TSHWANEYour paper CITYCITY OF OF TSHW TSHWANEANE 15-26 August 2011 "we"we are the same" UPDATE R500 m Nestlé project CITY PAYS HOMAGE TSHWANE ENHANCES to create 350 jobs TO ORDINARY WOMEN’S FOOTBALL P3 STRUGGLE HEROINES P6 P12 SPEAKER REACHES OUT Councillor Morakane Mosupyoe is a committed activist for women empowerment, a hard TO COMMUNITIES worker, and a resilient but passionate woman. The City's first female Speaker of Council, Cllr Morakane Mosupyoe, is passionate about Her political history goes back to public participation and regards it as a cornerstone of democracy and a vehicle to instil a her student days – the days of the South African National Civic culture of good governance at local government level. Organisation (Sanco). Phalane Motale “It was in the 80s and 90s while I was a Sanco activist under the The newly elected Speaker took her participation and petitions.” chairmanship of Dr Mandla seat for the first time during the She acknowledged that there was a Mazizi that I got involved in the Council meeting on 26 May when backlog in petitions to be attended organisation's health desk in Ga- she had to officiate at the election to. Rankuwa together with the late and swearing in of Tshwane's “The backlog is proof that we did Miss Matlhodi Bokaba. Executive Mayor, Cllr Kgosientso not communicate enough and the “We changed the lives of people Ramokgopa, and the new Chief lacking capacity added to a flood of including the elderly in various Whip, Cllr Jabu Mabona. petitions to Council,” she added. ways. We made the elderly keep healthy by exercising and taking them out on excursions. As the chairperson of Council, the “But the new structure will also City's former MMC for Health and assist in addressing the backlog,” “We also had programmes Social Development is now faced she said. where they made candle wax to with the mammoth tasks of She promised that community keep their feet warm during Councillor Morakane Mosupyoe winter. They subsequently made facilitating and chairing Council participation would be Photo by Helenus Kruger candles which they shared with meetings and providing policy and the past. strengthened with the recent other less privileged members of legislative guidelines. establishment of a new governance the community,” she says with a proud smile on her face. “The office has now been capacitated with model that was going to provide space for Meanwhile, as chairperson of the increased accountability through a new structure headed by a newly Cllr Mosupyoe says she later Council's Public Participation and created post of Secretary of Council, with oversight. took a three-year break from the Petitions Committees, the Speaker must increased personnel.” civic movement to further her also ensure that the public participates in “To further strengthen oversight capacity, studies. She currently holds a City matters wherever possible, which the new governance model provides for a business administration diploma While still MMC for Health and Social and has her eyes on a master's include but are not limited to coordinating Development, Mosupyoe's department in position of Chair of Chairs, a person who qualification. the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) collaboration with the Human Sciences will be responsible for all the Chairs of and the Budget Community Outreach Research Council was able to develop an committees. “On my return in 2000 I got Programme. involved in the ANC branches in indigent exit strategy that is aimed at Ga-Rankuwa via the ward reducing levels of indigence in Tshwane. “Chairpersons of committees are now full committees. In a wide-ranging interview she indicated This strategy has resulted in an indigent time, which means that they are readily that she strongly believed that reaching programme that is continued under the available to oversee the functioning of the “Through hard work, dedication out to communities would strengthen different committees. The turn-around and a passion for public current MMC for Health and Social participation, I became a ward participation in political, economic and time for the response to petitions will be Development. councillor in 2006. This is my social activities, and that this would shortened. Section 80 committees have second term as a councillor,” harness the process of democratisation. She believes her elevation should be the been turned into section 79 committees, she says with a sense of commitment. foundation for promoting more women to making them more directly involved with She was also excited about the fact that the service delivery department,” she assume high positions in society. She was appointed the City's traditional communities in Tshwane were said. MMC for Health and Social also participating in local government, "I feel elated, honoured and humbled to Development by the former executive mayor, Dr Gwen through the structure of traditional be the first woman to assume the position As part of her office's women's Ramokgopa. authorities. of Speaker of the City of Tshwane. I never empowerment programmes, she urged thought that I would become an MMC or young