Policy and Budget Speech (2017-2018) presented by the Premier of Mpumalanga, Mr DD Mabuza, to the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature at Riverside, Mbombela Local Municipality
Madam Speaker;
Leader of Government Business;
Honourable Members of the Executive Council; Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature; Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Ngiyanibingelela, Dumelang, Lotshani, Avuxeni, Ndimacheroni, Molweni, Goeie More, Good Morning!
Once again, we meet to fulfil our constitutional obligation to this august House, by presenting for debate and voting, our plans and budget for the current financial year, as well as our statement to explain how we intend utilising resources allocated to us, for the purpose of delivering on our mandate.
Let us for a minute, not forget that five days ago, the people of Africa celebrated the 54th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity, as well as the 15th Anniversary of the African Union. The birth of this continental body, brought cohesion in the fight against colonialism and apartheid, which led to the independence of the whole continent from colonial rule.
When the African Union was launched in 2002, a new direction in the quest for development of the continent and its people became the hallmark of the governance, security and economic architecture of this organization, to ensure that all the people of Africa live in peace, dignity and are afforded economic opportunities to survive and thrive.
For this, we are indebted to the visionary leadership of our post-independent Africa, who saw it fit to unite in order for all of us to be free and to live in peace with one another. The likes of Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Modibo Keita of Mali, Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Ben Bella of Algeria, Emperor Haile Selasse of Ethiopia, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya and many others, remain the iconic figures that shaped the evolution of our independent Africa.
As we end this Africa Month, let us remember that the formation of this body went beyond the protection of state sovereignty, but equally spoke to the core of issues on the full enjoyment of civil, political and economic freedoms by all the people of Africa.
Etched in our collective memory as Africans, is the knowledge that Africa cannot afford to regress to her colonial past of oppression, wars, injustice and the abuse of vulnerable sectors of our society, including our women, children and the disabled.
We have a collective responsibility to stop the abduction and murder of girls. We must stop the recruitment of child soldiers in areas of the continent still ravaged by conflict. We must provide opportunities for our children and youth to access opportunities, and realise their full potential as global citizens.
Over the past few days, and perhaps weeks, media news reports, including social media, have been full of reports on the disappearances, abductions and sometimes the killing of young women, in certain instances at the hands of their loved ones. We can only imagine the pain and agony that the affected families, who have lost their loved ones through these barbaric acts, are going through.
There is no self-respecting society that can allow its fabric, to be undermined in a manner that these acts of gender violence and women abuse, are impacting on the psyche of our young democratic nation.
This must be condemned by all of us, but also our condemnation must move beyond words, to practical steps of protecting our young women, and isolating those rotten elements within our communities. We must work together with law enforcement agencies in building safer and secure communities for all of our people.
Part of the responsibilities of my Office is to ensure that the provincial government as a whole, responds in a coordinated and targeted manner to the plight of vulnerable sectors of our society.
We are focusing on ensuring that government creates opportunities for the youth and women empowerment across all key sectors of the economy, including opportunities that come up as a result of procurement opportunities in government and the private sector. Read more [PDF]
