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Limpopo Budget Speech 2008

28 February 2008

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Premier
Distinguished Colleagues in the Legislature
Stalwarts and Veterans of our struggle
Mayors, Speakers, Councillors and Managers of Municipalities
Esteemed Traditional Leaders here present
Leaders of the ANC and MDM structures
Leaders of the Trade Union Movement
Leaders of Religious Organisations and Churches
Leaders of Opposition Parties
The DG and senior officials in our provincial administration
Leaders of Chapter nine and ten Institutions
Youth, Women, Business and Community leaders in our midst
Representatives of the Media
Distinguished guests
Comrades
The people of Limpopo

When the former President of the State Council and the Ministers Council of the Republic of Cuba, Mr. Fidel Castro Ruz, addressed the South African National Parliament, among other things he said:

“There are still today two South Africas, which I ought not to call the “White” one and the “Black” one; that terminology should forever be dropped if a multiracial and united country is meant to be created…I’d rather put it this way: two South Africas; the rich and the poor,…one where an average family receives twelve times the income of that of the other; one where the children who die before their first year of life are 13 per 1000 and the other where those who die [before their first year of life] are 57 per 1000,one in which life expectancy is 73 years, the other in which it is only 56 years; one where 100% of the people know how to read and write, another [where] illiteracy is more than 50%; one with almost full employment [and] another where 45% are unemployed;… one where 12% of the population own almost 90% of the land, other where almost 80% of the inhabitants own less than 10% of it; one that accumulated and has almost all the technical and managerial knowledge; the other doomed to inexperience and ignorance; one that enjoys wellbeing and freedom, the other having been able to conquer freedom but without well-being…” More... [PDF]

Speech by the Honourable MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Joe Maswanganyi during a Cultural Day at Magona

16 October 2004

Hosi Nxumalo and the entire Nxumalo Royalty.
All traditional leaders from within the borders of this country and beyond,
Councillors,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We meet here in this eastern part of our motherland from which the sun rises It is a part of our country surrounded by beautiful forests and games that depict the beautiful nature of our Province and our motherland.

We are indeed humbled to be part of this gathering to celebrate culture. In a free country that South Africa has become, we have all the freedom to celebrate our culture without any fear of being reprimanded by anyone.

Programme Director, we need to recognize the importance of knowing about who we are and where we come. It is our identity that will continuosly determine our behaviour as a people.

We are impressed by the fact that the Magona people have been able to trace their genealogy. It is a genealogy that also confirms the oneness of our African people. It confirms further, that the boundaries that have been drawn by a stroke of a pen are meant for dividing our people on the basis of their geographical settlement.

All other clans should take a leaf from this clan and begin to discover themselves. In other parts of our country, our people whose origion is the same treat each other with contempt without any knowledge that they are one blood. They go to war and spill each other’s blood without shame because little do they know that they belong together.

In a Province as diverse as ours, we should use this culture to bring our people more closer to each other. Our people in this Province should rally behind each other and make use of culture to foster unity.

Today, we gather here to celebrate our culture. It is this culture that will bring us together and further contribute towards the actualisation of our African Renaissance. This being our tenth year of freedom in this country, this gathering signals the celebration of our achievements as a country and as a people, particularly the very fact that our doors of culture have been opened.

It is a gathering such as this that can only enhance the unity of our people in our communities. It is these kind of festivities that will continue to distinguish ourselves from other people of our universe.

Programme Director, as we regenerate morals in our society, we would need cultural activities to continue to lay a strong foundation. It is a foundation without which all our attempts to address our social ills will be doomed to fail.

Our responsibility is to ensure that we begin to orientate our young people who have been socialised in an environment that glorifies euro-centric behaviour at the expense of our own culture.

We would therefore need to make a special call to our teachers in school and those in charge of media particularly radio and television, our churches to play their part in ensuring that African culture reigns supreme.

We would also need to make a call to all our people to rally behind our traditional leaders who are the rightful custodians of our culture and traditions.

In a not-so-distant future government will honour King Nghunghunyane by building and unveiling his monument. We have done so with King Sekhukhune very recently. We shall also do the same with King Makhado.

Not only do these great heros symbolize resistance against invasion, but they have kept the culture of their own people. We should always draw our inspiration from the departed souls of these leaders.

Thank you

For more information please contact
Mbangiseni Masia 083 256 8515
or
Eva Pebetsi Ratau
082 218 5236

Speech by the Hon. Mec For Sport, Arts and Culture Joe Maswanagyi during the Official Opening of the FIFA World Cup Summit, Limpopo-Presented by the HON. MEC for Transport, Stan Motimele

19 October 2004, Ranch Hotel, Polokwane

The Executive Mayor of Capricorn De Wet Monakedi
The Executive Mayor of Polokwane , Thabo Makunyane
Mr Danny Jordan of the Local Organising Committee
Councillors
Presidents of Federations
Leaders of Business,

All protocols observed,
Few months ago, this country celebrated the announcement by the World Soccer Body, FIFA that South Africa will host the most prestigious soccer tournament in the world. In the history of mankind, no African country was ever privileged to host this tournament. The successful hosting of this tournament will spread the message to the rest of the world and doubting Thomases that Africa and indeed this country deserved it.

We also would like once more to pay our special tribute to the team represented in this summit by Mr Danny Jordan for the sterling work that they have done to ensure that we got chosen to be the hosts in 2010. We will still rely on this team’s collective wisdom and leadership in our preparations throughout until the tournament.

As a Province, we are looking forward to the successful hosting of the tournament games. It is on the basis of our commitment to perfect all the arrangements that we gather here with strategic stakeholders to map a way forward.

We need to recognize the fact that the infra-structural requirements that would need to be constructed and improved will benefit this Province beyond 2010. Similarly, development programmes meant for this tournament will also benefit sport men in the build up stages, during the tournament and beyond.

Our government has made a commitment to support the tournament in all respects necessary. In all our endeavours to actualize the commitments we have made, we will move along with SAFA, business and all strategic stakeholders in ensuring that our plans bring about desired results.

