Honourable Speaker
The Honourable Premier
Members of the Executive Council
Honourable Members of the House
Esteemed guests
Leadership of Labour and Business
NGO sector
Acting Head of Department Ms NL Mlangeni, Management of the Department of Social Development and all its employees
Management and staff of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and National Development Agency
The elderly and people with disability, children and youth amongst us here today
Members of the media
People of Mpumalanga
Ladies and gentlemen
"Every person has dignity. For an individual’s dignity is a very important component to living in a civilized society. But the individual’s dignity has been hampered in various ways. Due to poverty, corruption, discrimination, intolerance and injustice, human dignity has been hampered all over the world. So, every civilized society and state needs to uphold human dignity. If every state and society respects human dignity, then peace and happiness will come into the world.
Many people have no food, clothes, and housing, clean water, sanitation, education, health, nutrition and human rights. With gross poverty, inhumanity, inequality, injustice and without other fundamental rights, how can we even imagine human dignity?”
Honourable speaker these are the profound words of the Bangladesh journalist and human rights activist, Jahangir Alam Akash.
These words serve as a reminder to all nations of the world, about an urgent need to do all that is possible to end human suffering and poverty. It reminds us that our democracy and freedom which we fought so hard for, remains a myth for as long as many people live in abject poverty which dent their human dignity.
In all its manifestations, poverty remains a single biggest huddle for total freedom. Compounding this is the growing inequality in society and high unemployment levels. Many of our people especially the youth remain in the periphery of the formal economy and are unemployed.
If we are to realise our vision to build a humane, caring and developed society, then we must double our efforts, harness all resources, mobilise society and create a conscious citizenry that espouses values of solidarity and patriotism.
The mandate of Social Development is more relevant now than at any other time. We have to invest considerable resources to take care of many people in the system who rely on state support. We are responsible for the most vulnerable sections in society.
In an effort to achieve this, Honourable Members will remember that few years back we had to reposition the department to be in line with the development trajectory and less on welfare.
This is informed by our understanding that our people should not be reduced to spectators, but should instead be meaningfully empowered to take charge of their own destiny.
Today I stand here to give an account of the progress we are making to fight all these social ills, which continue to reduce many people to less citizens on the basis of gender, income, race and age.
As I do so, I have no doubt that we are making progress.
Honourable members will recall that in our presentation in this house last year, we committed to improve our performance especially in relation to prudent management of our finances. For us, this is important because it allows us to free resources to where they are needed most, and our people stand to benefit from better services.
It is therefore pleasing to report that our financial management has significantly improved, to a point where we are moving towards achieving targets earlier than expected.
The unqualified audit opinion we achieved in 2010/11 has inspired us to double our efforts, first to sustain it, but also to be more pro-active to challenges such as transfer of subsidies which has been a concern for a long time. For us achieving unqualified audit should not be understood as a mechanical process, where this does not translate into improved service delivery. The true benefit of the clean audit is when people receive better and quality services.
Honourable Speaker, the Department of Social Development is labour intensive. We rely on warm bodies to deliver services. It is therefore important at all times to recruit, train and retain skilled personnel in the department to be able to discharge our mandate.
In the last financial year we appointed 172 officials who include bursary holders and promotions. This includes appointment of a Chief Financial Officer, Chief Director Community Development, Director of Internal Audit, Director for Children Services and Director for HIV and AIDS.
This enables us to sharpen our focus and improve our services. We are also happy that we are beginning to bear fruits on the investment we made by awarding bursaries to financially needy and academically deserving students, who are now joining the department in numbers after completion of their studies.
The bursaries we are awarding do not only assist with a net gain of new personnel, but goes a long way in cutting the cycle of poverty, because many of these bursary holders come from poor households in rural areas.
A case in point is that of a child, Cathrine Matsane, who I met last year during Social Development month in Masoyi. Upon learning of her dire circumstances, we offered her a bursary to do a one year course in Social Auxiliary Work and the department will employ her upon completion of the course.
We will further appoint 71 more officials in this current financial year. In line with the emphasis on outcome based approach, we have established a Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate.
Service delivery programmes
Honourable Speaker and Members, our focus in this financial year will be on the meaningful implementation of the new Children’s Act, driven by the theme: “Social investment in our children and the Youth”.
