ADDRESS BY GAUTENG PREMIER NOMVULA MOKONYANE ON THE OCCASION OF THE OFFICE OF THE PREMIER'S 2013/14 BUDGET VOTE IN THE GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE

27 May 2013

Madam Speaker
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Legislature
Director General and senior managers
Ladies and gentlemen

The Gauteng we live in today is better than yesterday. Gauteng is constantly changing and the living conditions of our people are improving. The change and improvement we have experienced in the past nineteen years of democracy is reflected in progress towards an efficient and modern intermodal transport system; accessible health care centres; impressive performance by no-fee schools, and increased number of integrated housing settlements.

The change we experience daily in our townships, towns and cities has been made possible by proper planning and effective coordination at the level of the Gauteng Executive Council, working in partnership with local authorities and national government. Above all, it was made possible by none other than the collective effort and support we enjoy from the people of Gauteng and stringent oversight by the Legislature.

Today Gauteng is home to over 12 million people. It has become the province with the largest population that accounts for almost one quarter of our country's population. It accounts for more than one third of the national economy, significantly higher than KwaZulu-Natal (15.7%) and the Western Cape (14.2%) combined.

Gauteng also has the best score in the drinking water quality index of 98% and the highest number of government-subsidised houses built since 1994, according to the SA Institute of Race Relations.

Inspite of the prevailing economic conditions we are encouraged to see that unemployment in Gauteng has decreased from 28.2% in the first quarter of 2011 to 23.7% in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Whilst there are signs of progress and hope for a better life compared to where we were 19 years ago, we acknowledge that issues of poverty, inequality and unemployment still exist in our province, due to rapid urbanisation and high levels of need.

This calls for all of us to have our hands on deck and show commitment in all the programmes and projects that this budget allocation seeks to achieve.

Through this budget, the Office of the Premier will seek to become more innovative and bold in the manner in which it will execute its mandate. We who are in government know exactly what Albert Einstein meant when he said, "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."

As the political nerve centre of government in Gauteng, the Office of the Premier plays a strategic leadership role in improving the performance of government. Since 2009, we have been successful in stabilising the financial situation in the province.

We were able to restructure the departments and rationalise agencies so that they are efficient and geared for delivery. In addition, we have changed the former GSSC and revised procurement delegations to empower departments to manage their own procurement.

Our interventions in Health have also yielded results. As the Gauteng Executive Council, we took a conscious decision to take collective leadership and stabilise the department to prevent it from being taken over by national government through Section 100 of the Constitution. 

Through the implementation of the health turn-around strategy, we have improved capacity, including the appointment of hospital CEOs, senior management and filling of critical posts, intervened to restore the functioning of the Medical Supply Depot, improved the effectiveness of health systems and stabilised the department's finances. This year, for the first time in a decade, Gauteng Health has not overspent.

We have made considerable improvements in the technical capacity of the provincial government, particularly in the Departments of Infrastructure Development and Roads and Transport.

Madam Speaker

The 2013/14 financial year marks the last mile of the current term of office and will culminate in the celebration of two decades of democracy. It is for this reason that I am humbled and honoured to stand in this august house and give account of what has been achieved over the past year and share with the house the key plans and programmes for the current financial year.

The Gauteng Planning Commission (GPC) is focusing on our long term future with the development of Gauteng Vision 2055 to be launched this year. Taking into account the imperatives of the National Development Plan including the spatial, economic and social reality, Gauteng Vision 2055 will provide an integrated plan for the future development of the City Region. The vision contained in Gauteng 2055 states:

A liveable, equitable, prosperous and united Gauteng City-Region, established through the combined efforts of a developmental state, an engaged civil society and an active citizenry - together targeting the objectives of equitable growth, sustainable development and infrastructure, social inclusivity and cohesion, and the necessary condition of good governance.

Thandiswa and her generation will be beneficiaries of Gauteng Vision 2055 - a fully transformed society where every individual will have the opportunity to fully develop their potential. However, we have to emphasise that we will not be waiting for the year 2055 to realise this vision. We start building the new tomorrow and a better Gauteng today.

We are currently embarking on the next phase of the consultation process. On 26 June 2013, the 58^th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter, we will be hosting a summit on youth with a focus on the National Development Plan and Gauteng 2055.

Work is underway on the Gauteng Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan which will account for all infrastructure projects and aligning to related initiatives such as the 25-year Integrated Transport Master Plan. The Gauteng Infrastructure Master Plan will better inform infrastructure investment choices and improve our economic competitiveness.

