Apartheid caused it. [Laughter.] And don't ask me to elaborate. [Laughter.]
Government will spend R2,6 billion on water services this year. Among the priority areas are the provinces of Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape where there are still high numbers of people without safe drinking water. [Applause.]
We noted the requests from many contributors to this address, for government to fix potholes. Our Expanded Public Works Programme aims to create 4,5 million work opportunities, and more than a million opportunities have been created already since the beginning of Phase 2. Part of the programme focuses on repairing our roads networks.
Abantu abaningi bakithi bathola ukusizakala kakhulu ngaloluhlelo lwamatoho emisebenzi kahulumeni. Kutholakala amatoho okulungisa imigwaqo, ezemidlalo, ukufundisa abadala ukufunda nokubhala, nokugcina imiqwaqo ihlanzekile.
Uhlelo lokulungisa imigwaqo, olubizwa nge-Zibambele, seluzosatshalaliswa izwe lonke kulo nyaka ukuze luvule amathuba emisebenzi amaningi. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Many of our people have greatly benefited from the government's temporary employment programme. There are temporary programmes for roadworks, sports, adult literacy as well as keeping the roads clean.
The roadworks programme, which is called Zibambele, will be spread throughout the country this year in order to create more job opportunities.]
We will develop infrastructure that will boost our agricultural sector, while also helping to create jobs.
Water reservoirs, windmills and irrigation schemes will be rehabilitated. Crops, livestock as well as grazing will be protected with the installation of fences. These projects will enhance food security and create work opportunities for many, especially women in rural areas.
To enhance our innovation in science and technology and create jobs, we are bidding to host the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope. The bid has already provided 800 construction job opportunities in the Northern Cape and will create a further 100 jobs this year.
Our job creation drive should also enhance youth development. The National Youth Development agency is in discussion with state organs and the private sector to mainstream youth development in public sector programmes and to promote youth enterprises and co-operatives. [Applause.]
We believe that the interventions we have mentioned briefly will take us forward in placing job creation high on the agenda of all decision-makers in the country. Seven Ministers met with our social partners on Tuesday to discuss this partnership and we remain optimistic that we are poised for success.
Parallel to the job creation incentives, we will also undertake policy reforms related to improving the lives of our workers. Government, with its social partners, is reviewing legislation on labour brokers and the policy framework for the provision of public employment services. [Applause.]
This will enable government to maintain a database of job seekers and job opportunities. The Government Position Paper on Social Security Reform is expected to be released this year for discussion. Issues to be dealt with include the funding and nature of the National Social Security Fund, how the private sector occupational and retirement funds will fit into the entire system, and the possible regulatory structure.
Hon members, indeed we have come a long way since 1994. We have achieved a lot, but much more still needs to be done, and working together as South Africans, we will achieve much more. [Applause.] Please allow me now to tackle the other four priorities as well as other programmes. The focus in basic education this year is Triple T: Teachers, Textbooks and Time. [Applause.] We reiterate our call that teachers must be at school, in class, on time, teaching for at least seven hours a day. [Applause.]
The administration must ensure that every child has a textbook on time, and that we assist our teachers to create the right working environment for quality teaching to take place.
To track progress, this year, we began the annual national assessments in literacy and numeracy that are internationally benchmarked, for Grades 3, 6 and 9. We will continue investing in teacher training, especially in mathematics and science. We will pay special attention to the training of principals, particularly those in underperforming schools.
The focus of higher education will be to expand access, especially for children of the poor. This includes the conversion of loans into bursaries for qualifying final-year students. [Applause.] Students in Further Education and Training Colleges who qualify for financial aid will be exempted from paying fees.
We urge state-owned enterprises to play a key role in skills development and help us provide the technical skills needed by the economy. Denel, Eskom, SAA and Transnet have supported the training of more than 6 000 learners in technical and engineering-related scarce and critical skills. [Applause.]
Fellow South Africans, we are continuing to improve the capacity and effectiveness of the police, in particular the detective services, forensic analysts and crime intelligence. We have increased visible policing and patrols in identified hotspots. We are making visible progress in reducing the proliferation of illegal and legal firearms. [Applause.] Our courts continue to function better, and the backlog reduction programmes at district and regional levels are proceeding well.
