Let me take this opportunity to welcome the Minister of Public Works, the hon Doidge, and in the same breath then to request the Minister to open the debate.
Chairperson, let me say good evening to the House. It's been a long day for the NCOP, so we are not going to keep you too long. Hon MECs that are here, members of the NCOP, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa enjoins all of us to work together to -
Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights ...
As the current global economic downturn continues to grind, large numbers of our people find themselves without work, without an income and with their human dignity and self-worth beginning to erode. Ordinary men and women find it extremely difficult to provide for their households, yet the Constitution calls upon us to -
Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person.
Our focus is to create work opportunities that are labour intensive and with a high multiplier effect on poverty reduction. We seek to contribute to halving poverty by 2014. However, this we cannot do alone. We need to work together and better to do more with all spheres of government and other social partners.
We have to eradicate poverty, fight unemployment and deliver on ensuring a more inclusive growth path. Under our collective stewardship, we must further refine our strategies to cushion our people from the effects of the current global economic downturn. Ours, hon members, is to traverse these difficult times with total commitment and a clear sense of shared destiny.
For us to succeed, we need to tap into our diverse collective wisdom and rely on our human spirit of conquering, despite the odds. We need a more united and cohesive nation, well positioned to seize the opportunities that will arise when the global economy enters an upswing.
These are not ordinary times and they require extraordinary measures. It cannot be business as usual. As a result, we are adopting a paradigm that focuses on the following: ensuring an efficient client service to all organs of state; reduction in turnaround time and service provision, and improved productivity and cost-efficiency. Our objective is to position public works as a catalyst for a more inclusive growth and development agenda. We have put mechanisms in place to ensure an effective interface and exchange of ideas with the public through the Talk to Minister Initiative.
During the elections and through our manifesto, which now constitutes our electoral mandate, we said that unemployment is unacceptably high among our people, especially amongst African women, rural persons and the youth.
We further said:
Inequality has persisted and increased in our society ... The rural areas remain divided between well-developed commercial farming areas, peri- urbarn and impoverished communal areas. The benefits of economic growth have not been ... equitably shared.
We need a paradigm shift to bring about a sense of urgency in service delivery and a more co-ordinated approach to interventions. A fundamental pillar of this new sense of urgency is in service delivery and is effective through co-operation between all spheres of government and social partners. At Public Works, we are in the process of engaging all provincial public works departments and MECs in order to identify opportunities for programme collaboration, especially on the Expanded Public Works Programme. Strengthening of the Minmec needs to be undertaken with speed in order to meet the demands of a massification of the Expanded Public Works Programme, as articulated through the electoral mandate.
Whilst our spheres of government are distinctive, interdependent and interrelated, the Constitution enjoins all of us to secure the wellbeing of the people of the Republic. This requires a high level of co-operation and a common desire to lift our people from the scourge of poverty, unemployment, crime and marginalisation. This is our historic mission, a mission we must fulfil; we dare not fail.
According to the Constitution, this House represents provincial interests in the national sphere of government. In addition to the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, allocations, most of the funds are needed to reach our policy objectives to the provincial and local spheres. For example, for this financial year alone, the maintenance and repairs allocation for municipalities amounts to roughly R11 billion. The maintenance of infrastructure allocation for provinces amounts to roughly R6,5 billion. The national allocation for maintenance of infrastructure amounts to R1,9 billion.
These figures illustrate that the larger allocation from the budget goes to provinces and municipalities. Therefore, the NCOP must ensure proper oversight over where these allocations improve the lives of the people. We have entered a phase where accountability is a critical element of all our endeavours, where we have to account for our actions or nonactions. I invite the NCOP to exercise its oversight role over this department with rigour and constructively.
The creation of decent work opportunities will be the primary focus of all our programmes. In our fight against unemployment and poverty we will create 500 000 jobs before the end of December 2009. This will be a solid foundation for reaching the target of four and a half million labour- intensive jobs over the electoral mandate period. We will discharge this responsibility fully conscious that ours is about the restoration of human dignity, comfort and ensuring a sense of economic liberation for the majority of South Africans. In the words of the Freedom Charter -
... we pledge ourselves to strive together, sparing neither strength nor courage...
... until we achieve a more inclusive growth, shared development and a reduction in inequality. This requires a collective approach that insists on putting people first in service delivery.
The department is very serious about reaching the policy objectives of this mandated period. It has started the process of rearranging itself so that it can improve its services to all organs of state and turnaround time in service provision. To improve productivity and cost-efficiency, our turnaround strategy wants to ensure that we are more responsive to the needs of this developmental state. We invite this House and it's select committee to do rigorous oversight over how we give effect to the mandate assigned to us. Together we will do more for a better future for our people. Thank you. [Applause.]
Ngiyabonga Sihlalo, ngiyacabanga ukuthi ngizotshontsha lemizuzwana esele. [Thank you, Chairperson; I think I will only steal the remaining minutes.]
Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon Members of the Executive Council, MECs, hon members, and ladies and gentlemen ...
... ngingachithi isikhathi Ngqongqoshe, siyasesekela isabiwomali. [... without wasting time, hon Minister, we support this Budget Vote.]
I want to say something, which you will have to think about. The winner is always part of the answer; and the loser is always part of the problem. The winner always has a programme; and the loser always has an excuse. The winner says, "Let me do it for you"; and the loser says, "That's not my job". The winner sees an answer for every problem and the loser sees a problem for every answer. The winner says, "It may be difficult, but it's possible"; and the loser says, "It may be possible, but it's too difficult".
Thina abakwaKhongolose siyazibophezela ukuthi sizoqhubeka nendima yokuguqula, nokuletha impilo engcono, nokuxosha indlala, kanye nokuvula amathuba emisebenzi yabantu bakulengabadi yakithi.
SinguKhongolose kanye nombimbi lwayo siyimbumba, siyohlala sinje singuKhongolose futhi asinamona, asinanzondo futhi siyamdumisa uKhongolse.[Ihlombe.] Asifekethisi ngombutho wethu ngoba sikholelwa ekutheni uma sisebenza ndawonye singenza okuningi, kuyoze kuyovalwa. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[We, as the ANC, are committed to continue with our role to bring about change in order to ensure a better life for all, fight hunger and create new job opportunities for the people of our country.
The ANC and its alliance are united, and we will stay like this; we are not jealous of anyone, we do not hate anyone, and we will always hail the ANC. [Applause.] We are not compromising our movement because we believe that if we work together we can, forever, do more.]
I want, in the same breath, to hail the wise action taken by our Cabinet of removing the sector education and training authorities, Setas, from the Department of Labour and placing them directly under the Department of Education. It was saddening to note and experience the frustration of our youth who have acquired the necessary theory, and because of certain challenges, cannot be challenged into practical skills training. I hope such challenges will not be experienced in the Department of Education.
