities
Members of the Gauteng APRM Governing Council
Distinguished Guests
Comrades and Friends
The people of Gauteng
The adoption of our democratic constitution ten years ago, following on the
first democratic elections and years of negotiations, was a critical
breakthrough in our struggle to establish a democratic order in our country.
Our new constitution heralded a new dawn for our country, representing a
contract amongst all South Africans to work together for the creation of a
united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.
The challenge we face as we look back at the past twelve years of freedom
and democracy, celebrate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of our
Constitution and outline our programme of action for 2006, is to move with
speed to ensure the full realisation of the rights enshrined in the
Constitution in the shortest possible period of time.
As we celebrate and honour the youth of 1976 for their role in bringing
about the demise of Apartheid and building a better life for our people, we
need to pay more attention to the development of a package of measures to
improve the lives of today's youth through among others the provision of
quality education, skills development and opportunities to participate in the
economy.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the women's march, to the Union
Building in 1956, we are called upon to double our efforts to ensure an
increased focus on the provision of shelter, healthcare, infrastructure,
financing for women entrepreneurs and broader participation in economic
activity.
One way of restoring the dignity of people who still use the hated bucket
system is to work hard towards its elimination and in the process restore the
dignity of municipal workers who for years have been doing this dehumanising
work.
In his recent State of the Nation Address the President spoke about the
country having entered its "Age of Hope". This is definitely true of
Gauteng.
Gauteng has continued to strengthen its position as an economic engine of
the country and the continent. We reached a growth rate of 5.6% in the fourth
quarter of 2004, continuing the trend of sustained growth over the past 10
years.
Most importantly, this sustained growth has led to a sustained reduction in
joblessness. According to Stats South Africa's Labour Force Survey,
unemployment in Gauteng declined from 30.4% in September 2001 to 22.8% in
September 2005. This despite continued high levels of in-migration.
In line with our strategy to build a smart province, the tertiary sector has
expanded significantly and now contributes at least 60.8% to growth.
Gauteng accounts for the bulk of all employees' remuneration in the country,
at a whopping 47.7%, and is responsible for 50.4% of all company turnover.
According to a Business Day article last week on recent research by the
Bureau of Market Research, Gauteng's 2.8 million households were last year
responsible for more than one third (35%) of the country's household
expenditure, spending R302 billion.
Gauteng continues to attract over 52% of the seven million international
tourists who come to South Africa. Similarly, domestic tourism grew from 16.6%
in the first quarter of 2005 to 22.1% in the second quarter.
Bearing in mind the need to balance social and economic needs, our
contribution to the social wage has also kept pace with the needs of our people
in many respects:
* 96% of households have access to free basic water
* 77.6% of households have free basic electricity
* 83% of identified bucket systems had been replaced
* Over 80% have access to basic sanitation
* Over 80% have weekly refuse removal services
* 1 142 172 people benefit from the social grant system, including 883 669
children on child support grants
* 310 881 of the poorest children in primary schools were exempted from school
fees and 378 298 benefited from the school nutrition programme
* 35 972 children are benefiting from foster care grants
* 38 231 of the poorest children in Grade 1 will have received free school
uniforms by the end of March 2006
* 66 318 of the poorest children are on our free scholar transport system
* 151 236 orphans and vulnerable children infected and affected by HIV and AIDS
benefited from 98 community based care programmes and
* Between 1994 and March 2005, ownership of 277 367 houses was transferred to
Gauteng residents, 381 585 stands were serviced and 225 254 houses were
built.
This amounts to close to 900 000 housing opportunities, directly benefiting
the lives of more than 3.5 million residents - more than one third of Gauteng's
current population.
Research conducted by CreateSA in 2003 showed that over 40% of all creative
enterprises are found in Gauteng. It is therefore not surprising that, Tsotsi,
a film created by one of our own and filmed in the streets of Gauteng's
townships and suburbs, was nominated in the Foreign Language Film category for
the 78th Annual Academy Awards. This is just the latest in a string of awards
for the acclaimed film and represents a new wave of home-grown films, music and
other creative products which are putting South Africa on the world map while
creating jobs and economic opportunities.
The Gauteng good news story has been made possible through the
implementation of our local, provincial and national elections manifestos,
implementation of our five year programme of action and the programme we
outlined during the state of the province address last year.
A key pillar of Gauteng's economic success has been public investment in
strategic economic infrastructure which has stimulated private sector
investment, growth and job creation in key projects and sectors such as
business tourism, logistics infrastructure, manufacturing and information and
communications technology (ICT).
Blue IQ in particular has made significant progress over the past four
years, investing over R2.8 billion in various assets between 2001 and 2005.
This has resulted in sustainable and successful economic infrastructure,
commercial enterprises and success stories comparable with the best in the
world.
Development at the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site is turning the
area into a world-class tourism destination, with all the economic benefits
that this entails. In September 2005 the Deputy President Phumzile
Mlambo-Ngcuka opened new facilities at the Sterkfontein Caves and in December,
the President opened the award-winning tourist attraction, Maropeng. Maropeng
was last year voted the best new tourism project worldwide and also won awards
for construction and public private partnerships.
Our strategy of investing in the development of roads and bulk
infrastructure and in a network of visitor centres in order to crowd in private
sector investment in tourism business activity is paying off. Research in 2005
showed that we are successfully transforming the local economy from its past
reliance on mining and agriculture to high value tourism. Tourism attractions
in the area increased from 68 in 2001 to 275 in 2005, employing about 4500
permanent and casual workers. More people are visiting the area, over 70 000
per week, and more money is circulating in the area, in excess of R7.5 million
per week.
