Honourable MEC for Roads and Public Works
His Worship, Mayor and Councillors of Emalahleni Municipality
Traditional leaders
AB 350 leadership and members
Government officials
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Four months ago, the heroic masses of our people gave us a mandate to accelerate development, especially in the rural areas of our country.
Today, as part of the public service week programme and our first outreach programme of the new Executive Council, we have decided to come here to mark the start of the acceleration of service delivery to our rural communities.
Both the President of the Republic Mr Jacob Zuma and the Premier of our Ms Noxolo Kiviet, have elaborated and provided detail on the government’s policy position on rural development as highlighted in the African National Congress's (ANC) election manifesto. This important policy position aims to close the gap between the urban and rural areas and guarantees a better life for all our people irrespective of the geographic location.
For the first time ever, all spheres of government working together with our rural communities will develop resource and implement programmes that are specifically designed to develop the rural Eastern Cape.
We have observed that many rural communities, especially in this province, are not connected to the main road network and do not have reliable access to socio-economic development opportunities and government services. The current limited mobility and accessibility has entrenched the isolation and marginalisation of the majority of our people from the mainstream economy.
In order for us to emerge victorious in our struggle against poverty and underdevelopment, it is essential for government to uplift the standard of living through the provision of basic services and infrastructure. It is a universally renowned fact that roads infrastructure forms the foundation for sustainable development as well as providing mobility for our people.
Today, the acceleration of the revamp of public transport, logistics system and related infrastructure is one of provincial government’s eight strategic priorities with a particular focus on the expansion of the roll-out of road network, including rural access and impassable roads.
We will do this through the creation of decent work based on labour-intensive methods and progressive procurement policies, which are biased towards the previously marginalised groups in our society such as women, youth and people with disabilities.
The 7.8 km Ngcalasoyi Access Road that we have opened today is part of our inaccessible and impassable roads programme, which was introduced to improve accessibility and mobility of our rural communities with a particular focus on roads that lead to schools, police stations, clinics, hospitals, tourism destinations and other government services.
This project was named Ngcalasoyi access road because it links two villages which are Ngcalasini and Ezisoyini. It united these communities into one community working together. It was identified by the local community and submitted it to the Local Municipality during the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) process.
The local municipality then submitted it to the Department of Roads and Transport through our transport forum, which clearly demonstrates good intergovernmental relations and maximum participation of our people in local government.
This access road cost the department R3 million and created 36 jobs and will link the community to:
* Komana JS School
* Paypoints in Aloni and Ndaku
* Farmer`s Animal Shed
* Several Churches within the Village
* And facilitate access to public transport and ambulance within the Village
The road will be maintained by a household contractor.
As we speak, work is underway on the:
* 15 km access road between Tyelibhokhwe and Nyalasa in the Sakhisizwe Municipality, where we are spending R5 million and 51 local people are benefiting
* 19 km access road between Mgwalana and Dike in the Sakhisizwe Municipality, which is costing R6 million and 51 people are benefiting
* 19.8 km of the Gubenxa road worth R6 million in the Sakhisizwe Municipality to improve access to the local clinic and facilitate access to the local farmers
* 13 km of the Lower Langanci Road (also in the Sakhisizwe Municipality) worth R5million and benefiting 64 people
* 42 km of stock fence from Queenstown to Lady Frere worth R3 million to prevent stray animals and 51 people are benefiting
* 18 km of stock fence from Queenstown to Whittlesea worth R2million to prevent stray animals and 54 people are benefiting
* 15 km of access road from Ntlanjeni to Qoboshane here in the Emalahleni Municipality worth R3.6 million and 51 people are benefiting on this road, which is linking two schools, villages and improving access to clinic, animal shed, community hall and several pay points.
Very soon, we will commence the construction in the following areas:
* 57 km of stock fence from Queenstown to Dodrecht this links Lukhanji and Emalahleni Municipality
* 15 km Ngqoko access road here at Emalahleni Municipality
* 4.6 km Tsengiwe access road at Sakhisizwe Municipality
* 3 km Kei Land access road at Intsika Yethu Municipality
We hope that on these projects, we will continue to work together with our people to improve our roads infrastructure, while simultaneously defeating poverty.
Our primary intention is to integrate our inaccessible and impassable roads programme into the alternative surfacing technologies programme. This means that as the roads are made accessible, they will also be surfaced so that a more sustainable solution is attained to our vast gravel network.
The integration of the two programmes gives effect and content to the department’s strategic objective of surfacing 80% of the gravel roads in terms of the 80/20 strategy and our 10 year provincial roads infrastructure turn around plan, which is expected to cost approximately R3 billion and create 1000 jobs every year.
Africa’s Best 350 Ltd
By providing this road infrastructure, we are further enabling the public transport service providers to reach our deep rural communities. One of the service providers is Africa’s Best 350 Ltd (AB 350), which is an entity that was established by small black operators from the entire former Transkei region and is being subsidised by the department.
Last year, we started the rollout of the company’s bus passenger services through the delivery of 58 buses in the OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo Districts to service 55 routes and transported 2.151 million people with a subsidy amounting to R25 692 040.30.
The passenger numbers relate to an average of 84 passengers per trip per bus, which shows the dire need for public transport in the rural areas. Four depots for the use of AB 350 have also been developed in Bizana, Matatiele, Mount Frere and Mthatha, where the AB350 head office is situated. A total of 198 direct jobs and 22 indirect jobs have been created.
Last month, phase two of this project commenced in the Chris Hani District with 18 buses to service 17 routes in Lady Frere, Cofimvaba, Indwe and Queenstown.
A total of 48 people have already been appointed in Queenstown as drivers, cleaners, conductors and managers. Another 25 additional buses will be distributed to the Amathole District later this year to service 24 routes in Butterworth, Centane, Dutywa and Ngqamakhwe.
I think I need to bring to your attention that there are people, who want to disturb this service, which has been benefiting the poorest of the poor.
Recently, these new buses have been stoned and I would like to send a clear message to all those individuals, who are responsible that hooliganism will not be tolerated and all those involved will face the full might of the law.
eNatis
This morning, we officially launched the roll-out of the eNatis helpdesk in our district office in Queenstown, which presents a good opportunity for local people to access services that were previously centralized at the head office in King Williams Town. The eNatis helpdesk function mainly involves management of personalized and specific number plates, duplicate documents such as duplicate registration certificates. I hope that you will all utilise this service that government has brought closer to you.
In conclusion, I would like to call upon the community to continue to work with us to ensure that government delivers on its promise of a better life for all our people.
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Transport and Safety, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
3 July 2009
