REDIRECTING THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION TOWARDS SERVING THE POOR IN THE WESTERN CAPE | DA MPL Assistance Network
REDIRECTING THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION TOWARDS SERVING THE POOR IN THE WESTERN CAPE
SPEECH BY DR IH MEYER, MINISTER OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND SPORT
Honourable Speaker, when Premier Zille took office she inherited an Administration that mirrored the divisions in ANC, because there was little respect for the principles of separation of powers. The state machinery was caught in two camps, and service delivery suffered as a result of this. In this regard, I have also consulted the last SOPA address of the previous Government in the beginning of 2009. In her address the former Premier gave a catalogue of serious examples of bad governance and mismanagement by her predecessor, fondly referred to some in the ANC, as the Ambassador of the Brown envelope. Whilst, we acknowledge some of the interventions former Premier Brown initiated, it was left to the current Premier Zille to clean up the mess. This is exactly what she did.
Premier Zille’s first task was to deal with the political abuse relating to the Erasmus Commission. It is now public record that the Erasmus Commission was utilized to abuse public office in the Western Cape.
Premier Zille, using the tools and instruments of Constitutional democracy returned to the trias politica principles and restored public confidence in the Office of the 1st Citizen of the Western Cape Province. Unlike President Zuma, who shows little respect for the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, as again evident by his attack on the judiciary, Zille’s Administration, put the constitution central in her system of public governance. Her efforts to protect South Africa’s constitutional democracy has been noted locally and internationally.
Honourable Speaker, her governance record also received recognition in South Africa, when her Administration received unqualified audit reports for all provincial government departments for two consecutive years in a row. It is also the only Government in South Africa since 1994 who managed to achieve this. Whilst ANC provincial governments are falling apart, the Western Cape Provincial Government, under Premier Zille is raising the bar, setting higher targets and deliver services to the poor.
Secondly Honourable Speaker, the Premier rebuild the State administration through a modernization programme. The purpose of modernization was to redirect the state administration towards efficiency, effectiveness and reducing redtape and duplication of services. Departments worked in silo’s often competing in the branding space. Ten departments each had its own corporate branding and communication strategies without a coherent message. Through modernization resources are now aimed at one single corporate brand – better together. Under the Zille Administration she redirected the state administration to:
– Use public resource more effectively
– Commissioned a review of all public entities
– Identified wasteful expenditures
– Reposition the HR function
– Strengthen the internal audit and forensic services
– Reduce duplication of services and
– Cut the fat hidden in communication and PR budgets
Thirdly Honourable Speaker, Premier Zille gave content to the open opportunity society, by releasing the Strategic Objectives of her Government. Central to her plan is to reduce poverty and unemployment through economic development and job creation. In her State of Province address she reconfirmed her plan to fight poverty through infrastructure-led growth and economic development. Central in her poverty reduction plan is to improve the educational outcomes, because a decent education is the strongest weapon in our fight on poverty. It was former President Mandela who said and I quote: “Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.” Premier Zille understands this very well and made improving education outcomes central in her fight against poverty. The Premier’s whole speech is about poverty reduction and the programmes of her Administration is all pro-poor.
Dit is die plan van die Wes-Kaapse Regering om armoede te verlig deur middel van skepping en verbreding van geleenthede. Haar regering skep daagliks honderde geleenthede wat hoop bied aan mense van die Wes-Kaap. Die geleenthede is omskryf in die strategiese doelwitte van die regering. Een van daardie geleenthede is om deur middel van ‘n naskoolse program leerders betrokke te kry om aan sport deel te neem. Deur middel van die MODS sentrum kry kinders geleentheid om hul talente te beoefen en so word anti-sosiale gedrag teengewerk. Ons navorsing toon dat baie kinders betrokke raak by anti-sosiale gedrag tussen 14:00 – 18:00 en daarom teiken ons die leerders in die tydsgleuf. Onder Premier Zille se leiding is ‘n omvattende naskoolse program van stapel gestuur. Op die wyse het sy weg beweeg vanaf die silo mentaliteit in die regering. Met die slagspreuk beter tesame het die Departemente Kultuur , Sport, Onderwys, Gesondheid, Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling en Gemeenskapsveiligheid uitvoeringgegeeaandie omvattendenaskoolse program.
Die MODS program is vandag wyer as net sport en dek alle fasette van holistiese kind ontwikkeling en plaas die Regering in ‘n beter posisie om resultate in die gemeenskap te monitor. Oor tyd is ditons oogmerk om die volgende uitkomste te sien:
– toename in die na-skoolse programme
– afname in misdaadaktiwiteite na skool
– verbetering in dissipline by skole
– toename in leerders by huiswerk klubs
– verbetering van skoolprestasie
– aktieweeerder as passiewe burgerskap
– afname in anti-sosiale gedrag (dwelms en bendeverwanteaktiwiteite).