Together with the West Rand District Municipality we are committed to
harnessing these achievements to create more jobs and to contribute to a
further reduction of poverty in the West Rand.
The Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) was launched in April 2005 to provide
financial and non-financial support to small, medium and micro enterprises
(SMMEs) in Gauteng and unleash their potential as engines for accelerated
economic growth and expanded participation in the economy. A key focus has been
to promote the sustainability of SMMEs and enhance their access to
resources.
So far, GEP has assisted over 400 SMMEs in key areas such as productivity
enhancement, quality assurance, developing business plans, marketing and human
resources development. An additional 1000 aspiring and existing entrepreneurs
have been trained and a new SMME portal has been launched to link SMMEs to
economic opportunities. Of those assisted, 41% are owned by women and 81% by
historically disadvantaged individuals.
The Innovation Hub was launched in April 2005 as Africa's first Science Park
destined to nurture and grow enterprises in the knowledge sector of the
economy. It has become a landmark in Tshwane, boosting the local economy and
exceeding expectations, with over 50 companies and 500 people on site. The Hub
has successfully secured the bid to host the 2008 International Association of
Science Parks (IASP) World Conference, presenting us with the opportunity to
showcase the province, the country and the continent.
On 26 June 2005, we were graced with the presence of the country's top
leaders, veterans of the struggle for freedom and tens of thousands of people
from across the country at the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the
Freedom Charter and the opening of the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication,
which we developed together with Johannesburg as part of the Kliptown urban
renewal project.
In July 2005 we launched phase one of the Brickfields housing project in the
Newtown precinct, adding to other successful initiatives such as the Nelson
Mandela Bridge, Mary Fitzgerald Square and the Metro Mall. These initiatives
have helped make Newtown a magnet for creative activities and a dynamic,
vibrant, sophisticated and cosmopolitan cultural quarter.
The Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) remains a success story,
providing services across the automotive industry and creating employment
opportunities. Last year, 292 previously unemployed youths were given both
formal and vocational training in the automotive industry, and have been
prepared for full-time employment in the sector.
The internationally respected auditing company Deloitte and the Financial
Mail newspaper rated the AIDC among the top 20 companies to work for in South
Africa and first in the automotive industry. The centre was also named as one
of South Africa's Top 300 Companies for the third year in a row and was a
finalist in the Innovation and Sustainability Awards.
Due to our investment in the development of the Dinokeng Game Reserve,
tourism attractions in the area have tripled from 90 to 278. The procurement of
game for the reserve will start in May 2006 and the project will be officially
opened in December 2006. Employment levels are expected to increase from 300
people to an estimated 2800 jobs during construction with a sustained level of
about 1500 direct jobs within the game reserve.
In line with our commitments, we have completed the provincial government's
strategy for broad based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) and are putting in
place the necessary institutional mechanisms to implement the strategy. As
announced earlier, together with SMME development and support, our aim is to
ensure that by 2009, 70% of the enterprises that benefit from GPG procurement
will be broad-based black economically empowered.
Notwithstanding the progress we have made to implement our programme of
action, more still needs to be done to ensure that we deliver on our commitment
to the development of the provincial safety plan, strategy to reduce fatalities
on our roads, integrated transport plans, province wide indigent policy, review
of provincial road networks and the review of powers and functions of
provincial and local government.
One of the key issues that the 2006 programme of action should respond to
are the expectations of our people for more economic growth, job creation,
poverty reduction and accelerated delivery of basic services.
In this regard we need to continue to work with various stakeholders to put
in place a package of measures to:
* increase the rate of productive investment, economic growth and
development
* reduce the levels of unemployment through the preservation of jobs and job
creation
* develop micro, small and medium enterprises
* promote investment in social and economic infrastructure in a manner that
promotes growth and addresses development in underdeveloped areas
* vigorously attend to the improvement of our system of education and training,
including early childhood development, primary and high school education,
further education and training, tertiary education and skills development
* improve the quality of life of all our people through improved and
accelerated service delivery
* reduce the levels of poverty and racial, gender and spatial inequality
and
* encourage and improve trade with the rest of the African continent
* Improve the management and functioning of local government.
As indicated in June 2005 in this house, the Provincial Growth and
Development Strategy to grow the economy to at least 8% by 2014, contribute to
the national effort to halve poverty and unemployment with a focus on specific
sectors was launched in April 2005. An amount of close to R8 billion has been
allocated for the implementation of this strategy over the next Medium Term
Expenditure Framework (MTEF) beginning in April this year.
Our country's economic achievements have created the possibility for a
further massive expansion of public investment in the economy to accelerate
shared growth. The Gauteng GDS together with the recently announced Accelerated
and Shared Growth Initiative - South Africa (ASGISA) and other national
initiatives will ensure that we are able to take advantage of the massive
opportunities that exist in this regard.
Our growth strategy seeks to not only increase growth rates but to translate
this economic growth into job creation and other economic opportunities for
those historically denied access to such opportunities.
This is central to the challenge of attacking poverty and underdevelopment
in our province, reducing inequality and income gaps and bridging the gap
between the first and the second economy.
