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Mr Speaker and Honourable members

We wish to place on record our appreciation of the availability of His Majesty King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu to perform the annual opening of our Provincial Parliament. Your Majesty we appreciate the stature you lend this occasion. May we express the heartfelt thanks of this house to His Majesty? Your words have been truly the source of inspiration to all of us. His Majesty's opening address has set the tone for the first session of this parliament.

We are thankful that His Majesty has filled us with hope at the beginning of this Parliamentary session. The government of this province stands firm in its commitment to delivery of service and clean administration. We uphold the tenants of discipline and the high work ethics.

His Majesty referred to the impasse on the powers and functions of Amakhosi vis-a-vis municipalities in rural areas. This is a thorny issue and it hampers development in the Amakhosi areas. Our patience is fast running out. Indeed this is a desperate situation. We are convinced that a solution lies in the amendment of Chapters 7 and 12 of the constitution.

Nothing short of this will resolve the matter. We hope that the national government will take appropriate action to honour the promise made by the President on 30 November 2000 at the conclusion of intense discussions with representatives of the Coalition of Traditional Leaders. The amendment of chapters 7 and 12 of the Constitution will entrench the possibility that the local government powers of Traditional Authorities be protected or restored.

His Majesty expressed himself unequivocally on the bold initiative led by the Premier to save lives of unborn babies of HIV infected mothers. This province has acted in a responsible manner in a desperate situation. The distribution of Nevirapine to HIV-infected pregnant women is being done in all those institutions that are ready. We encourage medical practitioners who had already made a start in that direction to proceed with this worthy cause with the assurance that they will not be victimised.

His Majesty laid emphasis on investments, which have been attracted to this province. We look forward to the acceleration of job creation in a province which faces the challenge of unacceptably high employment rates.

In conclusion let me assure His Majesty that the government of this province will continue to place a high premium on the eradication of poverty and inequality and managing the impact of HIV/AIDS and reducing its spread.

I thank you.

Issued by Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal

22 February 2002