Mr program director
Inkhosi Mvuleni and the members of the Mantjolo royal family
Chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders, Ikosi Mahlangu
Representatives of the national House of Traditional Leaders
Representatives from Komati Land Forestry
Members of the Mpumalanga House of Traditional Leaders
Members of the local Houses of Traditional Leaders
His majesties, amakhosi and queens
Executive mayors and councillors
Government officials
Distinguished guest
Ladies and gentlemen
Ngiyabonga kakhulu ukuthi ngibe yincenye yalosuku elibaluleke kakhulu esizweni sakwaMantjolo kanye neMpumalanga yonke. Njengoba sihlangane lapha namuhla sizoguba umhambo namasiko wethu ukuzikhumbuza ukuthi singakohlwa ukuthi singabobani kanye nokuthi sibuya kuphi. Ngiyabonga kakhulu ukuthi ngibone isizwe sigcwele ngalendlela, lokhu kuyakhomba ukuthi niyazichenya ngama siko enu.
uHulumeni waseMpumalanga uthi Halala! Sive SaMantjolo Halala!
Mphathi wohlelo, mangicale ngokuthi nginikeze isiqiniseko sokuthi uMengameli wezwe uBaba uJacob Zuma kanye nomhlonishwa uDD Mabuza ohola uHulumeni wesiSifunda saseMpumalanga bathethe isinqumo sokuthi uHulumeni komele enze konke okusemandleni ukuthi avikele amasiko kanye namagugu ethu, ngoba:
* Amasiko namagugu ayinxenye yokwakha isizwe sakithi
* Okwesibili, amasiko namagugu ethu ayinxenye yokuthuthukisa uMnotho
wasemakhaya
* Ukugutshwa kwemikhosi enjengalena kusikhumbuza ukuthi sibuya kuphi
njengesizwe
* Umlando wethu uyisisekelo sombuso wethu wentando yeningi
All strong nations of the world are built upon strong historical and cultural foundations.
* Umlando wethu uyisisekelo sesimilo kanye nesithunzi sethu njengesizwe
* Umlando wethu yiwona osihlanganisayo njengesizwe.
Program director, the current administration led by President Jacob Zuma and Premier DD Mabuza has taken a conscious decision that government projects must put special emphasis on rural development. It has also taken decision to restore the dignity of our amakhosi and their heritage and cultural activities.
Annual commemorations such as this one are not only sustaining the heritage and history as written by our previous heroes and heroines, but also contributes to nation building which is an important principle underpinning any democracy.
For us as government, the recollection of histories of communities through heritage forms an important contribution to the much required progressive socio-economic development for any nation.
History is the basic foundation for "Ubuntu" as it instils a sense of belonging, a sense of unity between and amongst communities, as well as self fulfilment in communities in terms of historical reconnection. Importantly, it contributes to the transference from one generation to the other, positive values, norms and standards, upon which any community is founded upon.
Such values, norms and standards are inherent within our African culture. They are the cornerstone of "Ubuntu", a principle that defines Africans from other nations. They serve as the heartbeat and lifeblood of African communities that are at the binding force amongst and between various communities.
These values serve as a source of unity between and across all our communities. This is not only crucial, but also at the centre of the attainment and sustenance of any democracy. It does not only serve as a source of unity amongst and between various communities, but also contributes a great deal to nation building as integral part of social cohesion.
Kuyajabulisa ukuthi umhlaba omningi ongaphansi kwaMakhosi unothile, hhayi-nje ngokwezolimo kuphela, kodwa omunye umhlaba uphethe iGolide, Amalahle nePlatinum, kodwa kubuye kudabukise kakhulu ukuthi abantu abahlala kuwo lowomhlaba abahlomuli lutho.
Uthola abadla izambane likaPondo kuyibo kanye abanama Mining Rights ezindaweni ezingaphansi kwa-Makhosi. Esikhathini esiningi ubukhosi buvalwa umlomo ngama 4x4 vehicles angasho lutho uma uchathanisa nezigidigidi zamaRandi eziyinzuzo kubona.
NjengoHulumeni ngeke saqhubeka ngokuvuma isimo esifana naleso.
