Programme Director
Mayoral Committee Member of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Cllr Jikeka
Our hosts, the South African Post Office Management and officials
The Automotive Industry
Provincial Transport Sector Stakeholders
Women in Transport
The Disability Sector
Departmental officials
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and gentlemen
It is, indeed, a great honour for me to officially open the two new post office sites in Newtown Park and Gelvandale on the eve of the third edition of the South African Automotive Week to be held in this City from tomorrow until Saturday.
On behalf of the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, I would like to wish the organisers of this internationally-renowned trade show all the best and hope that they will once more deliver another successful event.
Earlier today, I presented the annual report of the Eastern Cape Department of Transport to the special sitting of the Provincial Legislature in Humansdorp, where it became clear to everybody that the department was, indeed, turning the corner. This can be attributed to the caliber of leadership that we have assembled and the commitment of all the departmental officials to ensure that we:
- Deliver on our mandate
- Sustain our good service delivery record and be a shining example to other government departments.
- Promote excellent performance
- Fulfill our obligation of restoring the confidence of our people in their government and continue to work together with our people to build a Province and a country that we can all look at with hope, pride and encouragement.
This has resulted in us receiving another unqualified audit report for the 2011/12 financial year for the third consecutive year since the 2009/10 financial year.
Moreover, in its first audit since its establishment, our newly-established Provincial Government Fleet Management Trading Entity also obtained an unqualified audit report.
Since its establishment the trading entity has successfully purchased its fleet and accounted for its operations.
I hope that the automotive industry in the Eastern Cape is beginning to appreciate the new government arrangement of fleet management as we have made a deliberate effort to procure most of our vehicles locally.
This approach has ensured the sustainability of jobs for employees in the automotive sector, which has been the backbone of the provincial economy.
Today we are unveiling another milestone, which will precisely deal with the challenges that have frustrated the operations of the automotive industry in this part of the Province.
The relationship between the South Africa Post Office and the department started in this room on 8 September 2005, when 31 outlets were officially opened for registration and licensing of vehicles in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipal Area.
Three of these outlets are currently open for the full service and the rest only for renewal of licences.
This will help us to realise our objectives of maximising the principles of Batho Pele – People First, in an attempt to respond to the challenges of providing the necessary support to all our people.
It marks the fulfilment of a commitment that we have made as the department during the policy speech presentation in March 2012 that we would assist the automotive industry through the opening of the Newton Park and Gelvandale sites in order to service the Motor Manufactures, Motor Dealers, Importers and Builders.
The identified post offices will work in collaboration with the existing authorities and their main purpose is to cut down the long queues that people experience when they renew their vehicle licences.
Newton Park and Gelvandale Post Offices are located in areas where the highest number of vehicles are being registered and licensed and this will ensure that the demand is met head-on.
We hope that in the near future the service will be available at every Post Office in the province as we are investigating the possibility of more sites to be opened.
Over the last three years, 1.5 million transactions have been done at 101 branches offering this service in the Eastern Cape.
Today, I can proudly say that we have been able to cut down long queues that have been experienced by our people and tremendously improved service delivery, as some of the outlets are available on weekends and public holidays.
Next week, as part of our October Transport Month Campaign, we will open additional 17 Post Office sites in the Midlands area of the Province and the following towns are earmarked:
Jansenville, Willowmore, Tarkastad, Blikana, Herschel, Jamestown, Venterstad, Hofmeyer, Michuasdal, Lingelihle, Sterkstroom, Steynsburg, Bedford, Balfour, Keiskammahoek, Aberdeen, Siphiwo Mazwayi (Grahamstown).
This is a commitment to service delivery, which I believe should be emulated by our civil service.
It cannot be business as usual. Government officials, especially at local government level should adopt an innovative working culture that views our people as clients.
That approach will ensure that we continuously improve the quality of services that we provide at that level. Our people cannot continue to be subjected to a situation, where they stand in long queues to access government services.
The remaining challenge is for the South African Post Office to market this service to ensure that our people are aware of it.
This service is the provincial government’s major source of revenue, which is not only earmarked for the Department of Transport, but for roads infrastructure, education of our children, safety and security of our people, social services, housing, electrification and other government commitments in order to fight poverty and underdevelopment.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Post Office for its support in the previous years and I hope we will continue to work together in the interest of good governance and administration.
However, I must warn the management of the South African Post Office of the challenges that come with this responsibility, especially corruption.
I do not think that anyone can dispute the fact that our own society has a serious challenge in this regard, because some of our people are driven by the “unhampered and uncontrollable pursuit of self-interest”.
Some of you would recall our experience, when in September 2010, a total of 2691 fraudulent administrative roadworthiness examinations were performed by one official at the South African Post Office in Port Elizabeth. The official was arrested and charged in the criminal court.
Another official was investigated by the Post Office for processing fraudulent transactions on the eNaTiS and appeared before court. These officials were de-activated in terms of the prescripts of the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996.
During the process of investigation, we uncovered external participants in these criminal activities, including two car dealers, whom were arrested and charged as well.
Numerous documents were seized and analysed by the Organised Crime Unit.
We have a collective responsibility to:
- Develop a strategic approach to fraud and corruption
- Prevent fraud and corruption within the Provincial e-NATIS environment
This can be done through transforming the culture of operations within our service delivery points by:
- Changing the attitude and behaviour of public servants and build an ethos underlined by the spirit of service before self;
- Upgrading the standards of efficiency and effectiveness and improving the quality of service;
- Promoting accountability and transparency.
We must continue to encourage our people to be Anti-Corruption Ambassadors. We cannot allow a situation that deepens the negative perception, especially in this Province, where people perceive us as corrupt and lacking vision.
The ruling party, the African National Congress, through its 2009 Election Manifesto, gave us a clear instruction in this government term to intensify the fight against crime and corruption.
Good work has been started by the department in partnership with the Special Investigating Unit, Business Against Crime and the South African Police Service (SAPS) Commercial Crimes Unit in an effort to decisively deal with this scourge, which has become prevalent in our registering authorities, especially in the process of issuing learners and drivers licences and vehicle registration.
Three months ago, we have unveiled an e-NATIS Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy in order to promptly respond to this challenge.
I strongly believe that as the Provincial Cabinet’s Political Champion for Anti-Corruption, it is imperative for my departments to play a leading role in dealing with fraud and corruption within our ranks.
Before I conclude my address, I think it is imperative for me to make it clear that we further expect the automotive industry to plough back to the communities of the Eastern Cape by establishing strategic partnerships with local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), especially those led by women, youth and people with disabilities.
I would also like to call upon the automotive industry to build vehicles that can be utilised by people with disabilities for learner driver training and for public transportation.
We have a collective responsibility to ensure that we mainstream disability to feature prominently in our activities and make it a societal issue in order to effectively respond to the provisions of the:
- Constitution of the Republic of South Africa
- Employment Equity Act
- Code of Good Practice on the Employment of People with Disabilities
I would like to call upon vehicle manufacturing companies to build more vehicles that can be utilised for training and transportation of people with disabilities.
South African Post Office (SAPO) is not exempted from this clarion call, because they are also making a lot of business out of the partnership that we have with them in this Province since 2005.
In conclusion, I would like to thank all the stakeholders who attended the presentation of our departmental annual report earlier today and I hope that we will continue to work together to deliver “quality transport systems for a better life for all”.
I thank you.
