State of the District Address by Executive Mayor of Gert Sibande District Municipality, Cllr Muzi Chirwa
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State of the District Address by Executive Mayor of Gert Sibande District Municipality, Cllr Muzi Chirwa. 30 May 2019 The Honourable Speaker of the District Clr MJ Nkosi The Honourable Chief Whip of the District Clr SGT Nkosi All The Honourable Executive Mayors of all local municipalities All the Honourable Chief whips, Speakers of Local Municipalities The Honourable MMCs of the District and local Municipalities All the Honourable Clrs of the District & Local Municipalities Chairperson of Local House of Traditional Leaders: iNkosi JV Nhlapho and all the Traditional leaders – Bondabezitha kanye noNdlunkulu Deputy Chairperson of District Aids Council -Mr Mandla Thabethe All the Religious leaders Municipal Manager Mr CA Habile and MM from local Municipalities All the General Managers and Directors of Municipal Departments in the District and Local Municipalities Leadership from SALGA and COGTA Officials from all Government Departments and Parastatals All Officials of GSDM and Local Municipalities Business leaders Ward Committees and Community Development Workers 1 Leadership of the Civil Society Distinguished Guests Ladies and gentlemen, Good Morning, Sanibonani, Dumelang, Lotshani. INTRODUCTION Honourable Speaker, I am very grateful and truly honoured to be afforded this platform to address the citizens of Gert Sibande District and at the same to have the opportunity to lead the District. As the leadership collective, we have side by side steered this institution towards the expected direction. Hon Speaker, Today, we highlight our journey of the 2018/2019 as we are about to end the Financial Year and simultaneously table the future plans of the District through the Tabling of the 2019/2020 IDP and Budget. The year 2019 is a very important year in our political calendar. It is on the 27 April 1994 when our people in their millions, for the first time exercised their long denied democratic right to vote, went to all the poll stations to vote for the 1st democratic government. It is in that time when our people chose freedom over oppression. It is in 1994 the people’s choice was attained. The people of South Africa for the past 25 years have put their trust on the African National Congress and the people voted for a better life for all. Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela became the 1st black democratically elected president, which marked the freedom of all the people of South Africa across racial lines. Having achieved our freedom and democracy, Nelson Mandela said “Let freedom reign. The sun shall never set on so a glorious human achievement”. His words remain true till today and we witness the maturing of our democracy. The Gert Sibande District is part and parcel of celebrating the 25th year of our freedom. Like I use to say, this freedom was not achieved free. Many lives were lost, our people were brutally murdered, tortured and some were buried alive and some have 2 disappeared till today and remain unknown in terms of their whereabouts. It is through this background that we take this opportunity and salute our people, who on the 08th of May 2019 went to polls under the democratic dispensation and put their confidence in the ANC led government. Our people have spoken. Our people have raised issues they want us to deal with the following: Provision of sustainable basic service to all. Fighting crime, fraud and corruption. Creating job opportunities for all. Growing the Economy. Fighting poverty, and inequality. In the same spirit of Thuma-Mina, I take this time to congratulate the election of the wew President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, the Speaker of the National Assembly Ms Thandi Modise, the Deputy Speaker Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, the Chairperson of the NCOP Mr Amos Masondo and his Deputy Ms Sylvia Lucas. The Chief Whip of the majority party Ms Pemmy Majodina. Let us congratulate the appointment of the Deputy President Mr David Mabuza, appointment of all Ministers by the President. Let me also hasten to also congratulate the Election of the Premier of the Province Ms Refilwe Tsipane, The Speaker Ms Busi Shiba, the Deputy Speaker Mr Vusi Mkhatshwa and the newly sworn-in MECs of Mpumalanga Province. We also congratulate all men and women of this land, especially Youth and Women who made in to the National and Provincial Parliaments. The people have spoken, and the people have put their trust in the government led by the ANC, we dare not fail them. As the District, together with the local municipalities we are putting more effort to ascertain that the needs of the people are speedily addressed, and we do this, working together with National and provincial governments. 