Amakhosi and the people living in those areas must own the mining and any investor must negotiate a mutually beneficial deal, not exploit traditional villages
Yingakho uHulumeni weSifunda usenqume ukubamba ingqungquthela yezimayini (Mining Summit) ukuze sikhulumisane ngokuhlukunyezwa koMnotho ezindaweni ezingaphansi kwaMakhosi, sikhulumisane futhi ngokuthi singawusebenzisa kanjani uMnotho osezindaweni zaMakhosi ekuqedeni indlala.
Komele futhi sibuye siphenyisise nezivumelwano ezenziwe phakathi kwaMakhosi kanye nabosozi-Mayini ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi wonke umuntu uyahlomula.
NjengoHulumeni siyohlala siqhaphele ukuthi lezivumelwano azithengisi abantu bakithi.
Program director, government will only succeed in improving the lives of the people through improved service delivery if the environment within which it is implementing its programs is supported by our esteemed amakhosi and their respective communities.
It is in this partnership that developmental projects by government in all spheres will be sustained and jealously protected by communities under our traditional leaders. Traditional leaders therefore have to play a role in sensitising and mobilising communities behind government programs and projects. This will ultimately ensure that such projects and programs are supported and owned by communities through their traditional leaders.
As a department, after being sensitised by the House of Traditional Leaders under Inkosi Mahlangu, we came to the realisation that there exist untapped economic potentials in areas of traditional leadership. In instances like in the mining sector, local traditional councils, traditional leaders and communities are not benefiting from the minerals being mined in their areas.
The conclusion which one can draw from such an occurrence is that both local people and their traditional leaders are exploited because their minerals are taken away from them and they in turn remain poor.
Program director, one of the dire consequences of the said exploitation is that it contributes to the migration of people from rural areas to urban areas. This is counter-productive in that it has a negative effect on the spatial planning by municipalities in urban areas, particularly in considering the spiralling of informal settlements.
This state of affairs is not assisting government in its fight against the scourge of poverty and underdevelopment as characterised by rural areas. It is against this background that our government has decided to hold a Mining Summit wherein all factors regarding this economic anomaly are to be deliberated upon.
The summit will focus on the mining developments and its potential that can be unleashed to not only create job opportunities for our people, especially those in rural areas, but also to ensure that they are participating and benefiting from the mines in their areas.
We will also be embark on an exercise to revisit all the social contracts that these mining conglomerates entered with traditional leaders to see to what extent have they met their obligations. This will give us a clear indication as to the situation on the ground, and thus enabling us to make appropriate interventions.
Mphathi wohlelo mangithathe lelithuba ngihalalisele isivumelwano esiphakathi kwa bakwaMantjolo neKomati Land Forest, yikho lokho okufunekayo ukuze izinga lempilo yabantu lithuthuke, izivumelwano lapho wonke umuntu azokwazi ukuhlomula.
Ngikhuluma-nje ngidonswe ngendlebe ukuthi umthelela walesivumelwano neKomati Land Forest uzobonakala ngokwakhiwa kwenkulisa (Creche) kanye nemigwaqo. Lokho kuyoletha futhi namathuba emisebenzi.
Isifiso sethu ukuthi kwangathi neminye imiphakathi ingafunda kulesive sakwaMantjolo, siyakujabulela kakhulu lokhu okwenzekayo.
Halala! Sive sakaMantjolo Halala!
Today is a very important day to the people of Mantjolo and the province at large. Today we are here to witness the birth of partnership between our traditional leaders and the private sector. As government, we are impressed by the initiative taken by the Mantjolo Traditional Council and the Komati Land Forest (KLM), particularly when considering the fact that it was initiated by the two parties without the involvement of government.
As government, we hope that the partnership will evolve into productive developmental spinoffs that will contribute in a long way towards changing the lives of the local people. I am informed that some of the first fruits of this partnership will be the construction of a crèche and the access road leading to this area.
Indeed l could not have imagined a better beginning than building a crèche where the future leaders will start their education which will help bring more development to this area and help build our province and the country alike.
I am also informed that other proposals are currently under consideration by Komati Land Forests. This partnership that we are witnessing today will be watched very closely throughout the province and the country. What you are doing here will serve as a local economic model that other people can learn from, so it is important that we all work together to make sure that it succeeds.
Kodwa siyazi sonke ukuthi umbuso wobandlululo usilethele indlala nokusweleka kwemisebenzi, ikakhulukazi ezindaweni zasemakhaya.
