Honourable Speaker of the Provincial Legislature,
Honourable Premier, Rre Supra Mahumapelo,
Honourable Members of the Executive Council,
Honourable Members of the Legislature,
Your Worship Executive Mayors and Mayors of our Municipalities,
Honourable Leaders of Political Parties,
Our Esteemed Traditional Leaders,
The Director General of the Bokone Bophirima Provincial Government, Dr Lydia Sebego and Other Heads of Administration in Government,
Acting HOD, Rre Vuyo Mbulawa,
Leaders of Labour Federations, Academics, Civil Society, Faith Based-
Organizations and Business,
Distinguished guests,
Comrades and Friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Baagi ba Bokone Bophirima,
Bagaetsho Dumelang!
Honourable Speaker and the House; it is always a great pleasure to serve our people. This assertion is born of the African National Congress’ (ANC) “Ready to Govern” which is an ANC policy guideline for a democratic South Africa. It is the ANC’s Ready to Govern affirmation that first said, the provision of equitable health care should be guided by the aspirations of our people as enshrined in the Freedom Charter and by principles which reflect the Primary Health Care approach adopted by the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Children`s Fund at Alma Ata in 1978. Our glorious movement further asserted that, the primary health care approach is essentially that of community development. It aims to reduce inequalities in access to health services, promotes equitable distribution based on appropriate technology and integrates the many sectors of modern life such as education and housing. Further, it is based on full community participation.
Access to health care is a basic human right. This right is now incorporated in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights because of the ANC. So I say, it is always a great pleasure to service our people because this is what I stand for and it is what the ANC has taught me.
I stand here today to commend the radicalization of the ANC of the times of Nelson Mandela and other struggle icons which ensured all South Africans are equal before the law. Earlier this year, on the 11 February 2018 to be precise, we marked the 28 years since the release of President Nelson Mandela from the Victor Verster prison in 1990. The ANC President and the President of the country, Ntate Cyril Ramaphosa has declared that the ANC has decided to use this whole year to honour Nelson Mandela because we want to reconnect with our people and go back to the roots of our movement. At the roots of this gigantic movement we find men and women who always found it to be a great pleasure to serve our people. These are men and women who were ready to die for our liberation.
In this year of Nelson Mandela, we salute him and a number of heroes and heroines of that first generation of the ANC Youth League. Together with the likes of Sisulu, Peter Mda and Lembede they founded the ANC Youth League and radicalized the ANC, forcing it to adopt the militant 1949 Programme of Action. Together with the Tambos and Sisulus he was in the forefront of the Defiance Campaign and the Freedom Charter. So this year, in line with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call, we need to work hard to inculcate the values that Mandela stood for, the values of selflessness, batho pele, Ubuntu and to build a non-racial, non-sexist South Africa.
Our desire to serve the people is first and foremost also informed by the need to listen to their views and suggestions. It is for this reason that in 2017, we embarked on community imbizos across the Province as part of obtaining feedback from our people about the services we provide. This is over and above the engagements we have with our governance structures in hospital boards and clinic committees which represents our people. I must say I am humbled by the kind of engagements we had with our people. Others made meaningful inputs and contributions on how we can improve health services. We are sure to incorporate their ideas and suggestions in our plans for 2018/19. [Read more]
