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Speaker and Deputy Speaker
MECs
Honourable members
Gauteng delegates to the NCOP
Mayors and other representatives of Local Government
Excellencies
Mama Sisulu
Distinguished guests
Fellow citizens

Next year marks the end of the first decade of democracy and freedom in South Africa. As we approach this historic moment, based on the work done since 1994, we can boldly say Gauteng is now a better place to live in.

We have made great progress towards our historic goal - a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.

While we inherited a country with millions of people afflicted by poverty, disease, neglect, illiteracy and underdevelopment, through determination and careful planning, we have taken concrete steps to improve the lives of our people.

From the outset we were well aware that the march to a better South Africa would not be an easy one, given the severity of the problems created by centuries of colonialism and apartheid. Armed with our plan for social transformation - the Reconstruction and Development Programme - we knew that it was possible, working together with communities, to march on to a new South Africa, whose citizens would enjoy a better quality of life.

At the end of the first five years of democratic government, while many South Africans experienced a great deal of improvement in their quality of life, we had not recorded as many achievements as we had intended. At the same time, we knew that the new democratic institutions and policies which we had set in place would provide a solid foundation from which we could continue to reverse the legacy of apartheid and ensure speedier delivery to improve the lives of our people.

Despite the challenges and difficulties of the initial stages of our march to a better South Africa, we remained unflinching in our resolve to intensify the offensive for transformation and development.

We made correct interventions to remove blockages, not least of which has been the restructuring of the public service to better serve the people. Where we have found laziness, wastage, lack of focus and neglect within the public service we have acted with determination to improve the situation.

We salute the majority of public service workers - black and white - who have fully embraced the new order and work ethic and daily provide quality services to our people.

Today we can see the results of our hard work. Many more South Africans now enjoy a better quality of life than they did 10 years ago. Increasingly we are moving towards a situation where people are no longer condemned to a life of misery and suffering simply because of the colour of their skin, gender or abilities.

Last year we presented to the people of the province the midterm report of our current term of office. It provides concrete evidence that the past three and half years have, indeed, been characterised by accelerated change.

We are, however, aware that we still need to work harder before all our people can truly enjoy a better life. We know this because as government we are in daily contact with our people in order to serve their needs. Every day we interact with communities in hospitals, clinics, in schools, homes, police stations, at pension payout points, housing settlements and at multi-purpose community centres. We continue to visit service points to get direct feedback from those whose well-being depends on government services.

We are constantly holding people's forums at local level throughout the province to give residents an opportunity to directly participate in and influence governance and service delivery.

Through initiatives such as our Let's Talk campaign, imbizo and road shows we have given concrete expression to people-centred governance. We account to residents on what we are doing; we listen to their concerns and suggestions, and, as far as is practically possible act upon them.

We share the concerns that while a lot has been done to improve the condition of poor people, a great number continue to face the challenges of unemployment, crime, illiteracy, hunger, disease, homelessness and lack of access to basic services such as water and sanitation.

Children and women are still subjected to the most gruesome human rights violations by men whose behaviour is blight on our democracy. Levels of crime, especially armed robbery and murder, remain unacceptably high. Our country is still characterised by vast racial and gender inequalities in respect of access to productive assets, wealth and income. The vast majority of black people, women in particular, still participate in the economy as no more than labourers and consumers.

It is this reality that occupies our minds on a daily basis. It is this reality that we consciously seek to change. All our strategies, our plans and our resources are devoted to changing this reality.

Our plan, which focuses on sustainable economic growth and job creation, poverty alleviation, quality service delivery and good governance, remains the guiding torch in our march to a better life.

United action to push back the frontiers of poverty remains our most urgent priority. Together with workers, business, NGOs and community organisations we will continue to implement a multi-faceted plan of action targeted at the poor and the vulnerable. This includes providing short-term jobs and training in our infrastructure projects, school-feeding schemes, providing free basic services such as water and electricity, household food security projects and the provision of social security grants.