Amasiko namagugu ethu alahleka in the process of migration lapho abantu basuka ezindaweni zasemakhaya bayofuna imisebenzi emadolobheni. Uma bebuya emadolobheni beza ezindaweni zamakhosi babuya nezimilo namasiko axakile, okungewona awethu.
No nation can be built without a defined history and culture
uHulumeni uzothuthukisa uMnotho wasemakhaya, ezindaweni zamakhosi ukuze abantu abaya emadolobheni baye ngoba bethanda, bangahanjiswa yindla.
uHulumeni wethu izimisele ukwenza izimpilo zabantu zibe nqono ezindaweni zasemakhaya ngokuthi abambisane naMakhosi ukuze ukuphakelwa kwezinsiza kusheshe (acceleration of service delivery)
* Sikhuluma ngokwakhiwa kwezikole
* Sikhuluma ngamaKliniki
* Sikhuluma ngamanzi
* Sikhuluma ngemigwaqo (imigwaqo ingalungiswa kuphela uma kushone isicwicwicwi or celebrity)
* Sikhuluma ngogesi
* Sikhuluma ngokuthuthukisa uMnotho ezindaweni zasemakhaya ukuze kuqedwe
indlala nokusweleka kwemisebenzi
Only then can our freedom be meaningful.
Our government is continuing to strengthen its partnership with traditional leaders. The aim is to ensure that the system of traditional governance is enhanced to can play a meaningful role in our democratic dispensation.
It is to this end that nationally, a department that focuses on traditional leadership has been established. The process will cascade to provinces and the aim thereof is to ensure that structures and systems are developed, supported and coordinated to ensure that our traditional leaders and their council plays a meaningful role in the development of rural areas.
After having been advised by the House of Traditional Leaders on the names of those amakhosi who must participate in each municipality, our department publicised such names as required by law. Engagement with municipalities to create an environment where in the participation should be implemented is at an advanced stage.
It is important to note that the participation of traditional leaders in municipalities will immensely contribute to the enhancement and improvement of service delivery in rural areas, improve the involvement of traditional leaders on matters of governance and strengthening the working relations between Government and traditional leaders.
Ngingabe ngenza iphutha uma ngingaphawuli ngalo-mbulalazwe iHIV and AIDS.
Namuhla uMongameli wezwe uBaba Jacob Zuma uthule uhlelo lwe HIV counseling and Testing. Lohlelo lolu kuhloswe ukuthi kuhlolwe abantu abangu 15 million ngeHIV ezweni lonke ngaphambi kokuphela kukaJune 2011. Kanti eSifundeni sakithi lohlelo luzothulwa yinduna yelitiko lezempilo uMama Dikeledi Mahlangu ngolesihlanu ozayo mhlaka 30 April 2010.
SinguHulumeni weSifunda sizimisele ukuthi sihlole abantu abangu 1 Million
ngaphambi kokuphela kukaJune 2011. Makhosi wethu ahloniphekileyo, indima enkulu ekufanele ukuthi niyidlale, ukuthi sibambisane sinqobe lombulalazwe osoqede isizwe sethu. Siyacela ukuthi sibuyele sifundise abantu abasha, kanye nabo abadala ngendlela ekufanele baziphate ngayo. Kufanele ukuthi
sibambisane ukuze siyinqobe lempi esibhekane nayo. Kufanele sibuyele sigcine amasiko wethu. Abantu abasha bangasheshi ukuya emacansini isikhathi singakafiki, kanye nokuthi uma isikhathi sesifikile, thembeka kuloyomuntu othandana naye.
By so doing as a nation we will place ourselves in a better position to preserve and protect our heritage and culture and thereby securing a far better future for our children.
In conclusion, I hereby wish the people of Mantjolo and everyone here today, an enjoyable commemoration.
Mnisi, Mvuleni, Gwadla Gwadla, Mfula Kawuwelwa, Uwelwa Tinkonjane ngoba tiphapha etulu, Zininduna. lemabutfo lamabili, Wase Jobe, Wasiphoso, Wenkundla.
Ngiyabonga.
Issued by: Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
25 April 2010
Source: Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mpumalanga Provincial Government (http://cgta.mpg.gov.za/)
