Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Mpumalanga
Legislature,
Honourable Premier: DD Mabuza,
Honourable Members of the Executive Council,
Honourable Members of Parliament and Members of the Mpumalanga
Legislature,
His Majesties King Makhosokhe ll and King Mabhoko III
Honourable Executive Mayors, Speakers and Councilors
Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Provincial House of
Traditional Leaders, Kgoshi LM Mokoena and Inkhosi SG Ngomane
Our revered Traditional Leaders, Amakhosi / Magoshi,
The Director General, Heads of Department and Municipal Managers
The Leadership of the ANC and Alliance partners
Distinguished guests,
Friends and citizens of the province.
Introduction
Honourable Speaker and Members, we are presenting this policy and budget statement on vote 4 during important epochs in our country and the continent. We have just celebrated our nineteen years (19) of freedom and democracy, the 50th Anniversary of the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) now the African Union (AU) and winding up the workers month. This year also marks the centenary of the 1913 Natives Land Act that reduced us into a pariah in the land of our own birth and the beginning of our woes as depicted by the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment.
The 27 April 1994 marked a new beginning for our people; we committed ourselves to work towards unity, reconciliation and the improvement of the quality of life of all South Africans. When we celebrate our achievements, and ponder on work that must still be done, we must never forget the huge sacrifices that were paid for our freedom. Our freedom and democracy is founded through the blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifices of scores of freedom fighters, workers, students, ordinary South Africans and freedom loving people in Africa and the world. It is the resilience of our forbearers and their on-going quest for a truly united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and democratic South Africa that brought about freedom.
As freedom loving South Africans we should take a stand and say no to those individuals or any grouping or structure in our society, that seeks to trivialise our freedom or to reverse the gains of our hard-won democracy. We need to deal with selective amnesia.
In 1996, we adopted the most progressive Constitution of the Republic, which enjoins all of us to heal the divisions of the past and to establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights. Our Constitution also enshrines socio-economic rights. It guarantees to our people the rights to water, sanitation, electricity, roads, medical care, quality education and economic opportunities.
The ANC-led government has been at the forefront, delivering and providing basic services throughout the country, since 1994. However, the legacy of apartheid has caused serious backlog of development in areas where poor people live, apartheid spatial planning and the uneven quality of services provided. This has meant that these services and interventions have not always had the desired effects. In some areas, unemployment, inequality and poverty have worsened.
If we are to genuinely say that South Africa belongs to all who live in it; then all our people must be able to equitably share in the benefits of a free society. Our people are currently enjoying full political freedom, but we are yet to achieve full socio-economic freedom. The triple manifestations of the apartheid legacy like poverty, inequality and unemployment, reaffirm our belief that political freedom must be accompanied by economic freedom.
Our main focus should be the radical transformation of the economy. The economic wealth of the country must bring about fundamental change in the lives of the youth, the poor and the working class. As government we need to change gear and take even more decisive actions in transforming the economy.
We have adopted the National Development Plan (NDP), recognising that:
a) It is an appropriate and meaningful way of bringing together all South Africans closer to our forebears’ vision and mission of a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa
b) It is an appropriate and meaningful way of bringing together all South Africans to act in unity to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and create full employment.
c) In seeking to work with South Africans across race, class, gender and ideological persuasions the plan is consistent with the ANC’s own ethos and values
d) It is a purposefully clear framework that enables us to engage with broader society on capacitating and addressing the challenges facing the state
The NDP is our blueprint, our vision, to bring this about a National Democratic Society.
Our priorities
Honourable Speaker, we stand here today before this august house to account for the work we have done in 2012/13 and our plans for the 2013/14 financial year. Despite our challenges and setbacks we are indeed on course in building a truly united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society.
For the 2013/14 financial year, we have prioritised;
a) Ensuring that all our people have access to water by the end of the 2013/13 financial year;
b) Eradicating sanitation backlogs in all formal settlements and deal with the state of all capacitated water treatment works;
c) Accelerating refuse removal through the municipal public works programme;
d) Intensifying the clean towns, townships and villages programme;
e) Extending electrification to the remaining households with the energy department.”