Programme Director, central to the planning of a tournament of this magnitude is development of the sport itself. As a hosting country, we would need to demonstrate to the world that we are a sporting country. This therefore demands that the development programmes would need to focus on producing young talents that will be legible for selection by relevant technical authorities, come 2010.

As Limpopo, we will later this year, launch our Provincial Academy of Sport, which will have satellites in all our six districts of the Province.

This academy will contribute to the development of sport men and women not only in the field of play, but also in terms of administration, coaching and all other areas of sport. We are confident that this Province will significantly contribute to the larger pool of players and technocrats of the game for this tournament and beyond.

We also need the support of the business sector in order that we have the necessary infra-structure for this purpose.

Programme Director, for us as Limpopo to host some of the tournament games will create an opportunity to expose investment opportunities to the people of the world who shall come for the tournament. They will experience peaceful nature and get mobilized to look for business opportunities. In the long-run, sustainable jobs will be created for the people of this Province.

Before, during and after the tournament, we expect that the tourism sector will immensely contribute to the growth of the economy. We therefore would need thorough planning for those in this sector. This would need capacity building for operators on issues of management and hospitality.

If we are to raise revenue for the Province, as we should, we would encourage business to invest on development and construction of Hotels that will cater for different tastes and class of visitors. This would be linked with entertainment facilities in and around the venues.

Programme Director, we would also need to improve our transport infra-structure and systems in order to ensure that we do not have any bottlenecks for commuters to move from one place to the other. One of the many reasons attributed to the low turn out in our games today is the inavailablity of reliable transport from the townships and villages to the different stadia.

As a build up towards this tournament, we would need to look at possibilities of improving on this area with the soccer teams plying their trades in professional football. We also need to plan a reliable transport system that will make it easy for those who will converge in this Province to move from one area to another without having to struggle.

Programme Director, we shall as government, make all endeavours to maintain the peaceful nature of this Province. We have the capacity and the will, as government and as the people of Limpopo, to ensure that we live up to what we are renowned for i.e a peaceful province.

Programme Director, we would need to re-confirm that with our partners SAFA-Limpopo, Business and all other stakeholders, we shall not fail our people, and we shall not fail FIFA.

We will also ensure that our health facilities are well equipped to cope with the demands that will come as a result of a number of people who will come to the Province.

Thank you

For more information please contact
Mbangiseni Masia 083 256 8515
or
Eva Pebetsi Ratau
082 218 5236

Budget Speech by MEC: T.A Mufamadi for the Department of Finance and Economic Development: Vote 20

Honourable Speaker
Hon. Premier
Hon. Members of the Executive Council
Comrades & Friends
Ladies & Gentlemen

INTRODUCTION

Hon. Speaker, this year, 2004, marks the successful end of the First Decade of Freedom and Democracy in South Africa. Concomitantly it also marks the Ten Year Review of the achievements and setbacks that our democratic government continues to experience. As we embark on a journey for the Second Decade of Freedom and Democracy, we do so against an array of challenges that if not well handled and addressed they hold the propensity of undermining the very outstanding achievements our people and country pride themselves with.

This was clearly demonstrated by the voting poll results wherein the overwhelming majority of the citizenry unequivocally endorsed the noble idea of the Peoples Contract by giving the ruling party, the ANC, a mandate to take them to the next decade and beyond.

The majority of the world's population more especially from the underdeveloped and developing countries is faced with a scourge of poverty, high unemployment rate, illiteracy and opportunistic diseases with the resultant effect that there is a negative impact on the global economy. The International Labour Organisation's annual jobs report - Global Employment Trends 2004, released in January this year, states:

  • The number of people in the world out of work and looking for work in 2003, reached 185.9 million, or about 6.2 per cent of the total labour force, the highest unemployment figure ever recorded by the ILO. However, this was a marginal increase over the number for 2002, which the ILO puts at 185.4 million.
  • Among the world's unemployed, some 108.1 million were men, up 600,000 from the year 2002. Among women, there was a slight decline, from 77.9 million in 2002, to 77.8 million in 2003. Hardest hit were some 88.2 million young people aged 15 to 24 who faced a crushing unemployment rate of 14.4 per cent.

Reduction of unemployment in South Africa is at the centre of the social contract. Notwithstanding these adverse global trends, as a province the high rise of unemployment experienced during the early years of this democracy was relatively arrested. However, the level of unemployment at 38% remains a cause for concern. In this budget we shall outline strategies on how to confront the recalcitrant levels of joblessness in our economy.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a good time to be a South African where the government alongside with its people take responsibility for providing solutions rather waiting for someone else to decide for us.

In this connection, the Province needs a sustainable growing economy that increases the social welfare of its citizens. The provincial economic successes achieved over a decade form a foundation for a much faster growth in the next decade. Equally important is the need for an equitable wealth distribution in order to effectively minimise and finally eradicate the scourge of poverty and thus better the lives of our people.

The provincial Microeconomic Strategy is therefore driven by sectors in which the province has a potential sustainable competitive advantage and greater effort is targeted at those areas where there is potential for optimum positive impact on the lives of our people. Central to the Microeconomic Strategy are the maintenance of closer relationships with stakeholders, strong intergovernmental relations in order to maximise integration, the responsive provincial fiscal policies and acceptable standards of corporate governance and environmental management.

OVERVIEW OF THE PROVINCIAL ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE

Hon. Speaker, the economy of the Province has grown appreciably over the years. It is now imperative to emphasise growth in those sectors that has positive job creation elasticity. In the circumstances the Department will increase efforts at Intergovernmental relations and with stakeholders in order to direct resources in those areas that have been identified as crucial for maximum positive impact in the Province and also in those sectors that has potential for optimal growth in employment. Furthermore the department will lead the advancement of Black Economic Empowerment.

The dominant sectors of the provincial economy are Mining and Finance, Real Estates and Business Services which together account for 41%. Job creation capacity of these sectors is estimated at 6 and 8 people for every R1 million investment respectively. Impressive growth rates have occurred in these sectors and in view of their respective low levels of job creation abilities, the resultant growth in jobs has been less than impressive.