In the context of our GDS and in line with ASGISA, we will continue to seek
to expand investment and employment opportunities in our province. Through the
Gauteng Economic Development Agency (Geda) we have facilitated significant new
investment in the province, including in the area of business process
outsourcing (BPO).
The South Africa Contact Centre Community (Sacccom) predicts that South
Africa will in the next few years be among the world's top three offshore
locations providing high value call centre services and that, by 2008, we will
increase the number of call centre seats by at least 50%.
Last year, 750 jobs in this sector were created in Gauteng by just two
companies, with an initial investment of R50 million and plans to employ an
additional 500 more people. Many more have received training to enable them to
find employment in the sector.
Together with the city of Johannesburg we have been engaged in discussion
with Vodacom on a partnership that will involve the development of a call
centre, learnerships involving the provincial government and Services Sector
Education and Training Authority (SETA) and the creation of the necessary
infrastructure. I am pleased to announce that we have now agreed on a
partnership which will see Vodacom locate their new call centre in the
Johannesburg CBD and creating a further 1500 new jobs.
Another exciting venture is the Eye of Africa development, which promises to
bring investment of up to R5 billion into an area to the south of Johannesburg,
creating 6000 employment opportunities over the next three years and 12 000
indirect jobs. This mega project is yet another vote of confidence in our
province by local and international investors and will boost socio-economic
development in Midvaal, Sedibeng, one of the province's poorest areas. It will
feature a "Statue of Unity" which will become one of the province's key
landmarks and is destined to become a major tourism destination.
Following the successful launch of the Johannesburg International Airport
road interchange last year and the area's growing potential as an economic hub,
we will, through Blue IQ, continue to pursue the further development of the JIA
industrial development zone (IDZ) as a specialised export-oriented growth
centre with significant potential to bolster investment and high value-add
manufacturing linked to the airport as part of the projects outlined in ASGISA.
As a project of national significance, the JIA IDZ has the potential to create
at least 40 000 direct and indirect jobs and provide a crucial boost to
Ekurhuleni's traditional manufacturing activities.
Linked to the JIA IDZ, important groundwork has been laid in unlocking the
country's beneficiation potential through the development of a jewellery
manufacturing project. This is another initiative which will have a positive
socio-economic impact in the province, bringing an investment of over R30
million in the first phase of the project. In the construction phase, 500 jobs
will be created, with an estimated 4000 permanent quality jobs once the project
has reached full capacity.
As promised last year, we have finalised a comprehensive provincial
Agricultural Development Strategy to take advantage of the sector's potential
for growth, job creation and economic empowerment and will launch it next
month. Our interventions will extend support for emerging farmers to boost
value added production, particularly bio-technology and agro-processing, as
well as make Gauteng a centre of excellence for small scale farming with a
focus on high value and niche market crops.
The aim is to bring previously disadvantaged sections of the population into
the entire value chain of agriculture, with a special focus on women, youth and
the unemployed.
The Gauteng Film Office continues to make an important contribution in
positioning Gauteng as a preferred destination for local and international film
productions, creating new jobs and economic opportunities in the process.
In addition to the successes of Tsotsi and other films, a recent innovative
enterprise is the "Jozi-H" TV series, a South African and Canadian television
drama series which will train over 800 people from Alexandra and Soweto,
creating 1 300 jobs.
Last year we adopted the Gauteng Youth Development Strategy which was
developed in consultation with young people in the province and which focuses
on youth development advocacy, youth labour market and employment strategies,
youth citizenship and the importance of youth-friendly government services.
The institutional framework for youth development in the province was
revised and the Gauteng Youth Commission Act was passed. The new commissioners
will be appointed by the end of April 2006.
Promoting youth job creation and other economic opportunities will be a key
focus in the year ahead, including through the Gauteng Enterprise Propellor,
CDWs, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and the provision of
bursaries, learnerships and internships as well as other skills development and
training opportunities, with an important focus on opportunities for unemployed
graduates.
I am pleased to announce that, through the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller, we
will ensure that by the end of the 2007/8 financial year, 20% of funding goes
to support youth-led job creation activities.
The implementation of internship and learnership programmes by all Gauteng
government departments is making a significant contribution in assisting our
young people in getting access to jobs. We currently have a total of 6 249
learnerships and internships and we are on course to achieve the set target of
8% of staff by the end of 2006/07 financial year.
In the health sector, young people will benefit from the expansion of
intakes at nursing colleges, which currently stand at 790 a year. This year
alone, we will have 5 100 beneficiaries on the learnership and internship
programme.
We currently have over 4 300 learnerships in the broader education sector
and are making strides in linking training and Further Education and Training
(FET) curricula to the skills requirements linked to the growth and development
strategy.
Within the social services sector, last year we offered 130 people social
auxiliary, nursing and IT learnerships. Over the next three years we will offer
35 bursaries to youth in scarce skills areas as well as 125 nursing auxiliary
learnerships and internships in the scare skills category to 150 youth and
women.
Further, learnership opportunities will be provided with the expansion of
the Gauteng government and private call centres.
We will also undertake a youth development audit on youth programmes within
the provincial government and civil society youth development bodies with a
view to streamlining capacity and setting youth development targets.
As part of our commitment to improve the lives of women and ensure easy
access to capital, entrepreneurship and overall participation in economic
activity, we will accelerate women's empowerment in construction, project
management, the cooperative sector and SMME management. Women will also benefit
more from contracts awarded by the provincial government and special training
will be provided to women in this regard.