State of Local Government
Honourable Speaker, in our plans in the department we are guided by Outcome 9: A responsive, accountable, effective and efficient local government system and the seven outputs that accompany it.
To have a differentiated approach in supporting our municipalities, we decided to categorise them into four categories being;
a) Catergory1- those that are formal big towns
b) Category 2- those with high population, formerly homelands with adequate infrastructure and with significant services backlogs
c) Category 3A- the formerly small towns with a potential
d) Category 3B- small towns but with systematic challenges that require on-going support.
From this categorisation we were able to develop tailor made support interventions for each of the municipalities. Whilst we have seen an improvement in our municipalities, I must indicate that these interventions have not yielded the desired results.
As Premier DD Mabuza stated during the State of the Province Address on 1 March 2013, our local government is not performing at the level that we want it to. He further added that “our municipalities continue to struggle on the issues of planning, delivery of basic services, financial viability, leadership and management, and public participation. Ward committees and the work of Community Development Workers are also a call for concern. In our recent assessment of our municipalities, we have agreed, as a collective, to work even harder in our quest to turn local government around and change people’s experiences of services and governance.”
Our report indicate that many of the problems at municipalities include poor governance and accountability, weak financial management, high vacancies in critical senior management positions, high infrastructure backlog and in some instances an inability to deliver even a core of basic municipal services efficiently and effectively. Despite our attempts to address these problems, they have yielded mixed results with some areas of excellences and in others only limited success.
As part of stabilising administration, we are pleased to report that we have managed to assist municipalities in filling most of the senior managers’ positions. There are four municipalities namely Dr JS Moroka, Emakhazeni, Thaba Chweu Local municipalities and Nkangala District municipality whose municipal managers’ positions remain vacant. Accordingly I have directed all municipalities to fill all the funded vacant positions especially at senior management level by the end of July this year with suitably qualified individuals.
Honourable Speaker, due to the financial viability and the scarcity of certain skills category our municipalities are struggling to attract and retain suitably qualified Chief Financial Officers (CFOs)- in seven municipalities and Technical Managers- in six municipalities. Working with Provincial Treasury and the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA), we have embarked on a process to support municipalities through secondment and head- hunting for CFO and Technical Directors.
As part of support to municipalities we are creating a pool of retired financial experts, engineers, project managers and leaders in local government that will be readily available to mentor, coach and support with implementation in the struggling municipalities. I am making a clarion call to former local government practitioners to join hands with our government in improving how local government works.
Service delivery challenges
These service delivery protests that we have experienced in the province, remain a matter of great concern for us as a province. What is of great concern are the incidences of unwarranted violence, malicious destruction of property, disrespect of the rule of law and the violation of the rights of the law abiding citizens that accompany such protests.
Whilst we respect the rights of individuals to protest, I must indicate that government will not allow acts of lawlessness, destruction of property and disregard for the rule of law.
The destruction of property will not solve any problems; instead it’s to the detriment of the community. Our resources as government are limited and they need to be spread throughout all communities. If communities destroy the services that have been provided by government, this is delaying the development of that community as Government cannot go back and provide the same services as there are other areas that need to be serviced with the limited resources.
This is a government chosen by the people and is at all times willing to engage with communities to solve problems. No problem is too big to defeat dialogue. We also appeal to our public representative to exercise patience and to keep together with the people that have elected them to lead in the resolution of these problems.
We also call on all officials of government and municipalities to treat concerns of our communities with the attention and diligence they deserve. At no point, no matter what circumstances we must take the people for granted we vowed to serve when we were employed.
We are the first to encourage that public representatives must be held accountable, but we condemn the growing tendency of people who want to undermine democracy and make use of the genuine concerns of the people to peddle hatred against serving councillors who have been elected in a popular vote in communities. This is mostly done with an effort to cut short the five year period that they have to serve, with a hope that they themselves shall be preferred.
We would like to warn that no one person could change the existing situations that our municipalities are finding themselves in. A change in a councillor will not change the revenue of a municipality, because there is a new person in town, but it has been proven that it is collective effort and wisdom of communities working with their councillors that have brought meaningful change in municipalities.