Our manifesto has put in place large-scale creation of decent work opportunities and the agenda of the ANC-led government to deal with the triple challenge of unemployment and equity. Change in our context, now, means the empowerment of the previously disadvantaged and dispossessed community, especially those in rural areas. Empowerment in liberation is taken to the next level; it is expanding people's horizons, opportunities, and taking off the chains of deprivation, self-doubt and self-denigration and degradation. People need to be empowered and become co-creators of their own wealth.
We appreciate the expansionist initiative you have taken in driving the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, which resulted in the introduction of its second phase, the involvement and close monitoring of the other departments, and also the lateral and the horizontal approaches regarding the other spheres of government. We commend the Independent Development Trust, IDT, on its responsibilities and being in charge of focusing on women and youth empowerment as well as its recent responsibility in relation to the EPWP.
Regarding the Council for the Built Environment, CBE, I believe the department and this council were in the process of addressing the identified legislative gaps in the built environment which, amongst other things, were delaying transformation of the built environment professionals, which process fell by the wayside.
What measures are being taken now to ensure that the gaps identified are being dealt with and that transformation of the built environment professionals is not necessarily being delayed or hampered? Secondly, does the funding of the professional council address the problems of relationship in this entity? Thirdly, are those councils being audited, thus bringing an element of accountability and transparency? Fourthly, registration of professionals has been a challenge. Is the problem being addressed as well as if these councils are budgeting jointly with the CBE?
Regarding the Construction Industry Development Board, CIDB, we recommended the following. There is a need to decentralise the CIDB offices in order to make sure that they are accessible even to the people in the rural areas; the entity needs transformation that will also allow the previously disadvantaged people to be included; the CIDB needs upgrading or a clear plan to uplift the Human Development Index, HDI, so that they can also reach the standards of Group Five.
We must acknowledge the role played by the Department of Public Works in pursuing the African agenda by building South African embassies in many countries in Africa, which has contributed to job opportunities for our country, as well as for the citizens of the neighbouring countries in Africa.
Sihlalo, ngivumele ngifake lokhu ngefasitela. Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe eBethal eMzinoni izakhamuzi zicela ukuthi wedlulise isicelo sabo kumlingani wakho obhekene nalowo Mnyango ukuthi makafake igalelo ngesikhalo sikagesi onqamuka zinsuku zonke ohlangothini oluhlala abantu abamnyama okwaqala ngaphambi kwa1994 ingakabibikho ngisho ukusindwa kukagesi. Siyacela Ngqongqoshe sengathi ungalekelela masinyane. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[Chairperson, allow me to smuggle in the following issue: Hon Minister, the residents of Bethal in Mzinoni are asking that you forward their request to your counterpart who is responsible for that department, and that is that he must do something about the electricity that is constantly tripping only in the townshipS. This has been happening since before 1994 when no overloading was taking place. We are pleading with you, hon Minister, to speedily deal with our request for help.]
Hon members, we must, now, deliver on our five-year contract. We are under orders to create four million jobs through the EPWP by 2014 and half a million by December this year, 2009.
Ngqongqoshe okunye engizokucela ngiyazi-ke njengoba kujwayelekile ukuthi kulamaqembu lawa amanye akhona sicela baqondisise ukuthi sizoya kulisese. Uma siya kulisese akusho ukuthi uKhongolose kuphela okumele afike ebantwini nabo bayahola njengathi banamahhovisi lena emakhaya abavela kuwona kufuneka nabo bafundise abantu NgoMnyango Wezemisebenzi Yomphakathi nokuthi usebenza kanjani. Ngiyabonga. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[One other thing that I want to request, hon Minister, is that since we will be in recess, as is always the case, I want these other parties that are here to know that it is not only the ANC which must go to the people during recess, but they must also go because they are paid just like us and they too have constituency offices where they come from and they need to teach people about the Department of Public Works and how it works. Thank you.]
Thank you, Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members of the NCOP and guests. The Department of Public Works has the opportunity to create thousands of jobs in South Africa for jobless people. It is time to translate policies into programmes of action so that the infrastructure of South Africa is properly developed and people's lives are further improved.
In the state of the nation address, hon President Jacob Zuma again made promises of 500 000 jobs to the jobless citizens of South Africa. That is wonderful news for every South African and also for the DA. The DA wants to see that these jobs become sustainable and are not jobs that last for three to six months. These must also be jobs of an open-opportunity society, which means that everyone in South Africa will get a job if everyone had the opportunity to work for themselves and to the benefit of his or her family and our country.
Die DA is nie bereid om, soos die ANC die afgelope 15 jaar gedoen het, le beloftes te maak aan hulle kiesers en mede-landgenote nie: beloftes van behuising vir elke gesin, as ons gaan kyk na die strukture waarin duisende mense steeds bly; beloftes van beter en opgedateerde skole, meer onderwysers - ons kan maar gaan kyk hoeveel skole daar is wat nog van klei en modder gebou is en waar daar nog kinders onder die bome skoolgaan; beloftes van mediese dienste, hospitale en klinieke; beloftes van 'n beter polisiemag, meer gevangenisse, meer fasiliteite om ons pligte beter uit te voer; beloftes van 'n meer vaartbelynde Departement van Openbare Werke. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The DA is not prepared, unlike the ANC over the past 15 years, to make empty promises to their voters and fellow-citizens: Promises of houses for every family - just look at the structures in which thousands of people still have to live; promises of better and modernised schools and more teachers - just look at how many schools are still built from clay and mud and where children have to sit under trees to be taught; promises of medical services, hospitals and clinics; promises of a better police force and the building of more prisons, more facilities to improve our service delivery; and promises of a more streamlined Department of Public Works.]
Hon Chairperson, it is the responsibility of the Department of Public Works to see to it that the people of South Africa have clean water, proper sanitation in their houses, better school buildings, especially in the rural areas of the country, and better hospitals and clinics all over South Africa.
Government buildings are falling apart in many places. It looks as if the Department of Public Works has lost control over the maintenance of these governmental properties. Many of these buildings have been built within the past three to five years. The DA wants to know where were aspects such as quality control, professional input and skilled people when these buildings were built. We cannot afford this kind of poor quality buildings and we must always remember that the department is working with taxpayers' money. With poor quality of work we move backward, and not forward.
Agb Voorsitter, dit is presies wat die President in sy staatsrede ges het, en dit weergalm soos 'n refrein deur die department soos elke spreker en ook Minister daarna verwys. Ek haal aan:
Laat ons mekaar se hande vat...
En ek wil dit graag weer s, want die President het dit in sy openingsrede ges:
Laat ons mekaar se hande vat, en saam oplossings vind in die gees van 'n Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskap. Die tyd het gekom om harder te werk.
