Honourable Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Legislature,
Honourable Premier: Mr Charley Cassel Mathale,
Colleagues in the Executive Council,
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
SALGA Limpopo,
My family,
Chairperson and Members of the House of Traditional Leaders,
Chairperson and Members of Contralesa,
Our esteemed Majesties and Your Royal Highnesses present,
Leadership of Chapter Nine and Ten Institutions,
Provincial Secretary of the ANC: Comrade Soviet Lekganyane,
President of the ANC Youth League: Comrade Julius Malema,
Leadership of Cosatu, SACP, SANCO and other political organisations,
Stalwarts and veterans of our struggle,
The Acting HOD,
Members of the Senior Management and Staff, Leadership of various religious denominations,
Black Lawyers Association,
National Democratic Lawyers Association,
Women, youth, business, labour and community leaders present here,
Representatives of Eskom, NHBRC and the SABC,
Distinguished guests, comrades, ladies and gentlemen
Honourable speaker,
I feel honoured to appear before this august house today, in my capacity as the new executing authority of the department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA). Equally I want to commence by thanking the Premier of the province for believing in me, young as I am, to steer the ship of this giant department.
Allow me to commend my gallant predecessor, the current provincial secretary of the African National Congress (ANC), Comrade Soviet Lekganyane. I salute him for the sterling job that he did for the department and province. We praise him profusely for his extra ordinary zeal and determination.
I take the responsibility that has been accorded to me with both hands to lead this multi-award winning department, building on a rich legacy of his stewardship. It has been proven beyond any shadow of doubt that for the past three years, this department has scooped over twenty-one awards, both provincially and nationally. The premier's office also recognised our excellence, for three consecutive years we have been acknowledged as the Best Department of the Year. We are still title holders of the 2008 Govan Mbeki Award.
We are the only Human Settlements department nationally that has received a clean audit, and have been duly recognised by the Auditor-General, Mr Terence Nombembe. Not because we can, but because the people we work with are loyal and true servants of the province; they understand the urgency with which the services are to be provided to the people of Limpopo, and that these services cannot be postponed because many indeed have died awaiting them.
The meaning behind these awards is for us as a department, province and a nation not to be overwhelmed and begin to forget our core mandates enshrined in the constitution and manifesto of the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), decoded in the twelve outcomes of the Medium Term Strategic Framework.
Honourable speaker,
This budget vote is passed today during a significant year in the history of our country, the centenary of the ruling party, the African National Congress. Olive Schreiner, a novelist, a prolific writer and an activist for progressive change, was born in 1855, exactly 100 years before the Congress of the People and the adoption of the Freedom Charter in 1955.
She passed away in 1920. Her life should be celebrated by all as it espouses good human values. I would like to make use of this budget speech to let this uncelebrated yet important woman to speak to us, 92 years after she had departed the world of the living. 104 years ago, in a letter to the Editor of the publication, the "Transvaal Leader", dated De Aar, October 30, 1908, just a year before the All-white Convention in 1909 (that changed South Africa forever) she wrote:
"I hold (the Native Question) to be the root question in South Africa; and as is our wisdom in dealing with it, so will be our future.
"South Africa must be a free man's country. The idea that man born in this country, possibly endowed with many gifts and highly cultured, should in this, his native land, be refused any form of civic or political right on the ground that he is descended from race with civilisation, it may be much older than our own (as white people), is one which must be abhorrent to every liberalised mind. I believe that (any) attempt to base our national life on distinctions of race and colour. Will, after the lapse of many years, prove fatal to us...
"If, blinded by the gain of the moment, we (the white South African), see nothing in our dark but a vast engine of labour; if to us he is not man, but only a tool; if dispossessed entirely of the land for which he now shows that large aptitude for peasant proprietorship for the lack of which among their masses many great nations are decaying; if we force him permanently in his millions into the locations and compounds and slums of our cities, obtaining his labour cheap; if uninstructed in the highest forms of him participate in our own; if unbound to us by sympathy and alien to us in blood and colour, we reduce this vast mass to the condition of a great seething, ignorant proletariat then I would draw a veil over the future of this land..."
You have just listened to what an extraordinary South African, who also happened to be white and a woman had to say about what we had to do to contribute to the evolution of human civilisation, building of a non-racial, non- sexist, democratic and prosperous society.
