Honourable Chairperson of the NCOP
Honourable Members of the Select Committees
Honourable Members
Chairpersons and Chief Executives of Water Entities
Visiting Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Introduction
Thank you very much Honourable Chairperson for hosting our department in this Honourable House. I am coming here for the second time full of memories of your hospitality and reception when we represented our new department for the first time in this House.
Since then as outlined by the Minister we have done a lot of work in terms of infrastructure development and provision of services to the most remote communities of our country.
The plans and budget presented here today will go a long way in consolidating our efforts of meeting the needs of our people. This budget we have presented here today remains the only developmental tool to change the lives of our people.
Our Successes in 2014/2015
Honourable Chairperson our successes in the last financial year included improved international relations. We were hosted by different nations of the world through participation in conferences, we have also hosted the world in conferences such as the "Gender, Water and Development Conference" and we have sourced the services of the Cuban nationals for deployment in municipalities where we do not have the required technical skills.
Through the Echo Schools Programme we have received a United Nations award for ''Water for Life Best Practice". This has been about innovation in technology in water usage and conservation.
Also working with MTN Foundation we have delivered five Media Classrooms. Two of these Media Classrooms were given to schools in Limpopo, the other two to schools in the Eastern Cape and one to a school in Gauteng.
The department has build very strong relations at a political and administrative levels with all the nine provinces in terms of planning and budgeting. We are working with the nine provinces to develop water and sanitation plans that will inform our broad strategy on the work to be done in the resolution of challenges and backlogs facing the sector.
The Premiers and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) MECs are championing and supporting our work in the respective provinces. This is reflected in the wide spread of developmental and infrastructural programmes planned throughout the country in this financial year.
The department has managed to mobilise the civil society into the water family. In KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo the traditional leadership has committed and rallied around the programmes we are unfolding.
The Water and the Sanitation Summits which the department successfully held introduced new partners and identified new game changers in the provision of water and sanitation services. We have seen both water and sanitation technologies never seen before.
We believe through these new technologies in water and sanitation we will change the lives of the people for the better.
Our social and operation base was increased by the involvement of both rural and urban communities, district and local municipalities, academics, technical experts, business people, youth participation and women involvement in the work we are doing.
Our focus this Financial Year
Honourable Chairperson the apartheid infrastructure planning discriminated against the rural and poor communities. With this progressive and developmental budget the department will change this skewed provision of services.
This budget contains resources at hand that will be used to transform the economic situation in the country. The youth, women and people living with disabilities will be considered. The plan is to empower the small business people and develop them into big business of tomorrow.
The department will continue to address the skills shortage through the Youth Development skills targeting youth throughout the country and place them in various municipalities as part of job creation. Their skills will assist municipalities to rollout infrastructure development and continue the fight against water leaks.
The President of the Republic, will be launching the first intake in the skills development programme in Nelson Mandela Bay on 18 July 2015 targeting about youth trainees.
This budget will indeed contribute to job creation, family stability, water savings, management of ecological degradation and pollution.
Honourable Chairperson further formal academic training in institutions of higher learning and our Learning Academy will be provided through our bursary programme. More candidates will be identified for studies and on graduation will also be absorbed into the various branches of the department.
Our water conservation strategies will continue to be enhanced through youth participation in programmes such as Eco Schools, Youth Summit Programmes, the 2020 Vision Programmes and Young Water Ambassadors. These are awareness and information sharing programmes on water and sanitation management.
Women will also be targeted through War on Leaks and Adopt-A-River programmes. It has been our priority as the department to ensure that the water source is well maintained and protected from pollution and ecological degradation.
These women as part of their contribution will be paid a stipend that will contribute to their lifelong needs. They will be able to put food on the table, take care of their medical and other family needs.
Conclusion
The management of our water and sanitation will always be about people and for the people. It is the people themselves working with the department that we are set to overcome our water and sanitation challenges.
Our plan through this budget is to reach out to all communities without discrimination. We have said "Water is Life and Sanitation is Dignity". We therefore cannot fail to provide these most essential services to our people.
Honourable Chairperson lastly I would like to thank all those who have made it possible for the department to be where it is today. These includes our youth, the women out there, the business sector, academic institutions and many water and sanitation service organisations working in our communities.
I would also like to thank the Honourable Members present here who have supported the department in executing its work, the Minister for leadership and guidance and all the team of officials who have spent sleepless nights planning how best to service the people.
I thank you.