For our communities, the Master Plan will ensure that both the present and future residents of the province are able to access better quality infrastructure and services such as water, electricity, roads, schools, health facilities, telecommunications, parks and recreational facilities to improve their quality of living.

The Implementation Plan for the Gauteng Spatial Development Framework has been approved and is currently being implemented and will give spatial expression to Vision 2055. The Implementation Plan details cross-cutting initiatives that will guide physical development and effective land use management. Anchor projects that contribute towards the implementation of the GSDF include Savannah City in Midvaal, Heartland Development in Modderfontein, Waterfall Business Estate and Diepsloot Industrial Park and road and transport infrastructure.

In response to rapid urbanization and the growing challenges of managing urban governance, we are working together with the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in the development of a national Integrated Urban Development Framework.

The implementation of the Gauteng-wide Monitoring and Evaluation system has played a vital role in driving delivery and the allocation of resources in line with the provincial government's priorities. We have instituted corrective interventions in areas of under-performance. This has unblocked obstacles and improved performance in key delivery areas such as in health, skills development and economic development.

In 2013/14, we will further strengthen our performance monitoring and evaluation capacity and work with departments in monitoring the implementation of agreed priorities to ensure that we achieve set targets and change people's lives for the better. We will increase our capacity for the independent verification of performance and citizen-based monitoring, especially on provincial flagship projects and other infrastructure projects.

Feedback from communities and site visits will be an important part of this process, so that we do not only rely on reports from public servants on their own work but also inputs from our own people.

In partnership with the Presidency, we will continue to monitor frontline service delivery in health, education, policing, social security, local government, home affairs and other areas. Together with other spheres of government, we are addressing identified weaknesses to make citizens' service experience better. Areas which need further attention include queue management and waiting times, signage, cleanliness - including the state of toilets in some of our facilities - and complaints systems. 

We will in the year ahead work to reposition community development workers and better integrate their work with that of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation and the Premier's Hotline in ensuring that government responds effectively and timeously to Gauteng residents' service delivery complaints and the dissemination and provision of government information.

To make the Hotline more accessible, we will this year introduce an easy to remember short code number that the public can use to access the Hotline. A complaint lifecycle management strategy will be implemented to ensure the resolution of all Hotline cases to government entities within 60 days.

We will in 2013/14 pay further attention to improving our management practices and ratings in the Management Performance Assessment Tool undertaken at national and provincial level. We can do better and expect senior managers and MECs to take full responsibility for improving their performance.

To further strengthen public sector capacity, we will monitor financial and human resource management including targets for preferential procurement, clean audits, 30-day payments, revenue collection and the filling of vacancies.

The Office of the Premier has been among the top performing departments in paying invoices within 30 days, achieving 84% in 2012/13 and by the end of the first month of the new financial year, we had reached 100% payments.

The Office of the Premier has performed among the best in empowering targeted groups through preferential procurement and employment equity. In 2012/13, 84,3% of our contracts were awarded to historically disadvantaged individuals, 36,6% to women, 27,1% to youth and 4,1% to people with disabilities.

To improve the lives of women, youth and people with disabilities, we have set delivery targets to be achieved by all departments by the end of our term of office. The top priorities for 2013/14 are the following:

• Firstly, economic empowerment through preferential procurement, job creation and job placements, skills development, employment equity, and the development of SMMEs and cooperatives.
• Secondly, eradicating violence against women and children as well the war against substance abuse.
• Thirdly, making sure that government buildings are more accessible to people with disabilities.

Ending gender-based violence requires a multi-sectoral approach, including partnerships with men as partners, effective policing, prosecution, rehabilitation of offenders and victim empowerment. We will work with the police and the criminal justice system to improve the conviction rates through addressing detectives and forensics capacity in areas such as forensics social workers, forensic pathologists and forensic officers; training of specialised units; interventions identified through docket analysis and support for victims within the justice system. The rollout of a further 18 green doors will be prioritised as well as expanding access to victim support and shelters and economic opportunities for victims of abuse.

As part of the process of empowering women and strengthening gender norms that are compatible with our vision of building a non-sexist society, we will also engage with various sectors on the phenomenon of "sugar daddies". Apart from the moral issues that this raises, this has resulted in young women being the highest risk group in relation to HIV and Aids. Together with the Gauteng Aids Council we will take this initiative forward in 2013/14.

We have been inspired by many young people we have interacted with, such as Gauteng's One Day leader, Ndumiso Radebe, and students in institutions of higher learning in our province. They have demonstrated their hope and confidence for the future of our province and our country and a willingness to take active responsibility to indeed build this better future together.