The Construction, Manufacturing and Agricultural sectors constitute collectively only 12% of the economy. However, for every R1 million invested in the Construction sector 18 jobs are created, in the Manufacturing sector 22 and in the Agricultural sector 50. It is, therefore, Mr/Madam Speaker instructive that these sectors should be targeted for growth at much faster rates in order that we should increase the rate of employment in the province.

SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES

A.1.Industry and Economic Planning

A total amount of R70, 889 million is allocated for this programme. The following are the main projects in this programme for this financial year:

Implementation of the Industrial Development Strategy

In order to advance industrialisation of the provincial economy, the industrial development strategy is aimed at supporting the formation of industrial clusters. These industrial clusters will accelerate growth in the manufacturing sector of the economy thus improving job creation. Clusters identified include agro-processing, mining input, tourism and forestry clusters.

Over the years, substantial investments have occurred in the mining sector in the province. According to the Minerals Bureau the mining sector employs forty-nine thousand(49 000) people in the province. This is according to the latest figures released in 2002.

The most current significant development in this sector is in an investment of R20bn mainly in the platinum group metals- PGM. Negotiations have been initiated with Kumba Resources, Anglo American Coal and Sasol on the possible forty billion rand investment at the Waterberg Coal Project in Lephalale. This will have the potential for establishing the biggest energy source in South Africa. The Department will ensure that the current jobs are retained and sustained by way of attracting and promoting more investment in this sector.

As part of ensuring that a conducive and enabling environment for growth and expansion prevails in this sector, the Department is engaged in a consultation process with all the stakeholders to ensure that the sector continues to thrive.

In this regard a mining summit will be held before the end of August this year with a view to arrive at a comprehensive consensus on how the growth in this sector will benefit all stakeholders beyond the mining commissioning period.

Furthermore, negotiations are in process with the mining input suppliers with the view to have them relocating to the province to enhance the formation of the mining cluster industrialisation. We target to attract to the province no less than 300 manufactures of the mining input suppliers to set up their businesses in Limpopo in the next two years.

With the envisaged plan for new mining expansions, the future looks bright for the province.

The key strategies for the year under review are as follows:-

  • Promote mining development- the aim of this strategy is the promotion of the mining activities in the province by conducting the following activities:
    • Research on mining deposits in the province
    • Facilitate the establishment of mining institutions for skills development
    • Facilitate the establishment of beneficiation facilities of mining produce
    • Facilitate the establishment of small scale mining consortia.
  • Economic Development Strategy- the objective of this project is to maintain an integrated economic development strategy based on thorough research and consultation. This project seeks to improve the standard of living (better life economically) and quality information on economic development strategies.
  • Ensure availability of development projects on GIS- the objective of this project is to establish GIS hardware and software, plot projects on GIS and rollout GIS to municipalities.
  • Local economic development- the aim of this strategy is poverty alleviation and economic development initiatives within communities.

The resuscitation and/or establishment of new co-operatives is a sequel to the call from the President's State of the Nation Address. The Department through the Strategic Intervention Framework for Cooperatives will ensure that there is facilitation of the inclusion of the BEE as well as the value chain approach as part of Cooperatives support. The Department has allocated R30m through LSSA and six secondary and three savings Cooperatives will be formed and that two thousand and four jobs will be created by March 2005.

Polokwane International Airport

Activities at the airport have improved, R30 million has been provided for this year to improve the infrastructure layout to enable the facilities to accommodate large carriers. Currently the airport carries around 20 000 passengers per annum with revenue income of R2.6 million. Flights at the airport with the improved infrastructure will improve from the current 30 to 58 per month. This will improve revenue income from R2.6 million to R8 million per annum.

Polokwane International Airport is being transferred to the Department of Transport in line with the core function. The industrial development around the airport shall continue to be driven from the Department of Finance and Economic Development.

A.2. SMME

This programme is central to the economic development of the province and is meant to spearhead the economic empowerment of the marginalized people.

A total amount of R130, 878 million is allocated for this programme. The following are the main projects in the programme. R90 million will be transferred to LIMDEV. Of this amount R50m will be utilised for repayment of DBSA loan. An amount of R40 million allocated to SMMEs is not sufficient and new ways will be found on how to source adequate funding for the purposes of the development of SMMEs. There is a need to recapitalise the resources the parastatal to operate along the lines of Ithala Bank in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga Development Corporation. This funding allocated to SMMEs will be utilised as follows:

  • 410 loans will be made available to PDIs.
  • 138 manufacturing enterprises will be assisted.
  • 1200 SMMEs will receive non-financial support through LSSA.
  • 75 SMMEs will be technically trained thereby increasing skills levels of PDI entrepreneurs.

· Manufacturing And Incubation- the aim of this strategy is to have twenty newly established and developed / improved enterprises by end of this financial year 2004/05. This programme will also monitor the performance of Local Business Service Centres and facilitate the promotion of incubation through Limpopo Business Support Agency.

Target for this Financial Year

In 2004/05 Financial Year 180 manufacturing enterprises will be incubated.

  • Small-Scale Mining, Tourism And Farming- the aim of this strategy is to promote the establishment of partnerships between mining houses and SMMEs.

Targets for this Financial Year

  • One central database on mining deposits
  • One institution to offer both diploma and degree in mining
  • Small scale mining consortia
  • Procurement- The programme will monitor the impact of procurement in favour of SMMEs.
  • Co-ordination And Integration Of Programmes- This programme will facilitate inter-departmental committees to work jointly on agreed projects.

A.3. COMMERCE

Honourable Members, the total budget of R 9,664 million has been allocated to this programme.

The following are key pillars of this programme:

Consumer Protection

The regulations on the Consumer Affairs Act have been successfully promulgated; the Provincial Consumer Court will be launched during the end of this year.

Liquor Administration

There are 3196 licensed liquor outlets in the province. Tough action will be taken against any other person found selling liquor outside the law, including to minors.