En dit geld vir elkeen van ons wat ook in hierdie Huis sit -
Ons regering gaan vorentoe kyk, nie agtertoe nie!
Met die nodige dissipline in elke departement sal die droom van die agb President dalk verwesentlik word. Die ANC het homself verbind om hierdie doelwitte te bereik en ons moet kyk of dit volhoubaar gaan wees. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Hon Chairperson, this is precisely what the President said in his state of the nation address and it resounds like a chorus throughout the department, as every speaker and Minister is also referring to it. I quote:
Let us take one another's hands ...
And I would like to repeat that, as the President said those words in his state of the nation address:
Let us take one another's hands, and together find solutions in the spirit of a South African community. The time has come to work harder.
And that applies to all of us who are sitting in this House -
Our government is going to look forward, not backward.
With the necessary discipline in each department the dream of the hon President will perhaps be realised. The ANC committed itself to achieve these targets and we will have to see whether it will be sustainable.]
We want to see the department starting to train people in their thousands in every province in South Africa. Give them the necessary training to become specialists in their jobs. Chairperson, a serious investigation must take place into the way this department handles the tender processes, how different entities in the department manage their budgets, underspending of budgets - and this is taxpayers' money - fraud and corruption, and the employment of families and friends in specialised posts.
The DA wants to ask the hon Minister to get control mechanisms in place to work together with all South Africans to build cohesive, caring and sustainable communities.
The positive direction the Department of Public Works has taken by uplifting people, especially those in the rural areas who are very poor, is much supported by the DA. The job opportunities provided by the EPWP will help a lot of people who are in desperate need to look after themselves in the future. The life and technical skills training will also help people to run their own businesses, earn an income and support their families.
We will take the ANC on and ensure that as the ruling party, they are responsible for the promises they made to fight corruption in the public services. The President said government had a role to play in the war against crime. To ensure delivery, government -
... will hold Cabinet Ministers accountable through performance instruments, using established targets and output measures ...
Furthermore, the President claims that he will work well with opposition parties in Parliament ... Thank you. [Time expired.]
Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members, good evening. Let me start by congratulating you, hon Minister, on your appointment to this busy position. We, as Cope, pledge our unwavering support to you and your team.
Cope supports the fact that a bigger portion of the budget for the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, must go to municipalities, but the department should monitor and remain accountable for the quality of work versus the expenditure. We also call for the issue of incentives to better performing municipalities.
This department should link up with client departments, provinces and municipalities to address job creation. You, Minister, please, should also as a matter of urgency finalise the reclaiming of the mandate of this department, thus ensuring improved co-ordination with client departments regarding decentralised and centralised functions. This will make us, as Cope, see Public Works running with the School Building Programme, particularly with regard to the eradication of mud schools in rural areas, construction of rural access roads, etc. All this should be in partnership with the relevant departments.
Before I forget, the Minister should please remember that there are three schools which are named after traditional leaders, namely Chief Moshoeshoe in Matatiele, Chief Daluhlanga kaJojo in Mount Ayliff and Chief Makaula in Mount Frere. We have a commitment across the political divide in the Eastern Cape that these schools should be transformed into model schools.
By the way, the MEC for Education, hon Qwase, was saying yesterday that they have included other regions and now there are ten schools in this programme.
In conclusion, Chairperson, this department is charged with the responsibility of major infrastructure like the border posts and others. It therefore cannot continue with its current high vacancy rate if it has to meet its mandate.
Cope has declared that we are a patriotic opposition party. Hence, we once more pledge full support to this department.
Xa kufuneka sincome, siza kuncoma. Xa kufuneka sigxeke, siza kugxeka (but constructively). Xa kufuneka sibuze, siza kubuza. [When we have to sing praises, we will sing praises. When we have to criticise, we will criticise, but constructively. When we have to question, we will question.]
I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputies present here, hon MECs, hon members, senior government officials, invited guests ...
... ?o kovhela. Zwine nda khou ?o?a u amba zwone ndi zwauri ... [... evening. What I want to say is that ...]
... the main policy priorities of the Department of Public Works are clearly set out in this year's state of the nation address and also meticulously illustrated in the department's strategic plan.
Amongst the priorities of the department and also outlined in the target and directive given by our President, Comrade Jacob Zuma, is the creation of 500 000 jobs by the end of this year.
Hon Minister, as the precursor to my debate on this, I want to call upon the Department of Public Works as a lead department in the creation of job opportunities within the government to call a meeting of all government departments, which will result in them committing themselves financially and programme wise so that their inputs are likely to be to the targeted 500 000 jobs by the end of the year, and also to the five-year target of 4 million jobs by 2014.
In Polokwane we resolved that we should be steadfast in our commitment of creating decent work opportunities for our people whilst, at the same time, we design and adopt economic policies that support and sustain growth, job creation and poverty eradication on a sustainable basis.
It is because of the assertions alluded to earliar that the Department of Public Works should be proactive in its interaction with provincial governments and departments to ensure that the set targets, which are very low according to my assessment, are achieved beyond any doubt.
Public Works is about people at work for shared growth. Decent work is the foundation of the fight against poverty and inequality, and therefore its promotion should be the cornerstone of all our efforts. The Freedom Charter contends that to work is a right, and not a privilege, which means that according to this blueprint of our freedom, unemployment is an infringement of the right of the citizens to decent work.
This imperative for the creation of decent employment contends that our central goal for reconstruction and development is to create a strong, dynamic and balanced economy which will eliminate poverty, low wages and extreme inequalities in wages and wealth generated by the apartheid system.
The National Youth Service Programme, initiated in 2003, is meant to address high levels of youth unemployment by creating opportunities for voluntary services and skills development for young people.
The programme supports communities through national development, while simultaneously providing an opportunity for young people to access opportunities for skills development, employment and income generation.
Hon Minister, it is again in line with the state of the nation directive stating that the jobs created for new entrants into the job market should be quality work opportunities.
We hope that the Department of Public Works will design programmes to benefit the youth, women and disabled and also be in line with the directives of the state of the nation as alluded to above.
Concerning the budget allocated to the department for 2009-10, I would like to emphasise the undesirable habit of our government departments of not spending all their annual allocations resulting in rollovers and lack of delivery of budgeted services to our people.
Such habits are at times caused by lack of proper planning and lack of proactivity of our officials and results in tarnishing the name of the ANC- led government. Be that as it may, we have confidence in our Minister of Public Works, Minister Doidge, that if such habits exist in this department, they will immediately be uprooted to ensure that we all work together with similarly minded people to achieve and do more for the people of this country.