We will continue to prioritise crimes against women and children, and to provide support through the Thuthuzela Care Centres. We will work with communities and other key stakeholders to deal with drug peddling and drug abuse, which are tearing some communities apart. [Applause.] My visit to a drug rehabilitation centre in Mitchells Plain on Tuesday convinced me that we need more energy in the fight against drug abuse and drug peddling in our communities. [Applause.]
I have directed our police force to deal decisively with people who sell drugs to children in Cape Town and other areas. [Applause.] We will also not tolerate tavern owners who sell alcohol to children. [Applause.]
The fight against corruption also continues. A Special Anti-Corruption Unit has been established in the Department of Public Service and Administration to handle corruption-related disciplinary cases involving public servants.
Progress is being made in many ongoing investigations. About R44 million has been recovered from public servants who are illegally benefiting from housing subsidies, while the cleaning of the social grants system of fraud is also continuing. [Applause.] We have directed the Special Investigating Unit to probe alleged maladministration or corruption in various government departments, municipalities and institutions.
While not pre-judging the investigations, they prove our resolve to combat corruption at all levels of government and the Public Service.
The Multi-Agency Working Group on procurement led by the National Treasury, Sars and the Financial Intelligence Centre is reviewing the state procurement system to ensure better value for money from state spending.
In the health sector, this year we will emphasise the appointment of appropriate and qualified personnel to the right positions. [Applause.] We need qualified heads of department, chief financial officers, hospital chief executive officers, district health officers and clinic managers. [Applause.] We plan to revitalise 105 nursing colleges countrywide, to train more nurses. [Applause.] We are also planning to open a medical faculty at the Limpopo Academic Hospital to train more doctors. The renovations and refurbishments of hospitals and clinics will continue.
Given our emphasis on women's health, we will broaden the scope of reproductive health rights and provide services related, to amongst others, contraception, sexually transmitted infections, teenage pregnancy and sanitary towels for the indigent. [Applause.]
On the fight against HIV and Aids, we have revitalised our programmes and promote various prevention measures, including medical male circumcision, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and the promotion of HIV testing. The testing has been popularly taken up around the country. Just over 5 million HIV tests have been done since the launch of the testing campaign in April last year. [Applause.]
Over the past year, work has continued to develop the National Health Insurance policy and implementation plan. Government will soon be releasing the policy document for public engagement.
We will continue with the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme directed at reviving land reform projects and irrigation schemes in the former homelands as well as distressed farms owned by individuals.
Government has developed the National Rural Youth Service Corps programme to assist youth in rural areas. To date, more than 7 000 young people have been employed in the programme. [Applause.]
Somlomo nosihlalo abahloniphekileyo, uhulumeni useshaye umthetho ovuselela ibhange lasePosini, phecelezi iPostBank, elizosiza abasemakhaya ukonga imali, kanye nokuboleka imali yokwakha amabhizinisi amancane le emakhaya. Siyabakhuthaza ukuthi balisebenzise kutholakale intuthuko emakhaya. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[Honourable Speaker and Honourable Chairperson, the government has passed legislation to revive the post office bank, which is known as the PostBank, which will assist people from rural areas to save money and to give loans for starting small businesses in order to bring about development in the rural areas.]
Hon members, the country will hold the fourth local government elections before the end of May. There have been lots of complaints over the past few months about local government. The infrastructure in some areas resulted in protests which indicated the problems that existed in this sphere. We have to make people's experience of local government a pleasant one, as it touches their homes and their lives directly, every day.
Some municipalities are functioning very well ... [Interjections.] ... and some councillors are also performing their duties as well as they should. We have instituted a turnaround strategy for local government, focusing on, amongst other things, the strengthening of basic administrative systems, financial management and customer care. The preparations for local government elections are on course. The registration that took place last weekend went well, and we congratulate those who have registered. [Applause.] We urge those without identity documents to apply without delay, so as not to miss the next registration period next month.
Following the launch of the National Population Registration Campaign in Libode in the Eastern Cape last year, more than 700 000 first-time identity documents were issued, indicating great enthusiasm by our people to have this crucial document.
As we prepare for elections, we also note that our country has been struck by devastating floods in recent weeks, and many families have been affected. We extend heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. Our hearts also go out to those who were injured and who lost all their belongings.
