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Chairperson of the NCOP
Honourable Premiers
Honourable members of the House
Ladies and Gentlemen

I would like to thank you for the opportunity you have given me to interact with the Honourable members of this House. It is particularly significant for me, as it is the first time that I am interacting with this House since assuming responsibilities. Colleagues will recall that I used to attend this House as a special delegate when I was both an MEC and the leader of my party in KwaZulu Natal.

Our discussions today need to be seen in the context of previous interactions between the Presidency and Parliament. In his address to the joint sitting of Parliament on the 25th of June, the President outlined the priorities of the government.

On the 2nd of September, we gave a report-back to the National Assembly on the progress made in implementing this programme of action.

When the President addressed the NCOP on the 28th Of October, he posed the question of what the NCOP can do to further promote the project of the provision of a better life for all people and specifically, how this House can contribute to the strengthening of Intergovernmental relations. I trust that with the passage of time, this house will be in a position to answer some of the questions posed by the President.

The National Council of Provinces is a very important and unique component of Parliament. It is the only structure provided for by the Constitution that brings together all three spheres of government under one roof. In this Chamber, representatives of provincial and local governments interact with Ministers.

It is through the NCOP that the Provincial and Local spheres of government have the opportunity to participate in the national legislative process and to cooperate on other areas with the national sphere of government.

Like the legendary three-legged pot which cannot stand if one leg falters, we always gather here to ensure that the pillars of co-operative governance stand firm.

Given that we are a nation of diverse cultures, religions and backgrounds, one of the issues I would like to explore this afternoon is how can this House, the Provincial legislatures and local government structures you represent, contribute to nation building.
No one needs to be reminded how crucial the task of nurturing national unity and reconstruction is. Thus the central question we should ask ourselves is how this process can be further accelerated. This should be within the objective of improving the quality of people's lives, better and faster.

In order to impact in a dynamic way on the issues that affect your constituencies, the National Council of Provinces must optimise the space available to engage in matters of strategic national importance in a manner that will contribute to the objectives of nation building.

The NCOP must continue to earn its place and role, not by virtue of its establishment, but through its contributions to issues of national reconciliation, nation building and instilling a sense of pride in being South African.

The current debate on the Anglo Boer/South African War centenary and its legacy for modern South Africa, is an important issue in the context of nation building which needs to be taken up by this house.

The historical characterisation of this War was problematic. Nevertheless, as part of the process of nation building, all of us are re-assessing its causes, its conduct and its results.

The commemorations of the battles of the Anglo Boer/South African War are taking place in the Provinces and municipalities. The obvious question to ask is what discussions are taking place in the Provincial Legislatures and Transitional Local Councils regarding these issues?

What interventions are we making to ensure that the message of national and international reconciliation is communicated to the ordinary masses of our people.

I believe that such issues should feature on the agenda of the National Council of Provinces as co-operative governance is underpinned by the proximity of the constituencies served.

One of the responsibilities I have been assigned is to facilitate and coordinate traditional matters. The role of Traditional Leaders is an important part of the exercise of Nation Building. Honourable members should recall that prior to the new dispensation, the powers and influence of traditional leaders were reduced in various ways. Now for the first time in the history of this country, the Constitution recognises traditional leaders as important partners in improving the lives of our people. As government we are continuously encouraged by many traditional leaders who are playing an important role in this regard.

We will continue to work towards reducing the tensions that sometimes exist between the traditional authorities and elected organs of government. To this end, I have already met with the National House of Traditional Leaders including Provincial representatives and commenced meetings with other groups of traditional leaders.

In these meetings traditional leaders expressed their support for the democratic institutions of government. However they expressed reservations regarding the interaction between themselves and provincial and local structures. What they are asking for is to be part of co-operative governance.

Concerns are being raised by Traditional Leaders regarding the process of demarcating local government boundaries, for example. I believe that these concerns can best be addressed by local and provincial government interacting more effectively with traditional leaders.

Government's view is that traditional structures should dovetail into the structures of the new dispensation. The Provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders meet regularly, yet their deliberations are not publicised. The question we should ask ourselves then is; how much do we know of those deliberations? Provincial Governments should provide regular reports on how the Houses of Traditional Leaders have conducted their business. In this way, the public will be kept abreast of developments in these bodies.

As I stated in my address to the National Assembly, I will be interacting with the provincial Houses of traditional leaders and traditional leaders in the rest of the provinces to get first hand experience of the issues at stake. This will be done in order to strengthen the relationship with all traditional leaders and to make sure that there is a common understanding about areas of co-operation.