The central thrust of our focus is Early Childhood Development (ECD). This is in line with the Theme “Tshwaragano Ka Bana”, which calls on a collective effort for society to look after children, for they are the future. The Minister of Social Development, Ms. Bathabile Dlamini together with Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Ms. Lulu Xingwana launched this campaign in Tweefontein yesterday. This was part of the celebration of the International Children’s day. I also have my special guests from Tholulwazi ECD centre from Machadodorp in Emakhazeni Municipality who are in the stands. The launch signifies our commitment towards achieving the goals of the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) Outcome 1, which is basic education.
A firm and sound foundation for children is important if we are to build responsible citizens for our future. Early childhood affords children early learning, but is also a safety net against poverty and hunger, because many children who attend these centres are guaranteed a meal and protection.
Early Childhood Development also contributes significantly towards the creation of job opportunities in line with a national call to create jobs.
In this regard, I am happy to report that in the last financial year, an additional 192 ECD sites were funded which brought a total figure to 697. Over and above the normal funding of the 192 ECD centres, they were all given a once off payment of R45 000 for furniture and equipment.
Honourable Members will recall that in our Policy and Budget speech in the last financial year, I made a commitment to increase the subsidy from R11 per child per day to R12 per child per day with effect from October 2010. We have indeed lived up to our undertaking. This is significant progress because we were able to reach a total of 46 558 children.
It should however be noted Honourable Members, that we are still below the national norm of R15 per child per day, due to limited resources. In this regard, there are National processes to standardise the subsidy across the country.
As I have alluded earlier, the new Children’s Act came into operation on 1 April 2010. We then developed a provincial implementation plan to guide seamless implementation of this Act. We are currently conducting on-going training to capacitate Social Workers and other social service professionals on the Act.
In terms of this Act, all Early Childhood Development centres are required to comply with specific norms and standards. We have therefore undertaken a campaign to register these centres, and support those who do not comply to take the necessary steps for compliance.
Greater support is now given to these centres and Social Auxiliary Workers are deployed on a monthly basis for monitoring. Part of the monitoring is to ensure that ECD practitioners and caregivers are free of any offences against children. In line with the theme of “Tshwaragano Ka Bana” I call upon all communities to put the interests of children first. This will be achieved by ECD centres working together, rather than competing against each other for limited resources.
In our last presentation in this house, I alluded to the challenge of a backlog with regard to foster care. We had a backlog of 11,500 of Foster Care cases. We were confident that we would be able to deal with the backlog.
Honourable Speaker we have not been able to deal with this backlog. This was compounded by the new Children’s Act that brought with it new requirements which are complex and lengthy, thus increasing the turnaround time to put children on foster care.
We then had to do a thorough analysis and develop a new project plan compliant with the new legislation.
To this end, we could only place 7 022 children on foster care by the end of the last financial year, with a shortfall of 4 478 children. We also had to deal with many lapsed cases which are a priority because the payment of the foster care grant is dependent on a valid court order.I must indicate that there is a positive outlook given the court ruling that stipulated that all lapsed cases should be reviewed administratively which is done by Social Workers.
This financial year we are planning to intensify the implementation of the foster care project plan and we are targeting to place 6800 children in foster care.
The central thrust of this term of office is on building sound partnerships with all sectors to realise the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) priorities. This is in recognition that alone, we cannot make enough progress to bring about a better life for all our people. Partnerships are even important in the social service sector, because we are indeed unable to reach all areas.
We therefore have strong partnerships with Not-for-Profit Organisations (NPO) who do a lot of ground work to reach areas that we would otherwise not be able to reach.
We therefore have to constantly make strides to improve management and governance of the NPOs, so that they are in a better position to deliver services to the people faster and better.
When we made our presentation last year, we alluded to a plan to increase subsidies to NPOs to enable them to retain their personnel. Honourable Speaker we have increased the subsidy of all NPOs. We have also taken additional 198 NPOs as from October 2010 and the areas that were mostly targeted are those within the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme sites.
To continue strengthening the capacity of civil society, the department has planned to capacitate 188 Community Development Practitioners who are responsible to build capacity of 500 NPOs. This will also facilitate registration of 300 NPOs.
We are also pleased by the additional R7 million which has been set aside by Provincial Treasury to strengthen and support NPOs. This money will be shared with the Department of Education.