As part of strengthening our municipalities the Executive Council has decided to place two municipalities under Administration in terms of Section 139 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No.108 of 1996).
Both the Executive powers of Mayors and Municipal Managers have been entrusted to the Administrators. We have appointed Mr Theo van Vuuren as the Administrator for Emalahleni and Mr Harry Phaahla as the Administrator for Bushbuckridge local municipalities.
Output 1: Implementing a differentiated approach to municipal financing, planning and support
Whilst all the 21 municipalities in the province managed to approve their IDPs as per the compliance requirements of statues, however many of our municipalities have not lived up to this promise due to the failure to link with resources. Without viable planning frameworks municipal service delivery will continue to be ineffective, ad-hoc and unresponsive to the pressing needs of communities.
During this financial year, the department will continue to ensure that municipalities are capacitated on the local government planning framework by rolling-out the revised IDP framework for municipalities.
We have strengthened the collaboration between the Office of the Premier, District Municipalities and Provincial Treasury to enhance integrated planning and coordination in the province in improving provincial support to municipalities on planning within the IDP. The current IDPs have taken into account the outcomes of the Census 2011 report and the Socio-economic report (SERO).
In addition we have directed all our municipalities to focus their limited resources in expanding access to basic services, municipal public works programmes, strengthening financial viability and achieving clean audits by 2014, integrated human settlements by providing the necessary basic services infrastructure and strengthening public participation.
During the municipal budget process that is currently underway all our municipalities will be monitored to adhere to this minimum programme and allocate resources without fail.
The public consultation process is one of the unique fixture of democracy on matters of Integrated Development Plans and Budget process should be used as platform by municipal council, business, labour and broader society to engage on matters of development. The timing of public meetings is critical to ensure maximum participation and the kind of other platforms is critical for buyin.
We might work in the other spheres of government, private sector or unemployed but we all stay in a locality called a ward. Take interest in your local affairs and make local government everybody’s business.
All the 21 municipalities in the province have their individual Municipal Turnaround Plans (MTAS) fully integrated into the IDPS. Recently the Minister of COGTA and MEC: COGTA held a provincial assessment of the Local Government Turnaround Strategy (LGTAS) so as to draw lessons what has worked and possible solutions in addressing our weaknesses.
The Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA) is hard at work in (9) identified municipalities namely Bushbuckridge, Nkomazi, Thaba Chweu, Mkhondo, Dipaliseng, Chief Albert Luthuli, Thembisile Hani, Dr JS Moroka and Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme in developing and implementing a set of intervention with respect to municipal infrastructure roll-out.
Output 2: Improved Access to Basic Services
Honourable Speaker, The South African Institute of Race Relations (IRR) on its research report titled Two Scenarios of South Africa released on 14 January 2013, argues at length that the protests arise not from the failure of the Government’s service-delivery efforts but rather from the success of these efforts.
The report further states that “Enormous gains have been made in the provision of free or subsidised water, electricity, and housing. Our research shows that these gains have been so impressive that we might comfortably describe service delivery as a great policy success of the ANC in government. There can be little doubt that the policy resulted in a revolutionary improvement in the basic living conditions of poor people as corroborated by Living Standard Measure data. If you think we are mad in this assessment consider that for every shack constructed in South Africa since 1994, twelve formal houses were built in the country”.
A renowned academia Professor Jonny Steinberg on his paper delivered in the United Kingdom titled “SA government not given enough credit for what it does” when he said, “beyond reasonable doubt’ that life is getting better for the majority of South Africans. Between 2001 and 2011 the average income of black person in SA rose from R22, 522 to R60, 613 a year. The census revealed that South Africans on the whole are earning 35% more”. He further argues that: “the poorest have benefitted most. All the extra things they are receiving now come directly from government.
The ANC has built 1.8 million houses and given them for free-it has literally changed the spaces in which they live. This is unprecedented anywhere in the world”.
Our detractors and opposition continue to deny that South Africa is better today than yesterday. Without gloating this assertion is further collaborated by the recent census 2011 results about the ANC’s delivery performance.
