Address by the Deputy Minister Andries Nel - Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs - at the International Mandela Day celebration at Cala Community Work Programme, Cala Town, Eastern Cape
Executive Mayor of Chris Hani District Municipality, Cllr Koyo
Mayor of Sakhisizwe Local Municipality, Cllr Jentile
Speaker, Cllr Mananga
Councillors,
Traditional Leadership,
Local Reference Committee (LRCs),
Members of the Border Rural Committee,
Comrades and friends
Molweni,
Ninjani?
I am glad to be here in Sakhisizwe Municipality. Indeed together ‘we are building the nation.’ I am also happy to be here at the home of one of the sons of the ANC, our Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe.
Kuyandivuyisa ukubalapha kuMasipala iSakhisizwe. Ngenene, sisonke sakha isizwe. Kundinika uvuyo olukhulu ukufikelela apha kwikhaya lomnye woonyana baka Khongolose, uNobhala-Jikelele uGwede Mantashe.
Today we are here to celebrate another of the great sons of the Eastern Cape, uTata Madiba himself.
Namhlanje sizokubhiyoza sikhumbule omnye woonyana beliphondo le Mpuma Kapa, uMadiba ngenkqu.
On the 18th of July we mark International Mandela Day.
Ngomhla weshumi elinesibhozo kule imiyo, ihlabathi lonke lizakuthi liqaphele usuku elwaziwa kuzwelonke njenge International Mandela Day.
It is a day of celebration that has been recognised by the United Nations (UN) and is observed in countries around the world. The UN calls on people to devote at least 67 minutes of their time to make a difference in communities where they live and serve others.
Olusuku lubaluleke kangangokuba lwagunyaziswa nguMbutho Wezizwe Ezimanyeyo lukwabhiyozelwa mbombo zone zehlabathi. Ngolusuku ke, abantu bonke behlabathi bakhuthazwa ukuba banikezele ebuncinaneni imizuzu engamashumi amathandathu anesixhenxe esebenzela ukuzisa utshintsho ekuhlaleni.
The theme of Mandela Day as always is to ‘Take Action and Inspire Change.’ Which is what we are here to do today.
Umongo wolusuku luka Madiba omde ke uthi: ‘Thabata Inyathelo, Wenze uTshintsho’. Sizozeka mzekweni ke nathi ngolusuku lwanamhlanje.
It was uTata Mandela himself who said: “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice…It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.”
Ikwanguye kaloku utata uMandela owatsho la mazwi alandelayo: “Ukongamela intlupheko ayikokwenzela mntu nyhweba, bubulungisa…. yinto eyenziwa ngumntu yaye intlupheko i-no-ku-pheliswa zizenzo zethu singabantu.”
This government is committed to keeping the ideals of Madiba alive.
Lo Rhulumente uzinikele ekugcineni imibono neenjongo zeDiba elihle ziphila.
We are committed to eradicating poverty. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ Community Works Programme or CWP is aimed at uplifting the poorest in our community.
Sikwazinikele ekuyigqibeni nya intlupheko. Iknqubo yesebe le Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs ebizwa ngokuba yi Community Work Programme, okanye I CWP ngamafutshane ijongene nokuphucula iimpilo zabo bangathathi ntweni.
The CWP is a government programme that is aimed at tackling poverty and unemployment. The CWP will give the youth an opportunity to work and earn an income. The CWP will give them work experience so that they can apply for other jobs or start their own business.
ICWP yinkqubo ka Rhulumente eenjongo zikukuphelisa intlupheko iqubisane nokunqongophala kwengqesho. ICWP inikeza nabantu abatsha ithuba lokuba basebenze bakwazi ukufumana umvuzo ikwabanikeza amava abalulekileyo. Ikwayile nkqubo ye CWP ephinda incede ulutsha ngemali yokuba bakwazi ukukhangela eminye imisebenzi.
Across South Africa the CWP has provided 202 634 work opportunities. In the Eastern Cape the CWP is assisting 38 000 participants at 37 sites across the province.
Kumzantsi Afrika uphela, iCWP sele inizele ngamathuba engqesho angaphaya kwamakhulu amabini anesibini amawaka. Apha eMpuma Kapa kuphela, iCWP inceda abantu abangaphaya kwamawaka angamashumi amathathu anesibhozo kumaziko angamashumi amathatu anesixhenxe.