Bivhili iri: A sa shumi na u ?a a songo ?a. Ya dovha ya ri mubva ndi iwe. Hezwi zwo?he zwi amba uri vhashumeli vho?he vha muvhuso, vho rapo?itiki na lushaka lwo?he, nga i?we n?ila vhadzulapo vha fhano Afurika Tshipembe ro?he ri khou tea u shumisana u itela uri ri kone u wana vhutshilo ha khwi?e ngauri a zwi thusi tshithu uri ri vhadzulapo vha fhano ri ambe zwauri arali nda sa ?a ndi ?o shela mavu. Ni tshi shela mavu ni khou ?ishelela na inwi mu?e. Arali ni tshi shela mulimo ni tshi khou itela uri zwithu zwa ANC zwi songo tshimbila nga ngona, ni khou ?ithuntsha mulenzhe inwi mu?e.
Zwa khwi?e ndi zwauri arali ni sa koni u vha kunda, ivhani vhathihi navho, ni shumisane u itela uri vhutshilo ha vhathu vha fhano Afurika Tshipembe kana vharema, vhatshena, kana vha muvhala ufhio na ufhio, ngauri ndi zwa ndeme uri ro?he ri vhe na vhutshilo ha khwi?e.
Zwo?he hezwi ndi khou zwi amba ndi na fulufhelo ?a uri Vho Minisi?a, Vho Doidge, vha khou ya u lwa heyi nndwa vha i kunda ngauri vho no ?i ri sumbedza sa komiti yo khetheaho ine ra vha khayo, zwauri vha muthu o ?iimiselaho.
Tshe vha swika fhano lwa tshifhinga tsha vhege tharu fhedzi, ndi lwa vhuraru ri tshi dzula fhasi navho ra kovhekana mihumbulo nga ha mafhungo a Mishumo ya Tshitshavha. Kha vha khwa?hise. Ndo livhuwa. [U vhanda zwan?a.] (Translation of Tshiven?a paragraphs follows.)
[The Bible says: He who does not work should not even eat. It further says that a lazy person is you. This means that all government employees, politicians and the entire nation, in other words all South African citizens, should work together so that we can get a better life, because it does not help us as citizens to say that if I do not get a share, I shall spoil it. If you spoil it, you are spoiling it for yourself as well. If you do things to sabotage the ANC initiatives, you are shooting yourself in the foot.
The best thing to do is, if you can't beat them, join them and work together to make a better life for South Africans or blacks, whites or coloureds, because it is better for us to have a better life.
I am saying this hoping that the Minister, Mr Doidge, is determined to fight for this and win, as he had already shown us in the committee of which we are members.
Since he became a Minister three weeks ago, we have sat down thrice to share ideas on matters concerning Public Works. Keep up the good work. I thank you. [Applause.]]
Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members of executive councils, MECs, hon members of the NCOP, good evening. Please accept my sincere apologies. Today I am not feeling very well. My lack of energy does not mean that we will drag our feet as we deliver on the mandate.
I have decided to concentrate on three areas, adding to what the Minister has already said - that we are gearing ourselves to make Public Works a real business, to make a profit and to be a better custodian of the state's immovable assets.
But, I guess, having listened to all the members this evening, I am going to make a few changes, and also pick up on a few points. I'll focus on the most vulnerable as I personally believe that if Public Works could change and touch their lives, this country would become a better country. I'll start with one of my very favourite quotes written in the Integrated National Disability Strategy foreword by the former President of the Republic of South Africa, hon Thabo Mbeki, when he said:
Among the yardsticks by which to measure a society's respect for human rights, to evaluate the level of its maturity and its generosity of spirit, is by looking at the status that it accords to those members of society who are most vulnerable, the disabled people, senior citizens, and its children.
As Public Works, we may neither be Social Development nor the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities, but we are in a better place for changing the lives of these categories of people through ensuring access, provision of required job opportunities and creation of an environment that represents the needs of these sectors.
There are a number of challenges that we would have to deal with, and I am hoping, as the Minister has humbly requested already, that the provinces will assist us in that manner. One of the areas that we need to get right is our asset management system, in totality, as hon Groenewald was complaining a lot about that. We shall work towards establishing a consolidated asset management system without the exclusion of the provinces, as our preliminary findings showed that provinces are, at the moment, utilising different systems.
Public Works will, at the national level, move towards introducing and establishing a consolidated information and communications technologies, ICT, system that will enable us to respond to all the different assets so that hon members no longer say that they don't know where the assets are. Assets are getting dilapidated so we want to have one consolidated register to be able to know who owns what, where it is, and who is responsible for its maintenance. That is a commitment we are willing to make. In 2012, we will be halfway there. We are hoping that provinces will be ready to join us. With the commitment and hard work of the select committee, we will get there faster.
With regard to issues of our strategic priorities - the other member already spoke about issues of young people - it is important to mention that we are geared up for our Priority Area Number 4. We are going to partner with tertiary institutions, especially those for disadvantaged young black people, to transform the built environment to be conducive and to respond to the needs of young people; also, to enable us to reduce the shortage of skills in that sector.
As a responsive department, we are committed to ensure that by 3 December, which is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we shall have provided the necessary guidelines on what informs the buildings we are making accessible, given the limited resources we have, so that provinces are able to tap into those guidelines and prioritise which buildings to make accessible.
We will also work towards guidelines for the restructuring of the built environment professions. As much as we've got the best regulations, for some reason our engineers, quantity surveyors and architects continue to produce inaccessible buildings which we will have to pick up and make accessible at another cost. Somehow, we need to make sure that that does not happen. We must ensure that they are able to comply with the existing building regulations.
We need to empower the Council for the Built Environment, CBE, to be in a position to assist professionals to respect the accessible legislations, as we are committed to the principle that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, including the disabled, who must have access to those buildings that are costing us money. Every time they produce them, we have to go back and make them accessible.
We are committed to change the lives of children. We are fully aware that we have made a commitment with regard to early childhood development, bearing in mind that in rural areas there are no early childhood development, ECD, centres. Working together with the Department of Social Development, we are going to make ECDs centres accessible so that for rural children it is not just a distant dream or a "nice-to-have", but a structure built in a safe environment that responds to the needs of children in terms of age appropriateness. That will be another way to ensure that we meet the third target of 500 000 jobs. [Interjections.] Yes, of course. They will be sustainable.
The Department of Public Works is committed to ensuring that the public works because we do work. We are committed to creating a department that will be responsive to the needs of the people. We shall utilise Public Works to give South Africa a face-lift and ensure that no one goes hungry with a department that could produce.
Let me thank the President for awarding me an opportunity as the first visually-impaired member of his Cabinet. This goes a long way to show that this country respects the human rights of all, and that it is a country that belongs to all who live in it. I also want to thank the ANC as the party that respects the rights of disabled people and believes that we also have the ability and the capacity to deliver the mandate that they have been given.
