at the Public Works Long Service Awards Ceremony in Mayville, Durban
3 March 2009
Programme Director
Head of Department
Senior management
Departmental staff
Ladies and gentlemen
I greet you all
Today we have gathered here to commemorate the journey our dedicated,
hardworking, disciplined and committed staff have travelled in the department.
It is indeed an honour and a privilege for me to be part of this occasion.
Today we are celebrating effort and dedication you have demonstrated by serving
in one department for such a long period.
The country is proud to have employees of your calibre. I say this because
you started serving this department during apartheid era when working
conditions for the previously disadvantaged people were not conducive.
You started serving this department when the rights of workers to acceptable
working conditions were deliberately violated. There was absence of bargaining
councils or institutions and this exposed workers to various forms of abuse in
the work place. Gender and racial discrimination was rife.
The government and organised business lacked willingness to ensure
development of workers in terms of skills and knowledge. This reduced
opportunities for upward mobility among workers who were already in the labour
market. Workers were trapped in one monotonous job for their entire lives.
Nevertheless, since the democratically elected government came into power,
we have strived to improve working conditions for workers in all sectors. We
have actively encouraged training and development of workers in their
specialised fields and this has increased levels of productivity among
workers.
The government in partnership with the private sector has promoted adult
basic education with a view of ensuring improved productivity levels and
personal growth. The government has made it compulsory for all organisations to
reveal their training and development plans and programmes. This has had a
positive impact in terms of skills development.
Today workers are at liberty to affiliate in trade unions which are their
voice and they enjoy protection. We are proud that today even workers who were
neglected, including farm and domestic workers are unionised.
However, one should acknowledge that the government is still faced with a
serious challenge due to non compliance by certain employers. The government is
aware of the fact that some workers are still subjected to ill-treatment and
discrimination in their work place. Other employers are not willing to
implement affirmative action programmes. The government needs to go an extra
mile in terms of educating these employers because they retard transformation
process.
With those words I just wanted to bring your attention to the fact that
these employees who will receive the long service awards managed to serve their
country under such circumstances. We salute and applaud them for that.
Today's ceremony also marks another victory against the many challenges we
have as a country and as workers. Today, the public servants are viewed as the
most corrupt employees. There is lack of honesty and patriotism. There is
absence of the sense of duty. This has crippled our government and slowed the
pace in terms of service delivery.
However the government has made significant strides in terms of inculcating
the culture of serving the people through the Batho Pele Principles. We are
proud of you because you have reached this level because you have refrained
from corruption. Others have served twenty and thirty years respectively.
Apart from corruption, the country and the entire global village is faced
with the challenge of HIV and AIDS pandemic. Many workers have lost their lives
and others are sick. This has resulted to our country losing productive and
skilled people. This impact negatively on our economy. We need to join hands
and support those affected and infected.
Another challenge we are faced with is the escalating food prices. This is a
global challenge emanating from global economic downturn. Our government has a
very limited power to avoid increases in prices of basic food. We understand
that the purchasing power of our currency has depreciated dramatically and this
has increased the cost of living. I wish to encourage you to spend your money
wisely. You should refrain from spending on luxuries and invest your money so
that you retire rich.
With those words I wish to encourage you to keep up the good works and
continue serving the people. I hope that our youth, the new entrants in the
labour market will learn a lot from you.
You need to transfer the skills you have acquired to our youth. I hope that
you will continue serving the department selflessly.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Public Works, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Government
3 March 2009
Source: Department of Public Works, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
(http://www.kznworks.gov.za)