As part of Youth Month in June, we will be interacting with a wide range of youth from different sectors, including those from the faith-based sector, young professionals and young workers.

On 1 June, we will be celebrating Children's Day and the new generation who will benefit from the strides we are making today, just as the Mandela generation - those born since 1994 - can today benefit from improvements in education, skills development, health, housing and improved access to the economy.

On 16 June, National Youth Day, we will commemorate the sacrifices made by generations of young people and celebrate the successes we have achieved. The activities of the day will include a march to retrace the steps of those who stood up in open defiance against the apartheid regime. The participants will include the different generations from the generation of Nelson Mandela in the 1950s, to the 1976 generation, the brave young lions of the 1980s and today's youth. Today's youth and student leaders will hand over a pledge committing themselves to taking forward the struggle for a united and prosperous South Africa.

As a provincial government, we have performed well in meeting our commitment to ensure that at least 10% of government procurement goes to youth-owned companies. During Youth Month all our departments will focus on maximising procurement from youth-owned companies. This will help strengthen youth entrepreneurship and youth economic empowerment. Other important initiatives include:

• the implementation of the National Youth Employment Accord that was signed in Soweto recently,
• facilitating the placement of an additional 300 young people in public and private sector employment;
• skills development for over 10,000 young people and strengthening our partnerships with FETs and SETAs to improve youth access to training and jobs in key economic sectors;
• developing youth cooperatives and SMMEs and helping them access markets. This year we will support over 1000 new and existing youth enterprises and cooperatives.
• giving over 6000 young people training and experience through learnerships, internships and experiential learning;
• providing young people with work opportunities through the EPWP programme, the National Youth Service and Narysec. Young people will benefit directly from employment opportunities generated as part of our new Maintenance Plan.
• awarding bursaries to learners to pursue FET and higher education. We have so far awarded 7000 such bursaries. In 2013/14 we will award 2030 bursaries to top performers in no fee schools; 1575 bursaries to learners progressing to FET colleges from no-fee schools and 1490 bursaries for school-leavers from no-fee schools pursuing higher education opportunities. F
• Recruitment of young professionals into the public service to provide them with experience and improve public service delivery.

These are just some of the examples of a wide variety of youth development programmes which we will implement in the year ahead.

The employment of people with disabilities in the public service has been increased to over 1%. In the year ahead, we will pay further attention to this, as well as preferential procurement for people with disabilities. A top priority is to ensure that more of our public facilities meet the minimum standards for access by people with disabilities. Currently, three head office buildings, including the Office of the Premier, comply with minimum standards. The Department of Infrastructure has been tasked with ensuring that all provincial departments' head office buildings are compliant.

Gauteng will continue to foster strong inter-governmental relations through the Premier's Coordinating Forum (PCF) and the Extended Executive Council makgotla to jointly address matters affecting the provincial and local sphere.

We are actively participating in the President's Coordinating Council, which has the mandate to ensure that all spheres of government work in an integrated manner.

Gauteng forms an integral component of government's National Infrastructure Plan comprising 18 Strategic Infrastructure Projects (SIPs).

SIP 2, which is the Gauteng-Free State-Ethekwini Freight and Logistics Corridor, seeks to improve the overall efficiency in the continent's most significant corridor. Gauteng will improve the capacity and efficiency of the City Deep/Kaserne hub as well as establish additional freight and logistics hubs over the medium to long term. SIP 2 will also focus on the development of the Aerotropolis around OR Tambo International Airport.

The Gauteng Provincial Government will participate in a number of other SIPs aimed at improving our economic competitiveness and social infrastructure, including through municipal infrastructure such as the Sedibeng Regional Sanitation Scheme; integrated urban space and public transport programme, including the development of an integrated, inter-modal transport system; and expanding access to communication technology; including through the Nasrec Smart City and the Gauteng Broadband Network project. 

The Project Management Office in the Office of the Premier will be strengthened to manage and support the effective implementation of these projects.

In preventing and eliminating fraud and corruption, we have strengthened controls to ensure compliance with the PFMA and enforce financial accountability by both Accounting Officers and Executive Authorities. Systems and capacity to detect and investigate cases have been fortified, including through the centralised Forensic Services Unit. We are giving effect to our undertaking to implement consequence management. Arising from performance monitoring and evaluation systems, action has been taken against senior provincial government managers in the Department of Economic Development for dereliction of duty and lack of financial accountability and in the Department of Health for fraud and corruption.

