Opening its regular cabinet meeting this morning, Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza emphasised the importance of single mindedness in tackling the challenges facing Mpumalanga. The two-day meeting started yesterday and was continuing today in Hazyview.
Mabuza opened the cabinet meeting by reflecting on some of the key highlights and resolutions of the recent cabinet Lekgotla and last Friday's presentation of the State of the Province address (SOPA) He summarised the challenges facing his administration to include, among others, the need to improve the levels of political cohesion and unity in the province, management and governance challenges in the departments of education and health, job creation, the processing of all outstanding payments by August and the need to increase the capacity of the administration to plan, monitor and evaluate government programmemes in an integrated manner, particularly at intergovernmental level.
According to the Premier, his government aims to provide a stable leadership with a special focus on creating a common vision for people of the province. "This is the leadership that must affirm the real strength of Mpumalanga. We must use the leadership roles assigned to us to advance the conciliatory efforts and improve the low levels of social cohesion in our province" emphasised the premier.
Cabinet further commended the Premier on his State of the Province Address that he delivered on Friday. The address was generally described as an "honest and frank attempt to highlight the challenges facing the province and providing a broad framework of priorities."
"We can confidently move forward and execute what we have been mandated to do. The pressure and public expectations are high but, as a team, we also have the necessary political resolve to make our mark. It's an honour we cannot defer:" concluded the Premier.
Mabuza to investigate scholar transport
In an effort to address challenges emanating from the scholar transport programme, the Mpumalanga government announced that all investigations around this programme will be transferred and handled by the integrity management unit in Premier Mabuza's office. Cabinet also resolved that this programme will henceforth be the responsibility of the Public Works, Roads and Transport department headed by MEC Mkasi.
This emerged from the Cabinet meeting wherein the general state of scholar transport in the province was discussed. This programme was introduced in 2001 as part of efforts to assist learners who travel long distances to or from schools. This is targeting mainly far flung rural areas, particularly child headed households.
Since its inception, the programme experienced challenges and various allegations that range from lack of tight oversight, overloading, unroadworthy vehicles, discrepancies on the number of learners and route distances, late arrivals.
In light of the above, the Premier's office will conduct a comprehensive forensic enquiry with a view to unearth and verify the authenticity of some of the alleged acts of impropriety and accordingly Cabinet resolved to assign the provincial roads section to assume the role of being an implementing agent for the entire provincial scholar transport system. The roads section will do a complete review; develop policy and implementation mechanisms for future presentation to Cabinet.
According to Premier Mabuza, It's important that government informs the public about the real causes and extent of the problems afflicting this programme. "We can't afford to disadvantage vulnerable communities through our own bureaucratic delays and indecisiveness, our office will immediately conduct investigations so that we verify some of the allegations, save wastages and nip leakages for possible corrupt motives" he said.
In line with the stated provincial government's objective of making education a prime focus for the new term, Cabinet also received presentations around 2009 learner ratios, incomplete schools project, water, sanitation and electricity challenges in schools and state of readiness to administer this year’s national senior certificate.
Trade and enterprise development undergoes restructuring
Premier Mabuza announced during the State of the Province address last Friday that the Mpumalanga Agricultural Development Corporation (MADC) and the Mpumalanga Housing Finance Company will merge with the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) to form one provincial public entity that will be responsible for overall business development.
As an immediate response to the Premier's pronouncement, Cabinet expressed the need for an establishment of merger task team that will comprise of experts. The task team will be formed and report to the Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism. It will also develop a legal framework within which this policy directive will be implemented before the end of this financial year 2009/2010.
The newly envisaged public entity will reduce duplication and streamline activities aimed at maximising macro-economic interventions. It will also be responsible for massive infrastructure roll out, enterprise development and help promote trade and development.
Cabinet also reiterated its commitment to working together with the people of the province in strengthening efforts of placing Mpumalanga in the league of prosperous regions.
Enquiries:
Ntime Skhosana
Office of the Premier
Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Cell: 082 496 6875
Tel: 013 766 2055
Ms RN Mabena
Office of the Premier
Media Liaison and Information Services
Tel: 013 766 2218
Fax: 013 766 2495
E-mail: rnmabena@mpg.gov.za
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
26 June 2009