We take a dim view of the latter due to its contribution to moral degeneration of our country and the perpetrators will face the wrath of the law. We are going to conduct joint operations with the South African Police Service to monitor compliance to Liquor licenses and other laws.

Business Licensing

The regulations of the Limpopo Business Registration Act will be in place during September 2004. Six licensing centres will be established this year to bring licensing services closer to the people.

B. ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM

This programmes' main purpose is to develop and promote Tourism in the Limpopo Province to ensure that the province becomes the preferred ecotourism destination in Southern Africa. The division gives policy direction in regard to:

  • The development and implementation of the Tourism Growth Strategy
  • The transformation of the Tourism Industry
  • The creation of job opportunities in tourism
  • Enhancing black economic empowerment
  • Coordination of public infrastructure in key tourism icons and areas.
  • The management, development and marketing of nature reserves.

Tourism is one economic sector that has potential to increase job creation in the province. The provincial tourism growth strategy aims at doubling the contribution of this sector in three years from 4% to 8% by 2007. The tourism sector in the province currently employs one hundred and forty one thousands people and this figure will be increased by 8% this year. Since the coming into operations of the Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board the following were achieved: -

  • Upgraded gate infrastructure and the receiving of revenue control.
  • 40 Revenue collection officials were trained.
  • A central reservation system was put in place.

The above interventions ensured that there already was a revenue increase. R258, 198.82 was received in April 2004 as compared to R187, 484.06 in April of last year.

World Tourism Day celebrations will for the first time be held in the province in on 27th September 2004 which is a sign of confidence what the province has to offer in terms of accessibility, quality service, hospitality and the cultural diversity of the province. This will be a four day celebration process and it is envisaged that there will be one thousand participants who are tourists and are being exposed to our province.

The roll-out of the Tourism Growth Plan to the municipalities will take place through workshops and personal interactions between the departmental staff and local authorities before the end of this financial year. Orientation courses will also be conducted to ensure a common understanding of tourism functions that need to be performed on local level.

A total amount of R92, 300 million is allocated for this programme. Besides all the challenges that face this sector our province performed well when compared to the national market share. With an initial investment of R23 million in Manyeleti Reserve 144 direct jobs were created.

Hunting Industry

This is a R650m industry per annum in South Africa. Eighty percent of this hunting takes place in Limpopo Province. The Department seeks to encourage participation in the wildlife industry by meeting the challenge of ensuring that the PDIs are benefiting from this industry. By implementing the Environmental Management Act the Department will be ensuring that there is proper regulation of the industry. The Department will be hosting its first Wildlife Expo which seeks to bring the industry and communities together to create awareness of the advantages of Wildlife beneficiation, to establish a forum for cooperative wildlife management, to encourage career development in the Wildlife industry.

B.1.ENVIRONMENT

Environment is responsible for the maintenance of a healthy environment in Limpopo, and for the promotion of sustainable development. It consists of the following directorates: Community Environment Development, Hunting Regulation, Cites and Permit Management, Environmental Regulation, Impact Planning and Management, Integrated Waste Management and Pollution Control, and Biodiversity Management.

A total amount of R66, 390 million is allocated for this programme.

The department has set five key strategic objectives for this programme during 2004/05 financial year and are listed as follows:

  • Minimize negative environmental impacts through Environmental Impact Management, planning Strategic Objective and increased sustainability of development in Limpopo
  • Minimize waste and pollution through Integrated Waste and Pollution Management and improved efficiency in waste management and reduction of pollution and associated costs.
  • Providing biodiversity management for Limpopo and increased resilience of biodiversity in the province in support of sustainable development.
  • Empower people to participate in sound environmental governance at all levels and enhanced environmental awareness and knowledge, community empowerment and improved quality of life.
  • Ensure development and compliance to minimum norms and standards relating to environmental legislation, and well managed and developed environmental management sector in Limpopo.

There is an evident practice where people are engaged in illegal deforestation in the province and selling such wood or even medicinal plants at road sides and or in villages with deleterious effect on the eco-system and thus posing a threat to sustainability. This cannot be allowed to continue. Currently the Department has employed seventy law enforcement officials and we envisage increasing the number to 300 in this financial year. In addition a specialised unit that will deal with serious environmental crimes will be established within the next two months.

Those of the people that continue to deforest our province are urged to refrain from denuding our beautiful province of its vegetation. Strong steps will be taken against those that continue engage in this illegal exercise.

We have designed an Expanded Public Works Programme for the reforestation of our province. This will restore its eco-system balance, its beauty and enhance sustainability.

National legislation on Biodiversity and Protected Area Management is in place. Legislation on Air Quality Management, Waste Management, and Environmental Regulation is anticipated shortly, The department is currently unable to perform at the required levels anticipated by this legislation, and will take remedial measures to remove the constraints by improving delivery of services to the public. New facilities will be constructed at head office in Polokwane during this financial year.

C. PROVINCIAL TREASURY

In order to provide an effective professional treasury services to all provincial departments and public entities in line with the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy, treasury is guided by National norms and standards as applicable in the various regulations but with specific reference to the Constitution, Public Finance Management Act, Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act and Municipal Finance Management Bill.

The key priorities facing this programme of this strategic plan period are as follows:

  • The implementation of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) will be effective from 1 July 2004. By the end of September 2004 the Provincial Treasury will have finalised the assessment of financial management in municipalities to be able to develop a capacity building programme for both municipalities and provincial departments.
  • Building financial management capacity in Municipalities
  • Assess the effectiveness of the budget allocation in the province.
  • The Provincial Treasury is assessing the effectiveness of the provincial budget allocation in order for the province to channel funds were there are mostly needed for the well being of citizens. This process will be completed by the end of November this year.
  • Finalize the implementation of the revenue collection strategy.
  • Implementation of Supply Chain Management system
  • In taking forward the Premiers announcement on the 27th May 2004 the Department would have completed the creation of an enabling environment for departments to implement supply chain management.

Capital appraisal

  • Empowerment of BEEs through capacity building
  • Implementation of the provincial assets restructuring plan
  • The Department is facilitating the restructuring of provincial assets with the aim to improve the efficiency through the restructuring of public service and entities to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the provision of services delivery
  • This programme will unlock the resources that have been under utilised through redirection of funds to other social and infrastructural programs and other programs.