Agbare Speaker dit is ook die Premier sevisieom die sukses van die MODS sentrumsteevalueeraan die hand van konkreteuitkomste. Verder het die Premier ookaan die hand gedoenomouers, opvoeders, vrywilligers en hulpafrigterstebetrek by die MODS sentrums. My persoonlikeervaring is datwanneerouers, onderwysers en die gemeenskapbetrokkeraak by die MODS sentrumdanverhoog die resultate. Tydens my besoek by isiKhokelaPrimêreSkool in Khayelitsha het ek ‘n toegewydeprinsipaal, en beheerliggaamledeasook ‘n musiekonderwyserontmoet, watgrootliksbydra tot die sukses van die MODS sentrum.
Tydens die Staat van die Provinsie Toespraak het Premier nie net haar visie geskets nie, maar konkrete aksies enplanne aangekondig om uitvoering te gee aan die visie. Deel van die Premier se planne is om “beter tesame” die enorme taak van ontwikkelingtebevorder. Ek het ook Premier Zille se SOPA van 2011 nageslaan en opgemerkdatsygemeld het, en ekhaalhaardirekaan
“…. We understand that a growth agenda is not just an urban agenda.”
Premier Zille het verlede week spesifiekna “bree band” verwys en die rolwatditkanspeelomgeleenthede en toegangtebevorder. Omdat die Premier die jeughaarprimêreteikenvirgeleenthedegeskephet, is daarookbesluitom internet toegang in landelikegebiedeuitterol.
Premier Zille praatnie net van tegnologienie,sy skep geleenthede via die Rural ICT” projek. Die doel van die projek is omgemeenskappe van alleplattelandsebiblioteke gratis internet toegangte gee. Onsteiken is omaan die einde van die nuweboekjaar 101 plattelandsebiblioteke, gratis internet toegangteverleen. DorpsesoosMerwewille, Zwelentemba, Pacaltsdorp, Melkhoutfontein, Zwelihle, Klaarstroom, Khayamandi en Wolselyvindalmal reeds baat in die huidigeboekjaar. In die nuweboekjaar, agbare Speaker, word plekkesoos McGregor, Bergrivier, Railton (Swellendam), Herbertsdale, Gongolethu, Eendekuil, Botrivier, Drakenstein en New Horizon in Bitougeteiken. Agbare Speaker Zille se Administrasie het vir die doel R3.5m opsygesit in die komendeboekjaarom gratis internet toegangna die plattelandteneem. Gratis internet toegang is deel van Premier Zille se teen armoede program in landelikegebiede. Tydens my onlangse “dashboard” evalueringdeur Premier Zille het symy spesifiekhierooruitgevra en my versoekom die uitrol van gratis internet toegangtebespoedig. Sy het duserns, meneer die Speaker, oor die rol van tegnologieomgeleenthedevir die jeugte skep in die platteland.
Waar President Zumakorrupsietoesmeer,bevorder Premier Zille ‘n korrupsie vrye Administrasie.
Waar president Zuma se ANC provinsies gebuk gaan onder gebrekkige dienslewering wen Premier Zille se Provinsie die prys vir die beste dienslewering in Suid-Afrika.
Agbare lede waar President Zuma, streektale wil marginaliseer, bevorder Premier Zille se Administrasie meertaligheid in ‘n multi-kulturele konteks.
Agbare Speaker, President Zuma regeer soos Michela Wrong skryf “It is our turn to eat”. Premier Zille regeer “because its our turn to work”
Agbare Speaker, die kontras is duidelik:
Terwyl President Zumafokus op retoriek, fokus Premier Zille op substansie.
Terwyl President Zuma die grondwet ondermyn, bevorder Premier Zille die beginsel van die rechstaat.
Terwyl President Zumasosiale eksklusiwiteit bevorder, bevorder Premier Zille sosiale inklusiwiteit.
TerwylPresident Zuma met staatsbeheereksperimenteerbevorder Premier Zille die oopgeleentheidsgedrewesamelewing.
TerwylPresident Zuma bang is vir SADTU, stel Premier Zille prestasie kontrakte op vir skoolhoofde.
Terwyl President Zumagroot makieties en partytjies hou, fokus Premier Zille op nederigheid en respekvirbelastingbetalers se geld.
Terwyl President Zuma groter afhanklikheid aanmoedig, bevorder Premier Zille persoonlikeverantwoordelikheid en selfrespekonder die burgers van die Wes-Kaap.
Terwyl President Zumafokus op “jobs for pals” fokus Premier Zille op volhoubaarheid van werkskepping
Agbare Speaker, President Zuma is staatsgesentreerd, Premier Zille is burger gesentreerd.
Agbare Speaker, daar is ‘n duidelike kontras tussen die ANC en die DA onder Premier Zille. Hoewel daar duidelike verskille is, het Premier Zille geleenthede virsamewerkenderegeringgeïdentifiseer en word daar op bepaaldeterreinesaamgewerk in die groter sosiale en ekonomiese belang. Haar toespraak, agbare Speaker het verlede week daarin geslaag om die visie vir die Wes-Kaap uit te stippelmet praktiese stappe om daar uit te kom.
This entry was posted in Art and Culture, Sport and Recreation, Western Cape Legislature by DA MPL Assistance Network. Bookmark the permalink.