Madam Deputy Speaker, the answer to this question is as follows: Government has set the following targets with regard to the attainment of universal access to the basic services of water, sanitation and electricity - for the eradication of the bucket system the deadline is the end of 2007, for access to basic potable, clean water it is the end of 2008, for access to basic, decent sanitation it is the end of 2010, and for access to basic electricity it is the end of 2012.
Cabinet received a full report at the Cabinet lekgotla last month, and discussed the mechanisms put in place in order to meet these targets. In the limited time allowed for me to answer these questions, let me just detail some of the steps we are following to accelerate the provision of these basic services and to meet the said targets.
Firstly, we have increased our transfer of funds to the local sphere of government where these services are provided. Transfers to local government have grown by 19% per year in the current 2007-08 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework.
As hon members will recall, the Minister of Finance announced in his Budget last week that the local government equitable share will receive a further R5 billion for the delivery of free basic services, which has now reached an average of about 80% of households. The municipal infrastructure grant receives R400 million more for a final push to eradicate the bucket system; a further R600 million for the electrification programme; R1,4 billion for bulk water and sanitation infrastructure; and R950 million to deliver water and electricity to schools and clinics. The total infrastructure transfers to municipalities now total R52 billion over the next three years.
Secondly, in line with Project Consolidate, we are intensifying our efforts to ensure that the expenditure level of the municipal infrastructure grant improves significantly. The introduction of project and programme management practices will enable a clear flow of information which will ensure alignment of planning, funding and budget prioritisation.
We are also endeavouring to provide more support to municipalities with critical capacity constraints and are particularly targeting municipalities with limited or no capacity; rural municipalities with backlogs exceeding 60% of the population; those rural municipalities which are under Project Consolidate; and rural municipalities that are spending less than 50% of the municipal infrastructure grant allocation. A major priority is schools and clinics that do not have basic services. The government, through the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, will assist struggling provinces and act as an implementing agent to provide infrastructure to schools and clinics. Water boards and NGOs will be utilised. Existing capacity within the provinces will be enhanced and allocations for this programme will be ring-fenced.
Fourthly, we are endeavouring to ensure that more engineers are deployed to these programmes by the Department of Provincial and Local Government, and the Development Bank of Southern Africa. Specifically, we are aiming at recruiting more engineers and targeting those that are retired in order to solicit their expertise, and in some cases solicit the expertise of engineers in our existing organs such as the Industrial Development Corporation and the Development Bank of Southern Africa. Even the engineers that are here in Parliament must go back and practise. We want engineers turned bankers to go back to their profession, people such as the Minister of Finance.
Lastly, the government, through the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, will be working more closely with identified municipalities to ensure speedier implementation of water and sanitation projects. This will include hands-on implementation of programmes and projects of other government departments such as Water Affairs, and Provincial and Local Government. Thank you.
Somlomo, siyabonga kumhlonishwa iPhini likaMongameli. [Madam Speaker, we thank the hon Deputy President.]
Indeed, it is good that the government has these comprehensive programmes, plans and targets that it wants to meet in providing water, electricity and sanitation.
But one has to ask questions. If one looks at what is happening in the rural areas, women, of course, and some men, still have to travel many kilometres from distributing centres because piped water does not go to their households. They still stand in these long queues. Does the government envisage bringing piped water closer to their households?
Secondly, we appreciate the fact that the government is doing something about the bucket system. But, of course, in the rural areas there are those who do not have the relative luxury of those buckets; all they have is the bush. Will the government also include those who don't have this bucket system, who have the bush instead?
Lastly, a specific question to the Deputy President: I come from the area where we have the vast Jozini Dam, but around the area ...
Hon member, you have exhausted your minute and you are still telling the history of where you come from. You have not yet asked your question. [Laughter.]
Bengithi ngizama ukwendlalela, Somlomo.
USOMLOMO: Musa ukwendlala mfowethu, asikho isikhathi sokwendlala. [Uhleko.]