Her prophetic vision was ably captured 47 years later by the demands of our People in Kliptown in 1955 during the adoption of the Freedom Charter. As the department of Cooperative Governance Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs, unlike the All-white South African Convention of 1909, we have listened and are paying heed to the instructions and lamentations of this unsung heroin of our struggle.
In his 2012 State of the Nation Address, the state President said that, "we plan the development and integration of rail, road and water infrastructure centred around two main areas in Limpopo: the Waterberg in the western part of the province and Steelpoort in the eastern part. These efforts are intended to unlock the enormous mineral belt of coal, platinum, palladium, chrome and other minerals, in order to facilitate increased mining as well as stepped-up beneficiation of minerals".
Subsequently, Premier Cassel Mathale, during his 2012 State of the Province made the following statements:
"We are pleased to report that we have commenced the process of installing bulk infrastructure in Lephalale as part of actualising our resolve".
"The scoping reports for Burgersfort and Musina have been commissioned. This is in line with our commitment to develop the provincial high growth points into sustainable urban nodes that will also contribute to the realisation of the objectives of our comprehensive rural development plan".
"Delivery of these major infrastructural projects is aimed to broaden the province's access to goods and services".
Honourable speaker,
Taking queue from these pronouncements, the department will ensure that accelerated infrastructure development becomes an integral part of urban planning and development in our province. Decisions regarding infrastructure determine urban form, and cannot be isolated from human settlements.
Urban form in tum determines the spatial distribution of people and economic activities, and that's how we deliver services and how we move people and goods around. Infrastructure therefore has both an immediate and environmental impact on our daily lives.
My colleague, comrade, David Masondo the Treasury Member of Executive Council, during his 2012 budget speech stated the following: "Total spending for the department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs is R2,374 billion". It is an increase of 1,88% growth from the 2011/12 budget of R2,330billion.
- R1,5 billion is a conditional grant for Housing and Human Settlements, which make up 62% the entire budget.
- 32,8% will make possible the implementation and monitoring of local government turnaround strategy to realise 2014 clean audit goal.
- Compensation of Employees is kept at an average of 5,2% growth over the three years.
- R80 million has been allocated to increase the salaries of our traditional leaders
Through this division, the CoGHSTA will not only build shelters for our people, but will also support our municipalities to realise the basic needs of our people. The department will also focus on attaining the ideals of operation clean audit and municipal financial systems, demarcation of sites and development of land use management schemes.
Furthermore, the department will support traditional leaders by ensuring that they work with our local municipalities to ensure that democracy is deepened and tribal land is used for the benefit of poor people in our province. The department will also capacitate its human resources so that it can better deliver on its mandate. All these activities constitute what is better known as the implementation of outcomes 8,9 and 12 of the Medium Term Strategic Framework.
Honourable speaker,
Apartheid has left its imprint on South Africa's human settlements and municipal institutions. Transformation requires an understanding of the historical role of local government in creating and perpetuating local separation and inequality. Apartheid was not the beginning of geographic, institutional and social separation at local level. Segregation was already a policy by the time apartheid was introduced in 1948. However, the Group Areas Act instituted strict residential segregation and compulsory removal of black people to "own group" areas. Through spatial separation and influx control, apartheid aimed to limit the extent to which affluent white municipalities would bear the financial burden of servicing disadvantaged black areas.
Cooperative Governance
In the previous year's budget speech we wished the Independent Electoral Committee (IEC) and all eligible political parties' success in the local government elections. We take this opportunity to thank them for a sterling job well done. The last 2011 local government Elections and by-elections were run smoothly and declared free and fair. This is but an indication that our democracy is maturing. We are thrilled by the voter turnout, which is over 50% better than the 2006 local government elections voter turnout.
We also presented to this majestic house our deep desire to have councillors who will respect and dignify our communities, men and women who are prepared to subordinate themselves to the service of the people, in other words, being people-centric, and give their all in complying with the legislations governing local government. In providing support to our municipalities, the department collaborated with South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in inducting all municipal councillors on all legislations governing this sphere of government. We challenged them, subsequent to the five day programme, to go and do further self-reading and regeneration.
Honourable speaker,
Good governance
Our 2011/112 budget speech prioritised good governance and a focused support to municipalities. We have seen substantial compliance with the good governance obligations within our municipalities.
