Honourable chairperson of the provincial House of Traditional Leaders
Inkosi SE Mahlangu
Members of the national and provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders
Members of the executive council
IziNgwenyama namaKhosi, bayete
Your excellencies, traditional leaders from sister provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders
Esteemed guests
Ladies and gentlemen
I am privileged to address this esteemed house on the occasion of the opening of the Mpumalanga House of Traditional Leaders. This is a special sitting because it is the first after the April national and provincial elections which ushered in the new electoral mandate, new priorities and the change of administration in the province.
I feel honoured and privileged to bear the responsibility of leading the province over the next five years. The ANC led government is humbled by the overwhelming mandate accorded by the people of the province to advance socio-economic development and service delivery in a manner that ensures that lives and the material conditions of communities change for the better.
The enormity of underdevelopment and poverty challenges that beset our communities should continue to galvanise our collective leadership to pursue the noble goal of creating a better life for the people of the province, especially in underdeveloped rural areas falling within the jurisdiction of traditional leadership.
Issues raised by communities in the build-up to April elections provided the basis for the five priority areas to which the ANC led government has committed to deliver on in the next five years. These are:
* creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods
* education
* health
* rural development, food security and land reform
* the fight against crime and corruption
To ensure that these priorities are successfully implemented, it is imperative that, as government, we continue to enhance effective partnerships with the institution of traditional leadership in improving the quality of service delivery in areas under the jurisdiction of traditional leaders.
There is no doubt that traditional leaders have a critical role to play in matters of local governance and service delivery. Within the context of our democratic system of local government, we will continue to enhance the participation of traditional leadership institutions in development planning and service delivery initiatives.
As I contended in my state of the province address:
"Our commitment to 'working together to do more', calls for the creation of meaningful space for the institution of traditional leadership to play an important role in our democratic system of local government. As a province, we will continue to strengthen partnerships between government and the institution of traditional leadership to focus on rural development, fighting poverty and the delivery of public services in areas under the jurisdiction of traditional leaders. We will continue to provide necessary support to the provincial and local Houses of Traditional Leaders to ensure that they are able to execute their legislative mandates."
Honourable members, it is common knowledge that poverty and underdevelopment challenges are more pronounced in rural areas under the jurisdiction of traditional leaders. As a response to these challenges, government has prioritised rural development as one of the key interventions to receive special attention over the next five years. Within the context of a comprehensive rural development strategy, the provincial government will accelerate the provision infrastructure and the delivery of public services in rural areas to improve the quality of life for the citizens.
Government’s infrastructure delivery programmes will create much needed opportunities for employment and place local rural economies on a sustainable growth path. In partnership with national Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, the province is currently piloting a comprehensive rural development project to the tune of R50 million in Mkhondo Municipality. Lessons learned from this pilot will inform the province’s approach to the challenges of rural development as we begin to implement rural development programmes across the province.
The commitment to create decent work and sustainable livelihoods is a collective responsibility that we must undertake in partnership with traditional leaders. Traditional leaders should play a significant role in facilitating projects intended to stimulate investment and economic development in areas under their jurisdiction.
Among other key interventions, traditional leaders should provide leadership in ensuring that communities utilise available land productively to increase agricultural output and enhance food security. To this end, government will continue to provide support which includes, among other things, agricultural implements, seeds, irrigation infrastructure and mentorship. It is critical that traditional leaders assist in ensuring that government resources are properly utilised to reach intended beneficiaries.
Masibuyel emasimini will remain one of the key projects to mobilise communities to participate aggressively in tilling the land and alleviating poverty and hunger. We call upon traditional leaders to support this programme, and ensure that it achieves the desired impact.
Critically, traditional leaders have a responsibility to make inputs and monitor progress and impact of service delivery in traditional communities under their jurisdiction. To achieve this, it is essential that institutions of traditional leadership participate in ward committees, and communicate government service delivery programmes to communities. They should also be able to provide feedback from communities to allow for government plans and programmes to respond effectively to such needs.
As government seeks to improve access to quality education for all, it is important that traditional leaders play a pivotal role in helping schools to create a safe and conducive environment for quality teaching and learning.
The participation of parents and local traditional leaders in school governance structures and programmes is a necessary condition for the improvement of school performance and the achievement of high educational outcomes by learners.
Working together, we can ensure that the performance of schools in the province is drastically improved, including the attainment of high matric pass rates. The challenge of underperforming schools remains a cause for concern. We must all work together to bring about change for the better.