I also want to thank the Minister, the department and all the officials for all their support. I am looking forward to robust engagements with the select committee. I am grateful for the support from the departments. I also want to thank my team in the office that is always making it possible for me to function and discharge my duties with respect. I also thank my husband, who is always by my side, supporting me in all that I do, sometimes delaying his own dreams and aspirations. I also want to thank my children who, as a young parent, I raise with a remote control!
In conclusion, the implementation of the Construction Charter will be the key to the success of the many programmes I alluded to. The construction industry is one of the sectors not yet affected negatively by the global recession, but it is also a sector that has a high skills shortage and feels the high impact of HIV/Aids. As a result, we shall be investing a lot of time and energy in ensuring that we develop a very good programme. Working together, our contributions will prove to be invaluable to the processes of the creation of a truly people-centred society as we move towards a developmental state that we will all be proud of. [Applause.]
Ndi one mafhungo e nda vha ndo vha farela one. [This is the information I had for you.]
Ke a leboga. [Thank you.]
Thank you, Mr Chairman; once again, I appreciate the opportunity. Minister, I do apologise for not having been in the House personally when you made your speech today. I did not realise that things were going to go quite so quickly. I also apologise on behalf of MEC Robin Carlisle who is not able to be here today. He has asked me to stand in his stead and I do so willingly.
I would like to say that you are very lucky to have a Deputy Minister who can speak so well when she is unwell; I'd hate to see how well she does when she is well!
I would like to pick up one or two points that she made, if I may, please, right from the outset. She is relying on the provinces to assist. You can be sure that the Western Cape government is going to play its full role as far as Public Works is concerned. I think that the MECs have a really good handle on what is going on, especially with regard to the EPWP. I think South Africa has a golden opportunity during this recessionary period to do similar projects to what Franklin Delano Roosevelt did during the Depression in 1932 in America.
She did mention something with regard to an asset management register. I am not quite sure whether I picked up correctly with regard to what the Deputy Minister meant in this regard. I am just a little bit concerned that having a consolidated asset management register might impinge upon the spheres of government-related and/or constitutional aspects. Be that as it may, it is a matter I would just like clarity on.
I think some of the hon members might need a lesson on South African national politics as far as the role of the NCOP is concerned. This Chamber is here for the provinces to demonstrate their concerns at provincial level. This is what I am doing.
As far as inaccessible buildings are concerned, I think that the Deputy Minister has raised a very pertinent point. One of the single biggest problems in South Africa at the moment is the inability - and most departments are having to give back massive amounts of money into Treasury - and the lack of middle management skills for project management.
And I am horrified if she says that as the client the government is commissioning buildings, but the architects and the engineers are delivering something other than what the client wants. And that can only be as a result of a lack of project management and middle management skills. So I think that also needs to be addressed.
The Public Works division is a critical component responsible for the management of government assets, including the construction, upgrading and maintenance of buildings and related infrastructure. The programme, however, has not been able to perform its functions with the required excellence, as a result of the previous regime's lack of accountability and leadership at both administrative and political-executive level.
In this regard I would just like to quote from the Minister's statement that appeared in the Cape Argus of Friday, 26 June:
More than R1,5 billion had been spent on consultants in the past three years in the Western Cape. The department's poor record of school building was investigated and a report called for immediate disciplinary action against senior managers.
I think it goes hand in glove with the point that I made earlier with regard to project management.
It now faces serious budgetary constraints that will impede essential maintenance works on roads and government buildings. The Treasury has withheld R80 million from the Public Works maintenance budget for the current financial year. The current budget has allocated R642 million to Public Works, in addition to the funds budgeted under Health and Education, for meeting their needs.
The subprogramme support has grown from R87 million in the 2005-06 to R175 million in the 2009-10 financial year. Spending in this area will be subject to judicious review. On the other hand, Subprogramme 2 and 3, namely construction and maintenance, are R3 million less than they were in the 2005-06 financial year. This despite the fact that the physical condition of our roads and government buildings continue to deteriorate, whilst maintenance backlogs are rising at alarming rates.
The department has a mammoth task of meeting the target of roughly 112 000 full-time jobs for Phase 2 of the EPWP - that is for the Western Cape. In these recessionary times, the EPWP is an intervention that could improve the lives of many. The challenge, however, remains the vital issue of transferable skills, to enable beneficiaries of EPWP jobs to use the skills they have acquired working on EPWP projects to improve their lives beyond the completion of those projects - in other words, sustainability.
The department launched the Umsebenzi job portal two years ago to link jobseekers with potential employers by registering unemployed individuals and allowing employers to advertise vacancies on the site. Whilst the portal may have a real potential to contribute towards reducing unemployment in the province, until recently the last job posted on the site was in August 2008 - almost a year ago. We are gratified by the assurance in the House last week that the department has specific instructions to update the portal regularly, so that it becomes of great use to jobseekers.
The flagship training project, Learnership 1 000, does not reflect well on the department. It has been characterised by poor planning and execution, and is the subject of a forensic audit. The department can ill afford to underutilise resources designed to help reduce unemployment, especially during times where jobs are shed daily.
We welcome Minister Carlisle's objective to ensure that the department operates openly and honestly. We believe that accountability and decisive leadership at both administrative and executive level will enable the department to manage the provincial property better, and pursue innovative ways of generating revenue to conduct essential maintenance and upgrading work.
Mr Chairman, I would like to hand the Minister and his department a bouquet. I was at Fort Wyngard today, which is part of the 2010 precinct, and all the role-players there could not have been more complimentary with regard to Public Works, as to how they work with great alacrity and efficiency.
Having said that, a bit of a brick though: In the Claremont area, I think it is, the police barracks had a fire 21 months ago in a flat and four garages. It was in the newspaper of yesterday, the Cape Argus, that still no repairs have been done.
According to the police, all necessary documentation and correspondence was handed to the Department of Public Works, which was responsible for the repairs and maintenance of the building. They gave us an indefinite response that the process was underway. I must ask, please, the police are under enough pressure as it is and this particular building is very much in the public eye. I would appreciate if you could assist in that.
Just one concluding remark, Minister, and that is that I come from the southern part of the Peninsula, where the largest navy on the continent exists. Many, many buildings are owned by the Department of Public Works and I ask that, in our fervour to forward the EPWP, we do not actually lose sight of the actual mandate of Public Works, and that is the maintenance of existing public buildings as well. Thank you.
UMntwana M M M ZULU: Mphathisihlalo, Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe Ndlunkulu ngoba ngeke ngikubize ngoMama uZulu, ngizothi Ndlunkulu. Ngithi Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe namalunga ahloniphekile aleNdlu umsebenzi onikwe wona esizweni sakithi wumsebenzi omkhulu, ukuba ubheke onke amafa kahulumeni noma impahla kahulumeni wezwe laseNingizimu Afrika.
