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Before I address you on my vote I would like to express my sincere sympathy to the people of Mozambique who have suffered so greatly in the floods. The loss of life and property, the human suffering, the many dramas which unfolded have touched us all. As has the excellent performance of our Airforce. We from the Western Cape know, from our fires, just how good these flyers really are. On behalf of the Government of the Western Cape and all its citizens, I give the people of Mozambique the assurance that our thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of need. Our own people in especially Mpumalanga and the Northern Province, have also suffered greatly. We will be assisting you in every possible way. I have already sent a delegation to these provinces to determine where we can be of assistance.

I have instructed the same delegation to assess the damage in our own flooded areas in the Western Cape. Medicines, health staff, temporary shelters and administrative assistance are the priority areas where we can help. Medical supplies, aimed mainly at preventing cholera and malaria outbreaks, will be supplied on a cost recovery basis. Some 50 tents, received from Japan to serve as temporary shelters for the Manenberg victims of the recent tornado, will be rerouted through the Red Cross to the worst struck areas in Mpumalanga and the Northern Province. We can be of special assistance in the processing of claims as we have just been through a similar exercise following the Manenberg tornado disaster as well as our West Coast crayfish crisis. An administrative Western Cape task team will undertake the necessary training of officials in the stricken areas to deal with the expected mammoth claims task. I believe our province, by reaching out to our neighbours in their hour of need, can make a difference. Amidst all the havoc and chaos there was a ray of light at the week-end - our historic test win over India - my heartiest congratulations to Hansie and his men.

Mr Speaker, in my address today, I would like to touch on several aspects on how I see further developments in this province. But one needs a firm point of departure and I believe that the introduction of the New-Look Vote 1 - the Premier's vote, is a good start.

I call it a new-look vote because the Office of the Premier is now a department known as the Department of Provincial Administration. This department comprises the following:

* Office of the Premier,
* the Office of the Director-General,
* Corporate services, the Internal Audit component and the Minister in the Office of the Premier.

That is why the Premier's budget seems to have grown somewhat compared with last year.

The new-look is part of the New restructured Administration into 9 Departments, run by an effective Executive - our coalition Cabinet which is in turn advised by the Director-General. I believe the new structure has resulted in a finely-tuned and lean administration geared for even more effective delivery, than we have seen to date.

But let me return to my Department of Provincial Administration or Vote 1.

As Premier I have been tasked to give administrative effect to the strategic objectives and core functions of this administration. At the heart of the strategic objectives are the nine policy goals identified by my Coalition Cabinet in June 1999. In general our 9 policy objectives have been grasped by all in the public service, business, the media and by the public with enthusiasm; (even by a few in opposition benches). Through all of our nine policy objectives there is this golden thread aimed at improving the quality of life. Let me give you some examples:

There are 68 projects up and running in this province with a R5,1 million kick-start from the National Poverty Alleviation Fund aimed at alleviating poverty. More than 100 community development projects in the most marginalised communities are being funded by this province. These are all projects aimed at organisational development, skills training, job creation and human resource development.

A programme for unemployed women with children under 5 years has been introduced. The two projects in Crossroads and Beaufort West are already benefiting hundreds of people. The projects are all aimed at income-generation. Our promise to the people to set out our programme for governance within 100 days was done well before the deadline in September last year. We are the only provincial government to have placed our plans on a table for public scrutiny when we took Cabinet to Pacaltsdorp. Why? Because we want the people out there to know what we are doing, we are transparent. We are accountable. These plans were all underpinned by the budget tabled in this House last week.

Government to the People

My commitment to accountability and transparency motivated me to introduce our Government to the People Project. I believe it was a giant stride in the right direction for this province. By taking Cabinet to the People, we involve our people in the running of this province. We hear first hand what their problems are and how we should address them. It is disgraceful that the ANC tries to deny the people their right to be informed and to have their say as they did at Pacaltsdorp. We learnt a lot at our first Cabinet to the People-meeting. We have taken note of some of the points of criticism raised by the opposition. But the idea of the exercise is to exchange constructive ideas, not to stimulate a political slanging match. We want to communicate with the leaders of the communities irrespective of the parties they represent. And we expect it to be done in a constructive manner. It was the American James Weldon Johnson who said: "A country can have no more democracy than it accords and guarantees to the humblest and weakest citizen."