Honourable members, part of the indispensable development imperative we seek to advance is the delivery of quality healthcare in the province. Over the next five years, government will ensure that access to quality healthcare becomes one of the key areas of focus so that people in remote underdeveloped areas have access to quality healthcare. Government is committed to working with traditional leaders to respond to community healthcare needs, including the implementation of HIV and Aids programmes.
Traditional leaders have an important role to play in helping communities to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS and mitigate its negative impact on the development of communities. Traditional leaders should continue to play a central role in promoting social values that foster responsible sexual behaviour so that we contain the spread of HIV and AIDS pandemic.
Chairperson, as government fights the devastating impact of crime, we enjoin the active participation of traditional leaders in programmes to combat crime. Traditional leaders must play an important role in mobilising communities against drug abuse, gender-based violence, and the abuse of children, the elderly and persons with disabilities. Communities must be encouraged to participate in street committees to promote the safety and security of communities.
Honourable members, I am confident that we have, over the years, made progress in ensuring that we create necessary institutional structures, and provide the requisite infrastructure in support of the institution of traditional leadership.
Work on the reconstitution of traditional councils has been concluded, except in areas where there are outstanding boundary and land ownership disputes. Government is concerned that boundary conflicts, succession disputes, and divisions within some members of royal families threaten the fibre of unity and social cohesion within traditional communities. This house should assist government in making sure that outstanding disputes are amicably resolved. As government, we will continue to provide the necessary support to ensure that traditional councils function effectively to execute their legislative mandates.
Honourable members, the new government's overall macro-organisation of the state machinery has resulted in the reconstitution and strategic reorientation of some of the provincial departments. Part of this change includes the reconstitution of the Department of Local Government into the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
In terms of its new mandate, the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs takes full responsibility for all issues concerning traditional affairs in the province. Accordingly, we have taken a decision to incorporate the provincial House of Traditional Leaders into the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
Clearly, the provincial government is committed to ensuring that the programme of institutional support to traditional leadership institutions at provincial and local government levels is well integrated and co-ordinated to enable traditional leaders to executive their legislative mandates effectively. As part of this support, we will commence with work on the renovation of offices of traditional councils in a phased-in approach to ensure that, over time, we address the challenges of office space.
Alongside this, government will provide the necessary office infrastructure, including information and communication technologies, to make sure that traditional leadership institutions are able to function as expected.
Fundamentally, the national programme of support for the institution of traditional leadership includes, among other things, the provision of human and financial resources, as well as the development of requisite skills and institutional capacities.
The national Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs is working on the funding framework to give effect to the modalities of providing financial support to the work of traditional leadership institutions. Based on the national framework, we will ensure that the policy framework is implemented in line with the specific needs of the traditional leadership constituency in the province. Government will continue to support the capacity building programme for traditional leaders to empower them with requisite skills and competencies to contribute to economic and community development programmes.
In partnership with the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA), the provincial Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs will continue with the training programmes targeted at traditional leaders.
I am happy to report that all traditional leaders have undergone training in community development. During this financial year, traditional leaders will receive training in local economic development and integrated development plans. Most importantly, the empowerment of traditional leaders with appropriate skills will contribute to advancing development and quality service delivery.
Chairperson, the institution of traditional leadership plays a pivotal role in promoting social cohesion and building sustainable communities. In essence, social cohesion is underpinned by the existence of shared moral values, social practices and a strong sense of unity within communities. It is critical that traditional leaders contribute to bringing about peace and harmony within communities they lead.
Undoubtedly, the participation of traditional leaders in moral regeneration programmes will go a long way towards building a moral and caring society, conscious of its obligations to uphold the core values of respect for human rights, human dignity and the enjoyment of human liberties guaranteed by our constitution. Working together we can do more to build a strong culture of 'Ubuntu' and entrench social positive values that promote social cohesion.
Chairperson, I want to conclude by saying that our collective resolve to respond to the plight of the poor and needy communities should serve as rallying point for our partnership to make a difference, and change the lives of the people of Mpumalanga for the better.
Whatever difficulties and challenges we face, we dare not to lose focus on the responsibility at hand. If we fail, history will judge us very harshly.
I wish the house well in discharging its responsibilities. I declare the second sitting of the House of Traditional Leaders open.
I thank you.
Issued by: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
31 July 2009
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government (http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za/)
