Programme Director,
MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport, Honourable Dikeledi Mahlangu,
Members of the Mpumalanga Cabinet,
Portfolio Committee Members,
Executive Mayor of Nkangala District Municipality,
Mayor of Steve Tshwete Local Municipality,
Other Executive Mayors and Mayors,
HOD for Mpumalanga: DPWRT,
Other HODs of Sector departments,
Senior Management of DPWRT,
Municipal Managers,
Project Managers of Projects to be awarded as well as,
Beneficiaries.
It gives me great pleasure to participate in this important event. Thanks to the organisers for inviting me to share some thoughts with you today.
Let us remember the reason we are gathered here tonight – to celebrate excellence and to acknowledge the successes and collective and individual efforts of EPWP implementers. On a lighter note, as Minister of Public Works, it is such a relief not to be talking about fraud and corruption, collusion etc…
The serious point is to remind ourselves that there remain large parts of the Public Works family that are functional – and in the case of EPWP, are striving for excellence. I need to say a few words about the Awards. The Kamoso Awards were first held in February 2007 as a platform to recognise municipalities, provinces, departments, public entities and individuals who excelled in implementing the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in the preceding year.
Key objectives of the awards include:
- to mobilise government stakeholders and partners to increase their efforts around EPWP implementation and strive towards greater heights
- to communicate and showcase progress, impact, and successes of EPWP as a key government programme
- to create a platform to enhance visibility of the EPWP and reinforce its objectives to a broader audience.
Initially the Awards focused on the Infrastructure Sector, but as the Programme grows and the momentum increases - all the EPWP Sectors are now included. These awards have now become one of the critical EPWP annual events.
The Mpumalanga EPWP Kamoso Awards
The Mpumalanga province started participating in these awards in 2007/08. The province was nominated as a finalist in the following categories:
- Best Construction Project (Infrastructure sector)
- Best Project District Municipality (Infrastructure Sector)
- Best enterprise development project (Economic Sector)
In 2008/09 the province scooped the following Awards:
- Best Innovative Project (Social Sector)
- Best Province (Social Sector)
- Finalists in Best Project Infrastructure
- Finalists in Best Project Environmental Sector.
In 2009/2010 the province hosted its first provincial Kamoso Awards. These were followed by another successful Awards event in 2010/11 financial year. [I had the honour to be present at that event – just after being appointed Minister of Public Works.] These awards have now become the biggest EPWP annual event in the province of Mpumalanga.
The 2011/12 Kamoso Awards Ceremony is of particular significance as it represented a milestone for the EPWP in drawing a significant number of municipalities and other implementing bodies into implementing this Programme. We were able to announce that, out of 278 municipalities, 277 of them were implementing the EPWP.
I remember, at the time, I said, on a lighter note: I am tempted to ask Mr Henderson for the name of the one remaining municipality that is not participating in the EPWP. Maybe now is the time to ask?
The following criteria are used in the adjudication of the Awards. The Project/Public Body must have:
- Demonstrated participation in EPWP
- Submitted to and/or been included in EPWP quarterly reports
- Been compliant with EPWP guidelines and reporting processes.
I need to commend all those who met these strict criteria. The 2013/14 Mpumalanga Kamoso Awards now consists of 39 categories spread across the four sectors which are: Infrastructure Sector (10); Social Sector (10); Environment and Culture Sector (7); Non- State Sector (3) and Additional Awards (9).
I am not going to read out the 39 categories because we will do that during the presentation of the Awards. Suffice to say that the large number – and rich variety – of the Awards – is indicative of just how far EPWP has come.
Combatting the Triple Challenge
The Kamoso Awards also recognises the EPWP as a key government programme aimed at improving the general socio-economic conditions of all South Africans. In his 2012 State of the Nation Address, President Jacob Zuma identified poverty, unemployment and inequality as the triple challenges facing South Africa today.
That is why EPWP is a lead flagship programme of the Department of Public Works and of government. It remains a key government initiative aimed at reducing poverty and unemployment through the provision of work opportunities.
Our task as DPW is to lead a concerted effort from all spheres of government, business, public bodies and all other role players to implement EPWP - to optimise the allocated resources to address the challenges identified by the President.
With this in mind, last year, I asked the following question: How do we radically expand the scope and content of the Expanded Public Works Programme?
I said:
- We have to be very creative here. I am not talking about creating jobs as an end in itself – where only the affected individuals benefit. We are talking here about creating employment opportunities as part of a broader strategy to develop communities as a whole.
- We also need to scrutinise infrastructure roll out plans to ensure that EPWP thinking - on labour intensive methodologies and job creation – is enshrined in contracts with service providers.
I am therefore very pleased to announce that:
- The EPWP has increased its targets for new work opportunities during the current year from 1.23 million to 1.65 million: 660,000 of these opportunities will go to unemployed youth.
