5 November 2009

PROVINCIAL WEEK

Chairperson,

The NCOP represents the provinces to ensure that provincial interests are taken into account in the national government’s programme of action. This is our mandate.

In order to give proper effect to this mandate, it is imperative for the NCOP to go out to the provinces to gauge how government action was impacting on each province. The Provincial week therefore serves as an instrumental forum for the NCOP and the provinces to examine problems and establish collaborative approaches in seeking solutions and devising mechanisms to address the needs of the people of South Africa.

Mr Chairman, do we have problems that need solutions. To answer this question let us consider the fact that South Africa probably has more social protests per person than anywhere in the world. On average there are sixteen protests taking place each day. What does this say?

It says that the problems are mounting. It warns that time is running out. Meanwhile the cost of electricity is climbing and jobs are vanishing. The people no longer have patience and we no longer have time.

Chairman, we began our Provincial week with a visit to the Molemole Local Municipality. There we learnt that only R3.7 million of the R5.7 million allocated for the building of 200 units for rural dwellers was spent.
Chairperson, COPE condemns this. It is unacceptable.

Worse still was the fact the deplorable condition of the house of the Tau family we visited. How can the ANC led government allow this situation of shoddy houses go on year after year?

The delegation agreed that the house had to be taken down and rebuilt.

The Sebaila family has had an incomplete site since 2004. This is 2009 chairperson. Five years have gone by. According to the MEC for housing, the Sebaila family is not the only one experiencing this sort of problem.
That is a devastating admission.

This government is being robbed left, right and centre. It is being robbed from within and from outside. It is being robbed willingly and consistently. This government is presiding over the greatest kleptocracy this nation has ever seen. Probably every tender that is approved is a licence for larceny. COPE condemns what is happening in the strongest terms possible.
Chairperson, what we saw was bad enough. However, I was even more devastated to learn that the municipality has been without a manager for 12 months. It was also shocking that the funds from the Municipal Infrastructure grant was not utilised.

Chairperson this is a very serious indictment on government. Government is bound by the Constitution to guarantee delivery of services. Yet year after year we come back to this house to bemoan the fact that municipalities lack capacity and that key officials are not appointed in good time.

For how long do we expect to hear this broken record being played again and again. It is not only boring. It is tragic.
Chairperson we in COPE want this government to start becoming serious, very serious about service delivery. It is very embarrassing for us to hold the world record of being the nation with the most number of service delivery protests in the world.

The time for talk and debate is over. The time for action has arrived. If government cannot cope, Chairperson we certainly can COPE!.

Thank You!

Makhubela Mafemani COPE MP