We will continue to mainstream gender within all government programmes and
address the central issues raised at the provincial Women's Dialogue in March
last year. This year we will hold regional women's dialogues and women's
izimbizo as part of a women's month programme to celebrate the 50th anniversary
of the heroic women's march of 1956.
In the coming year GEP will support the establishment of youth and women led
cooperatives in Gauteng's six regions and will also pay attention to the
provision of financial support to SMMEs.
In February this year we will present the Women's awards for 2005 to the
following:
* Lydia Ngubane of the Kanana Mental Health Care Centre for the Women
Building Safe and Sustainable Communities category
* Naomi Ngwenya of the Bestcare Medical Suppliers for the Women in Job Creation
and Poverty Alleviation category and
* Dr Claudine Storbeck of the Deaf Baby Project for the Women Promoting
Transformation and Nation Building category
May I with your permission Honourable Speaker ask them to rise up from the
gallery.
The creation of a more efficient, effective and integrated transport system
is another key element of our strategy and the building of a globally
competitive city region.
Better public transport means easier access to work opportunities, a
reduction in the cost of doing business as journey times are reduced and better
land use as businesses and residential communities develop closer to public
transport.
We continue to make significant progress with Gautrain, which will create an
estimated 93 000 jobs over the next five years and boost gross geographical
product by up to 1%. National cabinet has endorsed it as a key infrastructure
project which will make a significant contribution to economic growth and job
creation and which forms an integral part of an integrated transport system in
the province.
While negotiations on the financial closure has been progressing well we
have not yet reached full agreement on all financial related matters. Important
as it is to ensure that an agreement is reached soon so that construction can
start as soon as practically possible, it is equally important that the
agreement can stand to up to the scrutiny of the National Treasury and the
people of Gauteng as being the best possible and not merely to get done
with.
We will by April 2006 introduce legislation to establish a Gautrain
Management Agency to oversee the implementation of the project, which will
serve as an important catalyst for an integrated transport system which
includes rail, taxis, buses and other road transport.
As a further step to improving service levels on all transport modes, by May
this year we will identify the key rail corridors where investment in improved
Metro rail rolling stock and infrastructure will be targeted. We will review
bus subsidies so that they effectively support commuters who need them most and
are working with taxi operators so that the taxi recapitalisation process leads
to improved service delivery and to the reduction of public transport costs
while ensuring sustainable returns to the operators.
Over the past year we have continued to upgrade township roads and build
major arterials linking new areas such as Cosmo City and previously
disadvantaged areas such as Leratong and Soweto. Plans to introduce dedicated
public transport corridors are also underway. Additional resources have been
allocated for the construction and maintenance of the provincial road network
over the next year.
A comprehensive public transport management strategy has been adopted to
increase access to safe and affordable transport. This will include the
promotion of public transport, investing in transport infrastructure, road
space management and freight logistics.
As a province we are putting in place plans to prepare for the hosting of
the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This will include the upgrading of stadia and public
transport legacy projects, including improved access to the airport, the
introduction of intelligent transport systems and the provision of improved
passenger information and road signage.
Efforts to make Gauteng a home of competitive sport are also paying off,
providing not just sporting entertainment for Gauteng residents but further
stimulating jobs and growth. The year ahead will see a significant expansion of
this programme, with a variety of major sporting events coming to the
province.
To encourage our youth to be physically active, we have awarded 60 bursaries
to students who achieved high sport performance levels. The province has two
netball players, two swimmers and one rugby player who are part of the Gauteng
High Performance programme and who have competed at national and international
level.
In line with national policy, we will this year provide financial and other
support to South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) to
develop high performance athletes including through provincial sports
academies. Promising young athletes will receive high performance sport
training and development, accommodation, and support in medical and sports
science and academics. This will go a long way in assisting our country to rise
to new heights in international sporting competitions.
Infrastructure development is a key component of successful global city
regions. In line with our commitments, in May 2005 we held a Gauteng
Infrastructure Summit together with other spheres of government, parastatals
and private sector representatives.
We agreed on the need for an integrated approach to infrastructure
investment in the province to attract investment and sustained growth in
developed areas as well as to use public investment to attract private
investment to boost development in underdeveloped and poorer areas.
Joint planning and the pooling of public investment can help maximise the
economic and social impact of our investments in social and economic
infrastructure and mobilise greater private investment in infrastructure. For
the next three years the provincial government alone will spend R25.7 billion
on infrastructure, including the maintenance and upgrading of existing
infrastructure and provision of new infrastructure.
In line with our agreement with metro and district mayors, we will create
more capacity for the coordination of the global city region and integrated
planning. One of the priorities will be the development of an implementation
plan on the integrated provision of infrastructure in Gauteng by June 2006.
Honourable, Speaker, at the Infrastructure Summit, I spoke about the fact
that, despite significant investment in social and economic infrastructure,
some communities still face a lack of public amenities and decaying
infrastructure. This remains one of the visible legacies of Apartheid.
A particular challenge is the continuing racial and class divide between a
wealthy and thriving first economy, characterised by adequate and quality
infrastructure, juxtaposed against a poor and struggling second economy, with
inadequate and unsatisfactory infrastructure and resources. The spatial
manifestation of this is evident in the persistence of predominantly white and
wealthy suburbs on the one hand and the predominantly black and poorer
townships and informal settlements on the other.
Our challenge in the period to 2014 is to fundamentally alter these
settlement patterns and the unequal distribution of infrastructure and
amenities that prevailed under apartheid.
