Report on the Nodal visits that took place on 24 April 2003 1 1. Nodereferencenumberandname: Node11:CentralKaroo 2. Dateofvisit 24April2003 3. Purposeofvisit Todeterminethestatusquoandprogressmadeinthenode 4. Listofattendees Nationa lChampions :MinisterMoosa(EnviromentalAffairsandTourism), DeputyMinisterZondi(PublicWorks) Provincial: ProvincialMinisterDowry(LocalGovernment) Chairperson :DeputyMinisterBotha(Provi ncialandLocalGovernment) Local: MayorGouws(LaingsburgMunicipality), MayorRossouw(PrinceAlbertMunicipality), SpeakerVisser(CKDM)and SpeakerPiti(BeaufortWestMunicipality) Attendanceregisterattached 1DPLG -IDTprovincialteamswouldberesponsibleforpreparingindividualministerialvisits’reports. Thecompositereport,asynthesisofthethirtee n(13)individualreports,willbecompiledbythenationalprogrammemanagers/team. 1 Action 5. Opening&Welcome 5.1IntroductionofPoliticalChampions,NationalandProvincial DepartmentsandMunicipalities:MayorRossouw MayorRossouwinhiswelcomenoteemphasizedthedevelopmentofthe CentralKaroo.HenotedthechallengeofdevelopingtheCe ntralKaroo as a district. He also welcomed the NDT, the Mayors, the Municipal Managers, Independent Development Trust (IDT), the national and provincial champions, Minister Valli Moosa, Deputy Minister Zondi, DeputyMinisterBothaandProvincialMinister Dowry. 5.2WelcomeAddress:SpeakerVisser Speaker Visser welcomed everyone in her address, especially the national and provincial ministers. She stressed the importance of the meeting and the rationale ofwhytheCentralKaroowasidentifiedasa node aswellasthereasonwhyeveryonehastobuyintothisidea.She alsopointedouttheimportanceofunderstandingeveryones’rolesand thatifCentralKaroofailseveryonefails.SheillustratedhowtheCentral Karooisapoorarea,thegeographical distancebetweenthetowns,with the furthest being Murraysburg 160 km, Merweville 150km and Matjiesfontein 200km plus from Beaufort West. She thanked all departments and pointed out that the purpose of the meeting is to determinehowthenodeisdoinga swellaswhatthenodeissupposedto do. Sheurgedallthedepartmentstobeinvolvedbothatnationaland provincial,pointingoutthatthepinchisfeltlocally.Sheraisedthe questionastowhatwecandoasateamtomakethenodegoforward. 5.3Purposeofthemeeting:ProvincialMinisterDowry Provincial Minister Dowry explained the purpose of the meeting and its significance in addressing poverty. Minister Dowry indicated that the meetingisthefirstofitsnatureinthenode.Hestressedthatbytheend ofthemeetingguidanceanddirectionsshouldbegiven.Theintegrated approachisawaytoaddressdevelopment. 2 approachisawaytoaddressdevelopment. ThisprogrammeinCentralKaroo,asoneofthe13nodesisbasedonco- operation between national, provincial andlocalgo vernment.Thefocus of the programme in the Central Karoo node is on sustainable rural development. The main goal and purpose of the Western Cape Government is to address poverty in the Central Karoo. Basic Infrastructureislackinginthenode.Theprog rammeispartofanoverall strategy of Government working in a new integrated way to produce results.Theideaofintegratedgovernanceisalsotoputinplacesystems of accountability and partnership, for the success of the programme is dependentonal lstakeholdersworkingtogether. He pointed out that the five pillars of the ISRDP are integration, coordination, partnership, decentralization and demand -driven delivery anddiversity.Itisimportanttoformpartnershipswiththeprivatesector that can contribute to the conclusion of the anchor projects. He highlightedtheneedforjobcreationtocombatpoverty.CentralKaroois attheforefrontofdevelopmentandthisrequiresaconcertedeffort. 5.4NationalDevelopmentPrioritiesandtheISRDP :MinisterMoosa Since1994SouthAfricatooktremendousstridesinstabilizingthecountry andtoimprovethelivesofpeopleofthecountry.In1994SouthAfrica’s economywasmoreorlessbankrupt.SouthAfricahadahugeoverdraft and national debt was out of control. TheGovernmentborrowedmore moneyforthebusinessofgovernmentandwasmovingintoadebtcrisis. TodaytheSouthAfricaneconomyisregardedasonofthemostresilient economies in the world. The South African rand is one of the best performingcurrenciesintheworld.Themostimportantthinginspiteof lots of insecurity, South Africa remained stable. The Government has achievedagreatdealinattendingtoneedsofthepoor.34%OfSouth African households had electricity. Today 72% households have electricity.Therewasahugebacklogofpeoplewithouthomes. Todate1.3million.RDPhouseshavebeenbuilt.Itisnotveryniceand big, but homes has been provided free of charge. The Government is 3 big, but homes has been provided free of charge. The Government is making huge progress. South Africa is the most popular tourist destination.SouthAfricaisexportingMercedesBenztoJapanthathas beenmanufacturedinEastLondon. SouthAfricaishoweverstillinthesituationwherepeoplearepoorand