This is responsible for accounting and financial management systems and it has been allocated an amount of R330, 641million.

Key Focus Areas

  • Development and implementation of Provincial Treasury Accounting policies, norms and Standards.
  • Integrate financial management systems compliant with the PFMA.
  • To develop and improve skills level in financial management.
  • R190milion has been set aside for infrastructure development in the province.

C.2.Fiscal policy

This programme is responsible for sound fiscal policy in line with Government policy which has been allocated an amount of R21, 036 million.

Key Focus Areas

  • Implementation of provincial fiscal policy
  • Budget reforms and capex appraisal
  • Establishment of Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations Unit to deal with local government finances (IGFR)

Own Revenue

Provincial Revenue continues to decline and this is a national trend. Though we have met our target in this financial year, in fact we have exceeded our target on own revenue collection. The reason for this is mainly due to the disposal of the sate assets. The same cannot be said in this current financial year in terms of meeting projected target.

We will do everything in our powers as Provincial Treasury to ensure that each accounting officer in all departments and parastatals revenue generation becomes part and parcel of their central task.

C.3. Supply Chain Management

To promote effective and sound supply chain management systems and policies in the Province we have allocated an amount of R6, 424 million. Supply chain management is a system of improving the provisioning and procurement by departments in line with the requirement of the Public Finance Management Act. This system replaces the current tender board processes.

Key Focus Areas

  • Coordination, Transformation and facilitation of procurement for the province.
  • Increase level of participation by 30% through implementation of the Preferential Procurement System and estimated R900 million of capex is allocated to PDIs (Youth and women).

Corporate and Transformation Services

Learnership and Internship Programme

The department has appointed 98 of the targeted 132 interns. The budget of R2 million has been allocated to this programme. This will ensure that school learners and graduates would gain the necessary experience and skills in order to enable them access to the job market.

Security and Risk Management

Great strides have been made in the combating of corruption, fraud and other corporate crime. The Department has established a Security and Risk Management Directorate which among others focus not only on the detection of these crimes but also the prevention thereof and corrective measures. The prevention of corruption and crime will continue to be a high priority.

And investigation unit within the directorate has been function from November 2003. To date 31 cases have been investigated ranging from corruption (8), theft (13), misconduct (11), poaching (3), and other cases. Three convictions were obtained in court. An amount of R177 000 was refunded to the Department due to this convictions.

The coordination and multidisciplinary investigation approach between the Department and the law enforcement agencies are yielding the desired results with an increase in the detection, prevention, and successful prosecutions. Those who wish to continue with these activities be warned. The budget allocation for this directorate is R3.442 million

Conclusion

In conclusion Honourable Speaker we reiterate the fact that the assault on joblessness and poverty cannot be minimised by any means. The structural challenges of the economy should be confronted with absolute determination to grow those of the sectors that accelerate job creation. In this regard Tourism, Construction, Manufacturing and the Agricultural Sectors are the sectors that are key to our victory in advancing the goals of our social contract in building a better life for all.

I thank You

Speech by Limpopo MEC for Finance and Economic Development, the honourable Thaba Mufamadi, at the launch of the first Limpopo Parks Catalogue Game Auction in Polokwane

16 July 2004

Programme Director,
Honoured guests, visitors,
Members of the wildlife industry,
The business community, and the media,
Our auctioneers for the day,
Ladies and Gentlemen.

Yesterday's Limpopo Wildlife Conference and today's Game Auction are indeed landmark events in the history of our province, as they highlight Limpopo's status as the country's preferred eco-tourism destination.

The wildlife industry generates an annual national income of about R650 million, and Limpopo is a significant role-player, because more than 30 percent of its land surface is dedicated to conservation. This makes the province a leader in the field of environmental protection and wildlife management.

In addition, the latest published statistics show that about 60 percent of the country's foreign revenue from hunting is contributed by trophy seekers who visit Limpopo.

We estimate that an amount of close to R50 million in respect of private hunting, culling, and public auctions will be generated in Limpopo this year.

An historic, record-breaking event

Our rich variety of wildlife is reflected in the impressive number of animals on offer today. It gives me great pleasure to announce that, in this regard, the auction has broken all previous records for this province and the country as a whole. In fact, the overall turnover at the end of today may well prove to be a world record for this type of event.

It is fitting that this historic Wildlife Weekend should be held in the year we are celebrating a decade of democracy in South Africa. Ten years ago, a widely representative gathering of this nature would not have been possible.

It is particularly encouraging to see substantial numbers of previously endangered species such as roan and sable antelope listed on today's auction catalogue. This indicates that we are achieving success in providing a safe haven for such animals.

Wildlife safaris, hunting excursions and nature tours are very important components of our tourism industry. It is not a contradiction to say that hunters are, in fact, among the country's most outstanding conservationists, who have made a substantial contribution towards the sustainability of our precious wildlife resources.

Benefits for poor communities

However, while welcoming the inputs of various role-players in the establishment of a healthy and vibrant wildlife industry, the Limpopo Government would like to see more benefits accruing to poor communities, who live along the boundaries of our game-rich conservancies and national parks.

The importance of creating more jobs, and also empowering the previously disadvantaged to enter this industry as entrepreneurs, hunting outfitters, lodge managers and park executives cannot be over-emphasized.

We believe such initiatives will promote a healthier culture of conservation among all South Africans, stimulate a widespread love for nature, and combat problems such as the indiscriminate destruction of wildlife.

We are confident that the dedication of wildlife managers, researchers and veterinarians in our province will go a long way towards checking diseases which threaten our livestock and wildlife. I take this opportunity to appeal to all communities to lend their support to the tireless efforts of these hardworking experts.

Environment Management Act

We are pleased to say that the Limpopo Environment Management Act now forms a vital legal framework for the province's conservation programme.

This recently proclaimed Act embraces elements of previous legislation which was in force in the so-called homelands of Lebowa, Gazankulu and Venda, and some of the regulations enacted by the former Transvaal Provincial Administration.

