Members of the portfolio committee on infrastructure sign I Care We Care pledge against destruction of public property
The I Care We Care campaign has received support from the Portfolio Committee on Infrastructure Development at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature this morning.
The campaign has also been endorsed by the Members of the Executive Council for Health, Education, and Social Development, respectively, that Ms Qedani Mahlangu, Mr Panyaza Lesufi and Ms Nandi Mayathula Khoza who also attended the meeting.
Chairperson of the Committee Hon Lindiwe Lasindwa told the meeting: “As public representatives, it is our responsibility to protect public property. We therefore support the campaign”.
MEC Lesufi said that as a sign of his support for the campaign he had already signed the I Care We Care Campaign when both the Department of Education and the Department of Infrastructure Development launched a new model of a primary school in Garankuwa in August. He said both departments would as of August 2016 be launching a new school every month and also asking the underlying communities to protect the new schools.
Launched by the Gauteng Provincial Government in Bekkersdal, Westonaria on the 13th of July 2016, the campaign seeks to raise awareness about the consequences of the destruction of public property that has been sweeping through the province and the country, leaving many communities deprived of key social infrastructure.
Infrastructure Development MEC, Jacob Mamabolo told the committee: “Through this campaign we are building a culture whereby communities join hands to protect public property. We know apartheid denied us as a people, ownership of assets, and we also that know public property is still treated as elitist and that it is seen as a bargaining tool when people are angry with the government. Together we must arrest this problem before it is too late.”
He made a impassioned plea for communities across the province to embrace the value that public assets bring to them and they should be conscious of the fact that the destruction, looting and vandalism of public property impoverish the very people that these assets are meant to serve.
The Gauteng Provincial government will continue visiting various communities as part of the Ntirhisano Programme and will provide pledge books to garner signatures of one million people who are committed to working with authorities in ensuring that the destruction of public property is a thing of the past. Those who want to pledge can also visit www.icarewecare.co.za to make their mark.
For more details contact:
Theo Nkonki (Spokesperson, Gauteng Department of Infrastructure)
Cell: 082 7196404
E-mail: theo.nkonki@gauteng.gov.za