Awungiphe umzuzwana omncane nje ... [Ubuwelewele.] Ngicela ukubuza-ke mhlonishwa Phini likaMongameli ukuthi laphayana edamini laseJozini ... (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Mr A M MPONTSHANE: I was trying to give a background, Madam Speaker.
Stop giving a background, my brother, there is no time for a background.
Just give me a second ... [Interjections.] May I then ask the hon Deputy President regarding the Jozini Dam ...]
... are there any concrete plans to use that dam to supply water to the surrounding communities who have no water at all, as I am speaking to you? Thank you.
Speaker, firstly, regarding places where there is no tap in the house, when we talk about universal access the plan is that people should not have to travel more than 200 metres to access clean, potable water. Even before I get to that, you used to be in the KwaZulu- Natal government: What did you do? [Laughter.] [Applause.] [Interjections.] Madam Speaker, who is on the floor, they or I?
The Deputy President is on the floor. Can she answer?
Ndiyabulelagiyabonga. Nenza ntoni ngeJozini Dam? [I thank you. What are you doing about the Jozini Dam?]
Madam Speaker, on a point of order: May I give an explanation ... [Interjections.]
Cha! Iyiphi leyo nto ofuna iqondiswe? Uyakuphendula nje uPhini likaMongameli; - angithi ubumbuze umbuzo? [No! What is it that you want to correct? The Deputy President has answered you. Have you not asked her a question?]
Madam Speaker, I would like to explain.
Cha, bab'uMpontshane. Ngicela uhlale phansi khona ezokuphendula umhlonishwa uPhini likaMongameli. [No, hon Mpontshane. I am asking you to take your seat so that the hon Deputy President can respond to your question.]
No, No. I have the explanation. You lost the elections there. That is what happened, because you did not give people water quickly enough. But I am helping you now.
I have answered the part of the question on what we are defining as universal access. In addition, when we talk about universal access to sanitation by 2008, we are including those communities which do not have sanitation facilities now, so the new households that are being built and the ones which have no sanitation facilities at all will therefore be included in the new figure.
Of course, one of the things we are most anxious about is to make sure that new houses and facilities that are being built have all these basic services. We must not, as we go forward, create a new backlog of inadequate human settlements. In that way, hopefully, we will reduce the backlog significantly. Thank you.
Madam Speaker, hon Deputy President, you referred to the important role that local government will have to play in this regard. Now, the sector skills plan findings for local government indicate that 36% to 38% of approved positions in local government are vacant. The highest proportion of these vacant posts is in less skilled positions - elementary and clerical workers. So, the shortage is not attributable to skills scarcity. They also found that at least 20 000 to 30 000 jobs could be created immediately if they would just appoint these people. So, hon Deputy President, I would like to ask you: Does the government have any plans or initiatives to ensure that the local government appoints these people, and can you exert any pressure on an organisation such as the ANC, which has 80% of the executive managers that can do this job?
Yes, hon member, it is our intention to do all we can to try to fill the vacancies as soon as possible, especially at municipal level, starting with the City of Cape Town, if possible. [Interjections.] Everybody wants to come and work in Cape Town. [Interjections.] No! They just want to come and live in Cape Town, not to live under the present government that is governing the City of Cape Town but just to live in Cape Town for its God-given beauty. [Interjections.]
In general, hon members, part of the work that we are doing in the deployment of unemployed graduates is to meet these municipalities where there is a genuine problem in recruiting people. For instance, where we have vacancies for clerks, that work ends up being done by teachers and therefore takes up valuable teaching time. The Minister of Education collaborates with the Minister of Public Works to make sure that when we recruit people for the Extended Public Works Programme, we recruit people who have recorded skills or are trainable and could play a role in providing those administrative services, we will use those people to fill those positions. We will train them so that they become fully qualified clerks. In fact, hon member, the Minister for the Public Service and Administration and I have this as one of our key activities to embark upon, at least in the first half of the year. I think the challenge is in the public sector. But we would also like the private sector to be a bit more aggressive about how they recruit so as to create these many instant jobs you and I are looking for.
Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the Deputy President whether the programme to eradicate the bucket system is flexible enough to incorporate formal areas that do not use the bucket system, and also do not use any type of formal sanitation system but, instead, make use of a system commonly known as the long-drop pit latrine, which is dug by the people themselves? I am speaking about areas where a house is built with brick and mortar, which is obviously a formal house, but where people still dig their own latrine in the yard. They don't use the bucket system so at the moment they don't qualify for assistance. [Interjections.]
Madam Speaker, it is not in the target we have for universal access by 2008, but it is included in the improvements. And, hon member, it's not unparliamentary to talk about droppings in Parliament. [Laughter.]
Madam Speaker, I would like to know if the Deputy President is satisfied with the progress in terms of sanitation, water and electricity with regard to schools? Are some provinces perhaps lagging behind in this respect? I say this with a picture in mind of some of the rural Eastern Cape schools I visited. Has the government prioritised these rural schools, and schools in general?
Yes, hon member, regarding those areas where the services are most needed and where the capacity in the province seems most stressed, we are prioritising them for support. But, as you know, with these kinds of services, in the case of schools, it's either a service or no service at all. We would like to see all the schools as priorities. But, where there is clearly a problem, that the province is going to default because there is no capacity, we try to help those provinces. That is why, in Project Consolidate, we even deploy those experts from stronger municipalities to go there as facilitators for faster implementation.
Public servant involvement in the Moral Regeneration Movement
4. Ms P R Mashangoane (ANC) asked the Deputy President:
What steps will the government take to ensure that public servants, in particular those in the main service delivery departments, are involved in the implementation of the key principles of the Moral Regeneration Movement? N248E
Thank you, Madam Speaker ... [Interjections.]
Order! It's the Deputy President who must respond to the question, hon member.
The hon member is in a hurry to get an answer, Madam Speaker.
Hon members are aware that the Moral Regeneration Movement is a joint initiative between civil society and government at national, provincial and local levels. As far as national government is concerned, some departments are running programmes aimed at strengthening the moral fibre of our society, but also at strengthening themselves within the departments. However, I do believe that much more can be done and more departments can participate in this programme.
Your question, hon member, relates to what government is doing to ensure that its employees, the public servants, are imbued with the principles and values of moral regeneration. I think that this is a crucial question, because if we were succeeding to the extent that we want to succeed in this regard, we would not be talking about corruption or poor service delivery in pockets of our civil society. That is why we, therefore, need to have targeted and dedicated programmes to address these challenges.
We are also aware that, in the Public Service, we have adopted the Batho Pele principles. We speak directly to the issue of morality. The Department of Public Service and Administration has programmes on Batho Pele, which have the potential to strengthen the moral values of public servants, and we expect departments to provide reports on what they are doing or planning to do to instil these values within their departments and amongst their employees. This is also expected to happen within the overall compliance and requirements of Batho Pele. We will be in a position to give more detailed feedback to this House once the Minister for the Public Service and Administration has received progress reports from departments.
Hon members, the most critical intervention that, I would like to argue, needs to be made in strengthening the moral fibre of our society is within families; it is by parents and communities because it is here that we plant the seeds of positive values amongst our young people. The responsibility should not only be shifted to schools, the government and organised civil society. It is particularly families that need to instil moral values, starting from childhood. So, we need parents to be a critical component of the Moral Regeneration Movement.
I'd like to take this opportunity to urge not just parents and families and those who are in care of young people and children, but also the hon members to play a role in advancing moral regeneration in their constituencies and to support the initiatives that are undertaken in their communities by different stakeholders, church groups, youth groups, education and so on, so that we can have a comprehensive approach. [Applause.]
Madam Speaker, I was indeed really in a hurry to get a response from the Deputy President. [Laughter.] Thank you, Deputy President, for your comprehensive response. My follow-up question is: Apart from reports from departments, what mechanisms are in place to monitor change in behaviour towards adherence to the principles and objectives of the Moral Regeneration Movement?
Madam Speaker, this question is extremely difficult: What mechanisms are in place to monitor change in social behaviour? I must say I have to go and investigate this; I don't know the answer. [Laughter.] Is it a number of sinners or of those who go to heaven? Of course, the overall decrease in criminal behaviour would be an important indicator.