women not to turn their eyes away “The job was very demanding According to her, the City has been Speaker when I joined politics. But with from their dreams of reaching their goals. and challenging, but also battling to some extent to promote the ANC, when you're deployed, you have “As long as they go to school, they can be rewarding,” she adds. community participation due to lack of whatever they want to be. If they are Mosupyoe says her deployment to hit the ground running," she said. as Speaker of Council has not human resources and institutional "This position means a lot of work. But I focused and do their work, they will changed her life, but rather her capacity, but that could be something of am very passionate about public succeed and inspire others.” approach to politics and the broader needs of society. Celebrating 10 years of service delivery www.tshwane.gov.za City of Tshwane I Official (page) 2 15-26 August 2011 TSHWANE UPDATE News HOPE FOR JOBLESS RESIDENTS Phalane Motale In its quest to curb unemployment ? Apprentice Programme – training and reduce the number of unskilled and certifying residents as and indigent residents under its electricians, plumbers, motor jurisdiction, the City of Tshwane is mechanics etc. committed to facilitating and encouraging job creation. ? Intern Programme – 1 500 people will be placed as interns in City of To achieve its target of creating Tshwane departments. 38 000 jobs this financial year and 375 000 in five years, the City intends ? Life-long Training Programme for to implement the Extended Public Senior Citizens – 70 senior Works Programme (EPWP) for all its citizens a year will receive infrastructure development projects training on economic and and provide skills training to a sizable financial matters. number of people a year. ? Peace and Development In line with government's war on Programme – the youth will be poverty, the City has drafted its own trained in crime prevention and EPWP policy and implementation The City is looking for metro police recruits. placed in temporary employment. Photo by Helenus Kruger framework, which has been approved by Council. establishment of a food bank, the the National Department of Public ? Saturday computer classes – 180 training of 400 indigent people to form Works – the City has embarked Grade 10's and 11's will benefit The focus of the EPWP policy is to cooperatives and the appointment of on innovative ways of fixing from computer training. alleviate poverty by using public sector 350 metro police officers during the first potholes that will empower ? budgets to draw significant numbers of quarter of 2011/12. communities. Youth Greening Project – almost unemployed residents into productive 1 000 youths are temporarily work while helping them to gain skills. Other Integrated Development Plan ? Cooperative Development employed in activities that aim to projects that will be funded from the Programme – 3 000 members of keep the city clean and For this purpose the City has selected operational budget this year include: cooperatives are to be supported environmentally sound. projects such as the following: the through training. appointment of community-based ? Pothole fixing in collaboration with contractors for grass cutting, the TSHWANE TEVREDENHEIDSOPNAME ONDER INWONERS, 2011 Kgomotso Ratsounyane, vertaal deur Ina Stahmer Die Buro vir Marknavorsing van die dié in die Suidstreek die minste ontevrede Universiteit van Suid-Afrika (Unisa) het was. Ambassades was grootliks tevrede met onlangs die bevindings van sy dienslewering. tevredenheidsopname onder Tshwane se inwoners, besighede en ambassades bekend Elektrisiteit en hoë elektrisiteitstariewe was 'n gemaak. Die opname, wat namens die Stad bron van groot ontevredenheid, maar wat Tshwane gedoen is, takseer die prestasie van vullisverwydering aanbetref, was daar min die plaaslike regering en help om planne in te ontevredenheid. stel om dienslewering te verbeter en gehoor te gee aan die behoeftes van inwoners. Voorts was daar aansienlike ontevredenheid oor die busdiens, openbare veiligheid en regstoepassing, maar water and sanitasie en Vyf prioriteite vir inwoners het in die opname beligting, met inbegrip van rekenings, betaling aandag gekry, naamlik en kliëntediens, het goed gevaar. werkskepping/vaardigheidsontwikkeling, veiligheid en sekuriteit, onwettige immigrante, misdaad en toegang tot basiese dienste. Oproepsentrums het egter nie goed gevaar Besigheidsprioriteite wat ondersoek is, was nie. So ook kommunikasie met beskikbaarheid van vaardighede, misdaad en gemeenskappe. diefstal, arbeidsverhoudinge, belastingtariewe, Die Stad Tshwane werk alreeds aan die gebrekkige infrastruktuur, toegang tot finansies verbetering van dienslewering deur middel van en die koste van kapitaal. die pas aangekondigde Program van 100 Dae van die Uitvoerende Burgemeester, Rdl Kgosientso Ramokgopa. Departemente is dus Inwoners was klaarblyklik meer bekommerd oor die bevindings ingelig en moet oor faktore wat hul lewens direk beïnvloed en aksieplanne vir diensverbetering aan die was meer krities oor basiese munisipale Burgemeesterskomitee voorlê.