We are determined to decisively break the back of apartheid planning and
underdevelopment and continue to transform our townships into vibrant, dynamic
and sustainable communities where people live with decent social amenities and
access to economic opportunities. We want our townships to be places in which
people take pride; where people live, not because they have no alternative, but
because they choose to live there.
As a major step towards the achievement of this vision, I am therefore
pleased to announce that we will, in the next three years, embark on one of the
most comprehensive community development programmes that our province has ever
seen. We will invest an amount of R3 billion in 20 major townships in Gauteng
to build better communities in Gauteng and upgrade local social and economic
infrastructure.
The townships which will benefit from this Gauteng renewal programme are:
Atteridgeville, Boipatong, Bophelong, Daveyton, Kagiso, Katlehong, Kwa-Thema,
(Duduza, Tsakane) Mamelodi, Mohlakeng, Munsieville, Ratanda, Refilwe,
Rethabiseng, Sebokeng, Sharpeville, Soshanguve, Soweto, Tembisa and Wattville
which together represent a large proportion of Gauteng's people.
Our primary aim is to change the lives of our people for the better by
beautifying our townships, providing decent schools, clinics, sport and
recreational facilities, lighting, storm water drains, MPCCs, libraries, taxi
and bus ranks. In particular, we will ensure that all roads in these townships
are tarred by 2009 and that each area has a vibrant commercial and transport
hub.
We will with immediate effect appoint a project manager who will oversee a
project team with representatives from health, education, transport and public
works and municipalities. Implementation will proceed in phases, with the
completion of the first set of integrated urban renewal plans in place by
September this year.
In addition to provincial allocations, further funding will be sourced from
municipalities, national government departments and parastatals. By ensuring an
integrated approach we will maximise the impact of our investments in building
better communities in Gauteng.
The initiative will not only change the face of these cities of the future
but will also boost short-terms jobs through the Expanded Public Works
Programme (EPWP). More economic opportunities will be created through tenders
and contracts which will prioritise youth, women, people with disabilities and
unemployed graduates as well as SMMEs and local entrepreneurs.
The 20 townships initiative will be in addition to commitments to upgrade
backyard shacks in these areas. A feasibility study, and the registration of
these shacks, is at an advanced stage, and a pilot project to upgrade 1500
backyard shacks in Orlando East and Boipatong has commenced.
The renewal of the 20 identified townships will be in addition to ongoing
progress on urban renewal projects in Alexandra, Bekkersdal, Evaton and
Kliptown and the implementation of a comprehensive housing strategy.
Extensive progress has been made on the Alexandra Renewal Project, including
the upgrading of schools, clinics, sport facilities, parks, cemeteries, roads,
electricity, water and sanitation infrastructure, the building of 1200 houses,
and the rehabilitation of the Jukskei River. New parks have been built and a
new police station opened. The Edenvale Hospital is being upgraded and the
construction of the Nelson Mandela Yard Precinct is in progress. Major new
initiatives on the pipeline include the upgrading of the Pan Africa business
district and new housing developments.
Plans to convert hostel accommodation into affordable rental accommodation
continue. This includes interventions at 54 hostels to upgrade them or convert
them into habitable and sustainable living environments which are integrated
into local communities. We have completed the conversion of the Vusumuzi,
Khutsong, Daveyton and Ehlanzeni hostels in Ekurhuleni; the Soshanguve and
Saulsville hostels in Tshwane and the Dobsonville and Orlando West hostels in
Johannesburg.
We have made important progress in fulfilling our commitment to formalise
informal settlements by 2009 and eradicate informal settlements by 2014.
The registration of Gauteng's 392 informal settlements has been completed.
Close to 70% of these will be upgraded while others will be relocated to better
land.
In the current financial year, 34 000 stands have been serviced with plans
to service a further 23 121 stands in the 2006/7 financial year. Through the
community builder programme, the people's housing process and formal housing
provision, top structures will be built on a further 200 000 stands. The
massive Cosmo City project is well on track, with 1245 houses being finalised
and over 400 families already in their houses. This mixed income settlement,
which will be launched by April, entails the phased servicing of 8000
residential erven and the construction of at least 5000 low cost, 3000 bonded
and 3000 credit-linked housing structures.
As I have indicated, the bucket system has been a painful reminder of the
indignity and deprivation of the past. I am therefore pleased to announce that
the end of the bucket system in Gauteng is in sight. By the end of June this
year, all the 12 000 identified buckets will have been replaced, ahead of the
2007 national target set by the President.
All identified owner-built pit latrines will have been replaced with VIPs,
except in Zenzele, which is being relocated to a new site with waterborne
sewerage.
To assist the province in efficiently managing its land stock, identifying
well located land for economic use, farming, housing and poverty alleviation
programmes, a Provincial Land Asset Register audit has been completed. All
vacant land owned by the provincial government has been identified in terms of
location, value and land use classification. Arising from this, we will by
September this year develop clear policy guidelines on the development and
disposal of provincially owned land.
We will continue to pay attention to sustainable development and the
protection of the environment in line with our World Summit on Sustainable
Development (WSSD) commitments.
This year we will launch our environmental management inspectorate, with 20
designated inspectors who will monitor compliance and enforce the National
Environmental Management Act (NEMA). This will add more muscle to our efforts
to ensure effective environmental management and enforcement in our
province.