3 Let us also congratulate the first black woman who, against all odds, successfully summited the Mount Everest Ms Saray Khumalo. Malibongwe!! In this journey, we remain the ambassadors for the unemployed. We remain the ambassadors for the farm dwellers and farm workers. We will continue to be ambassadors for the development of small businesses and cooperatives. We will continue to be ambassadors for the restoration of land to our people. We will continue to be ambassadors for equal access to clean Water, Decent Sanitation, electricity and roads. We will remain true ambassadors of freedom and equality for all in the District. During the month of May we celebrated two major events. The Workers day on the 1st of May – which marks the achievement of the workers struggle and the Africa Day on the 25th May which coincided with the inauguration of President Ramaphosa. On this day the peoples of the continent Africa, celebrated the unity and Development of the continent and generally agreeing that Africa must compete economically alongside with the other continents of the world as equals. INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION AND BUILDING A CARING AND RESILIENT ADMINISTRATION When we came into office in 2016, the leadership, both administratively and politically committed to build a caring, responsive and resilient administration. To that effect, the leadership of the District worked very much hard to achieve the objects of local government as contained in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. We have built strong and competent administration. This institution we ensured that it is free from maladministration, fraud and corruption. We were able to radically re-shape and re-direct the vision and mission of the District, to be more responsive to the people’s voices and to be aligned to the powers and functions of a District 4 Municipality. We have thus, ensured that Gert Sibande is a real District. This is a District. Therefore, it is befitting for me to take this time to appreciate the work of the Political leadership – the Speaker, Chief Whip, MPAC Chairperson, all MMCs, Section 79 Chairpersons and Committee members and all the Councillors. I must also thank the administrative leadership of the District, the Municipal Manager Mr Habile, all the HODs, Senior Managers and the entire GSDM team for their support towards the successful implementation of the ANC manifesto and the manner in which the administration has been performing. In the same way I want to appreciate the sound working relationship with our local municipalities – the Executive Mayors, Municipal Managers, entire political and administrative leadership al local level. We also appreciate the support we have been enjoying from our people and all structures of the society. Let me also appreciate the good working relationship with Amakhosi and Abafundisi and Business people of this great District. HIGH LEVEL ACHIEVEMENTS – 2018/19 Clean Audit Honourable Speaker, when we first came into office during financial year 2015/16, GSDM received a regression from unqualified audit opinion to qualified audit opinion from the Auditor General. This was an awakening call to us the incoming leadership to urgently consider a Turnaround Strategy and commit to acceptable and clean governance. The subsequent report of the Auditor General for 2016/17 Financial Year, the GSDM improved to Unqualified audit opinion which was an indication that we were on the right direction, but more work was still to be done. Therefore, it is my greatest pleasure, honourable members, ladies and gentlemen, to confirm that we have attained the long awaited and desired audit outcome which in the Financial Year 2017/18 the Auditor General, unequivocally granted the GSDM the Clean Audit status. 5 This means that to date the GSDM runs a credible political and administration governance!!!! This accomplishment we must improve and sustain, and live by it, even in times of the political leadership change. Expanded Public Works Programme The National Department of Public Works reported during the November 2018 EPWP Summit that: GSDM obtained position one (1) of all Districts Municipalities in the country on the combination of Jobs Created and Full Time Equivalents. Lets thank all the local municipalities for their contribution in this work. Jet Patcher (Pothole patching truck): We purchase the state-of-the-art pothole closing machine. In Mpumalanga only owned by the GSDM. Lusushwane In partnership with the Department of Water and Sanitation and Chief Albert Luthuli municipality, NamaKhosi ( ka Duma, Emfumbeni, Enikwakuyengwa, etc) as part of the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant programme, the Lusushwane Bulk Water Supply scheme project amounting to R157m was completed and handed over to the communities of Bettysgoed, Smithfield, Aankanst, Pampoen, Hartbeeskop, Oshoek and Lochiel on 25 May 2019. This bulk water supply project addresses the water supply challenges faced by the communities and will ensure improved and reliable water supply to the communities. The project entails the extension of the raw water abstraction channel to meet the required 2033 design flows, new steel reservoirs and pipelines. In addition, a number of youth 6 members from the surrounding communities benefitted on job created and skill transfer through this particular project.