The new Act provides for the creation of advisory bodies, to guide the provincial government in its development of future environmental policies.

More importantly, this legislation ensures that protected areas will be managed for the purpose of conservation and sustainable development, to benefit the community, and to preserve wildlife within the boundaries of Limpopo.

The Act also provides guidelines for the proper control and utilisation of activities such as hunting, entering caves, and harvesting indigenous plants.

This Act also details the rules of international conventions to which our country is bound.

So, my friends, having sketched the background to this exciting weekend of events, I now have great pleasure in declaring this Game Auction officially open.

Let the bidding begin ..... and may the best buyers win !

Address delivered by Deputy President Jacob Zuma at the unveiling ceremony of the tombstone on the grave of Peter Mokaba Mankweng, Polokwane

16th June 2004

The Mokaba Family,
Members of the ANC NEC,
Members of the ANC Youth League PEC and NEC
Leadership of SACP and Cosatu present,
Comrades and friends

We meet today on the 28th Anniversary of the Soweto Uprising, and two years since Peter Mokaba a hero of our revolution and the youth was laid to his final resting place.

We meet at an appropriate moment soon after the general elections, in which the ANC once again won an overwhelming majority, due to the support of the masses of our people, especially the youth.

We salute the youth of our country for delivering this outstanding election victory, and consequently, the role that Cde Peter played in mobilizing, nurturing and organizing the youth to the formidable force that it is today.

I mention this because the name of Cde Peter is synonymous with that of youth emancipation and development. One cannot talk about youth struggles without mentioning the name of Cde Peter because for many years he was an inspiration to the youth of our country.

We meet today on the 16th June 2004, to honour and remember one the most militant, dynamic and vibrant of youth leaders to have graced our struggle. Comrade Peter was a revolutionary and a young lion, who dedicated his entire life to the liberation of thee African people and the development of the youth of South Africa. He was propelled to join the struggle soon after the Soweto Uprisings of June 16, 1976.

I still have fond memories of Cde Peter, shortly after his recruitment into the ranks of the ANC, when we were preparing him for MK training in Mozambique. I remember how determined he was to achieve the goal of freeing his country from apartheid oppression and racism. It is that kind of spirit that bought us where we are today.

He was one of a group of young comrades who were recruited by Cde James, known as Mawelawela, into the ANC ranks. I called these young vibrant cadres the “warriors”, and our intention was that from this group, there should be those who could be trained and sent back home without delay to engage in underground work.

Cde Peter was one of those whose great potential made him go from generalised to specialised training and he was sent back into the country, to the former Northern Transvaal, to organise underground structures a task he extended exceptionally well. He was to become an all-rounder in the South African body politic in years to come, and everyone felt his presence, regardless of their political persuasion.

Comrades, twenty years ago, President Oliver Tambo in the January 8 Statement of 1984 outlined the pillars of our struggle as follows “Our revolutionary struggle rests on four pillars.

These are, first, the all-round vanguard activity of the underground structures of the ANC; second, the united mass action of the peoples; third , our armed offensive, spearheaded by Umkhonto we Sizwe; and fourth, the international drive to isolate the apartheid regime and win world-wide moral, political and material support for the struggle.”

I am mentioning this so that you can understand the role of Cde Peter in its proper political context and our objectives at the time. Whilst, he was a trained guerrilla, once he was infiltrated back into the country, he clearly understood his role as that of participating mainly (but not only), in the building and strengthening of “the united mass action of the people”, as President “OR” had instructed.

Cde Peter played an important role in strengthening this pillar of our struggle which resulted in the formation to be its first President.

The ANC had declared the 1980’s the decade of freedom, and 1981 the year of the youth. The youth of our country in particular and our people in general were highly mobilized and inspired. Our people were impatient and they wanted freedom in their lifetime.

The formation of internal organs of mass resistance happened within the context of renewed apartheid restrictions and backlash. Many activists were either being brutally murdered or detained. Thousands of our people were in detention in the 1980’s and the country was on the brink of a civil war.

In the face of all this Cde Peter led the struggle for the total destruction of apartheid with much courage and dedication, and he led the struggle from the front.

The young lions as led by Cde Peter were revolutionary and militant to the core, as reflected in their adopted slogan “Freedom or Death! Victory is Certain!” this was no longer just a slogan, but a statement of intent. This was the character of the youth movement that he led and he was the embodiment of that youth militancy and fearlessness.

Cde Peter will always be remembered by millions of our people in general and youth in particular for his outstanding contribution to the cause of liberation in our country, for his role in uniting the youth and for his excellent organisational skills in building a vibrant and relevant youth movement in our country.

He can be credited with bringing youth issues to be at the core of government policy since liberation of South Africa in 1994.

For many he was the first reference point on youth issues, and also as a key leader within the liberation movement, and a member of the ANC National Executive Committee, he was central in many of the developments that continued to shape the character of the ANC.

He was instrumental in shaping many of our policies in government, and played an important role as the Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism from 1994 to 1999.

As we remember Cde Peter two years after his passing on and 28 years since the Soweto uprising, we must ask ourselves what legacy he left behind.

It is a legacy of a non-sexist and democratic South Africa that he was prepared to lay down his life for. It is a legacy of commitment and dedication to the values of our struggle.

It is a legacy of eradicating poverty and creating a better life for all. It is a legacy of youth development and empowerment in all its facets. It is a legacy of nation building and reconciliation. This is the legacy that we and our movement should always protect and defend.

As we remember Cde Peter today, we must take solace from the fact that history entrusted him with the responsibility of playing a role in the national democratic revolution, to be a leader of the masses of our people.

He took that responsibility with much courage and vigour to its logical conclusion, the birth of a new South Africa 1994. he always executed his responsibilities guided by his deep understanding of the vision and principles of our liberation movement.

We meet here today to honour and salute the life of one of us who was committed to the goals of our revolution.

We have unveiled the tombstone on his grave as a lasting monument, so that generations to come will always know that here lies a man, a youth, a father, a son and a brother who loved his country and its people so much that he dedicated his entire life for the betterment of others.