Arising from the Presidential Municipal izimbizo at Emfuleni last year, we
are spearheading an initiative to address environmental problems in the area,
including air quality, waste management and other sources of pollution. We have
already undertaken compliance and enforcement visits to four local companies.
Better environmental management in the area will not only help improve the
health of the people of the area but also help maximise its growth potential,
particularly in relation to tourism linked to the Vaal River.
We will in the next financial year develop a Gauteng Air Quality Management
Plan to improve the quality of air and emission management in the province.
Together with our newly established network to monitor Gauteng's air quality,
this will ensure decent air quality in the face of rapid urbanisation and
densification in the province.
Our strategies to promote growth and economic opportunities for all are the
most effective way to fight poverty in our province. In the period to 2014, we
will strengthen existing measures as well as explore the introduction of new
measures to address the various forms of poverty:
* Income poverty, which we will continue to address both through job
creation and other measures such as social grants, indigent policies and
short-term employment creation through the Expanded Public Works
Programme
* Asset poverty, which we will continue to address through changes in land and
housing ownership including through housing programmes, the transfer of title
deeds and agricultural development strategies
* Infrastructure poverty, which we will address in an accelerated manner
through the expansion of social and economic infrastructure and the
implementation of a comprehensive strategy for infrastructure planning across
municipal boundaries
* Services poverty, which we will address by facilitating a services revolution
both within the public and private sector. This will expand and enhance
existing public sector initiatives such as the Batho Pele revitalisation and
development of service standards.
* Knowledge poverty, which we will address through the implementation of a
comprehensive human resource development strategy for Gauteng.
The EPWP programme has been successfully implemented in poverty pockets in
the province over the past year, with job creation linked to waste management,
school sport fields, community infrastructure, economic hubs and roads.
In the year ahead, 1700 unemployed people will get jobs on a newly created
two-year contract. They will also be given training as care givers and
auxiliary social workers linked to 98 HIV and AIDS community based care
sites.
As a further contribution to addressing poverty and building social cohesion
and sustainable communities, we have in line with our commitment, completed the
development of a new Social Development Strategy, which will complement the
Gauteng Growth and Development Strategy.
Among the key strategic levers identified in the policy are the Gauteng
Programme of Action for Children, social crime prevention, human resource
development, poverty alleviation, public health services, integrated HIV and
AIDS programmes and the provision of housing.
Our approach is to ensure people-centred and sustainable development working
in partnership with communities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to
support and empower people who are unable to work and have special needs, such
as the most vulnerable, youth in distress, children, the elderly and those
affected and infected by HIV and AIDS.
The aim is to restore the dignity of the poor and the vulnerable and provide
the basic means for them to effectively participate in our democratic
dispensation to improve their material conditions.
We will continue to give the highest priority to making Gauteng a province
fit for children and confirm our commitment to protect, care for, develop and
provide for children. We have undertaken a review of the Gauteng Program of
Action on Children to make sure that children come first in all programmes and
projects of the provincial government.
Education remains a cornerstone of our efforts to develop healthy, skilled
and productive people in Gauteng and has a key role in transforming society,
bringing about social equity, and contributing to the country's growth and
development.
This year once again saw a tremendous increase in learner enrolments. This
is as a result of our efforts to ensure that all children are in school and
place all learners who have migrated to Gauteng over December and January.
While the 2005 provincial matric pass rate of 74.9% showed a decline of 1.8%
on last year, we saw qualitative improvements. We have improved universal
access to education, gender equity and performance in "gateway subjects". More
learners are sitting for higher grade subjects and more are getting matric
endorsements. Matric endorsements increased from 15 774 in 2004 to 16 114 in
2005, while distinctions increased by 9.8% from 10 484 in 2004 to 11 509 in
2005.
At the end of last year, we were proud to announce that a young black girl
learner, Duduzile Nhlapho, from Esokwazi Secondary School in Sebokeng, had
scored an incredible 100% in mathematics, science and biology.
Jana de Lange from Hoërskool Florida scored the highest marks in the
province. Dudu and Jana's achievements are testimony to the fact that we are
today indeed capable of providing quality education in both our townships and
suburbs.
Once again, congratulations to Dudu and Jana. May your success inspire many
more girls to rise to these heights.
Girls continued to shine, with an increase in the number of girls who wrote
physical science in the higher grade. Close to one million learners and 22 000
educators, many from the poorest communities, have access to the most
up-to-date computers with internet access and email.
In line with national policy, we will this year extend the implementation of
the new curriculum statement to Grades 10-12 as well as implement the last
phase of the curriculum transformation into a seamless outcomes-based education
system.
2005 saw the implementation of outcomes-based education in Grade 10 as the
first grade of the Further Education and Training Band. We have also trained
over 12 298 Grade 10 educators and 8 543 Grade 7 educators through Higher
Educations Institutions in Gauteng. Additional resources have been allocated to
teacher training in the year ahead.
The revised national curriculum has been introduced in Grade 7 and teachers
in Grades 8, 9 and 11 have undergone training. I am happy to announce that
Gauteng is implementing the revised norms and standards of school funding. We
have, since January this year, eliminated school fees in poor schools and will
in the year ahead seek to upgrade schools in poor communities and ensure
adequate equipment and learning support materials.
We have expanded our early childhood development sites, Grade R in
particular, by 200, bringing the total to 784 and will continue to expand this
sector as the need arises. ABET has also been expanded and its programmes
aligned to job creation programmes.