We will strive to ensure that good governance is firmly applied in all 30 municipalities. However, we have noted instances where in some municipalities contrary to our expectations, patterns of behaviour that are not in line with good governance practices. The department has swiftly intervened without failure to address these misbehaviours.
In Mogalakwena Municipality we were recently compelled to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to good governance, as we had to literally sit with the Mogalakwena local council to implement recommendations of the KPMG forensic report, commissioned by the department. By way of background; in this case a corporate services manager was found guilty on 26 counts mainly with regards to financial misconduct, fraud, corruption, and theft; and was subsequently dismissed. However, to our dismay, the municipal council took a contrary decision to reinstate the incumbent.
The KPMG report concurred with the disciplinary outcomes. The municipal council had been instructed to rescind that decision and recover the fruitless, wasteful and irregular expenditure related to this case. The department is steadfast in ensuring full implementation of the KPMG recommendations.
We want to salute all those who have stood opposed to this malpractice including the Mogalakwena community, Piet Pale and Transvaal Agricultural Union.
We encourage the people of Limpopo and all sectors of our society to expose all forms of malpractices and corruption wherever they raise their ugly heads. We encourage them to effectively use the Presidential and Premier's hotlines including the departmental Housing call centre. These are our communication tools aimed at strengthening interaction with our communities for reporting cases; indeed it is palpable that, better together we can do more, we are a government by the people and for the people. The message we are sending here is that we give no credence to any form of illegal activity.
We equally condemn this act with all forms of unyielding severity. We congratulate and salute all Mayors and municipal councils including municipal managers, who heeded to the Executive Council's decision to appoint suitable and capable Senior Managers in compliance with the Municipal Systems Amendment Act 2011. As part of the local government Transition, some of the Senior Management's five year employment contracts are about to expire; it is our firm belief that in all 30 municipalities both the political and administrative leaders will at all times ensure timeous filling of these top management positions as per Executive Council's resolution.
Operation clean audit outcomes
During the launch of Operation Clean Audit in July 2009, in Birchwood Hotel, in Boksburg, as a country we set ourselves specific targets and outputs.
As councillors, we committed ourselves to the country and its people that by end 2010/11 financial year, no municipality or government institution will obtain disclaimer or adverse audit opinion.
We committed ourselves to clean governance and good leadership, maintenance of sound financial management, proper record keeping, good ethical behaviour and most importantly accountable and transparent local government.
It is with dismay that today we report that we have fallen short of our undertaking. In the 09/10 financial year, 9 municipalities received disclaimers; no municipality received adverse report, while in the 10/11 financial year 8 municipalities received disclaimers, 3 received adverse reports.
The municipalities which have received disclaimers in the 10/11 financial year are Sekhukhune District, Makhuduthamaga, Elias Motswaledi, Baphalaborwa, Molemole, Giyani, Makhado and Lepelle Nkumpi, municipalities. The municipalities which have received adverse audit reports are in the financial year 2010/11 are Aganang, Letaba and Modimolle municipalities. We take this opportunity to congratulate our two municipalities that received clean audit reports being Fetakgomo and Waterberg.
Fetakgomo municipality is the only municipality that has received a clean audit report for two years in succession. Their secret is simple: committed, visionary, law abiding, knowledgeable and collective leadership. We hope that other municipalities will emulate Fetakgomo and use it as a benchmark instead of visiting municipalities abroad.
The major challenges that are faced by municipalities in their efforts to score clean audits are, accounting for assets in terms of the new accounting standards; this requires municipalities must account for all movable and immovable assets in their asset registers. Therefore all municipalities need to ensure that their asset management plans are implemented. Other challenges are in relation to accounting for water transactions and nonÂcompliance with Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), in particular supply chain management requirements, poor record keeping and lack of oversight and monitoring within municipalities.
Our planned intervention for the financial year 2012/13 will focus on municipalities improving record management, conducting frequent bank reconciliation, and improving compliance with supply chain management process.
In order to improve provincial oversight on the implementation of the clean audit, the department will convene a Provincial Audit Outcomes Oversight Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) forum constituted of MECs for CoGHSTA and Provincial Treasury, to be attended by District Mayors and local Mayors on a quarterly basis. The sessions will monitor implementation of municipal audit remedial action plans, revenue and debt management issues as well as infrastructure grant expenditure.
