Ndebele, on the occasion of being inducted as rotating second Deputy
Chairperson of National Council of Provinces (NCOP)
6 November 2006
Chairperson of NCOP, Honourable Mninwa "Johannes" Mahlangu,
Deputy Chairperson of NCOP, Honourable Mrs Hollander,
Outgoing second Deputy Chairperson of NCOP, Honourable Mbhazima Shilowa,
Free State Premier, Honourable Beatrice Marshoff,
Mpumalanga Premier, Honourable Thabang Makwetla,
North West Premier, Honourable Edna Molewa,
I would like to thank the members of the NCOP who have elected me as
rotating deputy chairperson of this august Chamber. As someone involved in the
provincial tier of government since 1994, I have come to appreciate the vital
role provincial government plays in the context of rebuilding our country.
Remembering the icons
Rebuilding means that we take a leaf from the wisdom of the past icons who
already had a vision of a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist South Africa. I
come from a province where this year 2006 is being the 100th year since the
famous Poll Tax Uprising was set aside to honour Inkosi Bhambatha ka Mancinza
Zondi and Mahatma Gandhi who gave us the treasure of Satyagraha as we know it
today. We are also looking forward to 2007, which completes four decades since
the death of Inkosi Albert Luthuli. It was Inkosi Luthuli, as the President of
the African National Congress (ANC) who first made the call for the
international isolation of apartheid South Africa as early as 1959.
Inkosi Luthuli had a vision of a non-racial, democratic and non-sexist South
Africa at the time when this dream was believed to be impossible.
But Inkosi Luthuli asked for more than freedom. He said the people should
have a government that is "democratic to the core."
In an article headlined "What would I do if I were a Prime Minister?"
published in 1962, Inkosi Luthuli wrote:
"The main thing is that government and the people should be democratic to
the core. It is relatively unimportant who is in the government. I am not
opposed to the present government because it is white. I am only opposed to it
because it is undemocratic and repressive. I do not cherish such expressions as
the "all black government", the "African majority". I would like to speak about
a "democratic majority," which would be a non-racial majority and so could be a
multi-racial or not."
Bringing world attention to our country, Inkosi Luthuli was visited by the
United Sates of America (USA) Democrats Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy
in 1966, who was assassinated two years later.
It was only 20 years later, in 1986, when the USA administration came out in
support of the struggle against apartheid.
Democrat's Senators Kassabaum and Luger played an influential role passing
the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 despite President Ronald Reagan's
obstinacy. Quite clearly, therefore, our journey to democracy has not been
easy.
Celebrating the present
It is 2006 and the doors of freedom have been opened. If Inkosi Luthuli were
alive today, he would have been a happy man experiencing the deepening of
democracy. This government has been truly democratic with a national,
provincial and local government functioning with true democratic values. We
celebrate these feathers in our cap, the latest being South Africa earning a
seat in the United Nations Security Council.
South Africa has evolved from an undemocratic, unequal and racially defined
society to a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist country that is characterised
by equity, justice and better living conditions for all the people.
Together with the National Assembly, the provincial legislatures and the
municipal councils, the NCOP is an important institution that ensures that we
indeed have a vibrant and participatory democracy. It occupies a unique place
in our system of co-operative governance.
It straddles the three spheres of our system of governance. It is through
the NCOP and its sister legislatures that we have succeeded in entrenching
democracy in our country.
Having built and consolidated democracy which we must continue to defend and
entrench, the dominant challenge that must occupy the collective mind of our
movement is, clearly, the question of the development of our country so that we
defeat and eradicate poverty and under-development. This is not a new issue.
But given the progress we have made in the area of political transformation, we
now have a better possibility to accelerate our advance in the struggle against
poverty and under-development.
What then does democracy mean to a person in a taxi rank?
Democracy means that there should be food, shelter, clothing, education and
all that is necessary to for a decent livelihood. In KwaZulu-Natal we have
decided that the entrenchment of democracy means that 1,5 million people will
be literate by 2009.
We know that by 2010 that those people will be able to read the scoreboards
across the country and be able to share in the growth of our country and that
real empowerment comes from them having being able to read and write.