In Sakhisizwe the CWP is building the nation. The CWP has provided work for 1 000 participants. The CWP programme has been here for the last five years.
Apha eSakhisizwe, iCWP iyaqhubeka nephulo layo lokwakha isizwe, ukuzofika ngoku, baliwaka abantu abathabatha inxaxheba kwi CWP.
Our government is uplifting this community of Cala. We are changing lives. We are keeping the spirit of Mandela alive. We are bringing hope to this community.
Apha eCala sigqiba iminyaka emihlanu sinikeza ithemba siphucula ubomi boluntu njengeko nosuku luka Madiba lweHlabathi lusigunyazisa.
I know in April this year Comrade Mantashe donated blankets and two fire-engines to the Sakhisizwe Municipality. This is the calibre of leadership we have within our ranks. Those who are keeping the spirit of Mandela Day alive.
Ndiyazi ukuba ku April walonyaka, uqabane Gwede Mantashe wanikela ngeengubo kunye nezicima mlilo ezibini kuMasipala iSakhisizwe. Ludidi lwenkokheli esinazo ke ezi phakathi kwethu. Iinkokheli ezigcina umongo wokunikela wosuku luka Madiba lweHlabathi uphila.
In April last year, Pres Jacob Zuma opened a feed lot for cattle farmers in the area. I am told that Cala is ahead in land reform and that area has 156 black farmers.
Friends,
Zihlobo
I am sure you have read about the number of initiation deaths across the country. Twenty-one initiates have lost their lives in the Eastern Cape, two in Limpopo and one in Mpumalanga.
Ndiqinisekile sele nivile ngentlungu yokusweleka kwabakhwetha kwindawo ngeendawo apha eMzantsi Afrika. Sithetha nje, sele kusweleke abakhwetha abangamshumi amabini ananye eMpuma Kapa, ababini eLimpopo kunye nomnye eMpumalanga.
Of the deaths in the Eastern Cape I’m told that 13 occurred in the OR Tambo District, three in the Chris Hani District, two in Qumbu and one in Alfred Nzo, Joe Gqabi and Buffalo City.
Kweli lishwa lokusweleka kwabakhwetha apha eMpuma Kapa, ishumi elinesithathu lonke lisweleke kwisithili I OR Thambo, abathathu eChris Hani, ababini ku Qumbu wabamnye e Alfred Nzo, Joe Gqabi kunye nase Buffalo City.
We are working with Deputy Minister Obed Bapela to reduce deaths, especially at illegal initiation schools.
Siwa sivuka sino Sekela Mphathiswa uBapela ukunciphisa iziganeko zokusweleka kwabakhwetha, ingakumbi kumathonto angekho mthethweni.
Today Deputy Minister Bapela is visiting initiation schools in the OR Tambo district.
Ngale mini yanamhlanje, uSekela Mphathiswa uBapela uhambele amathonto kwisithili sase OR Thambo.
About 22 illegal schools have been closed down in Gauteng alone and 89 children have been rescued. Last week we closed down an illegal school in Soweto and rescued 22 children who had been kidnapped. Some had severe burn wounds and were taken to hospital. It is believed that a panga was used for circumcision.
Amashumi amabini amathonto angekho mthethweni sele evaliwe kwiphondo iGauteng kuphela, kwelo phulo kuhlangulwe abantwana abangamashumi asibhozo anesithoba onke. Kwiveki ephelileyo sivale ithonto elingekho mthethweni kwindawo yase Soweto apho sithe sahlangula abantwana abangmashumi amabini abebexhwiliwe. Abanye babo bebenamanxeba okutsha baye babalekiswa esibhedlele. Kukholeleka ukuba boluswe ngesinkempe.
Let us condemn this practice of taking children without their parents consent. We urge parents and the community to report this to the police should you witness any such activity. Our children cannot be taken away in the middle of the night to these illegal initiation schools. We are looking at changing the law to criminalise the running of illegal initiation schools.
Ndiyaligxeka elinyala lokuthathwa kwabantwana bayokoluswa ngaphandle kwemvume yabazali. Ndigxila kubazali nakuluntu ngokubanzi ukuba lusebenzisane namapolisa ukuvimbela le meko. Ngeke sibukele abantwana bethu bethathwa ezinzulwini zobusuku besisiwa kumathonto angagunyaziswanga. SinguRhulumente siphezu kwephulo lokwenza abo bolusa amakhwenkwe bengagunyaziswanga baphendule ityala kwinkundla yomthetho.