Equally at local level we expect the political leadership to also provide strategic oversight on monthly reconciliations and quarterly financial statements.
With regard to compliance with supply chain management regulations in municipalities, in the coming financial year the department will initiate a campaign that will provide municipal officials with a toll free number through which they will be able to report any illegal instruction which has a potential to flout the Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA), Supply Chain Management and any other law. The department commits to deal with the reported cases immediately in order to proactively intervene before any significant damage is done.
We reaffirm our commitment to intensify the implementation of Operation Clean Audit plan.
Local government turnaround
We will intensify the implementation of the local government turnaround strategy in all 30 municipalities; with a dedicated focus on good governance, financial management, leadership, and performance management. Last year this time, 15 out of 30 municipalities had credible Integrated Development Plans (IDPs).
At this moment we have 20 out of 30 municipalities who have credible IDPs. This is an improvement from 15 to 20 in the previous MEC IDP Assessment process. It is our plan to ensure that by the end of 2013/14 all our municipalities will have credible IDPs.
Provision of basic services
This August house will recall that in the previous year we shared our plans with you that we intend to vigorously overhaul all our ten growth point municipalities' capacity to deliver. We were upfront in cautioning that this was not going to be smooth-sailing.
We continue to do everything in our power so as to ensure that our aim of reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is on course. During the budget speech for 2011/12 financial year, we announced that 1 064 households in Hlalanikahle in Makhuduthamaga, 855 households in Dzwerani in Thulamela, 512 households in Makatjane and Sekgweng in Polokwane will be electrified. We are pleased to announce that Dzwerani and Makatjane have been completed while Sekgweng and Hlalanikahle are being finalised.
A total of R235 million has been allocated through the Integrated National Electrification Programme (Eskom Grant) to electrify households in Limpopo for the 2012/13 financial year.
A further R2,463 billion has been allocated through the municipal infrastructure grant for provision of basic services to households in the province for 2012/13 financial year.
However, the challenge we face is the capacity of some municipalities in the province to utilise the grant funding provided for basic services. The department, together with the national department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs will engage those municipalities to provide assistance through the newly established Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency.
Currently, the number of households with access to water services is 298 794 (83.6%), access to free basic electricity is 264 371(81%), access to electricity is 1 072 392 (82%), access to free basic sanitation is 246 217 (50%) and access to sanitation is 1 141 116 (60%).The sanitation programme in Dan village will be completed by the end of April2012. The residents will for the first time use a waterborne toilet system, in other words, they will be able to flush their toilets.
Bulk infrastructure grant
The multi-year water projects reported in the previous budget year are all at advanced stages of development. Furthermore, an allocation of R481 223 million through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant for water projects has been made available in the 2012/13 financial year to the province through the Department of Water Affairs (DWA).
Highlights of some of the key projects include the following:
- Sekhukhune - R140 000 000
- Waterberg - R55 700 000
- Mopani - R38 789 000
The De Hoop dam in Sekhukhune is also nearing completion, and the impoundment of water is planned for around August 2012. About R889 million has been provided for bulk distribution network around De Hoop dam over the next three financial years through the Regional Bulk Grant programme.
Waste water treatment works
The Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) has signed a mandate agreement with individual, municipalities, to fund the upgrading and refurbishment of the Waste Water Treatment Works, which will be about R1.057 billion over the medium-term. We are happy to announce that the department has appointed a service provider who has commenced with a detailed assessment of the province's Waste Water Treatment Works to establish the cost of both current and future operational and maintenance obligations.
It is anticipated that the assessment process will be completed by October 2012. Once that is done, actual procurement of works will begin in earnest. This will give our municipalities the required capacity for Waste Water Treatment Works for the next 15 to20 years.
Job creation
One of the ruling party's key manifesto areas is creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods. The 2011/12 financial year was declared a year of job creation by our President.
Our contribution to job creation priority is that six municipalities are currently implementing Community Works Programme (CWP) in 17 wards, i.e. greater Tubatse (1 046), greater Tzaneen (1 650), greater Giyani(1 028), Mutale (310),Mogalakwena (312) and Blouberg (312) municipalities.
The implementation of the CWP has resulted in the creation of 4 500 jobs. Our Integrated Sustainable Human Settlements programme has also created 4 140 job opportunities.
