the Handing over of houses in Lephalale Municipality Marapong Ext 1
17 April 2007
Programme Director
Mayor of Lephalale, Councillor Rosina Mogotlane
The speaker of Lephalale Municipality, Councillor Maggy Kgwantha
Chief Whip of the Lephalale Municipality, Councillor Thomas Nku
Councillors
Officials from our government
Representative from the business community
Our friends from the media
Beneficiaries present here
Comrades and friends
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Our struggle for liberation was relentlessly fought by dedicated warriors,
heroes and heroines who unflinchingly took up arms to fight for liberation and
Freedom which we are enjoying today. Their resolve was not informed by the
material gains that will accrue after liberation but was a desire to see their
people free from the apartheid regime and to serve them. In 1994, after many
years of struggle and negotiations, the democratic movement, the African
National Congress (ANC) assumed political power through a landslide victory
were our people gave us a mandate to transform society into a non racial, non
sexiest, democratic and prosperous country.
We are therefore obliged to honour the sweat and blood of those who laid
their lives for us to be free today by transforming society and delivery of
services such as water, electricity, sanitation and infrastructure to all our
people.
In delivering services to our people, we will be honouring the heroes like
Peter Mokaba, Lawrance Phokanoka, Marie�Stella Mabitje Seqwale, Martha
Motswenyane Ngwako Ramalepe and many other fallen heroes of our struggle or
lest we will be judged by history and the generations to come as those who
betrayed the struggle. The democratic breakthrough brought about challenges of
governance and delivery to our elected officials as they were contained in our
election manifesto in 1994. We adopted a blueprint for South Africa to
transform the society, the Reconstruction and Development Programme.
In concert with our successive electoral victories, the contract we signed
with our people to make their lives better, we committed ourselves to build
houses for the indigents, provide basic services such as water, sanitation and
electricity.
The President of the ANC Thabo Mbeki proclaimed this year as "the year for
the intensification of struggle against poverty." The President merely was
saying that in our programme implementation we must strive to eradicate
poverty. The primary responsibility of all of us this year is to focus on
programmes that are geared towards eradicating poverty and the bucket system.
It is not an option, we must just do it. We can't change the President's call
and create our own timeframes.
Our programme, as the Department of Local Government and Housing is to
provide decent shelter to our people as per ANC election manifesto and the
Constitution of the Republic. In the whole world, it is only in South Africa
where the poor receive a house free without paying a cent. The ANC government
has been able to build more than three million houses in a period of 12 years.
The apartheid regime was unable to build nationally a number of houses that we
have been able to deliver as Limpopo province alone. It is for this reason that
our people will continue to have hope and home in the African National
Congress.
Programme Director, Last year on the 1st of March our people voted for the
ANC overwhelmingly to continue to govern at a local sphere of government. We
told our people that we have a plan to make our municipalities work better for
them. It is time to translate our manifesto into action by delivery of basic
services to our people. The Integrated Development Plan (IDP) processes must
reflect and prioritise the issues of sanitation and water, poverty eradication
and job creation, fighting crime and provision of housing security and comfort.
We must strengthen the community policing forums, ward committees as organs of
people's power to ensure full and meaningful community participation in all
process.
Community participation at ward level is central and crucial for the success
of this transformation agenda. Our programmes must be people-centred and people
driven, for it is them who must determine their own destiny. We must organise
churches, traditional authorities and community leaders to join us. Today we
have gathered here to bear testimony of what we promised our people when we
assumed power, provision of shelter to our masses in Marapong Ext 1. Hundred
and sixty one houses were completed for the total value of R4 million were
accordingly allocated to the beneficiaries.
On 27 April we will be celebrating Freedom Day. As we celebrate this day, we
must remember fallen heroes of our struggle. I know for others this is just a
holiday but for some of us who know the day better, it is the day at which we
achieved our Freedom from the centuries of colonial rule. Six days ago, we
celebrated and commemorated the passing away of one of our own, Comrade Chris
Hani whom through his blood we achieved an election date and ultimately
Freedom.
We call upon on all peace loving people of Limpopo to observe Freedom Day
with dignity and respect. As we gather here today, we advise our people that
there is a growing tendency by some people who betray our hard fought struggle
and form some Mickey Mouse concerned groups. These people (Bo mabina go solwa)
are there only for their stomach and not community interest. The ANC will
always remain your home. We will continue to listen to you, lead you and serve
you. This is the contract we signed with you.
We call upon the business community and all other stakeholders to join hands
with government to speed up delivery of houses to the poor because it is in
everyone's interest to have shelter for our people. Our march to freedom is not
yet over, we still have challenges of housing, unemployment and poverty. Let's
join hands in defeating the enemy of progress and underdevelopment.
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, Limpopo Provincial
Government
17 April 2007
