Mr Speaker and the Deputy President, at the opening of the National House of the Traditional Leaders on 23 February 2010, President Jacob Zuma called for a stronger partnership between the ANC government and traditional leaders. He said the partnership would contribute to sustainable development, especially in rural areas.
In his Budget Speech, the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, prioritised R860 million to be used for the Comprehensive Rural Development Strategy. Furthermore, the Minister announced a new grant to support on-site water and sanitation infrastructure as part of the rural housing programme. An initial R1,2 billion has, over three years, been made available for this purpose.
Thus the ANC government is committed to strengthening the partnership between government and the Institution of Traditional Leadership as part of its Comprehensive Rural Development Programme. Ndiyabulela. [Thank you.] [Applause.]