In the 2012/13 financial year the plan is to create 4 550 job opportunities through the Integrated Sustainable Human Settlements programme and 11 000 through CWP.
Sa muhasho, ri do bvela phanda na u shuma ro ziimisela u itela u khwa! hisedza uri vhathu vhashu vhothe vha fhedze vha na vhutshilo ha khwioe.
Traditional leadership
All of us in this chamber are agents of change. Accordingly, we are engaged in the transformation of our society as a people and leadership whose values and character, I think, should be informed by the courage, wisdom, humility and benevolence of Hintsa, Moshoeshoe, Shaka, Sekhukhune, Ramabulana, Ngungunyane,Cetshwayo and many others.
Whatever wisdom we ourselves possess, has been transmitted, through many generations, from the heroes and heroines of our people, who even in the midst of brutal wars, refused to dishonour the cause of freedom. The conquest wars of resistance were, as we know, led by our traditional leaders. The end of formal wars of conquest did not mean the end of agony of the African people, but rather a legacy of pain, suffering, confusion and anger that shape our country to this very day. It is this legacy that has led us to where we are today.
Bogosi ke boaparankwe ya mabala bo kgethegile bophelong. Pheta ya thaga e a hlomphiwa gobane bogosi ke lefofa Ia khubela bo a tswalelwa. Bana ba kgosi ba latelana go ya ka kgati. Lapa la mosate gale tlankelwe gobane le tletse ka mathedithedi.
It is this African National Congress (ANC) led government that has to give our people a life of hope. We are pleased to announce that, throughout the country, we are one province that works well with traditional leaders. Our intention is to sustain this relationship and even elevate it to another level.
We will do this because we value and celebrate our rich culture and historically rooted traditions because they define our identities. We will do this because we have a firm belief that traditional leadership is very vital in our efforts to improve the quality of our people's lives through development.
We will establish a Commission of Traditional Leadership Disputes in the province which will be known as Kgatla Commission. We have appointed the chairperson of the commission already and by April 2012 we shall have appointed the entire commissioners. The commission will go a long way in resolving the traditional leadership disputes which are over 500 involving headmen and Senior Traditional Leaders that arise from time to time in the province. The life-span of this commission is until the end of2015.We have a firm belief that by the end of its tenure all registered disputes shall be resolved. Once the commission is in operation in April, we call upon those who are affected to cooperate and complement its work.
Ditabeng tsetse Maaparankwethibego, ke maikemisetso a rena go soma ka thata gore ditshaba tsa gabo rena ka moka di tie di gate tala e bola. Re tioga re amogela gore taba tsa tatelano ya bogosi go ya ka kgati disa tswenywa ke madimo le diphefo.
It has come to our notice that some of our officers who are working in tribal offices do not behave in a manner that is consistent with their job descriptions. They are also involved in traditional leadership disputes. Their conduct makes it difficult for us to resolve traditional leadership disputes. As a department, we promise to make sure that such an anomaly is corrected.
The salaries of traditiona leaders (Headmen and Headwomen) have been stagnant for a long time, making them victims of inflation. We will adjust their remuneration in such a way that they can also put bread and butter on the table. In line with the Premier's announcement, the department has put aside R80 million to increase salaries of our Kings, senior traditional leaders, headmen and headwomen. This is in compliance with the gazetted rates. Although this is still not enough, it will go a long way in ameliorating the living conditions of our traditional leaders.
The King's annual package will increase from R883 161 per annum to R927 319 per annum, senior traditional leaders' salary will move from R161 996 per annum to R170 098 per annum.
Salaries of headmen and headwomen will move from R13 000 per annum to R71 644 per annum. However, due to budgetary constraints, we shall short-pay our headmen and headwomen by a mere R197,00 per month, our senior traditional leaders by a mere R469,00 a month, our kings by R2 559.00 per month.
The department is fully aware that these new rates are effective from 1 April 2011. What it means is that we owe traditional leaders in total 84 million in arrears. The department undertakes to make good of this arrears as soon as we receive appropriation from the fiscus.
