T Didiza: Inauguration of Board of Trustees of Independent Development
Trust

14 September 2007

Programme Director
Chairperson and Trustees of the Independent Development Trust (IDT)
The Chief Executive Officer and Management of the IDT
Ladies and gentlemen

This is a very special occasion for the Independent Development Trust (IDT)
and we are delighted you were able to grace us with your presence.

This evening has two key purposes. Firstly that of thanking and celebrating
the outgoing Board of Trustees as well as releasing them as the Accounting
Authority of the IDT, and secondly to formally Inaugurate and welcome the
incoming Board of Trustees, and to provide the new Accounting Authority of the
IDT with a mandate in terms of our expectations as the Shareholder.

Thank and take leave of the outgoing board

I wish to sincerely thank the outgoing Board of Trustees for serving as the
Accounting Authority of the IDT from May 2002 until August 2007.

I was appointed as the Executive Authority in May 2006 and due to
unavoidable delays in the appointment of a new board, such as illness and
passing of my predecessor Honourable Minister Stella Sigcau and fact that I
needed time to apply my mind to the Public Works portfolio, the Trustees needed
to serve for an extended term. Hence we requested the outgoing board to extend
their term. We are appreciative of the fact that as individuals, the Trustees
of a Board are professionals with other responsibilities, leading very busy
lives. Hence we really value the fact that you agreed to an extended term and
in particular we want to celebrate the ten (10) Trustees who served the IDT for
five years (5) and three months, 15 months longer than their four (4) year
term. Thank you.

I was struck by their unwavering commitment during this extended term. These
Trustees continued to serve with dedication. For example towards the end of
2006 we met with the Board having requested a discussion on a long-term
strategic vision for the IDT. The Board presented us with a well thought
through position which enabled us to agree to a reinterpretation of the mandate
and focus for the IDT. That gave me confidence. It made me feel that in Board
we had a team who understood the development sector, the development needs and
priorities in the country and policy objectives of the shareholder. Within that
context the Board was able to propose a more focused role and niche for the
IDT. That is the type of leadership which we expect because it effectively
reduces the space between the Executive Authority and the Accounting Authority.
It meant that we were reading from the same book and the same page and did not
have to expend energy on finding each other or calling each other to order.
Instead we were able to focus on advancing our shared objectives.

Another example of the vision and leadership of the Board, was when we made
the organisation aware of the hardship wrecked by tornadoes in the Eastern Cape
and KwaZulu-Natal earlier this year, and the need to rehabilitate the
environment and social infrastructure in poor rural communities. Four months
later the board decided to allocate R150 million to what has became known as
the Mud Schools Programme. This programme has since been adopted as a
Presidential Lead Programme and National Treasury is considering awarding R2
billion to the programme of eradicating all of the Mud Schools in the country
building on the fact that the IDT conceptualised and kick-started the
programme.

The IDT achieved an unqualified audit report from the Auditor-General
throughout the term of the Board, with the 2006/07 financial year being the 5th
successive unqualified audit. That is a very commendable achievement and by all
accounts it is worth celebrating. It suggests that the IDT has established a
benchmark in terms of accountability and the management of financial and
non-financial performance information. It is an achievement in which we can all
take pride.

Programme Director, there are many other achievements for which we should
thank and salute the outgoing Board. However I want to conclude by concurring
with Sis Pumla, Acting Chairperson of the outgoing Board, that the IDT is a
functional, effective and capable public entity and development agency. Thank
you Radebe, Messrs Funde, Fuller, Marumo, Mokgoro, Silinga, Robertson,
Mthintso, Bici and Ratefane.

You have served the IDT and the people who the IDT serves well. We wish you
all the best and trust that you have also learnt from and grown through your
term as Trustees and that you will use that experience, knowledge and your
indisputable commitment to our development agenda, in other forums in the
provinces and communities where you live and work.

Thank you and I herewith formally release you from your fiduciary
responsibilities as the Board of Trustees of the Independent Development
Trust.

Introduce the new Board

Programme Director, Ladies and gentlemen.

Please join me in welcoming the new Board of Trustees of the Independent
Development Trust, the twelve (12) new appointees to the IDT Board, who will
steer the 'IDT ship' over the next four (4) years: (The Minister could invite
Trustees stand as she introduces them or, if the space allows, invite them to
join her on the stage).

Shuaib Chalklen has been seconded from the Office of the Presidency as the
Chief Executive Officer of the Secretariat for the African Decade of Disabled
Persons. He was previously employed as Chief Director: Governance and
Administration and Director: Office on the Status of Disabled Persons in the
Presidency. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Science (Social Work) from
the University of Cape Town. He is experienced in policy analysis, planning and
strategy development.