HIV and AIDS
Honourable Speaker, in my presentation of the Health department budget vote on Tuesday I alluded to the fact that the fight against HIV and AIDS is not the sole responsibility of the Department of Health.
It is a collective responsibility and all sectors and indeed all departments, have a huge role to play by giving support, care, and work together in the prevention of further spread of HIV and AIDS.
The Social Development Department also has a key role to play in this regard. We all know that the worst causalities of this scourge are children and women, who constitute the core clients of Social Development.
HIV and AIDS brings a lot of misery to society in many forms. It leaves so many children as orphans, takes away the most economic active sections of our society, and threatens the existence of a family as a social unit. It further adds to the reliance on state support.
As I said on Tuesday, whilst not negating other important aspect of the strategy to fight HIV and AIDS, we must re-emphasise the importance of prevention prevention and prevention! I once more and now very boldly say “no condom - no thola”.
We have to strengthen all partnership in the fight against the scourge. In this regard, we have strengthened programmes that focus on behavioural change targeting the youth, in partnership with Love Life.
Thirty two (32) prevention programmes were undertaken across the province during the last financial year. We provided accredited training to 90 caregivers focusing on psychosocial support to children and families in need. In the last financial year we funded 150 Home and Community Based Care Organisations which created 2 409 jobs for care givers who are earning a stipend of R1 100 per month.
In this financial year, we will increase the number of these organizations from 150 to 170 creating additional 216 jobs for care givers.
Substance abuse
Honourable Speaker, our country and province are seized with a huge challenge of drug abuse. The negative consequences of drug abuse affect not only individuals who abuse drugs but also their families and friends, business and government resources.
The most obvious effects of drug abuse which manifest in individuals who abuse drugs: include ill health, sickness and, ultimately death. Particularly devastating to an abuser's health is the risk of contracting diseases such as hepatitis and HIV and AIDS through drug usage.
Children of individuals who abuse drugs are often abused or neglected as a result of the individuals' preoccupation with drugs. Studies have shown that parents who abuse drugs often put their need to obtain drugs before the health and welfare of their children.
Children whose parents and other family members abuse drugs often are physically or emotionally abused and often lack proper immunisations, medical care, dental care, and necessities such as food, water, and shelter.
The impact of drug abuse on the economy is huge. While many drug abusers are unable to attain or hold full-time employment, those who do work put others at risk, particularly when employed in positions of sensitive occupational work such as doctors, drivers to mention but few examples.
Economically, businesses often are affected because employees who abuse drugs sometimes steal cash or supplies, equipment, and products that can be sold to get money to buy drugs. Moreover, absenteeism, lost productivity, and increased use of medical and insurance benefits by employees who abuse drugs affect a business financially.
Our province has not escaped this scourge of drug abuse. We are even worse because we are used as a transit mode from our neighbouring countries. We have an alarming increase of drug use, abuse and drug trafficking. Of major concern is that our youth are the most consumers of drugs. This is a major national challenge. Society as whole must unite in a concerted effort to say “No to drugs”.
What is equally important is for us to provide support to those recovering, because without support, chances of regressing to old habit are huge.
I have a first account of the need for support. Last year, during the commemoration of the International Day against Illicit Drug Trafficking, I spent the day with young people admitted at Alathia Rehabilitation Center in Mkhondo Municipality.
I was quite moved by their experience, but more so by their courage to seek a second chance and refuse to be overwhelmed by drug abuse. In their quest for recovery, the utmost important treatment is love, care and support. “Umntwana wami, ungu mntwana wakho” “Umntwana wakho, ungu mntwana wami”
We are supporting this Centre with funding and have funded them to extend the service by providing eight beds for girls as only boys were admitted there. I am told that there are three recovering girls that are now accommodated at the Centre. Honourable Members, over and above the funding, we have procured furniture and bedding for the new wing.
We must encourage all people, especially the youth, to stand their ground and say kemoja! “No thanks I’m fine”, I do not do drugs.In this financial year we will intensify the Ke-Moja programme and we have planned twelve (12) awareness campaigns as a way of intensifying our resolve to make our communities free of the scourge of drug trafficking and abuse.
We are further pleased that we have finalised the Mpumalanga Provincial Anti-Drug Master Plan which was approved by the Executive Council.
