This is the Western Cape story - Helen Zille - OPINION | Politicsweb
Premier reports back on the DA govt's achievements of the past five years
SPEECH BY HELEN ZILLE, PREMIER OF THE WESTERN CAPE, STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS, WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE, February 21 2014
Twenty years ago, on the occasion of his inauguration as State President, Nelson Mandela stood on the Grand Parade and undertook to create a "better life of opportunity, freedom and prosperity" for all South Africans.
He said: "This needs unity of purpose. It needs action. It requires us all to work together".
Our vision in the Western Cape Government is the same as those spoken on the Grand Parade 20 years ago. We call it the "open, opportunity society for all". This is a society in which everyone has the chance and the means to use opportunities in life, and where everyone takes responsibility for using those opportunities.
No government can, by itself, guarantee a better life. Progress is the product of partnerships. That is why, in this province, we say, "Better Together".
We have shifted resources and energy into creating opportunities for growth and jobs without compromising, and indeed while enhancing, the state's ability to deliver better outcomes in health, education and social development. We have also refocused our efforts to promote social inclusion with a more pragmatic and less ideological approach.
Mr Speaker, as we near the end of this fourth democratically elected Provincial Parliament's term, allow me to report back to the citizens of the Western Cape on what our government has achieved over the past five years.
But before I begin, I would first like to welcome two of my special guests in the House today, Mr Colin Deiner, Chief Director for Western Cape Disaster Management and Fire Brigade Services and Jacqui Pandaram, Director of Operations: Western Cape Disaster Management. MrSchalk Willem Carstens, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction, could unfortunately, not be here today but is part of this management team.
Vyf jaar gelede het ek voor hierdie Parlement gestaan en onderneem om my bes te doen om 'n Premier vir almal te wees. Ek het ooksommige van die reuse-uitdagings uitgelig wat ons as 'n nuutverkose regering in die gesig gestaar het, asook wat ons planne was omhierdie uitdagings aan te pak.
Ons verskeie ondersteuningsintervensies het ongeveer 11 400 werksgeleenthede gefasiliteer en volgehou as gevolg van die stigting enuitbreiding van sowat 3000 Klein en Medium Sake-ondernemings oor die afgelope drie jaar.
We established our Red Tape Reduction unit in 2011, to assist SMEs to get through these bottlenecks. It was the first unit of its kind in government. Since the launch of the unit's hotline less than three years ago, more than 2,200 queries have been received and 87% of these have been successfully resolved.
Bedrog, korrupsie en ander ongerymdhede is in meer as 230 van hierdie gevalle bevestig en ongeveer 120 hiervan is by die Suid-AfrikaansePolisiediens aangemeld. Dissiplinêre stappe is geneem teen amptenare wat by hierdie sake betrokke was en dit het tot 43 afdankings gelei.Ons Forensiese Ondersoekeenheid is ook deur die Staatsdienskommissie erkenning gegee as 'n voorbeeld van beste praktyk in die land.
Another major investment in the area was the opening of the R350 million Hisense factory last June, which is projected to create over 1000 local jobs over the next three years. The factory currently employs 450 people - 150 more than it initially projected. It has also already established itself as a leader in technology on the continent, manufacturing the first UHD TV in Africa.
Hisense oorweeg dit ook om 'n tweede-fase belegging in die Wes-Kaap te maak en om 'n Navorsing-en-Ontwikkelingsentrum in dieprovinsie te vestig.
Die sukses van die Hisense-ooreenkoms het daartoe gelei dat ander Sjinese maatskappye aktiewe belangstelling daarin toon om diegeleenthede te benut wat deur die Wes-Kaap gebied word vir beleggings in nie-kommiditeitshulpbronne.
Mnr die Speaker, ons besef dat ons regering 'n deurslaggewende rol te speel het om burgers van geleenthede te voorsien, om hullevaardighede te ontwikkel. Om die vaardigheidspyplyn te versterk is integraal tot die versnelling van ekonomiese groei en werkskepping.
Ons het byna R1.7 miljard aan vaardigheids-ontwikkelingsprogramme oor die afgelope vyf jaar bestee en opleidingsgeleenthede aan 98 327mense voorsien.
Imaan Kathrada and Zikhona Sangotsha are two of the 4065 young people who have been placed in work opportunities under our Work and Skills programme since it started in 2009. Both of them are among the 60% of this programme's graduates who have been offered permanent placements once they finish their training.
Finally, Abongile Feni, also completed her PAY internship in 2012. She found out about the PAY programme through her high school and applied to work in the provincial Department of Agriculture. She was awarded a full bursary by the department to study a B. Agric. atElsenburg College after finishing her internship and is in her second year of studies. She plans to work for the department once she has completed her degree.
The EDP has continued with its important work over the past year including identifying potential areas of greater collaboration between the province and the City of Cape Town's economic programmes.
Om vennootskappe binne die landbousektor te bou, deur samesprekings met plaaswerkers, georganiseerde arbeid en boere te voer, vormsteeds deel van die Ekonomiese Ontwikkelingsvennootskap se werk. Die Ontwikkelingsvennootskap het ook die "Toekoms van Landbou en die Landelike Ekonomie"-proses gelei (they led the Future of Agriculture and the Rural Economy / FARE process), wat uitgeloop het op 'nomvattende verslag en stel aanbevelings vir al drie regeringsfere.