Ngithi-ke Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe ngesikhathi uma senikhipha umsebenzi wabantu abasakhela izindonga zezindlu, kofuneka nibhekisise-ke ukuthi laba abakhipha leyo misebenzi yokwakha izikole namahholo omphakathi ngoba uMnyango wakho ngokubambisana neminye iMinyango, lokhu okuthiwa ukuphatha ngokubambisana, kunikezwa abantu ngendlela okuyiyona yona kuze kuvuleke imisebenzi uMhlonisha uMongameli ayekhuluma ngayo ukuthi yenzeke. Bese kuba khona abantu abangabacwaningi bomhlaba okuzokwakhiwa kuwona, nalapho ngocela Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe ukuba kube abantu bazo zonke izinhlanga abakhele leli lizwe abakwazi ukuthi bathole lawo mathuba bakwazi ukubheka izinto ukuthi zihamba kahle yini.
Bese kuba khona laba abaziwa ngokuthi abahloli bamabhilidi, ngiye ngikhathaze-ke Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe ngezimali eziningi ezisuke zikhishwe uhulumeni wezwe, kutholakale ukuthi kwakhiwa isikole abahloli bamabhilidi namabantu abadweba amabhilidi bakuphasisile lokho ekugcineni uthole othayela eseqhephuka phezulu kubonakale ukuthi kuyinto engahambanga kahle. Ngibuye ngibonge lapha, iphini lakho uNdlunkulu uthe nizozibhekelela izitshudeni zethu emaNyuvesi ukuthi mhlawumbe nizithuthukisa kanjani noma nizisize njengoMnyango ukuthi zikwazi ukuqeqesheka, ukuthi zikwazi ukubhekana nokuthi kuphele ububha ezweni lakithi. Ngithi-ke ngiyakuhalalisela ezicathuleni ongene kuzona wena Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe noNdlunkulu, ngiyacela ukuthi nifeze iphupho likaMongameli wezwe ukuthi kube khona imisebenzi ngokuhlanganyela kwayo yonke iMinyango ngoba ngeke kube uMnyango Wezemisebenzi Yomphakathi kuphela ongakha imisebenzi eyizi- 500 000. Masikhuluma iqiniso yiyona yonke iminyango ihlangene, zonke izinhlaka zikahulumeni zihlangene, yizona ezingakwazi ukwakha imisebenzi cishe ifike kuleso sibalo nakulelo phupho lokuqeda indlala ezweni lakithi. Ngiyabonga Sihlalo. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu speech follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Chairperson, hon Minister, Madam the First Wife - I cannot address you as Mrs Zulu, rather as Madam the First Wife and hon members of this House, the work assigned to you of taking care of our government's estates or assets is very huge.
Hon Minister, what I am saying is that when you award tenders to people who are building houses, you will have to make sure that those who award the tenders for building schools and community halls make proper decisions as to who are given those tenders in order to create the job opportunities that the hon President said should be created. Your department must work together with other departments to achieve what is referred to as co- operative governance. I once again want to urge the hon Minister to afford people from all races the opportunity to become surveyors so that they can monitor the process.
With regard to the building inspectors, hon Minister, I am concerned about the monies spent by the government of this country, and you find that after the school has been built and the building inspectors and the architects have approved it, the tiles break which shows that it was not a job well done. I would like to thank your Deputy, who said that as the department you will see to the development of our university students so that they can receive training to enable them to fight poverty in our country. Hon Minister and hon Deputy Minister, I would like to congratulate you on your position. I urge you to fulfil the dream of our President of creating jobs by getting all the departments to work together because the department of Public Works cannot create 500 000 job opportunities alone. To be honest, if all the departments and government structures work together we might create the estimated number of job opportunities and make this dream of eradicating poverty in our country come true. Chairperson, I thank you. [Applause.]]
Mudzulatshidulo a ?honifheaho, Mufarisa Mudzulatshidulo wa Khoro ya Lushaka ya Mavun?u, vhaimeleli vha mavun?u, dzi MEC dzi re hone fhano, Minisi?a na Mufarisi wawe wa Muhasho wa zwa Mishumo ya Tshitshavha, kha n?e ndi khuliso na ?hompho uri ndi fhiwe tshifhinga tsha u vhiga zwe muvhuso wa Limpopo wa zwi swikelela, khaedu dze wa ?angana nadzo na pulane dza ?waha wa muvhalelano une ra vha khawo, une wa vha wa 2009-10. (Translation of Tshiven?a paragraph follows.)
[Mr P RAMAGOMA (Limpopo): Hon Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, representatives from the provinces, MECs present here, Minister and his Deputy of Public Works, to me it is an honour and I feel dignified to be given the opportunity to report back on what the Limpopo government has achieved, the challenges it was faced with and the plans for this fiscal year, 2009-10.]
We congratulate the Minister of Public Works on his unwavering commitment to leading and supporting the country in the rolling out of massive economic and social infrastructure.
We welcome the commitment of this government to investing over 6% of the GDP on infrastructure development. The Medium-Term Expenditure Framework budget of R787 billion for infrastructure development will go a long way to address the huge backlog which is a key binding constraint on economic development and social transformation.
The effective and efficient rolling out of this massive infrastructure programme will afford this country, and indeed Limpopo, an opportunity to build on the achievements of the past 15 years of the democratic government and accelerate the achievement of targets we have set for ourselves.
Limpopo has managed to reduce the huge backlogs relating to the provision of health, education, recreational facilities and other critical social and economic infrastructure. We have battled successfully to provide decent classrooms for children learning under trees. Villagers can now access primary health care and hospital services closer to their areas of residence, and we have provided recreational facilities in areas where apartheid misrule did not dare to venture.
Despite all these achievements, the province is faced with the challenge of rebuilding mud and dilapidated schools and implementing a big-bang plan to revitalise hospitals and other health infrastructure. The major challenge to this is limited state resources and, as such, efficient methods have to be used, and alternatives such as public-private partnerships have to be explored. We have commenced with the construction of comprehensive schools which also provide the facilities necessary for quality learning and teaching, such as laboratories, libraries, computer centres, etc.
Limpopo has successfully co-ordinated the implementation of EPWP Phase 1. Through this programme the province managed to create 144 472 job opportunities and trained 43 253 unemployed workers, with 21 120 entrepreneurial firms benefiting.
The province provided skills to 574 young people through the National Youth Service Programme. A significant number of these young men and women are going to be absorbed into the department to fill vacant posts critical for building maintenance.