Here lies a selfless revolutionary who never put his personal interests above those of the people.

When we remember and honour Cde Peter we remember an all round cadre, a well balanced cadre who lived a balanced life. He knew when and how to struggle during the times of struggle, but, as many young people will testify, he also knew how to relax and party once he had had accomplished a gaol. He lived his life to the full.

Perhaps, the greatest tribute and lasting respect that we can pay to Cde Peter is by ensuring that the vision that guided him and his peers is maintained and consolidated, the victories that he achieved are defended.

We can pay tribute to him by ensuring that we build a society which cares and is built on the good moral values of our struggle which are reflected in our Constitution today.

We need to build a society that is compassionate, that does not tolerate crime and corruption. We need to build a new youth who participates actively in government programs that are meant to eradicate poverty and create jobs.

We need a youth that plays an active role in Community Policing forums to deal with crime. We need to build a society that cares for the aged, the weak and those dying of various diseases including HIV and AIDS.

As we celebrate 10 years of democracy and freedom we are greatly moved by the fact that we have made tremendous strides towards that transformation of our country.

We need to celebrate the existence of The National Youth Policy Framework, which will help with a holistic approach to youth development, and that the National Youth Economic Participation Strategy is in place to ensure that the youth plays a part in the development of their country and their own lives.

As we celebrate ten years of democracy and freedom we are greatly moved by the fact that 64 000 unemployed young people have been registered in learnerships. We are also looking forward to the launch of The National Youth Service in the next few weeks, which will provide opportunities to about 5000 young people before the end of the year.

Most importantly, we need the youth to live the slogan of this year’s campaign, of “Youth Celebrating Ten Years of Freedom and Seizing the Opportunities of Democracy”.

That is what Cde Peter would have wanted us to do, to celebrate the gains of freedom, but also to work harder to consolidate and defend these gains.

To the Mokaba family, thank you for giving us this hero, this gallant fighter for freedom. May you find strength in the knowledge that he will always be remembered for the role he played and sacrifices he made, to free his country and his people. Thank you for allowing him to be part of the ANC. May you find comfort in the knowledge that his name is recorded in the history of outstanding heroes of our struggle.

For those who worked with Cde Peter, what will be a lasting monument to him will be for us to defend the revolution, freedom and democracy that he fought for, which is reflected in the values stipulated in the Freedom Charter and our Constitution.

To be able to do so we need to strengthen the organisation he lived for, the ANC. We must develop a cadre of a special type, who must be developed and schooled to defend the ANC, our freedom and democracy.

For the ANC to be a vehicle that will contribute to deepen democracy and defend our freedom and human rights, we need to work hard on unity, the rock and treasure upon which the ANC was founded and built.

I thank you.

Celebrating ten years of youth unity for reconstruction and deveopment

Statement by the President of the ANC Youth League at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on the occasion of the 28th Anniversary of the SOWETO Uprising

16 June 2004

Young Compatriots,
People of South Africa

Today, our country and our people observe the 28th Anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Youth Uprising.

This then marks the beginning of the calendar year of the youth, an occasion to remember the sacrifices and heroism of yesteryears, and a moment to draw the attention of the youth towards the challenges that face them during this New Year.

To address you, therefore, on this day, is a special privilege, for we are addressing a people united in action to build a better life.

Perhaps, unlike ever before, this New Year that has begun brings with it renewed hope that we shall, acting as a united force, achieve more impressive and epoch-making gains in the field of the struggle in general, and youth development in particular.

Allow me, therefore fellow combatants, to convey to all youth of our country, wherever they may be found, the greetings and best wishes of the National Executive Committee of the ANCYL.

An Extra-ordinary year

We meet like this in an extra-ordinary year, during which our glorious youth celebrate both the First Decade of Liberation as well as the 60th Anniversary of the existence of ANCYL.

For six decades, the ANCYL and the youth have become synonymous, together constituting the sharpest aged of our revolutionary spear for freedom.

The union of the ANCYL and the youth was determined by history itself, sharpened in the crucibles of the struggle and it matured with the maturing revolutionary process itself.

Today, to talk of the ANCYL without at the same time talking about the fighting youth of South Africa, and vice versa, is futile exercise that only the demented reactionaries can embark upon.

Over the last six decades of its existence, the ANCYL has been part of all the struggles of the youth for freedom and for a better life, mobilising them, agitating, organising, uniting and leading them to occupy the front and the most dangerous zones of struggle, highlighting to them at all times that they had a glorious future to fight for.

The ANCYL is thus an indispensable part of the South African youth in their pursuit for a better life, without which they are a blunt and impotent force for change.

The youth, on the other hand, are the life line of the ANCYL, the second reason for its existence, without whom it vanishes into oblivion and irrelevance.

Peter Mokaba taught us what it meant to be youth

It is thus befitting that we should have gathered like this at the Peter Mokaba Stadium to salute the founders of this memorable day, and the millions of youth whose refusal to succumb to oppression, led them to commit countless heroic feats of struggle in the name of peace, development and our people’s freedom.

It is thanks to their actions that we won our freedom, and we, the youth of today, appreciate the invaluable price of freedom.

It is also fitting that we should today also pay tribute to that youth icon, that fiery Young Lion, Peter Mokaba, whose roar continues to reverberate across the high hills and low valleys of our country, inspiring a generation, commanding the youth to the battlefields of the struggle against poverty and underdevelopment.

We thank Peter Mokaba and the youth of 1976 for teaching us what it meant to be youth, a lesson that became invaluable during the past decade as we grappled with our role as youth during the period of democratic construction.

Because of their extraordinary example, we have had little difficulty reaching the correct conclusion that to be youth means being activists for fundamental change, providing solutions to all the problems our people face, free from the fear of what that struggle may entail, or demand.

They taught us to always to act within the understanding of what our people saw as their own interests, guided by the knowledge and conviction that our own interests as youth, whatever these may be, are similar to those of our people for a better life.