Gail Downing is presently the Managing Director of Acorn Products (Pty) Ltd
and a Director at Acorn Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd, Acorn Sales and
Merchandising CC and Acorn Realty Holdings CC. Acorn has been actively involved
with the Department of Health in the 'Roll Back Malaria' campaign. Downing
holds an MBA from Henley, United Kingdom (UK). She is an experienced business
and financial manager.

Zanele Mdhladhla is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Moral
Regeneration Movement. Positions she has held previously include Director:
Financial Aid at the Durban Institute of Technology, Provincial Co-ordinator:
Education Opportunities Council and Assistant Training Officer: Unilever. She
obtained a BA Degree from the University of Zululand and Higher Education
Diploma from the University of South Africa.

Kelopile Constance Moletsane is an educator. Moletsane has taught in various
schools in the Free State. She attained her BA Honours from Vista
University.

Thoko Mpumlwana is presently employed as a Commissioner at the Independent
Electoral Commission of South Africa. She has worked as a project co-ordinator
for the Human Sciences Research Council, as a researcher and as an educator in
various schools. She obtained a Master’s Degree from the University of
Michigan, B Ed from the University of Natal and BA from the University of South
Africa. She has experience in project management and organisational
development.

Vukani Lumumba Mthintso is currently the Chief of Staff in the Office of the
Minister of Social Development. He has worked as a volunteer for the United
Nations, Commission on Gender Equality and served on the National Steering
Committee of Volunteer South Africa. He has presented various papers which
include, inter alia, The War on Poverty in South Africa and The Budget and The
Apartheid Debt. He holds a Management Advancement Programme, a Post Graduate
Certificate in Politics and International Relations, and recently concluded a
graduate programme at SOAS, London.

Thembeka Nkamba-Van Wyk is the founder and managing director of 'Talking
Beads' which economically empowers women from rural areas through arts and
crafts. She writes books, scripts for radio drama and poetry and produces radio
programmes. She is also the founder of Blue Sky Hope, a centre for HIV/AIDS.
She has won various awards which include, amongst others, Best Achiever, Top
Woman Achiever for the Femina Women's Directory and the first Gauteng Arts,
Culture and Heritage and Business Woman of the Year. She holds a BA and MA
Honours degree from the University of Fort Hare, MA from the University of
California, MBA from Henley (Britain) and a MA in poetry.

Zingisile Ntsaluba is the Chief Financial Officer in the National Department
of Public Works. Before joining the department, he was employed as Financial
Head in the Corporate Accounting and Budgeting Unit of the Development Bank of
Southern Africa; Manager: Project Accounts and Financial Systems at Sasol and
Internal Audit Manager at Transkei Development Corporation. He attained his MBA
Degree from Milpark Business School, B Comm Degree from the University of
Transkei, and Honours BCompt Degree from Unisa.

Firoz Yusuf Patel is the Deputy Director-General at the National Department
of Education. Prior to this appointment he has held several posts as an
educator and within the Gauteng and National Departments of Education including
that of Chief Director, Executive Director and Chief Education Specialist. He
was elected as a Commissioner on the National Commission for United Nations
Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) and has also served
in various task teams for the Department of Education, inter alia, Education
Management Information Team, Gauteng Departmental Information Technology,
Strategic Planning and Policy Unit Restructuring Task Team. He holds an MA in
Education, B Ed and B Comm degrees.

Pumla Fundiswa Radebe, is a managing partner of Bungane Development
Consultants. She has presented papers and formed part of panels during debates
on local government provision of social facilities. She holds certificates in
Policy Development and Management, Project Management, Sociology for developing
countries, a Diploma in Municipal Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Soc
Science.

Khwezi Tiya is a civil engineer. Tiya obtained his MBA, MSc in Financial
Management BSc in Civil Engineering with Universiteit Nyenrode (Netherlands),
University of London and University of Natal respectively. He is currently
employed as Executive Manager: Zone Operations at Coega Development
Corporation. He has worked as a civil engineer and construction manager on
various projects.

Mvuyo Ernest Tom is a medical doctor by profession. Tom obtained his MB ChB,
Masters of Family Medicine and Masters of Science in Public Policy and
Management from the Universities of Natal, Witwatersrand and London
respectively. He is currently the Director of the School of Public Management
and Development at the University of Fort Hare. He has held several posts
within the Eastern Cape Government including that of Strategic Manager and
Permanent Secretary in the Department of Health and Welfare and
Director-General of the Eastern Cape.