The province launched EPWP Phase 2 in March this year. Our target is to create 69 595 work opportunities this financial year, and contribute to the attainment of the national target of creating 500 000 job opportunities by December 2009, as pronounced by the President.
As our humble contribution towards strengthening our skills base, an additional 500 young people will be recruited to participate in the national youth programme. Working together with the private sector, we can do more in this programme. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the youth from the province are capacitated with technical skills in order to benefit optimally in the mining and manufacturing activities taking place in the province.
Limpopo will contribute 496 402 job opportunities, or 248 000 full-time equivalent jobs, to the national five-year target. This target is broken down to each public body, based on the municipal infrastructure grant and provincial infrastructure allocations.
The Limpopo department of public works is focusing on improving project management, real estate and building maintenance capacity. This is critical to ensuring that the province is able to spend its share of the infrastructure budget in time and develop quality infrastructure. In doing so, we will also empower historically disadvantaged individuals through the contractor development and the property incubator programmes. The province has finalised the property management strategy.
The province also benefited from the National Treasury infrastructure development improvement programme, and a turnaround strategy has been developed and is currently being implemented. The province has registered considerable progress in updating the immovable asset register. We are confident that this process will be completed soon, and a proper system aligned to the national initiative will be put in place to keep a credible register henceforth. Redundant properties are being identified for disposal through a variety of alternatives, including selling to historically disadvantaged individuals and transferring to municipalities depending on their needs.
The accumulation of municipal debts is a worrying factor in the province. This affects the financial capacity of municipalities, the majority of which have a low tax base, to render much-needed services. The provincial government owes municipalities rates and taxes and, as such, is contributing to the weakening of this critical sphere of government. The department has commenced with the payment of the devolved rates and taxes to municipalities and plans to accelerate this process in the current financial year.
The province is faced with the challenge of keeping the valuable infrastructure in shape, while at the same time focusing on addressing the backlog. The maintenance of buildings is going to enjoy our top attention, and the available resources will be optimally utilised for this purpose.
Labour-intensive methods are being developed in the maintenance of buildings to ensure that the process can also assist to create much-needed decent jobs and sustainable livelihoods. The province will also ensure that infrastructure development contributes measurably to rural development and the rehabilitation of rural towns. The provincial department of public works is developing plans to support the development of the rural village of Muyexe in Giyani, which has been identified as a pilot rural node by national government.
In conclusion, the province supports the budget, as tabled by the Minister, and commits itself to contributing to its implementation. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, these members are not tired at all. They can go for another five hours.
Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputy Minister present, hon members, all protocol observed, I wish to kick-start my debate on this budget by supporting the Minister and the department on the budget, hoping and wishing that this, as one of our critically important departments in relieving the burden of hunger and unemployment of our people, will ensure that, owing to the enormous mandate we have been given by them, we do not disappoint.
This department is in the process of implementing the asset management Act passed recently by this House. This is an Act that marks a turning point in the efforts of our government to ensure that state assets are in line with the best practices prevailing and comply and conform to international standards. This is an Act designed to show and prove beyond any point that when it relates to asset management, we have adopted the "mitirho ya vulavula" [actions speak louder than words] approach.
Hon members, the local sphere of government, which remains an effective and efficient means of delivering high quality services to the people of our country, was left out in the provisions of the Act. Now, as we act, national and provincial spheres of government march in line with the provisions of this Bill, whose main objectives, amongst other things, are the provision of a uniform immovable asset management framework; promotion of accountability and transparency within government; optimisation of the cost of service delivery by ensuring accountability for capital and recurrent works; and improving health and safety in the working environment.
The scope of application of the Bill was not extended to the local sphere of government - a matter which has extensively been dealt with in this House and concerns related to that noted.
Hon members, we request the department to ensure that the compilation of the asset register is completed. We are fully aware of the fact that assets get moved in and out of the register, but we believe that there are still some assets, especially in the former homeland areas, which have not been registered. One wonders what progress has and is being made with the recommendations made on the report.
The Act provides for good housekeeping as far as asset control on land and buildings is concerned, and it also recognises the need to co-ordinate financial controls in both spheres of government to which it is currently applicable. The strict compliance with the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA, places new financial reporting disciplines upon department officials in respect of immovable assets.
My concern, hon members, is the extensive use of consultants in our provincial governments. It is not a discovery by the DA, hon member. As the ANC, we are on top of the issues. We are aware of the challenges. That is why the matter has been aggressively criticised in the state of the nation address, and thus our provincial departments are encouraged to quickly pursue training of our public servants in the management of assets and other specialised areas so that we curb this tendency and avert the huge sums of monies being paid to consultants for work that is supposed to be done by public servants and channel these funds to other areas that are in desperate need.
We have had some success in opening up the construction industry to those who were previously excluded, especially women and youth. However, we know for a fact that transformation in this industry has been slower than anticipated and that we will need to have policy intervention around emerging contractor development.
This programme is indispensable to the national goals of alleviating poverty and creating jobs. We urge the department in this public entity, the Construction Industry Development Board, CIDB, to engage all stakeholders in an endeavour to open up the industry to all.
Of concern, again, is the slow pace of transformation in the industry, which results in the many construction companies being at the first grade, and the highest of our contractors being only at Grade 5, with only two or three at Grade 9.
We urge the department to do everything in its power to ensure that development strategies are put in place. These are strategies that will assist companies of previously disadvantaged communities in getting the necessary impetus to have the skills and experience to be eligible for higher grades, whilst assuring that the department and the quality of what is produced is not compromised.
Lastly, Chairperson, sometimes I get confused in understanding whether some of the DA members are politicians, photographers or investigative journalists. They always bombard us with unnecessary photos and information. These members must learn to be confident of their debate and facts, and must have confidence in our Ministers because they are very responsible. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Thank you very much, Chairperson and hon members, for your constructive comments and your support in the acceptance of our budget. Before I start, allow me, Chairperson, to say that I think this House needs to congratulate Limpopo. They were the first province out of all nine provinces to sign a protocol agreement on the EPWP Phase 2. [Applause.]
And I think that members of this House must go back to their provinces and ask whether their provinces signed up with the national Department of Public Works. You see, these figures are not quite like the way Mr Sinclair understands EPWP. Maybe we just need to spend a few minutes and explain that the budget of EPWP Phase 2 does not sit with the national Department of Public Works. It sits with line-function Ministeries at a national level, and it sits with line-function departments at a provincial level and with local government.
The important part is ... [Interjections]. No, you can't say that, because Mr Wiley needs to talk to you about the constitutional provisions and maybe the two of you can have tea and then you will help each other. [Laughter.]
For once the DA has it right and, of course, Cope is a new kid on the block, so we'll understand. You've got a lot of catching up to do. We've been here for 15 years and you are only starting off on the blocks now, but the problem is that we need to understand and that's what I thought I was doing in my speech. I was giving you examples.