We have already done road shows as part of the plan in municipalities with high rate of substance abuse such as: Msukaligwa, Emalahleni, Albert Luthuli, Lekwa and Victor Khanye just to mention a few.
In further dealing with the challenges of substance abuse, the department will be holding a Summit on Anti- Substance Abuse on 9 to 10 June 2011. The main objectives of the Summit are:
- To launch the Provincial Anti Drug Master Plan
- To contextualise the resolutions of the second Biennial National Summit
- To promote integration and co-ordination of service delivery in the field of substance abuse.
We are working very close with the Department of Safety, Security and Liaison to organise this summit. We couldn’t have chosen any better date than to host the summit during the youth month.
Older persons
Honourable Speaker, the role of older persons has significantly changed in our society. Not only are they a profound source of wisdom, but have increasingly been called upon to play an active role and close the gaps left behind by many parents who die and leave behind their children in their care.
We must appreciate that they continue to be pillars of support in most families. In our midst today we have a group of elderly women-Gogo Getters from Nkomazi Municipality, who challenged all odds, stood up, and continue to live a positive lifestyle and still provide care to orphaned and vulnerable children. Let me request them to take bow as we honour their undying spirit. Honourable Members, la amadlozi ethu aphilayo, izinhlanhla zilele la kubogogo!
To provide structured support to the elderly, government promulgated the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006 which promotes care, support and rights of older persons.
Linked to this Act is the Older Persons Charter which we launched last year in Mkhondo on 18 July 2011 during the Mandela Day.
Training on the older person’s charter to promote the rights of older persons was conducted reaching 103 older persons in the last financial year. We also provided funding to 165 NPOs to render services to older persons and will register 30 new NPOs to render services to older persons.
Disability
Honourable Speaker, another important aspect of our work is to continue promoting the wellbeing, independent living, socio-economic participation and protection of persons with disabilities.
We do not want people with disabilities to rely on social grants for the rest of their lives. Many of them have considerable talent and ability to support themselves. Beyond providing support, we are exploring other economic opportunities with the Business Sector and other stakeholders.
In the last financial year, we funded 134 NPOs rendering disability programmes. We conducted training for 131 departmental officials and 65 service providers from NPOs on the mainstreaming of disability.
In this financial year, 144 NPOs rendering disability programmes in partnership with the department will be funded.
Families
Honourable Speaker, families remain the cornerstone of our society as they are the first institution that provides education and values to all of us. We need to strengthen this institution in order to deal with many challenges that confront society.
We have therefore started with programmes that mitigate the erosion of this important institution. In the last financial year we reached 3 857 families at risk through crisis intervention and 3 349 families through the family preservation programme. Our main aim is to strengthen families and to break the cycle of many societal ills confronting families.
In an endeavor to strengthen services to families, the department conducted capacity building to Social Workers and NGOs on:
- Family preservation model
- Family in crisis model
- Pre marital and marriage enrichment and
- Parenting
In this financial year, we will fund nine NPOs that provide family support services and conduct 13 capacity building sessions to improve services to families.
On this note, we extend our appreciation for innovative programmes such as the SABC’s Touching Lives programme which is continuously making a difference in many families. I also want to extend our sincere appreciation to the Business Sector for their generosity when approached for assistance, and in particular Transvaal Suiker Beperk (TSB) who spontaneously responded to our call by donating a decent house for the Mashele family in Masoyi last year. To complement this gesture the department transformed the house to a home by furnishing the whole house, including curtaining and linen “ngoba siyanakekela!”
Honorable Speaker, may I take this opportunity to call upon the business sector to emulate TSB and partner with us, because “Together we can build better communities”
Victim empowerment programme
Honourable Speaker, one of the important outcomes of the MTSF priorities is Safety for All. The fact that many people, especially women continue to suffer abuse in the hands of communities and those that are supposed to provide care and protection, is a challenge.
Collaboration with other stakeholders to promote integrated service delivery to victims of crime is very critical for the department. That is why we value the partnership we have with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The assistance they have given to some of the Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) include:
- grant funding of the NPOs on VEP
- creation of awareness in communities
- capacity building of staff and NPOs and
- other stakeholders in line with the national VEP policy.
As part of the 16 days of Activism, two Centres for victims of crime were officially opened in Dr JS Moroka and Bushbuckridge Municipalities which are priority areas of government.