Honourable Speaker,
Human settlements housing delivery
We shall not betray our forebears and Olive Schreiner. Our forebears have proclaimed that: There shall be houses, security and comfort. All people shall have the right to live where they choose, to be decently housed and bring up their families in comfort and security, unused housing space shall be made available, slums shall be demolished and new suburbs built where all have transport, roads, playing fields, crèches and social centres, fenced locations and ghettoes shall be abolished and laws which break up families, shall be abolished.
As part of the department's Integrated Human Settlements programme we aspire to bridge the divide between all races, rich and poor. The innovative programmes are indeed changing our landscape, reversing apartheid settlements patterns. Our programme is indeed in line with the National Vision 2030.
We are pleased to announce that since 2009, we have built 46 743 quality houses for our people. This translates in putting roofs over the heads of 186 972 human beings. Our target for the 2011/12 financial year was to build 13 410houses.
As a tradition, all the 13 410 are completed, the few remaining are on snag list. The remaining 2 524 are at completion stage and will be handed to all beneficiaries by the second week of April2012. These are additional units allocated to the best performing contractors during the last quarter of the financial year. In addition to the already completed low cost quality houses, through the special programme called "Celebrity Build a House", in partnership with SABC and Capricorn FM, we have built 36 quality houses across the province in the past three years. And all these exceptional houses were fully furnished when they were handed over to beneficiaries.
Mmasepaleng wa selete wa Mopani re hweditse Morena Ngoako Thomas Masia wa Block 18 yo a bego a dula a le tee ka gare ga mokutwana maemong ao a bego a hlomola le kgosi ya baloi pelo. E be e le kgale mmago bana a mo tlogetse ka baka Ia maemo ao a go jese tseo di theogelago. Fela mmago bana o rile go kwa gore ntlo ya matsabatsaba e erne ka maoto lapeng Ia bona, ntle le go laela, yena a rwala diporogwana tsa gagwe a boela lapeng Ia gagwe gobane bophelo bjo bokaone bo ratwa ke batho ka moka.
Seleteng sa Sekhukhune, lefelong leo le tsebegago ka Schoonord, re ile ra botswa ka lapa Ia Morena Shabangu le mohumagadi wa gagwe yo a mmelegetsego bana ba 23, ba bile ba dula le ditlogolo tse senyane ka gare ga ntlo ya RDP le ntlo ye nnyane ya dikamore tse pedi. Kgoro e rile go kwa ka taba ye, ra ikgasa lapeng leo gomme bona ba agelwa ntlo ye botse ye kgolo yeo e tlabaketswego ka diphahlo tse diswa. Le lehono lona le, difahlogo tsa Morena Shabangu le Mme Shabangu di sa kgabisitswe ke myemyelo le lesego Ia lekepekepe. Le bona ba re hlomphile ka go ba go fa lehono.
Through the Premier's Executive Council (Exco) outreach programme which takes place on a monthly basis, the department managed to build 11 fully furnished big houses that were handed over to beneficiaries.
Ntirho wa mfumo wa muganga I wa mani na mani. I swa nkoka ku nyika xiphemu lexi xa mfumo, xiyimo lexi xi wu faneleke. Loko hi nga endli tano, vanhu va ka hina va ta tshama evuswetini na le tindhawini leti ti nga hluvukangiki.
Honourable Speaker,
As we celebrate the centenary of the ANC, in remembrance of this rich history, and in honour of Mandela, Solomon Mahlangu and Peter Mokaba generations, in June 2011, our department, in cooperation with the National Department of Human Settlements, National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and National Housing Builders Regulatory Council (NHBRC) hosted the National Youth Build in Molemole.
Hundred youth volunteers participated in the project where 76 quality houses were built in three weeks. Mme Rosina Malete from Molemole, who is one of the beneficiaries, is also here with us today.
The Provincial Youth Summit held in Lephalale Municipality last year, demonstrated our commitment towards youth development in the human settlements sector. Through the youth build programme the department strives to take forward the aspirations of the youth expressed at this youth summit. We will add on to our current 59 youth bursary holders, for scares skills. We have employed 11 of these students in our core functions. In our next bursary intake applications we will consider applicants, for Bachelor's degree in Human Settlements offered by Nelson Mandela University and University of South Africa (Unisa). Our youth are encouraged to apply for studies in this field.
In our efforts of redefining urban form, we have demolished the old Seshego single sex structures and built modem family residential units. We did this as part of instilling pride in our people. The first phase of Seshego community residential units has been completed, launched and officially handed over by Minister Tokyo Sexwale. The second phase of the project is to be completed by May this year.