There will be four more Cabinet to the People projects this year. We will attempt to include especially our rural communities. I sincerely hope that we will be receiving supportive and constructive inputs from the ANC in this regard. The bottom line remains: Service to the People - (Batho Phele).

Another component in my Department is that of the Minister in the Office of the Premier responsible for the Gender Equality Desk, the Disability Desk and the Youth Desk. The National Youth Commissioner, appointed in November last year, is now heading the Provincial Youth Desk. He is now working on a youth strategy for this province. Both the Gender Equality and Disability Desks are up and running and are focusing on Provincial Awareness Programmes which link up with National and International Days. They are already busy with an awareness campaign for National Women's Day on the 9th of August, National Youth Day on 16th June, and International Day for the Disabled on 3 December.

Speaking of International Days I want to appeal to the people of the Western Cape Province to come out en masse and make a stand against ongoing violence, especially violence against children and women. International Women's Day, commemorated tomorrow, is the ideal day to make such a stand. All men, as the traditional and historic protectors of women, should stand up for the rights of women. Man should never be guilty of violence or abuse against women.

The Creator has given women a wonderful place in the Scheme of things. Her place should be nurtured, respected and cherished. Violence has become a scourge in the country. For far too many life is paid little respect. This despicable insensitivity for others, be it their lives, their honour or their belongings, has grown like a cancer in South Africa. This is borne out by growing crime statistics and growing abuse and violence against women and children. I believe that the root of the cancer which seems to have infected so many, lies in their disrespect for women." A day such as International Women's Day calls for serious reflection and a firm stand against violence. Another special day is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, but I will get to that later.

We now also have a Provincial strategy document on Persons with Disabilities while the first Provincial Gender Audit has been submitted to the National Office for the Status of Women. My department includes the Corporate Services component of which the personnel function has been delegated to Minister Piet Meyer.

The Corporate Services component also deals with transformation issues and human resources. It is said that: "Leadership is action, not position and that management is to lead by example, not to drive by fear". This summarises the philosophy underlying the new management model in our Province. The 1997 and 1998 amendments to the Public Service Act aimed to overcome the centralisation of the Public Service by shifting the control of work organisation to executing authorities. The biggest challenge of the new management framework was not a set of rules and regulations that had to be mastered, but that it required a paradigm shift from a rule-bound to a results-orientated culture.

Whilst systems and procedures are still important, control measures now monitor the quality, effectivity and efficiency of services to ensure the best value for money. A strong emphasis is put on cultivating an environment that will enhance and support the new management model to accommodate our distinctive needs and circumstances in the best interest of the Western Cape and its people. This transition to the new management model is managed in a strategic and structured way. Supported by the Public Service Regulations, 1999, the model most definitely mainstreams public service reform.

The Employment Equity Act calls on each and every provincial policy framework, management planning initiative, operational plan, etc. to address the long-term reform objectives. Both the Public Service Act and the Employment Equity Act have given new perspectives and clear direction to the transformation and reform process and highlighted the need to tailor-make the national prescripts to the unique needs of our Province. The transformation process in the Province was therefore revisited and a priority focus has been placed on further reform initiatives. A number of new role-players - a new transformation unit - has been tasked with the overarching, strategic responsibility to advise, monitor and guide reform. All with due regard to the internal management structures, Cabinet and organised labour. Existing structures are reviewed whilst responsibility for reform is vested in each executing authority, HOD and senior manager. Reform is to be included as one of the key performance areas in each and every senior manager's performance agreement.

Regarding transformation, I am on record saying that I want to see greater representivity in the Western Cape Administration.

Another commitment to accountability and transparency brings me to my Internal Audit component.

Interne Oudit

Die forensiese ouditspan het in die afgelope jaar wesenlike sukses behaal ten einde bedrog en korrupsie te bekamp.

Enkele suksesse sluit die volgende in: diefstalle van mediese voorrade het in die afgelope drie jaar geweldig toegeneem in die vorm van sindikaatbedrywighede.