Increasing market access for our province's export products is a key priority and a special focus area for the Department of Agriculture. It is estimated that just a 5% increase in agricultural exports from the Western Cape could create 23 000 job opportunities in the province.
Die departement het ‘n aantal intervensies ingestel om boere by te staan om blootstelling in die oorsese market te verkry. Een van diepositiewe uitkomste was 'n 32%-toename in die uitvoer van Suid-Afrikaanse wyne tussen 2009 en 2012.
Die Wes-Kaapse Regering is verbind tot die ontwikkeling en ondersteuning van kleinskaal-boere en bemagtigingsprojekte in landbou, en dieverbetering van die lewens van plaaswerkers in hierdie provinsie.
Mnr die Speaker, ons departement se aandeelgelykheid-skemas (share equity schemes) bly verder steeds van die suksesvolstegrondhervormingsprojekte in die land.
In antwoord op die stakings wat aan die einde van 2012 in landelike gebiede in die provinsie uitgebreek het, het die departement ook 'n 12-punt plan ontwikkel om die onderliggende oorsake wat tot die gewelddadige onluste aanleiding gegee het, aan te spreek.
(Mr Speaker, our department's share equity schemes also remain the most successful land reform projects in the country.
Die Wes-Kaapse Regering is verheug daaroor om die koördineerder en fasiliteerder van hierdie opwindende proefprojek te wees, wat, indiensuksesvol, aan duisende arm plaaswerkers in die provinsie groot verligting sal bring. Dit sal ook 'n puik voorbeeld wees van hoe tweeregeringsinstellings saamwerk om burgers van geleenthede te voorsien.
The Western Cape Government also pays the highest amount of money, when compared to other provinces, to schools who qualify for fee exemptions - an amount of over R90 million over the past three years.
Ons het 'n rekord-aantal van 40 558 kandidate gehad wat die matriek-eksamens geslaag het, wat die hoë mikpunt van 40 000 wat ons vyfjaar gelede gestel het, oortref het. Dit is ook die hoogste aantal matrikulante wat nog ooit in die provinsie geslaag het.
We have also continued to see a climb in the number of learners passing maths and science in the province. In 2013, 12 216 candidates passedmaths compared to 11 311 in 2012 and in physical science the number of passes increased from 7995 to 8333. We have also reduced the number of underperforming schools from 85 in 2009 to 23 in 2013.
Dit beteken dat meer en meer kinders wat in arm gemeenskappe in die provinsie woon, met vaardighede toegerus word wat hulle benodigom sukses te behaal en hul lewensstandaard te verbeter.
Improving language and mathematics levels in all grades remains a core focus of our government. The Western Cape department of education has been conducting systemic, internationally bench-marked language and mathematic testing for all learners in Grades 3, 6 and 9 in order to determine the levels of learners' abilities so we can identify and target weaknesses and improve outcomes. We are the only province to have conducted such testing.
We have estimated that the migration of learners from the Eastern Cape over the last five years has cost an additional R1.2 billion. Yet, this money has not been diverted from the Eastern Cape education budget, even though they now service 100 000 fewer learners. We need to start questioning why this money is not being re-allocated to the provinces that are actually providing for these learners' education.
Ons besef dat intervensies om die siektelas te verlig en om seker te maak dat ons kinders gesond grootword, ook sal help om 'n sterkerekonomie te bewerkstellig en armoede te bekamp. Ons glo dat 'n regering wat omgee ‘n verantwoordelikheid het om te verseker dattoeganklike, bekostigbare, hoë-kwaliteit gesondheidssorg aan elke burger in die provinsie beskikbaar is.
It is critical that citizens start taking responsibility for their health and wellbeing so that we can reduce the major pressure on our health system, which is already under severe strain due to a 28.8% increase in the province's population over the last ten years.
For example, we have spent R2.7 billion on health infrastructure over the last four years, which has resulted in our government delivering a number of medical facilities including 17 clinics, 12 ambulance stations or disaster management centres, 8 district hospitals including Khayelitsha and Mitchell's Plain hospitals, 13 regional and specialised hospital projects, 21 central hospital projects, 5 pathology labs and the Western Cape Nursing College.
Ons het ook 'n aantal innovasies bekendgestel ten opsigte van die bou van vennootskappe en uitbreiding van gesondheidsorg-geleenthede in die provinsie.
First, the departments of health and education have provided R24 million to fund five state-of-the-art mobile units visiting schools, mostly in poor and rural areas to screen and treat Grade R and Grade 1 learners for conditions that require medical and dental care. These screening tests will assist us in identifying any disabilities or health challenges at an early stage so that these can be treated and do not affect learners' school performance.
This has reduced the waiting times at clinics and lightened the workload of pharmacies at community health centres. Hierdie is die eersteinisiatief van sy soort in die land.