The report census report states that:
a) 87,4% or 940 288 households have access to water
b) 93,7% or 1 007 535 households have access to sanitation
c) 89,6% or 963 382 households have access to electricity
d) 50,5% or 542 709 households have access to refuse removal
As a country and people, have done well in only 19 years of freedom. We know that many more South Africans still need water, electricity, sanitation, jobs and other basic necessities. That is why we must continue working together to expand access to services and reverse the legacy of apartheid and colonial oppression.
We have made progress in addressing the constant water supply and poor quality drinking water problems that have plagued the Emalahleni Local municipality. Close to R62m was spent with the assistance of Rand Water Board and DWA to improve the situation. We are currently busy with the replacement of old asbestos pipes.
We have also intervened with the Bulk Water Pipeline constructions in Victor Khanye from Bloemendal and in Bushbuckridge from Inyaka Dam to 7 villages around Acornhoek. Both will be commissioned by (June) this Year.
We are now busy in Msukaligwa following their unprecedented challenge of water shortage in the Dams. There is a temporary 12 KM water pipeline that we are constructing from the Southern Water Scheme to their Northern Water Scheme so that some people in Ermelo town, Wesselton, Warburton and surrounding areas can also receive constant supply. A permanent bulk pipeline will soon be under construction by mid of this year.
We are pleased to report that the Premier and the Minister of Water Affairs and Environmental Affairs have signed a broader cooperation agreement in ensuring that all people in the province have water by 2014. Subsequent to this agreement Rand Water, COGTA and DWA have signed an implementation agreement to deal with water challenges in Bushbuckridge, Msukaligwa and Emalahleni Local Municipalities.
As part of the Executive Council commitment amount of R61m have been set aside to augment water uptake and storage in the areas of Nkomazi and Mbombela. The work on identified eight municipalities to be supported through MEGA is well on course. Of concern is the slow spending on the Municipal Infrastructure Grant spending continues to be a matter of great concern.
As part of assisting municipalities address these challenges of under spending, the department has work closely with the affected municipalities to craft an acceleration plan. We will monitor closely these plans and provide the required support
Output 3: Implementation of Community Works Programme
The Community Works Programme (CWP) has brought about a significant improvement in the lives of many households in the province. This is one of the tools through which we are pushing back the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.
Through the CWP we are absorbing some of these youth and to keep them off the streets. In the 2013/14 financial year we will maintain the existing 13 CWP sites and have created 17000 work opportunities.
We will also continue with the implementation of the Youth Waste Project to create 520 work opportunities for the Youths in 9 municipalities (Bushbuckridge, Dipaliseng, Pixley, Lekwa, Nkomazi, UMjindi, Thembisile, Mkhondo and Emakhazeni) until June 2013. The total allocated budget for the project is about R2.5 million rand.
Output 4: Actions supportive of the human settlements outcomes
In the past financial year we were able to support the development of a draft Provincial Spatial Development Framework; support the development of the Mpumalanga Planning and Development Bill; technically evaluate all 21 municipal spatial development frameworks in accordance with the national SDF guideline and analyse all 18 municipal land use schemes.
The department also provided technical support to the Department of Human Settlements in reviewing municipal housing chapters as well as led 7 township establishment projects in Mkhondo and Dr Pixley Isaka ka Seme municipalities.
To prevent human settlements related natural disasters, land invasions, and to ensure proper land use management practices in areas that are under the control of our traditional leaders, the Department has consulted with the affected municipalities, SALGA and traditional leaders to develop a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will pave the way for joint coordination in land management and allocation of stands in these areas.
Redetermination and alignment of Municipal Boundaries
Honourable Speaker, the Department is working with the Municipal Demarcation Board to finalise the redetermination and alignment of municipal Boundaries. The Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs has appointed a dedicated team that is currently working with all affected stakeholders on matters of demarcation.
Over the past two weeks the Municipal Demarcation Board undertook a consultation process in the province in various communities. The process went well without any incident and wishes to commend the people of the province in the manner they engaged with the process. We shall await further engagement in the process as per the MDBs roadmap.
Output 5: Deepening democracy through a refined Ward Committee Model
Honourable Speaker, the lack of information brings to question our public participation fora. We must ask ourselves whether we are using these correctly and to the benefit of our people. It is our responsibility as leaders to make sure that as we roll out our programmes in the communities we also inform our communities, so that if ever there are any challenges they are fully aware of these. This will definitely deal with the protests and the vacuum left by us not communicating with our communities.