We are pleased to announce that the former Seshego hostel dwellers, who will not qualify to be accommodated in this modern CRU, will be a sheltered permanently in Seshego Hospital View. 28 of their 86 houses have been completed already. The remaining 58 will be completed by April this year.
We are also delighted to announce that in the next financial year, planning will start in earnest for the construction of yet another Community Residential Units (CRU) in Lephalale. It is envisaged that this CRU, will yield no less than 250 Units. In the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period, similar projects will follow in all our provincial growth points' municipalities.
Honourable Speaker,
The provision of shelter to our people is an obligation that we will continue to honour without any excuse. The programme of giving our people houses has proven to be one of the most fundamental interventions in our quest to eradicate poverty and backwardness.
We have completed Bendor Extension 86 designs for topographical structures and the Township establishment for Polokwane Extension 86 and 104. We are pleased to report as part of our Turnaround Strategy for Polokwane Housing Association (PHA), that Ga Rena residential place is now experiencing an element of stability. A new board and CEO have been appointed and good rapport established between the Board and the tenants.
Honourable Speaker,
The Minister of Human Settlements together with the department launched the "Each One Settle One" campaign, last year in Thabazimbi. With this campaign, we call upon individual donors, companies and Mining Houses to build houses for families that are in need. We have a stern belief that this programme will help reduce the burden on the government, as business will also be playing their role in the human settlement agenda. In partnership with Anglo Platinum Mine, we are building 8000 houses for the mine employees through the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP).
Olive Schreiner continues in the same letter and says:
"Every great nation of the past or present has contributed something to the sum total of things beautiful, good or useful, possessed by humanity: therein largely lies its greatness.
"We in South Africa can never hope exactly to repeat the records of the past.
"There lies before us in South Africa a part as great and inspiring as any which any nation has ever been called upon to play if we are strong of enough to grasp it.
"The problem of the twentieth century will not be a repetition of those of the nineteenth or those which went before it. The walls dividing the continents are breaking down; everywhere European, Asiatic and African will interlard. The world on which the twenty-first century will open its eyes will be one widely different from that which the twentieth sees at its awakening".
We are a generation that learns from the past in order to prepare well for the future. We also want to contribute the sum total of things good or useful to be possessed by humanity by laying a firm foundation for construction of cities in the province. We have long awakened to the reality that the challenges of the 22nd century are going to be different to the present.
The scoping reports for both Burgersfort and Makhado/Musina infrastructure development have been commissioned. Once the scoping reports are completed, like in Lephalale, work will begin in earnest with infrastructure implementation. This will unlock the much awaited private sector investment in the two provincial growth points.
Honourable Speaker,
The planned two land parcels in Bela-Bela and Ivydale have been acquired. These portions will be utilised for human settlement development. The ultimate goal of these projects is to enhance social cohesion and create a better life for our suffering people. Jointly with Housing Development Agency, we are packaging enterprising projects to benefit the poor of the poorest.
We have registered and endorsed 3 278 title deeds for low cost housing properties in the financial year 2011/12.This exceeds the planned target of 1 200 target that was set. We have also transferred 927 title deeds for pre-1994 housing stock through the Enhanced Extended Discount Benefit Scheme (EEDBS). This amounts to a combined total of 4 205 title deeds transferred in the 2011/12 financial year.
It stands to reason that, our annual target of delivering 2 000 title deeds was exceeded by more than 100%.The title deeds are endorsed so as to curb the selling or letting of these houses for a period of eight years.
Lephalale
We have completed the Seeping report for Lephalale municipality. We further outlined our plans of building a new city in that part of our province. We are pleased to report that we have commenced with the process of installing bulk infrastructure in Lephalale. This project should be completed by the end of 2012/13 financial year. The people of Limpopo can now take a sigh of relief in that now government is at the forefront of all developments in Lephalale.
Honourable Speaker,
The future looks promising. In the 2012/13 financial year, we commit to deliver 12 000 quality houses to our people in this province. We will increase our subsidy quantum from R54 650 to 57 980.
In line with our mandate of housing the people of this province, we will administer and transfer 3 000 houses to beneficiaries. These are houses that were built during the past era which made occupants perpetual visitors in their own homes. Once more, the ANC-led Government will restore their dignity and make them title holders and real owners of these properties.
