Speech by the MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Mr Sikhumbuzo Kholwane (MPL) during the occasion of the tabling of the provincial budget for 2017/18 at Themba Senamela Stadium, Steve Tshwete Local Municipality
Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker;
Honourable Premier, Mr DD Mabuza;
Honourable Members of the Executive Council;
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature;
Executive Mayor of Nkangala District Municipality, Cllr LM Malatjie;
Executive Mayor of Steve Tshwete Local Municipality Cllr MA Masina;
Other Executive Mayors and Councillors in our midst;
Chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders, Kgoshi ML Mokoena;
Director-General, Mr Thulani Mdakane
Head Official of the Provincial Treasury, Ms Nombedesho Nkamba, Heads of Departments and Municipal Managers
Chairpersons of Boards and Chief Executive Officers of our Public Entities;
Business Executive of the Office of the Auditor-General in Mpumalanga;
Representatives of Labour, Business, Civil Society and the Media;
Fellow citizens
Lotjhani! Sanibonani! Dumelang! Molweni!
Somlomo Wendlu Yesishaya Mthetho.
Kuyinjabulo enkulu ukuthula inkulumo yokwabiwa kwezimali esifunda sase Mpumalanga Onyakeni Wezimali 2017/18.
Abaningi bethu bavukelwa ugqozi, ngoba siyazi sonke ukuthi i-Steve Tshwete Local Municipality yenye yezindawo ezinomlandu ojulile womzabalazo wenkululeko yethu.
Amaqabane amaningi walapha ekhaya abenenhlanhla ngoba wathola ithuba lokuceceshwa ngu-Oliver Reginald Tambo uqobo lwakhe.
Their contribution to the liberation struggle can neither be ignored nor forgotten.
Ngingabala ngithini, Cde Che Masilela after whom the Provincial House of the ANC has been named – May his soul rest in eternal peace - was one of the finest revolutionaries of our glorious movement who together with “amanye amadela kufa” from the same municipality, Ka Shabangu, Tsietsi Tolo, Ben Mokoena, Garth Mngomezulu and many more took a decisive revolutionary stance and joined the People’s Army “Umkhonto Wesizwe” to fight for our freedom.
It is because of their noble sacrifices that we are standing here today, in the heart of Mhluzi, as the ANC Government to table the Provincial Budget, which is pro-poor and responsive to the dire situation confronting our people.
As we march with the unity of purpose to a vision of a better life for all, with your permission Madam Speaker, I wish to take a bow to these distinguished cadres and the masses of our people in this community.
Our Premier, Hon DD Mabuza presented an inspirational State of the Province Address on the 24th February 2017 filled with hope and practical interventions to advance radical economic transformation in our lifetime.
The Provincial Budget will thus outline a high-level summary on how we intend to deploy state resources to implement SOPA priorities.
We expect that each department will thereafter do the point-to-point hard wiring, with clear timelines when they table their Policy and Budget Statements that amplifies the new story of hope embedded in the State of the Province Address.
We are acutely aware that the structure of the economy underpinned by skewed patterns of ownership is at the heart of the societal challenges.
Monopoly capital is not a political rhetoric, it is the real elephant in the room.
You can sample and prove this statement of fact by enquiring from anyone, the question is: Who owns the top ten companies in our municipalities? We are not talking about fronting which is by the way now punishable by law.
Implementation of the revised mining charter to date remains inadequate and hopelessly slow in terms of transformation, with mining companies spending millions of rand in courts trying to stop meaningful empowerment and participation of our people in the sector.
Radical economic transformation as envisaged by OR Tambo must and will happen in our lifetime.
We therefore have a collective responsibility to ensure that management and deployment of provincial resources responds to the current social and economic development fundamentals. Full speech [PDF]