Of the 402 wards, 365 are functional. We have programmes in place to revive the other 37 under performing committees due to a number of reasons. All that is required of us is to eliminate the challenges that befall the ward committee system as to enhance the involvement of communities in local decision – making.
We have managed to refocus the work of the Community Development as guided by the Honourable Premier and the Executive Council, launched an operational centre and provided all CDWs with laptops and cell phones. Currently investing a possibility of a travelling allowance.
We have employed 368 CDW’s in the province but due to the vastness of Wards and some CDW’s that have either passed-on or resigned, we intend adding another 127 CDW’s that have already been trained to fill this gap. They will start working very soon.
Output 6: Improving Administrative and Financial capability of municipalities
Honourable Speaker, our quest to meet our targets for Operation Clean Audit 2014, hit a snag with the 2011/12 audit outcomes. We have seen a regression from performance of the 2010/11 outcomes. In the 2011/12 outcomes only two municipalities managed to achieve clean audits as compared to four municipalities in the previous year, eight received unqualified with matters, five with qualifications and five with disclaimers.
We wish to congratulate Ehlanzeni District Municipality and Steve Tshwete Local Municipality for achieving clean audit outcomes for the past three years. Both Ehlanzeni District Municipality and Steve Tshwete Local municipalities continue to be beacons of hope and shining examples in our province.
We are also very concerned about Bushbuckridge, Lekwa, Msukaligwa, Nkomazi, and Thaba Chweu local municipalities that have received disclaimer reports. Emalahleni LM submitted late its outcome is yet to be revealed by the Auditor General.
Working with Provincial Treasury, Office of the Premier, the Auditor General will continue to work closely with all those struggling municipalities. We are supporting all the affected municipalities by crafting audit remedial actions plans, deployment of technical experts including the training of the Municipal Public Accounts (MPACs). We are grateful by the training support received from SCOPA on the work of the MPACs.
In implementing the directive by the Hon Premier DD Mabuza we shall ensure that there are consequences. We cannot continue to have Municipal Managers and Chief Financial Officers sitting comfortably in their positions whilst the institutions that they serve continue to perform badly. We remain unwavering on our commitments in achieving our targets for operation clean audit 2014.
Debts owed to municipalities and intervention plans
I am also concerned that municipalities are owed approximately R104, 045 million by both provincial and national government. This is a matter that cannot be allowed to deteriorate beyond what it currently is. The implications of these debts are that the revenue base of the municipalities is significantly impacted and this impacts on their ability to deliver services.
Working with Provincial Treasury we have appointed a task team to assist municipalities to collect outstanding Government Debt. The teams have assisted with identification of direct deposits from departments and the allocation thereof into the correct consumer accounts.
In an effort to address these bottlenecks I want to urge municipalities to review their property rates schedules and include properties which are not on the schedule. We must also improve on our billing systems as well as follow up on previous tenants occupying government properties and recover outstanding revenue as well as to ensure that there is seamless communication with sector departments to ensure that they pay on a monthly basis. Municipalities must also provide CoGTA and Provincial Treasury with a monthly list of outstanding government accounts in order for us to assist follow up on those sector departments.
Honourable Speaker, I must also hasten to add that it’s not only government departments owing municipalities, but we also have government officials, public representatives, businesses and individuals owing. This cannot be allowed to continue. I want to make a special appeal to all government officials and public representatives to follow up on their municipal accounts and ensure that they are paid up to date. We will be embarking on a campaign to encourage communities to pay for their services. We cannot all be seen contributing to the downfall of our municipalities.
Disaster Management
As the province was about to close-out the January 2012 damages, we again experienced more heavy rains received in the Ehlanzeni district from 18 to 21 January 2013. Reports of damages were received from Nkomazi, Bushbuckridge, Mbombela and UMjindi Local Municipalities resulting in eight fatalities with one still missing. These rains have again caused infrastructure damages and in some cases the same infrastructure we had just rehabilitated after the rains of the previous year.