NCOP and Soccer World Cup 2010
It is opportune for us to have lived through the past to look forward to our
future. In four years time, the landscape of this country will change with the
hosting of 2010 Soccer World Cup. The very provinces represented here have a
crucial role to play during this time.
In this crucial link role akin to a midfielder in soccer, provincial
governments have a multiplicity of tasks. We have to implement national policy,
develop policies of our own in the context of the different historical
trajectories of our province and ensure synergy and the fundamentals of
co-operative and good governance of local municipalities. This is where the
coalface of delivery is.
This is, however, a tall order for it involves looking upwards and downwards
at the same time. In this context the NCOP is a vital form of representation.
It brings the provinces together and allows us to share experiences and develop
coherence in our work.
Given the imperatives of speeding up our transport and communication
networks and infrastructural developments in the context of World Cup 2010, the
work of the NCOP is crucial.
President Thabo Mbeki's assurance to the FIFA soccer world body two days ago
is a testament that our work is cut out for us.
For as we know for World Cup 2010 to work we need a well functioning
midfield, a midfield that can defend with determination, attack with purpose in
a way that meets our goals and redistribute possession not simply to hang onto
it.
Co-operative governance ensures delivery
We would need to sit together and assess what issues are emerging from the
ground, from our constituencies, from our local municipalities who stand at the
coalface of delivery. Once we understand these needs, we put these issues on
the national agenda.
To use an old cliche if you have a beautiful roof and beautiful ceilings but
do not have a solid foundation all that gets washed away.
The foundation of real governance is at the municipal level this is where
the citizens meet government.
We should continue to respect and entrench the system of co-operative
governance and within this context ensure that we empower local government to
discharge its development and service delivery obligations, drawing on the
lessons provided by Project Consolidate.
We have made major strides since 1994 but many challenges still lie ahead.
Many of our municipalities which are central to the implementation of
government policies still do not have the necessary capacity even where
resources are available to implement government programmes and ensure that
there is sustainable delivery of basic services.
We need to ensure that each municipality has a realistic Integrated
Development Plan (IDP), a credible local economic development programme,
material and human resources, and management and operational systems needed to
implement programmes.
At the NCOP level, we can call on our members to engage and participate more
fully in Project Consolidate and to help in whatever ways necessary to add
capacity to local government structures and ensure effective and efficient
service delivery to all our people.
This is important because these interventions are part of government's
broader programme of creating work and fighting poverty. It is a critical part
of our Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) through which we seek to
achieve a people's centred development.
Improving communication
Allow me to return to my introductory remarks. I see the NCOP as a vital
player in the reconstruction of our country. In my own experiences as Premier I
have adopted a hands-on approach to development projects and governance in the
province.
There is of course a fine line between the relative autonomy of MECs and the
Office of the Premier. I have often walked that line without in any way
undermining MECs. I have done this in the context of the fact that at the end
of the day the buck stops at the Office of the Premier.
In similar vein I do not see my role as deputy chair of the NCOP as
ceremonial or hands off. I would like to repay the confidence you have shown in
me by actively and creatively getting involved in improving the lines of
communication between MECs and the NCOP.
At the level of the NCOP, I believe it is crucial that as deputy chair I
meet with the leadership of the NCOP at least once every two to three months to
look at what issues are emerging from provinces and how this can be taken
further because this is a House of provinces.
There are many creative ways in which the NCOP can improve its mandate to
the people we serve and I think given the talent, experience and youthful
exuberance that fills this august body we will rise to the challenge.
Remember midfielders are usually the engine room of any team and often that
contribution is not recognised. So if we do not make headlines on a daily basis
do not get despondent but rather find solace and encouragement in the work we
do and the confidence our people have placed in us.
Inkosi Luthuli was the first to internationalise the debate about South
Africa, starting in 1959. The response he got was that of winning the Nobel
Peace Prize in 1960 and a barrage of world attention. All eyes are on South
Africa now again because we will host the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
But let us look beyond that. After the games we need to ensure that we are
succeeding with our campaign against poverty and eradicating social ills. Then
we will be totally free.
Thank you!
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
6 November 2006
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kwazulunatal.gov.za/)