- From the side of our entity, CIDB (Construction Industry Development Board) and the PICC ‘best practice clauses’ have been developed for construction contracts which build in the principle of labour intensive work.
The planning for Phase Three of the EPWP Programme – from 2014-2019 - is being finalised, based on the following approach:
- To up-scale numbers – by better use of existing budgets; and focusing on areas which give the largest number of work opportunities.
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But more importantly, rather than just counting numbers, the emphasis will be on the quality of the EPWP outcomes in terms of:
- Improved service for poor communities – such as home-based care, ECD, security, cleaning of cemeteries etc
- Provision – and importantly, maintenance - of additional infrastructure – such as roads, as well as
- More innovative projects which concentrate on greening and sustaining the environment.
- Also, as National DPW we will be meeting with the Department of Cooperative Governance to plan how EPWP can assist municipalities to better utilise their infrastructure grants for job creation.
The broader picture moving towards 2014
The big picture is this:
- EPWP has delivered. It will deliver more in Phase III - the period of the next government.
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This government has delivered. With your support it will deliver more after 2014.
As the ANC we have said that we are now moving into the second phase of our transition to democracy – where the emphasis is on social and economic improvement of the conditions of all our people.
Crucially, this includes the following:
- Combatting fraud and corruption;
- As part of our national democratic revolution, addressing the land question; and
- Driving economic growth and job creation.
- Combating fraud and corruption
We need to enforce zero tolerance of fraud and corruption – and reject tenderpreneurs – both within the broader society and government.
I am pleased to be able to report that in the Department of Public Works we have made serious progress in combatting fraud and corruption. As a result of investigations by the SIU (Special Investigations Unit) we have been able to move against corrupt elements – dismissing senior staff members and instigating court action to reclaim monies wrongly obtained.
Only yesterday, the Hawks moved to smash a syndicate operating in Johannesburg which – with the collusion of officials – had defrauded DPW out of R40 million. We were paying rent for empty buildings. We have now put in place systems to prevent that happening again. Meanwhile the wrong-doers will pay for their crimes.
We are saying to the criminals: you can run but you can’t hide.
The 1913 Native Land Act and the Land Question
It is exactly 100 years since the passage of the infamous Native Land Act when 87% of the land – including all the best farming land – was reserved to whites. The land question remains a defining and persisting difference in South African politics. With elections approaching, it suits the DA to now rebrand themselves as opponents of apartheid – pointing out that apartheid ended in 1994 with democratic elections.
From the side of the Alliance, we would say: ‘It’s more complicated than that. Political exclusion was only one facet of the national oppression of black people. The many ways in which black people were discriminated against, held back and denied opportunities – these things also have to be addressed – including the Land.’
Infrastructure: driving economic growth and jobs
As we move towards elections in 2014, it is inevitable that we will debate the record of the present leadership of the ANC in government. And it is right and proper that we do this.
I would argue that in key areas of economic policy we have seen significant shifts – with the objective of combatting poverty and inequality and creating jobs, in particular:
- the New Economic Growth Path and its commitment to developing a clear industrial policy
- the National Infrastructure Plan unveiled by the President in his State of the Nation Address.
I have personal experience and knowledge as a member of the PICC (Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Council) of the Infrastructure Plan to drive inclusive economic growth and development; and to lead the struggle against the triple evils of poverty, unemployment and inequality.
Major long-term Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) have been developed to promote regional economies and job creation. Examples include:
SIP1: aims to unlock SA’s northern mineral belt centred in Limpopo through key infrastructure provision in Waterberg and Steelpoort districts, initiate new energy and industrial development, develop a new city around Lephalale, shift coal transport from road to rail in Mpumalanga and increase rail capacity to Richards Bay whilst supporting regional integration.
SIP6: Integrated Municipal Infrastructure Project – to assist the least resourced districts to address all infrastructure, maintenance and services backlogs. And here we will be using EPWP methodologies.
Concluding remarks
I will conclude on a political note. I’m afraid you must expect that from a politician.
As we prepare for democratic elections in 2014, I want to make the following points:
First, it is your right and duty to criticise government officials and representatives when we do not deliver. I would urge you to do this through the Alliance structures and through Ward committees.
I would be the first to admit that mistakes have been made. A large part of my job as Minister of Public Works is exactly to address these mistakes, to investigate wrong-doing and to root out the tenderpreneurs and corrupt elements. The same process is happening in other departments.
Thirdly, and this is the most important point: never forget that it was the Alliance – led by the ANC – which after decades of struggle and sacrifice – brought down the cruel Apartheid regime.
That same Alliance – ANC, SACP and COSATU – remains the only vehicle that is capable of taking forward our national democratic revolution to ensure that in the second phase of our transition we deliver real economic and social transformation to all our people.
I thank you!