Ons het ook vordering gemaak in 'n aantal areas wat gesondheiduitkomste betref oor die afgelope vyf jaar. Ons het, byvoorbeeld, steeds diehoogste TB-genesingsyfer in die land, naamlik 81.7%. Verder het ons die aantal baba-sterftes sedert 2010/2011 geleidelik laat afneem en onshet ook die hoogste lewensverwagtingskoerse vir beide mans en vrouens in die land.
Introducing early intervention and short-term counselling programmes at Social Development offices in Athlone, Gugulethu, Wynberg and Mitchell's Plain; and
Om 'n groot aantal Nie-regeringsorganisasies te befonds sodat behandelingsdienste aan duisende pasiënte gelewer kan word.(Funding a large number of NGOs to provide treatment services to thousands of patients.)
We have continued to expand this programme and there has been a major increase in enrolment figures. Currently, 48,894 learners are registered at the 181 MOD centres based at schools across the province, which is an increase of 34,894 learners over the past year. The department of social development also supplies meals at 101 of these centres in the afternoons, which is over and above the Western Cape department of Education's feeding scheme during school hours. It plans to expand this service to all MOD centres during the new financial year.
Sedert die kafee amptelik 'n maand gelede oopgemaak het, het meer as 400 mense geregistreer om toegang tot die program te kry. Onsbeplan ook om nog jeugkafees in Nyanga Junction, Atlantis, Vredendal, Bredasdorp en Oudtshoorn oop te maak. Dit sal egter aansienlikefinansiële hulpbronne en vennootskappe met die privaatsektor verg.
The matter eventually landed up in the Constitutional Court, after Minister Mthethwa's application to the Western Cape High Court was dismissed.
"The Premier is obliged to take reasonable steps to shield the residents of Khayelitsha from the unrelenting invasion of their fundamental rights because of continued police inefficiency in combating crime and the breakdown of relations between the police and the community."
Mr Speaker, the Constitutional Court ruling was a victory for provincial oversight and also paves the way for implementation of our new Community Safety Act as Minister Mthethwa's court challenge mirrors those that have already been overturned by the Constitutional Court.
Minister of Community Safety Dan Plato has raised our concerns over personnel shortages on a number of occasions with Minister Mthethwa through our "Policing Needs and Priorities" reports and at MINMEC meetings. The national Minister has, however, failed to respond to our requests or requirements.
Ons glo dat die herinstelling van hierdie eenheid krities is as ons, ons gemeenskappe van bendes, en die geweldsmisdaad en dwelmplaagwat daarmee gepaardgaan, wil verlos. Die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan het ook 'n beroep gedoen op die herinstelling van hierdie eenhede.
This reduction is a result of a number of innovations we have introduced including having the only 24/7 traffic service in the country that conducts weekend alcohol blitzes across the City and the province; initiatives focusing on long distance public transport such as regular safety checks and a fatigue management programme; implementing average speed over distance camera enforcement technology on the province's deadliest stretches of our roads.
Successful provincial department of human settlement projects include a gap housing project in Harmony Village, social housing projects inElsies River and Scottsdene, the Drommedaris social housing project in Brooklyn, the Asazani project in Mosselbay, the Luxolo People's Housing Project in Browns Farm, and the Siyaphumelela People's Housing Process Project in Makhaza.
Die Departement van Menslike Nedersettings het ook daarop gefokus om die behuisingsbehoeftes van plaaswerkers met die munisipalebeplanningsprosesse te integreer. Hulle het 'n duidelike stel riglyne vir munisipaliteite ontwikkel om te verseker dat plaaswerkers op huldatabasisse vir behuisingsaanvraag geregistreer is en voorgestel dat 'n kwota vir ouer plaaswerkers by die munisipale seleksie-beleideingesluit word.
However, recently the ANC has started playing political football with housing. They have repeatedly claimed that when they were in government in the province "they built 16,000 houses per year; while the DA has only been able to build 10,000 houses per year."
We were sceptical of the ANC's delivery claims and therefore asked the Forensic Investigation Unit in the Department of the Premier to do an audit on the source of this data, namely the 2008/2009 annual report produced by the then department of local government and housing under the former ANC administration.
The annual report claims that the ANC completed 15,717 houses during 2008/2009 but the FIU discovered that this claim cannot be verified. For a start, the ANC's thumb-suck figure includes programmes that had nothing to do with building and delivering housing units. And it also shows that the ANC simply shifted the deadline, and counted units that had not been completed by the end of the financial year. They got away with it because at that stage the Auditor General was not verifying these claimed statistics by actually counting the finalised housing total by the cut-off date.
But despite this, the Auditor General noted in the 2008/2009 audit that "the evidence provided to support the performance as reported in the draft annual report was in a number of instances materially inconsistent with the reported performance information."
It only remains for me to thank the citizens of the Western Cape for voting our government into power in 2009 and for giving us the opportunity to fulfil our mandate and deliver on the promises we made to you. I would like to thank a remarkable team of people, both in the provincial cabinet, as well as the professional administration, led by the Director General, for showing what "better together" means in practice.
Let's continue making the Western Cape "Better Together!"
Issued by the Office of the Western Cape Premier, February 21 2014
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