The rate of resolution of cases reported to the National Anti-corruption Hotline has improved from twenty three percent to forty eight percent resolution rate since 2011. Of the 166 corruption cases which I referred to in my State of the Province Address, we have resolved 153 cases, which indicate a very significant progress.

To address the challenge of a large number of litigation cases in a more efficient and effective manner, we have improved litigation management to reduce the number of cases and the time it takes to conclude litigation matters. Part of the solution is working with our employees to get the basics right.

As a responsible government, we will defend matters where this is warranted and where it is not, matters should be resolved amicably to avoid unnecessary and costly litigation by our people as well as consequence management against those who are found to have acted in an irresponsible manner to the detriment of the public service.

The magnitude and depth of the problem of substance abuse requires an "extra ordinary" approach that would demonstrate the capability of the state to intervene decisively and to sustain its efforts. The Eldorado Park intervention following the President's visit, is the first of its kind in South Africa. The methodology and approach will be an evolving one as we get to understand the conditions and factors that are fuelling the proliferation of drug production, supply, access, wealth accumulation and substance abuse in the area.

A comprehensive plan has been developed and will be implemented through existing community structures and different government departments. The significant progress made has been welcomed by residents. The experience in Eldorado Park will inform a multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral, people-driven intervention in the province as a whole.

The success of our fight against substance abuse is dependent on the willingness of our communities to speak out and confront the plague as the Eldorado community, mothers in particular, have done.

Madame Speaker, communication remains key in deepening democracy, public participation and accountability. Our communication will be diverse, taking into account different contexts and reaching different constituencies.

As we embark on the last mile of our term of office, we will intensify our communication on the achievements and challenges of the last five years and 20 years of democracy. This performance review will be one of the many ways that we will, as an accountable government, be reporting back to our communities on the progress made in delivering on our commitments.

The fact that next year will mark 20 years of our democracy provides us with an ideal platform to take stock of all that we, as a democratic government, have achieved since 1994. We will look back at the road we have travelled with Thandiswa with great pride and continue to assure Thandiswa that the road ahead looks even brighter, as we said in the State of the Province Address, and as envisaged through Gauteng Vision 2055.

The total budget allocation for the Office of the Premier in 2013/14 amounts to a total of R296,718,000, which has been allocated in the realisation of our mandate and the implementation of the programmes which I have outlined.

Madam Speaker, Honourable Members,

Now that we are in the last mile, we look back with pride and can declare that it has indeed been a long journey worth travelling. When we embarked on this journey we said, "Kuyasheshwa" as our mantra in pursuit of accelerated service delivery. As a result of this determined strategic and political leadership, we can successfully point out that:

• Accelerated delivery on Chief Mogale, Lufhereni, Legae and Winterveldt Mixed Housing projects have created integrated human settlements
• Provisioning of quality Primary Health Care has improved as evidenced by the reduction in infant mortality rates as reflected in the findings of Census 2011, Quality of Life Survey and the Institute of Race Relations latest report
• There have been swift responses in turning around education situation in Soweto leading to an improved quality of education for the African child in Soweto in particular and the province in general as evidenced by the performance of African child in last year's Grade 12 results and improved relationship between management, community and labour
• Direct investment in major economic infrastructure development that has led to job opportunities and alleviated poverty even during the height of global recession.
• We have decisively put stringent controls and measures to stabilize finances of the provincial government
• We have expanded empowerment opportunities across the province
• We have increased investment on the development and empowerment of Youth, Women and People with Disabilities
• Political Leadership and Accounting Officers are now held directly accountable for good, bad or poor performance of government
• We have clamped down on trio crimes as evidenced in the statistics and Census 2011
• There has been swift and responsive intervention on complaints and reports raised through the Premier's Hotline
• We are working towards the creation of efficient, effective and accountable public service.

With this budget we will continue to make Gauteng a better place to live in through the consolidation of the gains we have made and laying a strong foundation for the third decade of our democracy.

This and many more is in line with the commitments that were made when we came into office that working together we can do more; "Ku ya Sheshwa e Gauteng" is for real.

May I take this opportunity to thank the collective of the Executive Council, the Director General and senior management as well as the frontline staff of the province for the support and cooperation with the political nerve centre. Furthermore, may we thank the Oversight Committee on the Office of the Premier and commit ourselves to continue to cooperate with all other oversight systems of the Legislature.

As Einstein said, "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."

Dankie.Ngiyabonga

Issued by the Gauteng Provincial Government, May 27 2013

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