Last year we intensified our campaign to identify people who should be on our social security system but who for a variety of reasons were left out. We have concentrated our efforts in the most disadvantaged communities of Gauteng. This includes our visits during the Presidential Imbizo and Imbizo Focus Week in October, to Greenfields and other communities to register those in need.

We are happy to report that our campaign has been a huge success. Many of our people who were previously not receiving old age pensions, foster care grants, child support grants and grants for people with disabilities now receive them.

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of children receiving the child support grant since 1999. Today more than 290 000 children benefit from it. Similarly, since 1999, there has been a 23% increase in the number of people receiving disability grants and a 52% increase in the number of people receiving foster care grants. Over 240 000 people receive old age pensions. This means that we are making a difference in the lives of more than 600 000 vulnerable people, who can attest to the fact that indeed Gauteng is now a better place to live in.

We thank members of the Legislature and letsema volunteers who joined us in this campaign, which has provided relief to hundreds of thousands of the poorest of the poor living on the edge of survival.

This year we will continue to intensify our campaign and call on communities to assist us to identify people eligible for social grants. We will also be ready to phase in the extended child support grants to children up to the age of fourteen years in line with the President's announcement to this effect.

While our economic development strategy aims to improve private sector job creation, we will continue to consciously maximise the job-creation potential of the public sector. We will do this through the promotion of cooperatives, public works, community-based public works programmes and infrastructure development programmes.

In the past financial year we created close to 50 000 temporary jobs through Capex projects, Blue IQ projects and housing projects alone.

We have successfully turned around our community-based public works programme from being 100% government funded to a partnership with the private sector in the development of community infrastructure.

This programme generates temporary employment during the construction of community assets. It also creates permanent income-generating activities through the maintenance of community assets such as pension pay-points, libraries and recreational facilities.

By the end of the current financial year we will have implemented 27 community-based projects in various poverty-stricken areas of Gauteng and would have employed and trained 1048 people, of whom 49% would be women, 32% youth and 10% people with disabilities.

In addition to this, we launched the Zivuseni programme to contribute to the renewal of our public and community assets and the creation of short-term jobs to help alleviate poverty.

By December last year, 5000 previously unemployed people had benefited from short-term jobs in 115 projects to improve schools, clinics, hospitals and waste management.

Many of the Zivuseni workers have acquired skills that will increase their chances of getting other jobs, including in some of our more long-term projects. Some of the beneficiaries have chosen to form themselves into small groups and use the skills they have acquired through their involvement in Zivuseni to start their own businesses.

In the next financial year we will be extending the programme to include environmental improvement, household survival projects and water supply and sanitation. This will enable us to create more short-term employment opportunities for the unemployed. We are confident that we will meet our target of 100 000 short-term income opportunities over a three-year period.

Zivuseni will also link up with the various infrastructure programmes of local, provincial and national governments in order to maximise the developmental impact and reach more beneficiaries.

Complementing this programme is a determined campaign to ensure that all our infrastructural development and public works are carried out in a labour intensive way in order to maximise job creation. We call on national and local government to identify areas that lend themselves to this approach so that together we can reach even more people.

We will continue to work with trade unions to forge a common understanding based on the primary aim of the programme - the improvement of the lives of our people without undermining labour standards.

Knowing the history of exploitation of workers in our country, we will do everything in our power to ensure that the gains made by workers since 1994 are enhanced rather than diminished. We call on the regional offices of the Department of Labour in Gauteng to ensure that enough resources are made available to train workers engaged in Zivuseni, focussing on women and youth. This will in turn enhance their chances of finding permanent employment or to start their own businesses.

As part of our commitment to promote labour rights, we plan to host the celebration of May Day in the province. This will be an occasion to celebrate the gains made by workers since 1994 and, through a series of workshops, to look at what more can be done at the provincial level to improve job opportunities and poverty eradication.

Another anti-poverty initiative, which we will be taking forward this year, is the establishment of integrated development centres. These centres provide unemployed people with skills training and support to enable them to participate in income generating activities.

Integrated development centres have already been launched in Vlakfontein, Mamelodi, Tembisa and Poortjie and more will be launched in Nelmapius, Alexandra and Orange Farm.