Now if you had done your oversight, Mr Sinclair, you would've understood where the money was. The money is there. It's in the budget. It sits at provincial level and it sits at local government level. We have the model and we have the support and there is a lot of support, and I want to say to ...
Ngifuna ukusho lokhu kumfana wasekhaya ubaba uMlenzana ... [I want to say to my homeboy, hon Mlenzana ...]
... that the support to local government is there. If you remember, we reported about the support that comes from the Development Bank of SA in the committee and we spoke about the support that comes from the Business Trust. So for those municipalities that are participating in EPWP Phase 2, the support is there. We are there for you.
I also said in the committee that besides those two structures giving support to the EPWP and the different spheres of government, we are engaging with the private sector to ask what support they can give in that particular area where they are based in terms of giving capacity, especially where one needs quantity surveyors, architects and surveyors.
And also let me just add that ... and hon Sibande, you are correct, the reason why we appointed the IDT as an intermediary is that, firstly, it is a state-owned entity and it accounts to this House and it accounts to the NA because we want you to have oversight over what happens in the non-state sector.
It can't be a category of the EPWP Phase 2 that doesn't have an accounting mechanism. So that's very important for the committee to also observe, and the committee will be provided with the service level agreement that we signed with IDT so that you have oversight, and you will be able to assist us in making sure that the IDT delivers on what we have agreed to.
In respect of the built environment professionals, we've made enormous progress in terms of the relationship between them - the councils, the Council for the Built Environment, CBE, and the Ministry of Public Works, as well as the department.
When we came into office last year, there was bad blood between the professional councils and ourselves. And I hope that you have noted that one doesn't see those big adverts about the Minister of Public Works and Acsa, and everybody else, in the Sunday papers anymore.
We've reached an agreement with the professional council that we want to see them achieve certain transformation targets and we'll hold them accountable and we are currently going through the process of appointing persons to those boards that serve on the different councils. And, on these issues, we are in regular contact with them. We have structured meetings with them. So we don't talk to each other via the post or on the telephone. We have structured meetings with a structured agenda and we engage on issues. So we are on top of the issues in terms of the professional councils, and the CBE is part of that.
The Construction Industry Development Board, CIDB, has established call centres and I agree, hon Sibande, that the call centres might be in the city centre. When you have a vast province like Limpopo or the Eastern Cape or some of the other provinces or the Northern Cape, you might find that you want the CIDB in rural areas. I will certainly raise that with them, but when you engage with them, as well as in your oversight work with the CIDB, I think you should raise this.
We have reconfigured how Mintek functions. It is no longer a talk shop. For Mintek we are going to set national norms and standards, as the national Minister. When we meet with the nine MECs from the different provinces, we are actually going to look at what progress they are making in terms of the national priorities, so that we can support each other; and the meeting that we had in East London recently was really a landmark meeting.
In fact, it was a shift from the old Minmec style to the Mintek style. And in between meetings with Mintek, heads of departments will meet for a day or two and they will do all the technical work and report back to the political office bearers when we meet in Mintek. So it's a totally reconfigured Mintek that we are looking at and we are going to be setting ourselves very high objectives because this is what the people expect of us.
In fact, in terms of the budgets - and I think it was hon Groenewald who raised the issue of the buildings, and the poor quality of buildings - that is something that we have to be very vigilant about. You see, when it suits some of us, we use Schedule 4 to say national government should not interfere, but then when things go wrong, then they ask the national Minister what happened.
If you read Schedule 4 in Public Works, it's a different concurrent function to Education and Health. That is the problem. So when it suits you and you want to ride alone, then you go it alone. But when it's wrong, then you ask the Minister of Public Works what happened. And then the chickens come home to roost. Because when you built the schools that collapsed, we were not there. It is your concurrent function. It's yours. So you have to be very careful on how you understand Schedule 4, especially when it comes to Public Works. It is a slightly different concurrent function. It has a qualification.
We have said to the Minister of Basic Education, in reclaiming our mandate, that we are keen to assist provinces with the school-building programme, especially when it comes to the mud schools and unsafe structures, so that we can make an intervention that's meaningful. And already IDT has done that, and by September this year, we are handing another nine schools over. This is a big step because those schools are different. They have solar panels. They have IT. They have gardens. They have libraries. They are complete schools. That's the difference and there were two recently opened in Limpopo. That is a different kind of school than just building classrooms. That's an institution that has been built and that the community can be proud of. And once again, Limpopo has taken the lead in this particular process. And we really must say that other provinces should rise to the challenge and give us the opportunity to get IDT to assist in the process.
Comrade Mabija, you are correct. The Public Works Department is where we co- ordinate. It's where we lead the process of the EPWP and yes, what's going to be important for us, as departments, is whether national or provincial is the monitoring and evaluation body of what's going on. We have to do more with less. We're going to get good value for money. We must not always look at money as an obstacle. We must sometimes look at what we are using the current budgets for and see how we can get more mileage out of our rand. So it's going to be important.
With regard to the asset register, hon Wiley, I think you might have misunderstood the Deputy Minister. We need systems that talk to each other because when you want us to transfer land to you, as often happens, there might be a piece of land owned by the national Department of Public Works. We need to transfer that to the province or to local government through you, but then our systems don't talk to each other. So we must have uniform systems that talk to each other. We can't go beyond that in terms of what resides with the province in terms of the Constitution, as well as local government.
Public Works is undergoing a turnaround strategy itself. Very soon, I think next week, the acting director-general will be putting into place a new senior management structure that will respond to the issue of how we deal with project management; how we deal with the core mandate of Public Works, and that's going to be a shift from what we've been doing in the past.
Some of the issues raised by the hon Wiley are more about provincial programmes than national. I wouldn't be able to assist him there. I certainly appreciate all the support that has been given to us in terms of this Budget Vote, but I also want to say to the NCOP that we will support the select committee; whenever they invite us, we will be there. And you still have outstanding oversight over the entities and the department should come back and present a little bit more detail on many of the other projects, but certainly, Chairperson, we are going to achieve our target of halving unemployment by 2014. Thank you. [Applause.]
Thank you very much, hon Minister. Maybe before we conclude, on the question of Limpopo being the first and the first and the first and once more being the first, of course, in this new administration, as the MEC of Public Works to have participated in this Budget Vote as the first province, once more, I think it is important that you acknowledge that as well and to say that it would probably also be good for the MEC to encourage his counterparts in other provinces, as well, to do likewise because this is the only time that we, as permanent delegates, really get to know what is happening in other provinces when the MEC, in actual fact, is here participating in the debate and outlining his or her programmes in the respective province. So I think it is just one way of appreciating what Limpopo did.