In the current financial year, we will improve services in the VEP Shelters by increasing capacity in terms of training and provision of personnel and funding of nine Centres including four Shelters.
Crime prevention and support
Honourable Speaker, the Child Justice Act 75 of 2008 came into operation on 1 April 2010. This Act applies to all children at risk and in conflict with the law.
It stipulates that a child who is alleged to have committed an offence must be assessed by a Probation Officer and a preliminary enquiry must be held within 48 hours.
As part of the programme to popularise the Act, 19 capacity building sessions and 52 awareness campaigns will be conducted.
Partnership between the key departments and other stakeholders is strengthened through active participation in clusters and forums providing crime prevention services.
Services are also provided to adults in conflict with the law in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 51 of 1977, where probation officers are requested by court to compile pre-sentence reports to assist the court to make the most suitable decision in sentencing an accused person.
We will therefore fund seven NPOs in the current financial year to provide diversion programmes to children who have committed crime. We will also expand diversion services to remote rural areas and ensure quality programmes are provided through the accreditation of programmes and NPOs providing this service.
Youth development
Honourable Speaker, I am happy that I am presenting this policy and budget speech during the month of June, the Youth Month. The activities that are undertaken during this month, signify the value of youth in our society.
I have already alluded to the extent of unemployment, which in the main affect youth. Social investment in our young people cannot therefore be over emphasized.
As part of our efforts to contribute in empowering youth, we are funding 29 Youth Development Centres reaching 5 268 young people. 145 young people received a stipend of R1,500 while providing services in these Centres. This may be a drop in an ocean considering many young people in need of similar interventions; however it is a commendable start.
In the current financial year, additional seven Youth Development Centres bringing the number to 36 will be funded to render youth development services to more than 4 500 young people. Additional 35 young people receive stipend in these funded Centres bringing the total beneficiaries to 180.
A total of 318 young people completed the training programme for Masupatsela Youth Pioneer Programme. They continued to receive a stipend of R1, 500 per month as they implement services aligned to training modules to ensure practical implementation of the programme.
In line with a call to create jobs, we will increase the job opportunities, skills and employability of the youth by participating in the National Youth Service programme. A total of 287 youth will be placed in this programme and receive accredited training while receiving a monthly stipend of R1 500.
Sustainable livelihoods
Honourable Speaker, I earlier referred to a need for systematic intervention to empower our communities to play active part on efforts aimed at improving their lives. If we are to make a serious dent on poverty in all its manifestations, we then have to create sustainable livelihood projects.
The sustainable livelihoods approach is a way to improve understanding of the livelihoods of poor people. It draws on the main factors that affect poor people's livelihoods and the typical relationships between these factors. It can be used in planning new development activities and in assessing the contribution that existing activities have made to sustaining livelihoods.
Honourable Speaker, people, in particular rural poor people, are placed at the centre of inter-related influences that affect how they create a livelihood for themselves and their households. A case in point is Khengenene welding works, which is a project of young people at Mzinti producing window frames, door frames, etc. They are supplying Build It, Cash Build and Patel Hardware in Nkomazi. This project is funded by the department.
Sustainable Livelihood identifies the main constraints and opportunities faced by poor people, as expressed by themselves. It builds on these, and then supports poor people as they take advantage of opportunities.
Important principles of this approach Honourable Members are that it must be;people-centred, holistic, dynamic and build on the strength of local people. It should further promote micro and macro links, encourage broad partnerships aimed at sustainability.
Sustainability is important if poverty reduction is to be lasting.
In our endeavour to implement the Sustainable Livelihood Approach and Community Based Planning, officials were trained and capacitated on the framework and the toolkit thereof. 23 organisations have been funded for economic development projects.
To strengthen the capacity and management of the “War on Poverty” programme, three managers have been appointed, but have since been transferred to the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Affairs (DARDLA) in alignment with the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP).
The alignment of the CRDP and “War on Poverty” will ensure the long term sustainability of interventions in the seven identified most deprived municipalities and facilitate provision of integrated and coordinated interventions to households. The profiling of households and communities will continue to inform targets and services in the most deprived and poor areas.
The department will contribute towards supporting 36 community initiatives to improve rural community livelihoods in the prioritised municipalities.
