Programme directors
The executive mayor of Thembisile Hani local municipality
The district mayor of Nkangala
The MEC for Finance, Ms Pinky Phosa
The MEC for Human Settlement, Mr Madala Masuku
Councillors present here today
Officials from various spheres of government
Members of the Phumula community
Today we are gathered here in Phumula brought together to come and witness the delivery of services to the people by their government. As leaders of government, we have come to officially handover newly built Public Library and houses to our people so that their lives could be positively changed.
The ANC led government is a government that listens to the people and when the people told us that they wanted a library to improve education of their children, we listened to them and built the library so that our children could no longer walk long distances to access information.
When we saw as government that our people did not have proper shelter and were living in vulnerable conditions, we could not sit and fold our arms as if it was business as usual and today we have handed houses to our people so that they could live a dignified life and have roofs over their heads.
Yesterday was a historic day in our country as it was on this day 20 years ago that the foundation of the end of the apartheid regime was solidly laid when the Father of the nation, Dr Nelson Mandela walked free of prison.
The then authorities saw that apartheid was no longer sustainable and the struggles of our people had reached uncontrolled heights as our people were not prepared to continue being second citizens in their own country of birth. Dr Mandela walked out of prison and brought new hope to our country and he carried a positive message to all South Africans, that we all had to work towards a free society. We owe it to Dr Mandela to ensure that the ideals that he stood for guide us in our quest of ensuring that we create a better country that people all over would envy.
After the fourth democratic elections in our country last year, the ANC led government promised the people of South African that the building of houses will take new shape as not only will we be building new houses but we will develop new settlements so that our people could be closer to services and this required new integrated approach among government departments and today we bear witness to that as the department of culture, sport and recreation and the department of human settlements are together delivering services to our people.
This approach means that houses will be build in areas where schools, libraries and clinics among others will be closer to residents in those areas. Our people should work together with government so that they could tell government their needs and we will together shape the areas that we want to leave in.
I want to appeal to the Phumula community to jealously guard the library that we have built for them as this is their property and it is meant to improve their lives and those of their children. There is this uncalled for behaviour by some of our people who destroy government property and as the department of culture, sport and recreation, we are sadly informing you that five of the libraries that we built for our communities have been torched and turned into ashes. This barbaric action has denied our children reference centres that they used in their studies and today they are the poorer. Libraries are an important source of community development.
We condemn these actions and call upon communities to identify and expose those who are behind these cowardice acts so that they could be brought before the law. We don’t want to come back here in Phumula few months down the line and hear that this newly built library has been torched. While we know that people have a right to protest, this right should not be abused where people will use it to destroy property that is meant to improve their lives.
As government, we acknowledge that some areas still needs service delivery but we appeal to our people to exercise patience as we are working hard to address their needs. The ANC led government is a caring government that always put the needs of our people high in its agenda and we appeal to people to use proper channels when they want to communicate with us or raise their grievances.
The year 2010 is a year for us all South Africans as we are going to show the rest of the world that we are good organisers when we host the 2010 FIFA World Cup which we don’t have a doubt that it will be one of the best ever world cups. We have fun filled events organised for both young and old where we encourage communities to read their books and win prizes related to the world cup.
I therefore urge all of you, particularly young people to use the library regularly so that you could know about the competitions that we run and stand good chances of winning for yourselves various prizes.
The president of the republic, Mr Jacob Zuma delivered the State of the Nation Address yesterday where he once more committed government to address challenges facing our country. We have all heeded President Zuma’s words and citizens of Mpumalanga, you can rest assured that all your needs and aspirations will be addressed; together we will build our country.
Premier DD Mabuza will deliver the State of the Province Address on 19 February 2010 and give marching orders on taking service delivery to new heights and working together, we will build more libraries and human settlements in the province.
I once more appeal to all of you to look after the library and houses that were handed to you today and not vandalise them in any form.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
12 February 2010
Source: Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mpumalanga Provincial Government (http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za/dcsr/default.htm)
