[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

IMPLEMENTATION OF CONSTITUTION:

1. Constitution Week

- 17-21 March 1997 (Culminating - 21 March 1997 - Human Rights Day)
- 7 Million copies
- 5-11 Languages
- Main focus - secondary schools - 4 million to be distributed
- 1,5 million through Post Offices
- 0,5 million through Security Services
- Cost- R14 million
- R17 million already secured from funders
- A6 pocket size format

2. Rationalisation of legislation

- All Departments
- To comply with new constitution

3. Establishment of commission and structures

- Passing of legislation to establish a Commission on Promotion and
Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities

4. Constitutional Education Programme

TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS:
1. Policy formulation - define role
- To comply with new constitution
- To deal with relations with democratically elected local government

2. Launching of Council of Traditional Leaders
- Anticipating launch will be in April 1997
- Legislation to establish Council of Traditional Leaders still being process

3. Traditional Leaders MINMEC
- First MINMEC meeting was on 10 February 1997, attended by all 6 provinces with Houses of Traditional Leaders
- Four MlNMEC's to be held per annum

4. Setting up of Chief Directorate

- Mr Richard Sizani, former Parliamentarian started on the 1 February 1997 as a new Chief Director, other posts in the process of being filled

INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNMENT:

1. Pass legislation to establish or Provide for structures and institutions to Promote
and facilitate Inter-Governmental Relations

2. Draft White Paper

- To establish a system of Inter-Governmental Relations and co-operative governance

3. Inter-Governmental Conference

- 24-25 February 1997
- Will be attended by all Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Premiers,
MEC's and Director-Generals
- Will promote a shared vision on important policy and strategic matters and
determine steps that should be taken in this regard in 1997

LOCAL GOVERNMENT:

1. White Paper Process
Political Committee established, chaired by Mr Pravin Gordhan
Had two meetings already
Department advertising for list of experts

2. Bridging legislation (Local Government Transition Amendment Act)

- Will be passed during the first quarter of this year
- Will address the issue of Local Government Finances

3. Councillor remuneration
- MINMEC appointed Technical Committee to furnish interim proposals in July 1 997 Interim proposals will determine allowances for Councillors from 1 July until the next elections

4. Training
- New Interim Training Board already established

5. Project Liquidity (Key outputs for 1997/98)
- Fully operational national and provincial task teams
Walk through audits completed in 100 municipalities
40 municipalities stabilised through active intervention programmes

6. Mip and Raid
- To provide internal bulk and connector services in order to enhance
housing development in existing and greenfields areas
The project categories that are covered range from water, roads and
stormwater and solid waste disposal sites
Raid: The aims and objectives of the Raid programmes is to stabilises
rural local government by providing necessary administrative infrastructure for
local and rural councils provides a one-off grant for development of administrative facilities for rural
municipal bodies that do not have the financial capacity to engage in such
a project

7. Public/Private Partnerships (Key outputs for 1997/98)
- Establishment of a clear policy framework for PPPs for municipal sector
- Completion of PPP pilot projects and assessment of their success
- Regulatory framework for municipal PPPs completed

8. Masakhane
- President's award for community initiative - to be advertised
- Negotiations with NEDLAC to facilitate broader stakeholder participation

Issued by the Ministry for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development, 14 February 1997

<EOD>