Infrastructure
Honourable Speaker, the main challenge faced by the sector is inadequate infrastructure for office accommodation, which is important in bringing services closer to where people live.
The challenge is further compounded by the slow progress in the implementation of infrastructure projects which significantly continue to contribute to the under expenditure of the department.
On the projects that were started in the last financial year; only two have been completed and occupied. These are Balfour and Volksrust sub-districts offices.
The following are in different stages of completion; Bethal, Carolina, Marapyane and Ka-Maqhekeza branch offices.
In this financial year; we have budgeted R 66,979 million for the construction of eight new projects, in the following areas;
- Amsterdam branch office in Mkhondo Municipality
- Daggakraal branch office, in Pixley Ka-Isaka Seme Municipality
- Mbombela sub-district in Mbombela Municipality
- Marite branch office in Bushbuckridge municipality
- Nkangala In-Patient-Youth Treatment Centre,
- Delmas sub-district in Victor Khanye Municipality
- Ehlanzeni Secure Care Centre and
- Gert Sibande District Office.
Stakeholder Involvement
Honourable Speaker South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and National Development Agency (NDA) remain our key stakeholders in the province and we have witnessed their increased involvement in most of our programmes especially outreach and community programmes.
SASSA is slowly recovering from its institutional challenges that had an impact on their capacity to deliver services in accordance with their popular slogan which is “Paying the right social grant, to the right person, at a right time and place NJALO!”.
I must also on this note, acknowledge the presence of the newly appointed CEO of SASSA Ms Virginia Peterson who is in the stands. She is accompanied by senior management of provincial SASSA and our partners from NDA.
Honourable Speaker I present to this august house and request the House to approve the budget of the Department of Social Development Vote 12 which is R 956, 057 million.
Programme 1: Administration R296 172 000.00
This programme provides policy direction, overall strategic leadership of the whole department and monitoring and evaluation.
Programme 2: Social Welfare R546 993 000.00
This programme provides integrated developmental social welfare services to the poor and vulnerable in partnership with stakeholders and civil society organisations.
Programme 3:Development And Research R112 892 000.00
This programme provides sustainable development programmes which facilitate empowerment of communities as well as information towards the implementation of the National Population Policy.
Allow me in conclusion to thank the Acting Head of Department Ms NL Mlangeni, Management and entire staff of the Department of Social Development for their dedication and commitment.
I want also to pass my sincere appreciation to the sterling leadership and support of our Premier Honourable DD Mabuza and colleagues in the Executive Council. I would further like to thank the Portfolio Committee on Health and Social Development led by the Honourable P. Ngobeni for their continued critical oversight.
Lastly I want to thank my family for their continued understanding and support.
In his speech to the South African Congress of Democrats in Johannesburg in 1958 titled, Our Vision is a Democratic Society; Chief Albert Luthuli wrote; "The essence of development along your own lines is that you must have the right to develop and the right to determine how to develop. Its essence is freedom -- self-determination. This is the vision we hold for our future and our development."
Indeed our people have a right to develop for it is the essence of freedom. They cannot be by-standers in this historic task. They carry with them a responsibility to work with their Government to liberate themselves from bondages of poverty and hunger, disease, fear and want, underdevelopment and inequality.
I close with the resonance of the visionary and prophetic words of Chief Albert Luthuli in the same speech: "Man must participate in all aspects of life, political, social and religious. A man is not whole if he is deprived of participating in some aspects of life; he will grow to be a lopsided man. It is not our aim to produce among Africans lopsided citizens of South Africa.
It is my firm belief that more and more South Africans, regardless of colour, will come to see the justice of our cause, because it is not just our cause. It is a human cause and, I would say, a divine cause to try and build a climate in South Africa where human values will be respected.”
Mpumalanga, we now have an opportunity to shed the negatives that we unfortunately have come to be known of; everyday as I wake up, it dawns to me that I am living in the province of the pioneering spirit, this reminds me that pioneers are brave people; they alwaysgo into untested grounds, they aretorch bearers, ground breakers, bahlahla indlela, ke Masupatsela………and when I think of all these, I am always filled with great joy and pride that I am a daughter of this beautiful province, I am a pioneer, and pioneers never fail, so as pioneers ourselves we shall never fail.
I thank you. Kea Leboga.
Source: Mpumalanga Department of Social Development