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the men and women of our Joint Operations Committees, Technical and Political Disaster Management Committees who have played a major role in responding to incidents of disasters and coordination of immediate reliefs, assessments, quantification of damages and awareness.
Honourable Speaker, let me also take this opportunity to thank the Provincial Joint Operations Committee for the sterling work that they have done during the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Cup here in Mbombela. You have done well in ensuring that the games were incident free and that all our visitors were protected.
This year we shall focus our efforts in the rehabilitation of the entire outstanding infrastructure as pronounced by the Premier, improve our disaster early warning systems including our Information and Communication Technology Capability and establishment of relevant coordination structures at ward level.
Strengthening and support the institution of traditional leadership:
Honourable Speaker, We take pride in the fact that we have successfully reconstituted all the local houses and the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders. These elections were held in a very peaceful manner which is synonymous with our Traditional Leaders. Let me once again take this opportunity to congratulate Kgoshi Mokoena and his entire executive who were elected as the new leadership of the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders. I also congratulate the new leaders of the three local houses. I wish you well during your term of office.
We will continue to pay attention to the task of strengthening our institutions of Traditional Leaders. To this end the Premier has approved the appointment of the Executive Members on a full time basis. Furthermore, the Executive has been provided with sufficient tools of trade to enable them to execute their duties efficiently. We have made a provision for R300 000 for each King in our budget as part of the support whilst working with National Government to finalise the tools of trade for our kings.
At the end of May this year the term of office for our first crop of Traditional Councils will come to an end. The process of reconstituting these councils has already begun. We are currently finalising the regulations for the elections of these councils. The new Traditional Councils should be up and running by the beginning of July.
We are well aware that National Government has not made a determination on the salaries of Headmen/women. However as a province we felt we could not leave this matter unattended. We have therefore decided to increase their stipend from R1 080.33 to R2 000.00 per month with immediate effect.
Once there is a national determination, the salaries of headmen/ women will be aligned to the national standards.
Honourable speaker we are impressed by the progress made by the provincial committee on disputes and claims, since its inception in September 2011 it has manage to finalise 39 claims out of 160 claims. Of these 39 claims two were found to be valid. I would like to ask the house to join me in congratulating the Mahlobo and Yende Traditional Councils in their newly recognised status as Senior Traditional leaders. This financial year forty cases will be finalised. We are confident that this target will be met because the Premier has appointed all committee members on a full time basis.
I would once again like to convey our heartfelt condolences to the families of the initiates who died while undergoing initiations in the Nkangala District. As the provincial government we are very concerned with these deaths. We are very much aware that initiations are an old age culture which we hold dearly and must be respected, and we urge everyone to do that.
We also urge that we allow the police investigations to proceed and let’s avoid pre-empting and speculating on the outcomes as it can only cause unnecessary tensions in our communities. As a department we are moving with speed to finalise the Ingoma Bill, which will help us regulate matters of initiations schools in the province.
Conclusion
Honourable Speaker and Members, allow me thank the Honourable Premier, DD Mabuza for his continued wisdom and guidance, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Hon Refilwe Mtsweni and the committee members for their guidance, the Head of Department, Mr David Mahlobo and his management team for their dedication and commitment, my office support staff and my family for their support.
I now table the budget for the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and I accordingly request the house to approve the amount of R 425, 908 million for the 2013/14 financial, which is allocated as follows into the following programme:
Programme 1: Administration-R96, 183 m
Programme 2: Local Governance-R135, 212 m
Programme 3: Development and Planning-R108, 811m
Programme 4: Traditional Institutional Management-R73, 540 m
Programme 5: House of Traditional Leaders-R12, 162m
Honourable Speaker, allow me to borrow these words from one of icons, Isithwalandwe, Former President Nelson Mandela puts it in his book Long Walk to Freedom, “but I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment to rest, to steal the view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back at the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”
As a country and people, we have done well in only 19 years of freedom. We know that many more South Africans still need water, electricity, sanitation, jobs and other basic necessities. That is why we must continue working together to expand access to services and reverse the legacy of apartheid and colonial oppression.
The ANC remains the hope for many of our people to change their lives for the better.
I thank you.
