Honourable Premier, Mr DD Mabuza,
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
MECs,
Executive Mayor of the Nkangala District Municipality TD Ngwenya,
Executive Mayor of Thembisile Hani Municipality, NJ Mahlangu,
Traditional leaders,
Mphakathi wase Kwaggafontein
Sanibonani,
Siyajabula ukuba nani namhlanje la eKwaggafontein, kumasipala I Chris Thembisile Hani.
Yinyanga yentsha le kaJuni, lapho sikhumbula khona indlela umbuso wobandlululo owahlukumeza ngayo izingane zesikole ezazilwela amalungelo azo kanye nenkululeko yezwe lonke.
Kulonyaka iminyaka engamashumi amane selokhu lesisigameko senzeka. This year we mark the 40th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising.
The policies of the apartheid government brought the youth of the day to boiling point. Many young people left the country following the uprisings to escape the atrocities of the apartheid state and to fight for a democratic South Africa.
Official figures show that 176 people were killed in June 1976.
The sacrifices of that generation were not in vain. We are now living in a free South Africa, which is a much better place to live in than during that horrific apartheid period.
My visit here comes about as a result of a walkabout I did at Marabastad in Pretoria, prior to the State of the Nation Address in February this year.
In that Address I committed to visiting Kwaggafontein.
Today I am here to keep that promise.
Ngofebruary ngavakashela eMarabastad ngiyobona lapho ngathola khona nabantu baseKwaggafontein, bangicela ukuthi angifike la ngizozibonela ukuthi bahlala kanzima kanjani.
Sengifikile ke namhlanje njengesethembiso sami.
Ngiphelezelwa undunankulu, ongqongqoshe bakazwelonke nesifundazwe kanye nosodolobha omeya bomasipala bakulendawo.
Sibambisene ukubona ukuthi singasebenza kanjani ukuze intuthuko nempilo engcono isheshe ukufika la kulomasipala.
Just prior to the 2011 local government elections the Thembisile Hani Municipality was placed under administration as the municipality was unable to discharge its functions.
This action was preceded by service delivery protests, destruction of property, and concerns around governance issues of corruption and mistrust.
As we stand on the cusp of the 2016 Local Government Elections, we are glad to have returned to a different municipality.
I have noted that the municipality had its consultation meeting with the community on its draft Integrated Development Plan and Budget on 12 April this year.
This was followed by the IDP and Budget Indaba on 06 May.
This consultative approach involving increased Public Participation is one of the tenets of the Back to Basics (B2B) programme that we launched with the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and mayors from across the country, in 2014.
Since then the B2B programme is transforming municipalities across the country.
In this regard, we welcome the 2015 Non-Financial Census of Municipalities (NFCM) report, released by Statistics South Africa this week. The report shows that the delivery of services by municipalities has increased from 2014 to 2015.
The provision of electricity increased by 4,3 percent, water by 2,5 percent, sewerage and sanitation by 4,2 percent and solid waste management by 5,3 percent.
The report noted that Free Basic Services are provided to 12,9 million consumer units or service delivery points.
A total of 2,4 million (67,8%) indigent households benefited from free water services.
Free basic electricity was provided to 2,2 million (62,8%) indigent households.
Free Basic Services include the provision of a certain amount of water, electricity and sanitation to households per month.
Mphakathi,
Ukutholakala kwalezizidingo kuyasikhumbuza ukuthi sisuka kude.
Eminyakeni eminingi edlulile, omasipala babenakekela abamhlophe kuphela kangcono. Once upon a time local government only delivered services to certain sectors of the population.
You will remember that our system of democratic local government is a mere 15 years old.
Now, we have a government that delivers services to all its citizens.
Siyaqhuba! Asimile neze, siyasebenza siwuhulumeni, sibambisene nomphakathi.
We have said many times and repeat that sanitation means dignity for our people. The Statistics SA department has indicated that the Gauteng province has eliminated the use of bucket toilets in 2015.mWe are glad to say that the Mpumalanga province has eliminated 98 percent of bucket toilets in the last year.
This is not the only aspect of service delivery to our citizens.
Just this week Transport Minister Dipuo Peters launched the 3,7 billion rand Moloto Road Development Project.
Moloto Road has achieved notoriety for a spate of accidents over the years.
Construction will begin in September.
The work will be completed in stages, with the most critical 25 kilometres receiving attention first.
The Moloto Road Development forms part of Strategic Integrated Projects that aim to fast track social and economic infrastructure development across the country.
The new-look Moloto Road forms part of the Moloto Development Corridor, which will improve travel between Mpumalanga and Gauteng through investment in the passenger rail network.
The road will stimulate economic activity by facilitating the movement of people, products and services.
Mphakathi wase Kwaggafontein,
Mangigcizelele ukuthi izikhalo zenu zizwakele. Sibonile ukuthi kuningi okufanele sikwenze ukuze kulunge impilo nenhlalo la kulomasipala.
In terms of the B2B assessment the Thembisile Hani Municipality is classified as dysfunctional.
We are aware of the challenges around the delivery of water services and the provision of sanitation and solid waste removal services.
We have also taken note of the high unemployment in the area. Imisebenzi ayikho kulendawo kuyahlushekwa.
Kodwa siyazama ukuthi ikati lingalali eziko.
Through the Community Work Programme 1 109 people are provided with regular work opportunities, twice a week.
Another 3 400 have benefitted from the Expanded Public Works Programme.
I am glad to announce that the construction of the new Reservoir and Pipeline at KwaMhlanga, which entails the addition of infrastructure such as bulk pipe line and concrete chambers with flow meters and control valves.
This is a long-term measure that will ensure a steady supply of water to Kwaggafontein.
We will also ensure the rehabilitation of two boreholes at KwaMhlanga Hospital, which entails the installation of two pumps with pipeline, supply and installation of panels and reconnection to existing tanks at the hospital.
I am also glad to have handed over completed houses to families of the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality who had been living in shacks.
We are indeed a government that delivers, working with our people.
Residents,
On 03 August we will host the fourth democratic local government elections.
I hope that you have all registered to vote so that your lives can improve further.
Let me also take this opportunity to remind all political parties to adhere to the Charter of Election Ethics, which we signed last month.
We condemn all acts of violence and intimidation that have occurred in the run-up to the election in some areas. We must all ensure peaceful and orderly campaigning, as well as free political activity throughout the country.
The South African Police Service is hard at work in ensuring the stability and security of all.
The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) is operational and the sub-committee on elections is co-ordinating safety and security planning for the elections.
The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster has planned a series of outreach activities to various municipalities across the country to make sure that there is safety during elections.
We urge communities to work with the police so that we can all live in peace and harmony in our beautiful country.
The elections IMC is also co-ordinating the assignment of addresses to households without formal addresses.
Statistics South Africa and the South African Post Office are busy with that task. Ideally everyone in the country must have an address. It gives people dignity and it also makes the delivery of services easier.
It also makes all in the country feel security knowing that everyone inside the country is known and accounted for.
Mangigcizelele ukuthi sijabule kakhulu ukuba nani namhlanje.
Ngizothanda ukuzwa kinina namhlanje, bese ke ngidedela uhulumeni ukuthi aphendule.
Ngiyabonga kakhulu Ndunankulu ngalelithuba.
I thank you.
Source: The Presidency Republic of South Africa