The promotion of access to caring, responsive, affordable and quality health
care by all our people remains a top priority. We will continue to implement
strategies to retain our doctors and nurses, provide ongoing training and
recruit 2300 of the best healthcare professionals every year.
An additional 1000 community health workers will be trained this year to
reach our target of 3000 by 2007. A further I000 health workers will be trained
on comprehensive HIV and tuberculosis clinical management and care.
To address the challenge of reducing waiting times in hospitals and clinics,
80% of sub-districts will have access to extended hours of service by the end
of this year. We will also make additional resources available to district
health to cover the shortfall arising from the reclassification of municipal
health services.
The hospital revitalisation programme will continue together with the
construction of three new hospitals in the Kathorus area, Mamelodi and Zola. By
April 2007, we will complete the remainder of the ten new clinics in Eersterus,
Orange Farm, Eldorado Park, Randfontein, Atteridgeville, Evaton, Orlando and
Cullinan Community Health Centre as announced during the state of the nation
address last year. This year will also see the official opening of the New
Pretoria Academic Hospital.
At the end of last year we reported on the progress we have made in
implementing the Gauteng Aids programme.
In the period ahead, the HIV and AIDS comprehensive care and treatment
programme including anti-retrovirals will be implemented in all hospitals,
community health centres and sub -districts. By the end of this year, 60 000
patients will be on anti-retroviral therapy treatment with 54 operational
sites.
It is however important to once more reiterate the point that there is
currently no cure for Aids and as such all of us need to take steps to avoid
infection through rigorous prevention campaigns and changes in lifestyles.
As part of our commitment to put in place measures to assist victims of
sexual abuse, five additional Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) facilities will
be established by the end of this year.
Honourable Speaker, we have noted with growing concern the number of victims
of seasonal flooding, fires in informal settlements and children losing their
lives in open storm water manholes and dolomite sinkhole formations.
To address some of these concerns, we will introduce a Provincial Disaster
Management Centre by the end of this year.
We remain committed to ensuring that individuals, communities and businesses
go about their business in a safe environment. As part of our response to
crimes such as bank, hotel and retail store robberies, we have facilitated
partnerships with shopping centre managers, and heads of cash-in-transit
companies. In the year ahead further work will be undertaken to strengthen
policing in the sector.
Together with communities we need to ensure that crime against women and
children receives continuous attention beyond the 16 days of No Violence
Against Women and Children. We need to ensure that the justice system deals
speedily with the investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators of violence
against women and children to reduce the trauma often felt by victims while
waiting for the conclusion of the cases.
We will work with the police to increase visibility and engagement with
various stakeholders in our quest to build a safer Gauteng.
In building a longer-term plan, we have developed provincial policing needs
and priorities, and new guidelines on community policing.
These will form the core of the Provincial Safety Plan and the Road Safety
Plan to be concluded by July 2006.
Together with municipalities, we have continued to advance our vision of
building Gauteng as a globally competitive city region. We are pursuing this
strategy from a developmental perspective, to increase our ability to
effectively confront our socio-economic ills such as unemployment,
underdevelopment and poverty and to increase Gauteng's contribution to the
national economy.
We are already one of Africa's most economically productive regions and rank
high in connectivity to global city networks and global flows of capital,
information, and goods. In the period to 2014 we seek to work together with
other stakeholders to further enhance our global competitiveness as a city
region.
Following further consultations with the newly constituted local governments
later this year, we look forward to releasing the strategy to this house.
Among the key priorities in implementing the global city region perspective
will be the finalisation of a Gauteng spatial development framework in line
with the National Spatial Development Framework. This will help to integrate
the local integrated development plans into a coherent provincial
framework.
To give full effect to the social and economic development of the province,
we will support the development of Growth and Development Strategies in each
metro and district. In this regard we will set aside resources to assist metros
and districts in their new terms of office to engage and consult with
stakeholders by holding Growth and Development Summits by no later than October
2006.
Within the context of the province's growth and development strategy, our
strategic position within the African economy and our status as the host of the
Pan African Parliament, we will by June 2006 this year develop a provincial New
Partnership for Africaâs Development (NEPAD) framework, which will inter alia
address our trade and investment relations with the rest of the continent.
A number of key strategies to boost economic growth including the GDS and
ASGISA have highlighted the need for improved governance and institutional
interventions to improve service delivery.
In line with a similar initiative at a national level, we have undertaken a
review on building the capacity and organisation of the state to determine the
gaps and means to enhance capacity. The study highlighted, among other things,
the need to strengthen our capacity to analyse and respond to the changing
social, economic and political environment and the importance of innovation and
strengthening our knowledge base, including in the area of social services
delivery. We are currently developing an implementation plan, which will
include better institutional knowledge management.
We will also develop an integrated Human Resources Strategy for the
provincial government by the end of June 2006 and seek to position the Gauteng
government as an employer of choice and attract, develop and retain quality
human resources.
In 2004, we revised our gender and race targets for the Gauteng public
service, setting 70% representivity for black people and 50% for women in
senior positions, by 2009. By December 2005, 63% of senior management was black
and 30% were women.
We have undertaken a study to review the first five years of local
government, outlining the key achievements and challenges faced by Gauteng
municipalities in carrying out their mandate since the inauguration of the new
system of democratic local government five years ago.
Many municipalities in Gauteng have taken important strides in building
better communities in the province, including enhancing social infrastructure
and improving the lives of our people through the provision of basic services
such as water, electricity and sanitation.