unemployedandmanychallengesa refaced,like,crime,familyviolence, and drug abuse. The Government raised questions about the rural peopleofSouthAfrica.CentralKaroowasidentifiedbyGovernmentasa placetocometoinordertoconcentrateashardaswecantoimprovethe lives ofpeople.Itcannothappeneverywhereatonce.TheGovernment had to start somewhere. It started of as a pilot project in the MunicipalitiesofBeaufortWestandPrinceAlbert.Adecisionwastaken that other areas should form part of the node. Thi s program is one of best ways to get all government departments to agree on a common programme.Therehasbeenreasonableprogress.Therewasaneedfor a critical mass of government intervention which will result in social upliftment. TheDepartmento fEducationdoeswhatithastodoinitsarea,Safety andSecurityhastobringcrime,down,DepartmentofSocialServicesis toplayanimportantroletoaddressthesocialdimension.Tourismwilldo somethingaboutthetourismpotentialinthisundiscoveredparadise.The Ministerexpressedhisconcernonwhatthestrategyis.Acollectionof projectdoesn’tconstituteastrategy.Needtogobeyondthat.Whathas Minister tobedonetocreatejobsandopportunitiesforpeople,especiallyyoung Moosa people?Willt heenvironmentbechanged?Shouldalleffortsbeplaced ontourismorsomethingelselikeagriculturalactivities?Heurgedallto thinkaboutaneconomicstrategyfortheregion.Championsshouldget the message about what the departments are not doing or what they shouldbedoingandeachdepartmentmustexplainitspresence.They cangototherespectiveministerstoaddresstheseissues. 4 Thechampionswillgotothedepartmentstomakethemdowhattheyare supposedtodo.Thechampionsneeddir ectionfromtheimplementers. TheChampionscangetgovernmentdepartmentstodolotsofthings. 5.5ProvincialGrowthandDevelopmentStrategyandtheISRDP: Mr.ShaunByneveldt(MemberofProvincialParliament) Mr. Byneveldt apologized f or Provincial Minister Rasool who was attending a long planned conference. The vision of the Cape as a growingCapeandiscontainedinastrategyforgrowthanddevelopment. iKapaelihlumayo:Hope,DeliveryandDignityfortheNextDecade is driven by th e president’s call to reduce the number of peopleonsocial grants. Thestatebudgetshouldbeusedtoimprovethequalityoflife, especiallythoseofthepoor.TheProvinceisreactingonthePresident’s call. Key elements in cooperation between ANC an d NNP is building a deracialized society; developing a unity of purpose to confront the challengesofpoverty,unemployment,homelessness,crimeanddisease; workingtogethertochangethemindsetsofSouthAfricans;developthe countryandthecontinent. TheStrategicObjectivesoftheWesternCapeProvincialGovernmentis believing in caring and representative government, ensuring basic services, coordinating HIV/AIDS and other diseases, deracialise and integrate all state financial institutions, develop the capacity of local government,stimulateeconomicgrowth,focusonagricultureandtourism towardruraldevelopment,promotepolicieswhichwillmaintainahealthy balance between protecting the environment and the developing economy, containing and er adicating crime through good intergovernmentalcooperation,nurturediversity, KeypoliticalImperatives Broad front for reconstruction and development, Economic growth and equity, Comprehensive social security, Deliver Service. Mr. Byneveldt elaborated ontheProvincesshort,mediumandlongtermstrategies 5 5.6DevelopmentChallenges,OpportunitiesandInterventionsinthe CentralKaroo:SpeakerPiti TheKarooisrichwiththepotentialforgrowthandprosperity,butis challengedbydifferentf acesofpovertyandeconomicstagnation,for example; 1)ClosureofGovernmentDepartmentsinBeaufortWest 2)Visiblebeggarsandstreetchildren 3)ThedependencyoftrafficontheN1 4)Distancesandfewresourcesthatisoffered 5)Limitedwaterresou rces 6)Youthcrime 7)Substancerelatedproblems 8)HIV/AIDS 9)Largedependencyongrants Thesewerehighlightedaseconomicobstaclesoftheregion.However SpeakerPitialsocameupwithstrategiesofhowthiseconomicdecline canbereversed.The sesheidentifiedas: 1)government’sabilitytodecentralizeandbringingbackofficesto theregion, 2)improvedusageoftheN1toattractmoretourists, 3)findingwaysofutilizinglocalresourcesandrecyclingofscarce resources, 4)development oflargeinstitutions, 5)marketingBeaufortWestasagatewaytotheWesternCape, 6)integrationbetweenrelevantdepartments, 7)improvementofcorrectivefacilities, 8)improvededucationandskillsdevelopment. Bypromotingalternativeactivities ,hebelieved,thiswouldincrease opportunitiesfortheregion. 6 5.7OverviewoftheCentralKarooIDPandUpdateonProgressin theNode:CouncilorJonas Shortfallof+/ -R17millionishighlightedaswellasthelinkagesbetween theIDPandISRDP isstressed.ShementionsthatSANRA,DPLG: CMIP,SocialService,HealthandtheNGOScorehascontributed towardstheanchorprojectsinthenode. 5.8NationalGovernmentCommitments:Mr.E.Africa,Deputy DirectorGeneralofProvincialandLocalGov