I would like to ask Minister Pallo Jordan to answer this question on my behalf in the next round of questions. [Applause.]
Madam Speaker, Deputy President, in the Public Service there is a code of conduct for public servants. When will the government implement the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, No 12 of 2004? For example, when will the government act against Members of Parliament who are involved in the Travelgate scandal?
Madam Speaker, I think Parliament should be able to speak for itself on this matter. So, I think the hon member should direct this question to Parliament.
Madam Speaker, hon Deputy President, arising from your response, the ACDP shares your view that a high standard of ethics and morality is required, particularly in the Public Service, as well as your emphasis on the role that families should play. However, in terms of the Public Service Code as well as the Protected Disclosures Act, public servants are required to report fraud, corruption, nepotism, maladministration and other offences in both state and private sectors. To what degree, hon Deputy President, are the provisions of the Protected Disclosures Act, which protect whistle-blowers, being circulated in the Public Service to make public servants aware of the statutory protection they enjoy so that they can contribute to ethical standards that are being maintained in the Public Service?
Hon member, I am not aware that the civil servants generally do not know that they are protected and that the mechanisms and the methods used for people to whistle-blow are such that people can actually do that in confidence in order to protect themselves. Those of us who are principals have the responsibility, when we pursue these matters, not to disclose the sources of this information where we think it will endanger people. But more and more we find that public servants actually want to disclose and they want to take the responsibility for having made the disclosure, because I think there is a growing sense that it is a good thing to actually report wrongdoing. But to the extent that in some cases, especially junior officials, may need protection, clearly that is in place. If it is the sense of the member that perhaps people do not know, maybe this is something that we need to look at. But I wasn't aware that this is a problem.
I also want to go back to the question that I didn't answer, regarding some of the key indicators to monitor the impact of moral regeneration. I think some of the more formal instruments that we have will include the PMFA, through which we are able to identify problems; and the performance management agreements that people have to sign and against which they have to perform and be evaluated. Corporate governance in general is also but one of the mechanisms that we have to measure that impact.
When we see an increase of people who comply with all these measures, we will know that we are actually having a breakthrough. When we see an increase in incidents, we will know that we are not performing according to our own objectives. However, when you see a decrease of people who default, then, obviously, we are able to make a judgment based on that.
Maybe you will see these as hard instruments. So, we also are concerned about having both the hard instruments and also monitoring the soft issues, because, concerning some of the issues around customer care, not all of the instruments that we have can actually indicate to you whether a person gives a service with a smile, which in some cases can be make or break in the manner in which people are made to feel welcome. So, those are some of the things that we continuously have to fine-tune. These are the things that those who are in the front line of service provision need to actually internalise. When we do orientation and ongoing training for our public servants, these are some of the things that we need to look at. Thank you.
Somlomo, mhlonishwa Phini likaMongameli, kuye kwenziwe njani ngalaba abanamakhanda alukhuni kodwa futhi bevikelwe yizinyonyana zabo noma mhlawumbe bevikelwe ukuthi banezikhundla ezinkulu - kodwa kube kudingeka ukuthi kubikwe kubona? Kwenziwa njani ngalabo abanamakhanda alukhuni abangafuni ukuyilandela i-moral regeneration?
IPHINI LIKAMONGAMELI: Abanye babo basejele njengoba sikhuluma nje ... (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Mr V B NDLOVU: Madam Speaker, hon Deputy President, what is usually done about those who are hard-headed and yet they are protected by their unions and sometimes they are also protected by the high positions that they occupy and yet things must be reported to them? What should be done about those who are hard-headed who do not want to follow the principles of moral regeneration?
Some of them are languishing in jails as we speak ...]
... because the application of laws and regulations and the requirements, when it comes to compliance, applies to everybody. If you are a director- general, for instance, you have the same sets of conditions when it comes into aspects of compliance as somebody who is junior and so on. So, I think the important thing is to apply the regulations and the laws without fear and favour.