We are already at work to respond to the President's call to develop community development workers. This new cadre of servants of the people, who will be drawn from communities, will become local champions of our plans to drive development and build better communities in every ward in Gauteng.

I have tasked MECs Moleketi and Fowler to explore the appropriate institutional arrangements including the feasibility of creating a provincial community development agency. It is envisaged that these community development workers will take existing local development initiatives to greater heights. They will be catalysts to help drive faster, more focused, integrated and sustainable local development and service delivery to address community needs.

MEC Fowler will indicate initial areas of deployment for these workers after consultations with local government and other stakeholders.

Our household food security programme plays a critical role in alleviating the impact of poverty through involving beneficiaries in producing food for themselves and their families. Since the beginning of our term of office, close to 7 000 households - at least 28 000 people - have benefited from this programme. This year will see the expansion of the programme to cover 1200 new households. In this financial year, approximately 70% of the beneficiaries were women, a significant improvement on the past. The targeting of women is especially important in view of the fact that women, as primary care givers, and children, are most vulnerable to poverty and poor nutrition.

In line with the national strategy for household food security, we will pilot the distribution of starter packs in three areas of critical need in Metsweding, Sedibeng and West Rand. The starter packs will provide 1 000 households that have no other form of income with hand tools, seeds and compost. The project will be expanded based on its success and the availability of further funding.

Many children who come from poor families benefit from our primary and pre-school nutrition programmes. Presently 410 000 children in pre-schools and primary schools are being fed.

This programme will be further extended to the new Grade R learners beginning this year. We call on communities through school governing bodies to ensure that all deserving schools are identified for inclusion.

I am pleased to announce that we will also pilot the nutrition programme in 24 secondary schools in informal settlements and rural areas.

The provision of free water and electricity ensures that all residents receive a basic lifeline of services.

Currently all municipalities are in the process of ensuring that six kilolitres of free water per month are provided to all households in their areas. Municipalities such as Johannesburg and Tshwane have already rolled out this service to almost all residents while on average the rollout is 80% in other municipalities.

With regard to electricity, the City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Westonaria, Nokeng Tsa Taemane, Kungwini, Lesedi and Mogale City Municipalities provide free basic electricity of between 20 and 50kwh per month to all households in their areas of jurisdiction.

Together with national government we will engage Eskom to ensure that, even in the cases where Eskom is the retail supplier of electricity to households, they too receive free basic electricity. This is important, particularly since it is mainly poor and historically disadvantaged areas that are serviced by Eskom.

It is however important to note that anyone who uses more than the free basic service will have to pay for such services.

Last year we announced that the old bucket toilet system and pit latrines were to become a thing of the past. Projects are already underway to remove the bucket toilets affecting about 4 000 households in Alra Park, Masetjaba and Wagplek Settlement in Nigel, Dukathole in Germiston, Evaton and Sebokeng North. Our aim is to eliminate, by the end of the next financial year, bucket toilets in the remaining identified areas.

The drive to rid our province of the bucket toilet system and pit latrines is part of an overall programme to guarantee that within the next four years all Gauteng residents have access to healthy water and sanitation. This will be significantly in advance of the target set for the world at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Currently basic services, including water and sanitation, are being installed on 89 000 stands. By the end of the next financial year an additional 320000 people will have access to water and sanitation services.

This vital programme will bring preventable diseases such as cholera under control and will improve the overall health and well-being of the affected communities.

We call on all municipalities, especially those in metropolitan areas, to accelerate the provision of water and sanitation in areas under their jurisdiction. They should also budget for maintenance where these are installed by the provincial government.

The lack of an adequate water treatment works south of Johannesburg has constrained development in this area. It has been of great environmental concern to local farmers and residents who have borne the brunt of spillages. I am pleased to announce that full funding of R138 million has been made available for the Sebokeng water treatment works. This project will be completed in 2004.

The upgrading will enable proper sanitation in Orange Farm, Palm Springs and Sebokeng North, and will also make it possible for new housing to be developed at Driezicht, Ext 5 Orange Farm and Vlakfontein West.