The Eastern Cape Department of Health has set up field hospitals to assist initiates who need help. These hospitals consist of tents with essential equipment and stretchers to provide intravenous fluids, antibiotics and wound care.
ISebe leZempilo apha eMpuma Kapa lumisilele izibhedlela zethutyana ukuncena nale meko emaxongo kangaka. Ezi zibhedlela zakhiwe ngeentente yaye zikwaxhotyiswe ngezixhobo namayeza asetyenziswa ukunyanga abakwetha aba.
This abuse of our children is not what Mandela, Sisulu and Tambo fought for.
Oku kuxhatshazwa kwabantana bethu asiyiyo into eyalwelwa ngamaqhawe angoo Mandela, Sisulu kunye no Tambo.
Tata Madiba himself loved children.
Ubaw’ Madiba ube ebathanda kakhulu abantwana.
We must continue this legacy of Mandela in how we treat our children during the initiation period. We cannot afford to lose any more of our children. Let us report illegal initiation schools and those who forcibly kidnap these young boys.
Nathi ke masiqhubeke nalomzekelo mhle ka Mandela ngendlela esiphatha ngayo abantwana ngelixa lokoluka. Asikwazi nje ukuphulukana nabanye abantwana. Masibaveze elubala abenzi bobubi abaxhwila abantwana ukuyobolusa ngokungekho mthethweni.
Let us keep our children safe.
Masigcine sikhusele abantwana bethu.
People of Cala,
Mzi waseCala,
I am glad that our CWP programme is targeting our youth and providing them with a brighter future. I am aware that over a third of the population from this area are below the age of 15 years. I am aware that the Eastern Cape Government is making available Adult Education classes and providing Early Childhood Development facilities. I urge you to make the most of these.
Kuyandichulumancisa ukubona iCWP inikeza abantu abatsha amathuba nekamva eliqhakazileyo. Ndiyazi ukuba kuninzi lwabantu abazinze kule ndawo abantwana abangaphantsi kweshumi elinesihlanu baphala phambili. Ndiyazi kananjalo ukuba uRhulumente weliphondo uphuhlisa amaziko okufundisa abantu abadala kunye nawabantwana abaselula. Ndiyanikhuthaza ukuba niwasebenzise lamathuba.
I am also glad that we get to visit the Cala CWP Computer Centre that has been set up to assist the youth with applying for jobs and other training opportunities. Please make the most of these facilities. It is your gateway to a better life.
Kuyandivuyisa ukundwendwela iziko le Khompyutha le CWP elisekelwe ukuncedisa ulutsha ukukhangela imisebenzi namathuba okuziphuhlisa. Ncedani niwasebenzise lamaziko, ayinyoba esingise kubomi obungcono.
I am also looking forward to visiting the Cala Community School. I understand that the CWP participants are doing a good job here painting the classroom blocks and conducting repairs.
Ndinemincili ukundwendwela iCala Community School. Ndivile ngomsebenzi omhle wokulungiswa kwamagumbi okufundela owenziwa yi CWP.
I also want to see the Tsengiwie Community Garden run by CWP participants. I believe the fruits or should I say vegetables of your labour are helping the local clinic by providing them with a constant source of food for their patients.
Ndiyatshiseka ukude ndibone igadi yoluntu iTsengiwe, ndinethemba ukuba iziqhabo, gxebe izifuno zomsebenzi ziyancedisana neziko lezempilo lalapha ekuhlaleni ekuphekeleni iziguli.
The Community Work Programme is Mandela Day in action, every day.
I am sure that uTata Madiba would be proud of the Community Work Programme. It is the community and government working together to create a better life for all. It is how We Move South Africa Forward.
Ndiqinisekile uba uTat’ uMadiba ebeyakuzingca nge Community Work Programme. Uluntu lubambisene noRhulumente ukuphucula ubomi bethu sisonke. Senjenje ke ukuphuhlisa uMzansi Afrika.
Let us honour Madiba by making the most of the CWP initiatives and keep on Moving South Africa Forward.
Masimwonge ke uMadiba ngokuqhubeka namaphulo eCWP sibeke ilizwe lethu kwndlela yenkqubela.
Ndiyabulela kakhulu.