Een van hierdie sindikate is met behulp van SANAP oopgevlek. Verliese wat in die verlede gelei is, word op R10m per jaar beraam. Die bus-vervoerskemas is een van die grootste kopsere van die Departement van Onderwys en verskeie inisiatiewe het sukses behaal. Onre‹lmatige toekenning van tenders is geidentifiiseer en be‹indig. Onpadwaardige busse is geskrap en oorbetalings van R4,5m is in die proses van verhaling. Die 24-uur bedroglyn genereer ongeveer 20 oproepe maandeliks. Daar is reeds 220 sake ondersoek die afgelope 30 maande, waarvan ongeveer 50% voltooi is.
Die totale moontlike verhalings beloop ongeveer R5m, alhoewel die verhalings in verskeie stadiums van invordering is.

As you probably know, and I referred to it in detail in my opening address, this province is receiving considerable technical and other forms of international assistance to establish and run projects mainly aimed at helping the disadvantaged and the poor of this province. The Governor of Upper Austria, Dr P’hringer, has just paid me a visit to give further impetus to several joint upliftment ventures. I referred to these initiatives in my opening address much to the chagrin of the Honourable Mr Rasool who would have loved to have been able to relate some Gullivers Travels of his own. I fully intend to extend existing and new international co-operation agreements. International as well as national governmental relations are now being dealt with by the component Intergovernmental Relations in my Office. This House knows my commitment to good intergovernmental relations. This is a brief overview of what my Department is doing and how it is spending its money.

FUTURE OUTLOOKS

I would now like to give you an outlook for this year and 2001. My Department of Provincial Administration has notched up quite a few successes in different fields such as: international relations, our internal audit, and our human resource management.

It was another American, Frederick Douglas, who said "When we are noted for enterprise, industry and success, we shall no longer have any trouble in the matter of civil and political rights."

We have done well in the savings department. But I believe the expansion of the internal audit will lead to even more savings. Increased focus on intergovernmental relations, especially internationally, can generate more financial aid and investment for this province. The expansion of our human resources capacity such as additional funding for bursaries, the more productive use of our Cape Administrative Academy at Kromme Rhee, are but a few examples of how we can improve even more.

Mr Speaker, this being a budget debate I would also like to refer to Minister Trevor Manuel's Budget speech. I want to commend him on a difficult job well done. However, as custodian of this Province I do feel that the Western Cape is being short-changed again. Which brings me to think of another emphasis one could place on "Standards and Poor". It seems the standards being applied by SA Statistics are resulting in us being more the poor. I'll talk more about Standards and Poor in a moment because it deserves comment. I, like my Minister of Finance, have great difficulty in accepting the findings of SA Statistics that the Western Cape is the only province which has a shrinking population compared with the other provinces. I have said it before, and I say it again - utter balderdash!

Is there anyone here who is of the opinion that we have less people in this province today than we had with the last population census? Although we are grateful that our share of the national budget is reportedly up by 1,8%, I need to ask the question: WHY, according to Idasa's Budget Information Service, is the overall increased allocation to all the other provinces 4% and we get 1,8%? I do not for one minute believe that matters are going to get any better! The results of the recent census - which states that we have miraculously lost 161 000 people - have been phased into the calculations up to 2003's budget. This means that allocations to provinces will continue to change significantly. Allowing for the effects of inflation the Western Cape's share will effectively be reduced by 9% says Idasa's Information Service.

Speaker, Agbare lede: Ons 1999/2000 begroting is weens die census syfers, R133 miljoen minder as wat dit moes wees. Ons 2000/2001 begroting is R456 miljoen minder en in die jaar 2002/2003 R561 miljoen minder. Nadat daar vir verbeterde diensvoorwaardes voorsiening gemaak is, is die direkte uitwerking R24 miljoen minder vir vanjaar, R266 miljoen minder vir die 2000/2001 boekjaar en R369 minder in 2002/2003. Dit bly 'n klomp geld!

Dit sal ons beste pogings om aan veral die voorheen benadeelde gemeenskappe reg te laat geskied, ernstig belemmer.