The provision of decent housing to all South Africans, particularly the poor who live in slums or are homeless, continues to receive our urgent attention.

We are however not merely concerned about giving people shelter. Our aim is to build safe, sustainable and integrated communities where people live close to their workplaces and schools, and have access to public transport, health care and recreational facilities. We are determined to move away from the apartheid human settlement patterns, which isolated the majority from centres of economic activity and access to services.

Two years ago we announced an integrated development project north of Randburg known as Cosmo City.

The implementation of this project was delayed due to, among other reasons; the long time taken to complete the township planning, environmental impact assessment study and opposition by wealthy neighbouring communities, ostensibly for fear that the value of their property would be reduced. I am happy to announce that the project has now been fully approved and construction for Cosmo City will soon commence.

Once completed, Cosmo City will have more than 15 000 housing units with various tenure options including low-cost, medium-density and bonded houses.

Another key feature of this development will be the incorporation of the principles of sustainable development in the provision of low-cost housing. For example, the houses will be designed to be energy efficient and a best practice waste management system will be introduced.

The Cosmo City development will bring infrastructure investment of more than a billion rand to the area. This will create jobs and stimulate local economic activity for the people of Zevenfontein, who will become proud owners of the new houses, and the neighbouring communities of Zandspruit, Honeydew and Kaya Sands informal settlement.

Another integrated development project is now under construction in Lotus Gardens, situated in the West of Pretoria. This development is aimed at a mixed income market with various tenure options. The housing project will include 'RDP houses', the peoples housing process and credit-linked housing.

This is the first project where beneficiaries will contribute to low-cost housing built for them by the state. Lotus Gardens will deliver 5 000 housing units to house people presently living in the backyards of Atteridgeville and its surrounding informal settlements.

Social housing has become one of our major housing delivery thrusts in the province. Our objective for the next four years is to deliver a minimum of 40 000 social housing units throughout Gauteng.

To achieve this aim we need the active participation of the private sector.

In this regard, late last year we established the Gauteng partnership fund to leverage private finance through a public private partnership. This fund will unlock private capital, thus enabling us to deliver a far greater number of quality social housing units, particularly in the inner cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The Gauteng partnership fund has already signed an agreement with Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) to fund 10 000 social housing units over the next three years through an investment of more than R500 million.

Another agreement has been signed with the National Urban Reconstruction and Housing Agency to invest R1 billion in social housing over the next four years.

These initiatives will see more than R1.5 billion being invested by the private sector in social housing, thus making public-private partnerships a reality. We are currently engaged in discussions with other financial institutions and trade union controlled pension and provident funds on their participation.

Brickfields, one of the projects announced last year, will receive funding through this partnership. This project, situated in Newtown, and valued at R500 million, has already received an amount of R30 million from the Gauteng partnership fund and a long-term loan will be received from the Gauteng provincial government and RMB. Anglo American Corporation will also provide R3 million in equity. Our other partner, the City of Johannesburg, has contributed the land. On completion, Brickfields will accommodate more than 2000 households, for the benefit of more than 8000 people.

As part of our incremental housing approach, we are accelerating the process to assist people to participate in building their own houses. We are currently finalising an agreement with private sector players to streamline the supply of material to all projects under construction. This will allow housing support centres to order material in bulk, and ensure that correct quantities are delivered on time, as and when required.

Through this approach, we will contribute to the creation of short-term jobs in local communities, while at the same time providing skills and shelter to poor people.

Our urban renewal projects in Alexandra and Kliptown are on target.

The Alexandra renewal project is now in its second year of implementation, and we can already see significant improvement in the area. We are on course to transform Alexandra from the slum city it once was into a "city of light".

For the first time after many years more than 350 000 Alex residents will have security of tenure on their properties. In March this year we will table draft legislation facilitating this process.

On 1 March 2003, people from the Beirut informal settlement will move into 228 new flats in the area. Another 200 units are to be built this year.

Partnerships have been developed with business to establish the Wynberg city improvement district. Land has also been acquired for the development of a substantial taxi rank, commercial and retail space and a grand public square as the flagship project for the Pan Africa area.