Fellow South Africans, let me use this opportunity to announce that government has set aside R800 million for immediate relief to assist communities. We will also be earmarking funding to deal with post disaster recovery and reconstruction in the years ahead. We thank relief agencies, nongovernmental organisations, the private sector, religious organisations and communities for assisting those in need.
The African agenda remains our key policy focus. South Africa is serving a two-year term on the African Union Peace and Security Council. The country will chair the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security from August. In this role, we will continue to engage the parties in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement in Zimbabwe and the development of a roadmap to elections.
We will also promote the resolution of the Malagasy conflict. We will monitor and assist where possible to ensure that the political and security situation in the DRC is conducive to elections.
We are also honoured to participate in finding solutions to the situation in Cote d'Ivoire, as a member of the African Union High Level Panel chosen to help resolve the challenges in that country.
We applaud the work of the SA National Defence Force, which has on average deployed over 2 000 military personnel in peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sudan and the Central African Republic. [Applause.] We will continue to participate in the revitalisation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development with specific focus on the implementation of its infrastructure programme, of which we champion the North-South infrastructure development corridor. South Africa has taken note of the unfolding developments in Egypt as well as the earlier events in Tunisia.
We continue to monitor the situation closely, including its implications for the Middle East and North Africa.
We firmly believe that the course and the content of the transition as well as the destiny that these sister countries choose, should be authored by them. In this regard, South Africa lends its support to efforts aimed at introducing and implementing political reforms that will ensure a smooth and peaceful transition in Tunisia and Egypt. We trust that nothing will derail the realisation of the aspirations of the Palestinian people for a secure independent state, existing side by side and in peace with the Israeli state. [Applause.]
South Africa reiterates the call to the international community to encourage the parties to continue the search for a durable solution in the Middle East. We extend our heartiest congratulations to the people of the Sudan for a successful referendum ... [Laughter.] ... and welcome the new state of Southern Sudan. [Applause.] This is a key African success story and we applaud President al-Bashir and President Salvakir for the leadership they have provided to the Sudanese people on both sides and for respecting the wishes of the people of their country. [Applause.] The African Union and the United Nations also deserve special mention for their skilful handling of this question.
On the broader international front, we look forward to hosting the fifth India-Brazil-South Africa Summit this year. At the G20 Forum, we will continue to argue for a more equitable world economic order.
Compatriots, the experience of the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup taught us the need to appreciate all that is good about our country. The South African flag became the most important item for every household. Government will build on this by ensuring the placing of flags in schools and public institutions to promote our national symbols and identity. [Applause.]
We urge all our people to learn the national anthem and sing it properly, with pride. [Applause.]
We will launch a programme celebrating national icons and promote a national heritage route, to honour individuals who have made an enormous contribution to the liberation of our country. [Applause.]
All of us must support the Proteas who will soon be playing in the 2011 ICC World Cup, and the Springboks who will travel to New Zealand to defend our 2007 Rugby World Cup Title. [Applause.] We also wish the national netball team well when they compete in the Netball World Cup in July. [Applause.] We will be fully behind them.
Let me take this opportunity to salute one of our finest cricketers, Makhaya Ntini ... [Applause.] ... who is our special guest this evening. He has made an enormous contribution to local and international cricket. [Applause.] South Africa will have its third post-apartheid census in October this year. We thank Mr Makhaya Ntini for agreeing to become an ambassador of this important campaign. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker and hon Chairperson, we remain committed to building a performance-orientated state. Our performance monitoring and evaluation department will co-ordinate and monitor the work of government departments closely, as they mainstream job creation. [Applause.] We welcome the undertaking by Parliament to also monitor the adherence to the call to prioritise job creation by government.
Our goal is clear. We want to have a country where millions more South Africans have decent employment opportunities, which has a modern infrastructure and a vibrant economy and where the quality of life is high. We all have a responsibility to work hard to make this a reality. Everyone must think of how they can contribute to the jobs campaign through creating opportunities for themselves and others. In doing so, we should draw inspiration from our beloved President Mandela in his inauguration address in 1994, reminding us of the need to work together. He said:
We understand it still, that there is no easy road to freedom. We know it well, that none of us acting alone can achieve success. We must therefore act together as a united people, for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world. Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfil themselves.
I thank you. [Applause.]