Next year, 2013, marks 100 years of the passing of the Land Act of 1913 in our country. It was through this unjust Act that our people were robbed and dispossessed of their land.
Since the dawn of our democracy in 1994, the government has tried in vain to reclaim the stolen land of our masses through the "willing seller, willing buyer" principle. To date, eighteen years into democracy, no significant progress has been made. It is clear to all that the principle of willing seller, willing buyer" has dismally failed to yield positive results and the land hunger continues to trouble our people. We remain slaves in our own country. That is why a new policy framework, the green paper on land reform has been introduced.
We will acquire no less than 200 hectors of land for Human Settlements development in the province. Various housing instruments will be used to respond to the needs of our people, especially for the middle income earners. This refers to those who are earning between R3500 - R15 000.
Honourable Speaker,
Administration
The great and glorious legacy of a department is to stand tall at all times for something excellent, meaningful and powerful and to leave a mark for generations to come. It is common knowledge that reputable organisations like us cannot end a year without getting inspired as we would have not fully lived to our greatest potential.
Through our achievements and legacy we forge a human monument that all coming generations will marvel at and be inspired.
Employment equity
Women have always been an integral part of society, but their lives have always been bound by their domestic responsibilities, defined in terms of their role within the home and family. In this country, African women in particular, have suffered triple oppression, namely: race, class, and gender. In the early twentieth century, few women were working outside the home, and those that were, were to be found mainly in domestic employment. Women's direct contact with the public sphere of the economy and politics were very limited. It came as a surprise to many people when on the 1th of April1954, women of all races held the first national conference of women in the Trades Hall in Johannesburg and produced" a Women's Charter" which identified the women's movement completely with the liberation struggle .
It was a remarkably progressive document, far in advance of popular thinking about women and their place in society at that time. Part of "The Charter'' read thus:
"We women do not form a society different from men. There is only one society and it is made up of both women and men. As women, we share the problems and anxieties of our men and join hands with them to remove social evils and obstacles to progress. We march forward with our men in the struggle for liberation and the defence of the working people. As women, there rests upon us the burden of removing from our societal differences that developed in past times between men and women which have had the effect of keeping our gender in a position of inferiority and subordination.
Per Programme: Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs
Programme 1: Administration: R265 436
Programme 2: Human Settlements: R1 562 444
Programme 3: Cooperative Governance: R247 157
Programme 4: Traditional Institutional Development: R299 380
Total Budget Estimates: R2 374 417
Per Economic Classification: Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs
- Current payments: 882 426
- Compensation of employees: 684 416
- Goods and services: 198 010
- Transfers and subsidies to: 1 482 760
- Provinces and municipalities: 8 799
- Households: 1 473 961
- Payments for capital assets: 9 231
- Buildings and other fixed structures: 614
- Machinery and equipment: 8 617
- Total Economic Classification: 2 374 417
Honourable Speaker,
I would like to express my gratitude to my colleagues in the Executive Council led by the Premier, Municipal Mayors and all Councillors, as well as Traditional Leaders for their cooperative unwavering support to the department.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the Portfolio Committee Members, chaired by Mme Joy Matshoge. You have exercised your oversight responsibilities with distinction, keep up the good work.
Many thanks to diligent officials of the department, from the cleaner to executive management, for it is through your hard work that today, in this hour, this minute, we are the only Human Settlement Department with a clean audit. We continue to build quality houses in time on agreed price.
Ka baka la mphufutso wa lena, lehono maswi re nwa ka hlwai ra tsatsampela.
To the acting Head of Department, Mme Manamela, my thanks go out to you. You have been a pillar of support in the department even before you were appointed in your new acting post.
I also thank the members of Executive Management (Banna le Basadi ba mafolofolo), Mme Mkhize and Mr Nchabeleng, who are sub-department leaders, responsible for Integrated Sustainable Human Settlements and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, respectively.
I further extend my thanks to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for his role in ensuring that our budget commitments tally with the objectives. All of you, the stage has now become smaller for your theatrics.
As a department, we know that the eyes of the masses of our people are focused on us for service delivery. We promise to toil without fail.
Rena re re, re bofile setsiba, re tlemile thetho e bile re garile ntepana.
Kealeboga!