The establishment of a decentralised social welfare office in Alexandra has resulted in a 30% increase in the number of beneficiaries applying for social security grants.

We will commence the building of three additional schools during the next financial year to address overcrowding. The new Alexandra Police Station will be opened in March this year.

In Kliptown work to renew the area is underway, including the cleaning up of the Klip River, formalisation of informal traders, refurbishment of Kliptown Station, a new taxi rank development, building of pedestrian walk ways and the development of 915 housing units.

We have already completed the revamp of recreational spaces along the Klip River and finalised planning for the building of the Walter Sisulu Square and the heritage site at the place where the Freedom Charter was signed.

All of these point to the fact that, contrary to any message of doom and gloom being spread about the quality of people's lives since 1994, Gauteng has become a better place to live in.

In his State of the Nation Address recently, the President announced a project to regenerate Bekkersdal, arising from a commitment made during the Presidential Imbizo in the area in October last year.

In the short-term, we are committed to stepping up service delivery in the area. We have already delivered on short-term commitments made during the presidential visit in response to community complaints about schooling and health care.

I am pleased to report that we opened a fully functional mobile school there at the beginning of this year. Urgent repairs at TM Letlhake Secondary School will be completed by the end of March 2003 and the outstanding work is expected to be completed by November 2003.

We will also set up a community health centre, which will service Westonaria and Randfontein. We are in the process of acquiring land for this and building plans have already been drawn up. The social services and population development department has been to the area to ensure that all residents who qualify to receive social security grants indeed receive them.

In the medium-term, we will intervene to improve living conditions through providing better access roads, sanitation and street lighting.

As an initial step towards the development of a more comprehensive and longer-term plan, we have commissioned a study of the area, which faces severe challenges. These relate not only to the significant social backlogs and high levels of poverty and unemployment resulting from a decline in mining and other economic activity in the area. The challenges also relate to the geology of the area, which is characterised by large dolomitic cavities below the earth's surface and which pose a threat due to the possibility of sink holes developing.

In order to ensure that the regeneration of the area is both sustainable and puts the safety and well-being of residents first, the plan to regenerate Bekkersdal clearly needs to take these factors into account. In addition to exploring the upgrading of social amenities and improved economic development prospects, we are therefore considering relocations from the area. We are currently consulting with other role-players, including local and national government departments. We expect that we will be in a position to announce a detailed longer-term plan in April 2003.

The unsafe geological conditions, which can lead to sinkholes and pose serious risks to the lives and health of people, go beyond Bekkersdal. Due to life threatening risks at Thembelihle we had to move people to Vlakfontein where we are building a new settlement.

We are very mindful of the problems that people face when they have to move and will continue to mitigate them. To this extent we are rapidly increasing our basic services provision to Vlakfontein.

The current health care services will be increased to a five day, eight hour comprehensive service by April 2003. A primary school consisting of 15 classrooms will be ready for occupation in March 2003. In the meantime we are providing free transport to students to their previous schools in Lenasia.

We have also increased other services in the area including the establishment of a development centre, provision of food parcels and helping residents to start food gardens.

In order to restore our people's dignity, we have accelerated the issuing of title deeds to qualifying beneficiaries. To date we have issued over 210 000 title deeds, covering all the old townships in Gauteng. The remainder of about 76 000 title deeds will be issued by the end of this year.

Due to our past, one of the more ugly stains on our urban landscape is the hostel. We have begun the process of converting them into more decent accommodation.

At City Deep our R40 million hostel regeneration programme is underway to convert existing accommodation into single and family dwelling units. This programme aims to address problems in this area including unhygienic conditions, environmental problems and crime.

We have secured an agreement with the hostel residents to provide them with interim accommodation and to move them in a phased manner as the upgrading, which is scheduled to start on 1 April, proceeds. We call on all hostel residents and political parties to work with us to ensure speedy upgrading of the identified hostels, payment for services and prevention of illegal connections for water and electricity.