I herewith formally declare you members of the Board of Trustees
individually and collectively you are duly constituted as the Accounting
Authority of the Independent Development Trust, with the concomitant
responsibilities. Thank you for your willingness to serve the IDT for the next
four years

I am also pleased to announce that I have appointed Pumla Radebe as the
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. Thank you Radebe for accepting this
appointment.

At this point Trustees can return to or take their seats.

Mandate from the Minister

While we will meet more formally within the next few months, I believe that
it is important to share my expectations of the Board at this gathering.
Differently put, to publicly charge you with a mandate

Strategic focus

A recent external review of the IDT concluded with six (6) recommendations
key among them being that "the emphasis should remain on social infrastructure
implementation activities, which is IDT's core competence and where it has a
competitive advantage vis a vis other DFIs and development agencies (DAs). The
development impact of all the local involvement / empowerment related to
infrastructure projects is very large." This report will be shared with and
needs to be interrogated and understood by the board. Suffice to say that the
recommendations of this report have since been accepted by Cabinet.

However this focus on social infrastructure is not intended to be the
pursuit of outputs only, such as numbers of buildings and value of money spent.
In our view the provision of social infrastructure is seen a central to
sustainable livelihoods and the principle of achieving a better life for all.
Hence, to borrow from my colleague Minister Manuel, we are interested in
"infrastructure programmes, which seek to change the landscape across both
urban and rural urban areas, (from) barren dusty land into places that people
feel proud to live in."

Earlier I referred to the strategic discussion with the Board and the
refined niche to which we agreed. We confirmed that the IDT mandate remains
that of supporting government with achieving its development objectives and the
eradication of poverty in particular. In this regard we recognised the
deepening feminisation of poverty decided that the core role and niche area of
the IDT will be to facilitate the creation of sustainable livelihoods and
cohesive communities in poverty pockets and underdeveloped areas by focussing
on women as targeted beneficiaries as well as partnering women as participants
in the development process.

The mandate of the IDT is clear as is the interpretation of that formal
mandate within the current context, and hence my first expectation is that the
Board will remain focused on and committed to that mandate.

Anti Poverty strategy

I will expect the Board to be familiar with the national development agenda
or government's develop policy objectives. From the perspective of the IDT,
primary among these objectives is the eradication of poverty.

A further point of reference is the Millennium Development Goals, which
articulates at the highest political level and in a comprehensive fashion, the
priority areas of social, economic and environmental development that need to
be pursued in order to reduce poverty and enable sustainable development.
Government remains committed eradicate extreme poverty and hunger and has put
in place a mechanisms to halve poverty and unemployment by 2014. In addition in
the 2007 State of the Nation Address the President declared that we will
"finalise a strategy and programmes to address matters of social cohesion,
including the comprehensive integrated anti-poverty strategy."

The IDT has actively been influencing the conceptualisation of the
anti-poverty strategy and we expect the IDT to remain an opinion maker in this
process as well as the source of the innovative and inspirational development
models which will be required to translate the strategy into programmes that
redefines the face of poverty in South Africa in a sustainable and measurable
way. The Mud Schools Programme is one such example and we expect the IDT to
continue to demonstrate the courage and professional confidence to embrace such
greenfields and to lead the way.

Clear operational space and boundaries

I do believe that it will be critical for the Board to decide and to clearly
articulate the boundaries and the nature of the space between itself and the
Executive Authority, and boundaries and the nature of the space between the
board and management. Optimal efficiency, effectiveness and cohesion will be
achieved if each of us do what we are responsible for and trust the other with
being capable of executing their responsibilities. Too often one sees. In
organisations and structures which has different levels of accountability, far
too much energy being devoting to 'turf issues' and matters outside of
respective domains, they are so busy watching the other parties in the delivery
system that they neglecting their own responsibilities and accountability.

I am thus appealing to the board so show the necessary leadership. I trust
that within a very short time I will be able to see what is presently a loose
group of individuals, transformed into a cohesive and focused Board with a
shared vision. At the same time it is my wish that the board will establish the
boundaries between the responsibilities and accountability of management, and
the oversight and accountability board. In my view there are clear spaces and
boundaries and there should be no confusion between these different levels of
the greater IDT system and I expect the Board to apply its mind and decide on
the most effective rules of engagement for the Accounting Authority of the
IDT.

In conclusion I am confident that we have assembled in this Board the best
group of people capable of leading the IDT at this stage of organisation's life
cycle and at this juncture in our history as a nation. The IDT is a national
asset of which we are proud and with which we are proud to be associated. I
look forward to further platforms where we will be able to reflect on the IDT
and collectively take the IDT to greater heights.

Welcome Trustees. I wish you well.

I thank you

Issued by: Department of Public Works
14 September 2007