Government has called on traditional leaders to continue with their role in promoting rural and cultural development. This will assist in building the economy and recreating the moral fibre of our society.

As we carry out this work with our traditional leaders, we should also remain vigilant that we do not encourage a retrogressive ethnicity and the re-invigoration of backward customs and habits.

Discussions on nation building can become academic in the context of large-scale rural poverty where millions of people lack access to basic infrastructure and the means to live a basic productive life. It is for this reason that government has targeted rural development as one of its main priorities.

Our continuing struggle against racism must have as one of its critical elements the eradication of this poverty, which, in good measure, still separates black from white.

In the address to the National Assembly, I reported on the steps being taken to begin the process of kick-starting the integrated sustainable rural development strategy.

Members are aware of the various steps we have embarked upon since the state of the Nation address to give effect to this all important initiative as this was done in consultation with the premiers.

Progress will be monitored and evaluated diligently to ensure targets are met and time-frames adhered to. The process is being initiated through pilot projects in the three poorest provinces - Eastern Cape, Kwazulu Natal and the Northern Province.

These are however not the sole focus of the rural development strategy. The aim is to ensure that existing delivery projects in rural areas are implemented in a co-ordinated fashion. We will be examining projects in all Provinces to ensure that this is happening. In some Provinces, we may feel that the main issue is to overcome blockages whilst in others additional projects may be needed.

Madam Chairperson, the end of this parliamentary session provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made thus far.

We have had an excellent start to the legislative programme. Members of the Cabinet quickly familiarised themselves with their new portfolios as well as the legislation envisaged by their departments. As a result, since its first sitting after the June elections, Cabinet has approved 34 Bills.

Capitalizing on the momentum of the last term of office, this government has continued to vigorously address issues that affect all sectors of our community. It is our intention to continue along the same lines in the year 2000.

As the Leader Of Government Business, I have already collated the legislative programmes from all the Ministries for the coming year. The purpose of this exercise is twofold - firstly, to ensure that as a government we are able to plan our programme and activities for the coming year; secondly it will allow us to co-ordinate and prioritise Bills in order of importance.

We regard the legislative programmes of the various departments as proposals rather than concrete implementation plans.

These programmes will be readily available to other Departments and relevant Provincial and Local government partners for noting. Their views will be sought on;
> The relevance of a particular bill in addressing the needs of our society;
> The impact on the overall transformation vision of the government;
> The extent to which it addresses real challenges faced by poor people in South Africa; and
> How much it will in turn enhance the capacity of Government to deliver.

What I want to highlight is that it is not the number of Bills passed that is important, but rather, how the legislation will improve the quality of the lives of South Africans and move our country towards the non-racial, non sexist and prosperous common home we want it to be.

Some of the Section 76 Bills that will be tabled for consideration by the NCOP in the coming year include;
The Municipal Systems Bill
The Property Ratings Bill
The Disaster Management Bill
The National Health Bill
The Mental Health Bill
The Tourism Amendment Bill
The Environmental Management Amendment Bill
The Energy Bill and the
Electricity Supply Industry Regulation Bill

I urge this House when it sits to consider legislation to assist in this task and to look, not just at the constitutionality of a Bill and how well or badly it is drafted, but also at how the Bill can be improved to ensure greater transformation and speedier delivery.

There are a further four Bills required by our Constitution that have to be passed by early February next year. These are;
The Open Democracy Bill
The Administrative Justice Bill
The Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Bill, and the Procurement Policy Bill.

As you are all aware, members of this House are already involved, together with members of the National Assembly in the consideration of these Bills. Due to time constraints, much work will have to be put in during December and January.

Of these four bills mentioned, the Procurement Policy Bill is a Section 76 Bill and Provincial Legislatures will have to finalise both negotiating and voting mandates during this period.

All these Bills have far- reaching implications for the people, the country and all levels of government.

The Open Democracy Bill, for example, will make the workings of government more accessible to the public, whilst the Administrative Justice Bill lays out the procedure to be followed when administrative decisions are taken.

It is vital for Provinces and local government structures to actively participate, through the NCOP, in the consideration of these Bills and ensure that they are in a position to implement their provisions once they come into effect.

Your participation as members of the NCOP in this process will further strengthen the principle of co-operative governance, crucial for our survival, and our continued ability to lead the transformation process that has been entrusted upon us by our people. Nation building can also be facilitated by the active involvement of provincial and local governments in this process.

Finally, on this last sitting of the NCOP before the dawn of the new millennium, I wish to take this opportunity to extend my best wishes to all members during the festive season and millennium celebrations.

Remember Don't Drink and Drive - Arrive Alive!!

I Thank You.

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