Safety and Liaison Mr B H Cele during the official opening of P32 and sod
turning for Nyonyana road in Umsinga
4 April 2009
All protocol observed
* In the past financial years we have dedicated our budget two things. We
have dedicated it to road safety because the Department of Transport (DOT) has
a constitutional responsibility to ensure that our people have a safe and
reliable transport system in the province.
* Another focal point of our budget has been the road infrastructure
development - the building of access roads, the building of pedestrian bridges,
the building of vehicle bridges, particularly in the rural areas. All this is
done under Operation KuShunquthuli'.
* This operation is not about building roads with dust. It means that while
our country's focus is on transport system for 2010, as the Department of
Transport we want to ensure that we continue to provide transport
infrastructure to our rural communities who may not be affected directly by
2010 projects.
* Since we launched the 'Operation KuShunquthuli', we have done many sod
turnings all over the province for projects to be that have been completed.
* It is on that score that on 25 January 2008 we were here to turn the sod
for the upgrading of P32. I said that I will be back to officially open this
road.
* I know that the official openings and sod turnings that we do now coincide
with election campaigns, but we say elections or no elections our task is to
follow-up on our commitments.
* As a democratically elected government we have an obligation to serve our
people irrespective of which political party they belong to. It is in this
context that we set our selves a goal of achieving a better life for all.
* However, a better life will not just float in a foundation-less space. It
is based on certain fundamentals and preconditions. Preconditions for a better
life include peace, democracy and development.
* The construction of P32 has had a major impact on a large community of
KwaMajozi who now have access to four schools, one hospital, one police station
and one clinic. The total value of the project is R20,2 million.
* I am also delighted that today another milestone is recorded in the lives
of people of Umsinga, as we do the sod turning to mark the beginning of the
construction of Nyonyana Road which is a link road between Road L 1906 and
KwaZenzele Road.
* The total value of this project is R10,1 million. The construction of this
link road will provide easy access to mobile clinic, pension pay points,
furniture vehicles and hearses since it will shorten the distance to get to
places like Pomeroy, Tugela Ferry, Dundee, etc, especially for the people of
KwaGede area.
* Indeed, this is not the first time we have government in the history of
South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal in particular. But our people have only begun to
see change in their lives through our democratic government's development
programmes. You can speak to our 3 258 Zibambele contractors who are
maintaining our roads under Umzinyathi district.
* In closing, it is important that we emphasise road safety because it has
become clear that there is no use to build roads that will kill our people. We
need to strengthen our road safety awareness campaigns wherever we are, so that
we build roads in order to develop people, and not to kill them.
* As we head towards Easter, let us all be responsible on our roads. Live
and let live.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison,
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
4 April 2009
Source: Department of Transport, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kzntransport.gov.za)