When the results of the recent census are to be phased in between the 1999 and 2003 budgets, the Eastern Cape is to get four percent less of the overall allocation - again according to Idasa. This I can understand. They are losing thousands of people every month and they all come to the Western Cape. We welcome them, but then we would also like them to be part of the formula that takes them into account here in the Western Cape where we are supplying education facilities, medical aid and general services. It is a FACT that the Western Cape is providing services for people migrating from poorer areas and we should be given extra consideration when the budget is divided. It's like robbing Peter to feed Paul whilst Paul sends his children to eat at Peter's table.

Ek het nie 'n probleem met die formule wat volgens die spesifieke behoeftes van die bevolking, skoolgaande kinders, en tekort aan hospitale vasgestel word nie. Dit is net dat die syfers wat bevolking, skoolgaande kinders en hospitale in ons geval - en net in ons geval - onderskat word.

I agree with the argument that some of the people who settle here are productively active and are able to contribute to the economy, but I still need to be convinced that these people do not merely represent a drop in the migratory bucket. We will need to re-asses the census figures to reflect the real needs for delivery. I will consult with SANCO in the near future as well as other CBO's/civics in informal settlements.

Allow me a few words on HIV/AIDS before the ANC accuses me of ignoring this major threat. While we are getting on with the business of fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic through the drug AZT and through a new Western Cape programme aimed at treating Aids infants and children who are HIV positive, National Government is still fighting over the causes of AIDS. Now the Government wants to appoint people on its panel of AIDS experts who believe AZT is really the cause of AIDS. Meanwhile people out there are dying of AIDS who have never used AZT. Is this the Government's new message? The question was put in a Cape Times editorial last week, it seriously needs to be answered.

But I want to get back to the matter concerning the higher Standards-and-Poor rating which South Africa has been given. This higher rating, which is equal to one notch, in effect, qualifies South Africa for a place in the sunshine of potential new investment capital from international fund managers. We have demonstrated that we are able to manage our fiscus and the international investment community has rewarded us appropriately. More investment money may now flow into our banks from overseas which in turn may ease the pressure on borrowings. It is a good start but, we are going to need a bit more than the one notch at Standards and Poor. Mr Speaker, we are going to need a notch or two on some of the big guns holding up our true potential.

I want to address the issue of Racism again. We commemorate International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination later this month. It is a day to be taken seriously.

Perhaps one day, when racial discrimination is truly eliminated, we will be able to celebrate the day rather than commemorate it. It is therefore, as a matter from the heart, that I repeat my plea to members on that side of the House. Put aside petty politics and join those of us who have a bright vision for the future of the Western Cape. I am the last person to claim that there is no racism in this country, or in this province for that matter. But to stir up old hatreds and heighten inter-group differences in our province, will not contribute in any way to address the problem. We have to get away from the pre-90's liberation rhetoric. We cannot continue to be consumed by bitterness. It is not the ANC's exclusive reserve to declare an end to the bitterness of the past or their exclusive reserve to comment and cast judgement on racism. I invite you again, join with us, and the rest of the world, in the 21st Century.

In closing, let me repeat my plea to people to watch their words. The appeal is especially aimed at people who find themselves in leadership or other influential positions. Remember, being a member of Parliament is not about just filling a nice soft seat in this House. As public representatives we not only have to act responsibly, to be transparent, accountable, dignified and correct, we have to set the example to the youth out there. Our youth need to be able to look up to their leaders, to respect their views, their behaviour. They need to see that there is discipline.

The NNP stands for discipline. I am proud to be the leader and part of a disciplined party. When there is a lack of discipline, it provides a weak foundation on which to build our future. And what is perhaps more important - when God no longer plays a role in one's life, I believe there is no future! God plays the most important role in my life, therefore I believe in the future of this province and our country. I will continue to ask God to help me, with his guidance and strength, to run this province. But this does not discard the need for all of us to continue committing ourselves to the improvement of the quality of life for all the people of this province. And even if there are those who do not believe in God, how could they not want all the support they can get to improve the lot of the people of this province? Let us go forward into the new year, and I mean all of us in this House; resolute to make a difference, disciplined to deliver, fired-up to help, excited about the many opportunities out there and DEDICATED TO SERVE.

With a common will to reach a common goal; to make this the most desire-able place to live in, to do business in, to work in and to visit, --we can be successful.

I thank you.

Issued by the Office of the Premier, Western Cape, 6 March 2000
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