A Decade of United Youth Action and Great Victories

When the past decade commenced, it was obvious that the noble vision of 1912 had become a formidable force and the only solution to the problems facing our country.

The short-sighted vision of apartheid, after three centuries, could no longer sustain the mass offensive of our people, at the front of which stood the death-defying youth of our country.

During this past decade, as we battled to unravel the house of iniquity which the apartheid architects had constructed, we worked hard to place youth development into the heart of our national endeavour to build a better life for all.

Throughout this period we acted together with our people, defining our interests as one with theirs for a better life. The previous decade, as result of freedom we achieved in 1994, unlocked many opportunities that had not existed for us before to participate in the fields we had never been exposed to or allowed to participate in, including in sport, arts, education, culture, the media.

Through united action as young people, we confronted the apartheid legacy and scored decisive gains which can, through renewed united youth action, bring us greater victories.

Some of the achievements of our united action included,

  • The National Youth Commission, the National Youth Policy, the Umsobovu Youth Fund, the South African Youth Council and the National Youth Service Programme,
  • The acceptance across our nation today of the need for both youth development and empowerment, and for youth mobilisation,
  • The creation of the possibilities for us to enhance and expand our knowledge and skills, as well as the creation of enormous opportunities for a wide spectrum of career choices and opportunities.

As can be witnessed, our government has not left youth development to chance, fate or merely to the logic of the market forces; it has rather implemented this programme consciously as a crucial feature of our reconstruction and development programme.

A Decade Pregnant with Great Possibilities: A Call for Youth Unity!

Much to the chagrin of the prophets of doom, the youth refused to be left out of the People’s Contract during the previous general elections, joining our people in long queues to celebrate the First Decade of Liberation and sign the People’s Contract.

They knew that this People’s Contract was in their very best interests, and therefore, the youth of South Africa are today united with their people in action to combat poverty, underdevelopment, disease, ignorance and backwardness.

The decade ahead is pregnant with tremendous possibilities, it bears with it the promise that we can succeed to reduce youth unemployment, raise the skills levels of the youth, eradicate youth illiteracy completely, integrate the youth into the mainstream economy, and eliminate disease among the youth.

For the battles ahead, and in order to sustain united action among the youth, the mass organisations of the youth must be strengthened, at all levels, and we must impart on the youth the skills that are necessary for them to carry out their tasks as the shock troops of the People’s Contract.

As we enter this decisive period ahead, we must aim for and achieve the greatest possible mobilisation, organisation and united action among the youth of our country who continue to constitute a strategic combat column of the army of total liberation.

Building on the level of youth mobilisation we achieved during the previous general elections, we must ensure that the youth continue to play a special role in the national effort to address the challenges of poverty, underdevelopment and marginalisation. This can be achieved through united action among the youth, and through the mobilisation of the youth to raise their capacity, knowledge and competency, to raise the capacity and calibre of the leadership of the youth and indeed their level of social responsibility, in order to seize the opportunities of democracy.

The difficult challenge to eradicate poverty constitutes a real possibility that we can unite our youth in action into a people’s contract in pursuit of our common destiny.

We will have to continue consistently to follow the dialectical approach of “youth mobilisation for youth development, and youth development for youth mobilisation”.

This will require that we continue to pay attention to, to support and strengthen the capacities of the youth development agencies; that is, the National Youth Commission, the South African Youth Council as well as the Umsobovu Youth Fund.

We must continue to work towards raising the capacity of the youth through skills acquisition. In this regard, we must work hard to ensure that the National Youth Serbice earnestly commences this year, and to advocate strongly for the leadership target of 72 000 to be met, as well as that of 80 000 next year.

As a youth organisation, we must interest ourselves in whether the types of skills acquired by the youth in these skills programmes do help our country, especially the black youth, to acquire the scarce skills which are most required by the New Economy.

Together with other youth and students organisations, we must work with the government to ensure that the graduates’ register about which the President spoke during the State of the Nation Address in parliament is indeed compiled by the end of the year.

We will have to wage a campaign to engage the government seriously to restructure the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) on order to eliminate the current problems that result in many black students being subjected to financial exclusions, unable to access higher learning and being blacklisted.

Further, we will have to develop capacity to ensure that we are able to position the youth to seize that opportunities that will be presented by the Expanded Public Works Programme.

Part of what we must campaign for is that, through the EPWP, more multi-faceted sports and community centres be constructed, and historically African universities and technikons be recapitalised in order to create an environment conducive to learning.

In historically black institutions, especially those that were reserved for Africans, such as Turfloop, Ongoye and Fort Hare, the infrastructure is collapsing and is not conducive to healthy and proper learning. Basic things such as the toilets are not working and are unhygienic, buildings are broken down and so on.

The challenge that we will face increasingly this year is to move beyond rhetoric to practical and concrete action plans with regard to youth economic empowerment. This will involve developing concrete plans to raise the capacity of the youth to seize the opportunities that will be presented by the different state-development finance and programmes.

Amongst other things, young people complain that they lack access to micro-credit in order to breathe life into their enterprises. Many find it even difficult to access Umsobovu Youth Fund, complaining that many of its conditions are youth unfriendly. Obviously, this is what we need comprehensively to review, given that the UYF had been established exactly for the purpose to create easy entry for the youth to entrepreneurial opportunities, as well as developing their skills.

We will also have to step up our bilateral and multilateral relations with various youth organisations, to forge a broad youth front in a common effort to address the urgent challenges facing the youth, given the cold fact that an all-round youth development agenda cannot be achieved through sectionalism.

Commemorate this day with honour and dignity!

The youth have been a central feature of our struggle for national liberation, and they shall continue to be, undertaking all the difficult tasks that the struggle imposed on their shoulders.

June 16th is therefore the day that the youth earned themselves, on which they permanently put their name.

I am certain that we will all commemorate this day with honour and dignity, and discharge with great diligence the responsibilities it places on our shoulders.

The message of this day is that the destiny of our country is in our hands, and it will be what we make of it.

We are honoured therefore to declare this, the Year to celebrate Ten Years of Youth Unity for Reconciliation and Development!

Thank you.