Through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant alone, R841 million was allocated
to initiatives to address backlogs in the provision of clean water, sanitation,
roads, storm water drains and pipes, street and community lighting and solid
waste projects in the current financial year. Taxi ranks, sports centres, parks
and cemeteries were also provided.
Indigent policies have been implemented and residents have actively
participated in the development of IDPs, ward committees and many local
izimbizo.
However, significant challenges remain to be addressed. The provincial
government has continued to work with municipalities, including those
designated under Project Consolidate. Of particular importance is ensuring they
have the necessary managerial, professional and technical staff to implement
developmental programmes. A total of 70 professionals including project
managers, senior engineers, and chartered accountants have been deployed in
Kungwini, Mogale City and Emfuleni to provide the necessary support.
We have taken important steps to capacitate local government financial
management. An Advisory Committee made up of financial management experts has
been established with the purpose of establishing the status of municipal
finances and giving appropriate advice, including on Municipal Financial
Management Act compliance. The committee is expected to complete its work by
June 2007 so that all municipalities in Gauteng produce clean audit reports by
2009.
The CDWs are a key prong of our efforts to build an effective and caring
government which at all times acts in service of the people to improve their
lives. We already have 200 CDWs deployed as full-time public servants and will
by April 2007 have at least one CDW in each ward in Gauteng. In ensuring that
this is achieved, 319 new cadets will start a one-year learnership programme,
which will be undertaken in partnership with the Local Government SETA from
March 2006.
Our efforts to improve the delivery of services to our people have taken
important steps forward with the launch of the Batho Pele revitalisation
campaign over the past year. This included a Public Service Week and the
development of minimum service standards throughout the provincial government
which will enable members of the public who use Gauteng government services to
hold public servants accountable.
We are on course to achieve our target of launching 40 MPCCs by 2009 and
already have 20 MPCC operating in the province. In addition to continuing the
rollout of new MPCCs, we are, together with local and national government,
developing mechanisms to improve the management, monitoring and evaluation of
existing MPCCs.
In June this year we took a further leap towards the achievement of our
vision in which all Gauteng residents' have easy and free access to government
information and services with the launch of GautengOnline, the Gauteng portal.
The GautengOnline portal is inspired by the Batho Pele service delivery
principles and forms part of the province's e-governance strategy.
In the future we are committed to roll out 50 Information Kiosks within
MPCCs and other service centres in and around Gauteng as well as 70 Digital
Lounges within government departments. In addition, 200 CDWs will be given
remote access to government information by June this year, rising to 500 by the
end of the financial year. This will help make government information and
services available to those who don't have access to the internet.
The GPG-wide call centre, which currently seats 150 people, will be further
expanded to accommodate 600 people by the end of July 2006, providing a "one
call" service to all Gauteng citizens who want to access government.
The first 150 seat call centre in Wynberg will be launched by the end of
March 2006. The other two 150-seat centres in Sedibeng and the West Rand
respectively will be launched in July this year.
In line with our commitments, we have over the past year interacted directly
with well over 100 000 Gauteng residents and visited over 70 communities as
part of the Gauteng izimbizo. This has given us an invaluable opportunity to
engage in direct dialogue with our people to hear from them what in their view
should be done to improve their communities. We have, in the process, made a
significant contribution to strengthening ward committees, local delivery and
democratic participation in governance.
We hosted Project Consolidate izimbizo involving Ministers, the Deputy
President and President in the West Rand, Metsweding and Emfuleni respectively.
A key focus has been on strengthening delivery by municipalities as well as
developing plans on what the three spheres of government can do to fast-track
development in these areas.
A widespread process of consultation with the people of Gauteng was
undertaken over the past few months to review Gauteng as part of the African
Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process. The process was spearheaded by a
Provincial Governing Council consisting of representatives of government and
civil society. Tens of thousands of people responded to the APRM questions to
evaluate Gauteng in the areas of democracy and political governance, economic
management and governance, corporate governance and socio-economic
development.
Arising from this a Gauteng APRM report will by the end of the month be
forwarded to the National APRM Governing Council for incorporation into the
APRM country assessment report.
The review has enabled us to emerge with a common perspective on the
developmental challenges we face and the manner in which all stakeholders need
to address these. The recommendations emanating from the report should be taken
into account in the further development of our respective programmes of
action.
The process has also underlined the critical role of civil society sectors
in the success of our communities and our democracy and the need to continue to
strengthen civil society organisations and organs of democratic participation
in general.
We have today outlined a wide range of past and future programmes that are
evidence that a better Gauteng is possible and in the making. These are the
activities that give concrete expression to the rights enshrined in our
constitution. Together with the various stakeholders in the province we are
committed to ensure
* that we succeed in achieving our goal to create a better life for all our
people;
* that our goal to contribute to the national effort to halve poverty and
unemployment by 2014 is realised;
* that notwithstanding the challenges of in-migration and the absorption of
more people arising out of the abolition of the cross boundary municipalities,
we will succeed in making Gauteng a globally competitive city region;
* that we will continue to grow the economy to the benefit of all our
people;
* that we will succeed in making Gauteng a home of tourism, competitive sport,
children, youth, women, the elderly and people with disabilities and above
all,
* that we will make a meaningful contribution to the realisation of the goals
outlined in ASGISA and the GDS.
I thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
13 February 2006
Source: SAPA