The provision of quality healthcare to all our people, especially the poor, continues to receive high priority. We continue to pay special attention to care for children, women, TB sufferers and people with chronic diseases. Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and caring for those infected and affected by the epidemic also remain at the top of our agenda.

Our expanded programme on immunisation has reduced the risk of children dying from vaccine preventable conditions. The immunisation coverage for children under one year of age has increased from 72.4% in 1998 to 76% in the past year.

This year we will further strengthen programmes to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates. This includes the continued implementation of a strategy on the integrated management of childhood illness at all our facilities.

The tuberculosis control programme has led to the new smear positive cure rate improving from 65% in 1999 to 70% in 2001. 93% of TB patients are on the directly observed therapy.

In accordance with national norms and standards, we have created access for people with disabilities in 60% of our health facilities. Occupational therapists and physiotherapists are available at many community health centres and special units exist to address the needs of people who are severely disabled.

We are addressing the particular health needs of young people through youth friendly services at 24 clinics. This promotes responsible and healthy reproductive and sexual behaviour among adolescents and youth to reduce the incidence of high-risk teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS.

The partnership against AIDS continues to grow and strengthen with more and more sectors joining. I would like to extend gratitude to all Gauteng AIDS Council members for their contribution to the partnership and in their respective sectors.

We have also received tremendous support for our efforts from civil society organisations including NGOs, people living with AIDS support groups, the South African business council on HIV/AIDS, African cultural music and dance, the South African national civil organisation, trade union federations, religious organisations and the Gauteng traditional and faith medical practitioners.

The prevention of mother to child transmission programme, which was started in 2001, now covers 100% of public hospitals and 90% of midwife obstetrics units attached to community health centres. This year we will extend the programme to every public clinic with maternity services.

We have this year strengthened support for survivors of sexual assault at our 26 medico-legal centres. Of note in this regard is the fact that, as promised last year, we have introduced post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV infection for survivors of sexual assault at all of these centres. Our experience so far has shown that too many women do not return to complete the course of antiretrovirals. This is an area where the strengthening of our partnerships with women's groups and other NGOs will be of critical importance.

Forty-six voluntary counselling and testing sites are now in operation in the province with almost 2 000 counsellors trained. Over 36 000 people visited our sites seeking VCT. This programme goes a long way to building awareness, reducing stigma, and reducing transmission of HIV/AIDS.

Gauteng now has sixty-nine home-based care projects with nine support groups for people living with AIDS which have been funded to provide home-based care and related support.

The contribution of community volunteers and health workers over the past year has been extraordinary. Without their efforts we would not have succeeded in rolling out our PMTCT programme. People living with AIDS and their organisations have also played a pioneering role in creating openness on AIDS, educating the public and fighting discrimination.

However, we need to continue to focus on the concerted implementation of the comprehensive strategy on HIV/AIDS. This includes the promotion of the ABC of HIV/AIDS as well as the promotion of positive living. People living with AIDS and their families need to know that it is possible to live longer with proper nutrition, support and care.

Medical schemes and private patients have enthusiastically supported our Folateng project at Johannesburg Hospital to provide differentiated hospitality services for patients who have health insurance. It opened with 28 beds in May 2002 and capacity has now been increased to 92 beds and three consulting rooms.

This year we will further increase the capacity at the Johannesburg Hospital unit to 150 beds including a dedicated intensive / high care unit, operating theatre and dialysis unit. We will also open similar wards with over 150 beds at the Helen Joseph, Pretoria West, Sebokeng and Kopanong Hospitals.

Contrary to statements that this amounts to the privatisation of public health care, Folateng is about extending the reach of the public service to those who would otherwise not use our public health facilities. Folateng is about the defence of public health care. We call on all our public representatives in the province and public service workers to utilise these services.

We are moving to a situation where public health services are no longer seen as inferior to private health services only to be utilised by those who cannot afford to pay for services.

We will continue to recognise public servants who maintain high service standards in public health institutions. We congratulate the provincial winner of the Cecilia Makiwane Nurses Recognition Awards, Prudence Seboka, from Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. We also congratulate the winners of the Khanyisa service excellence awards: Pretoria Academic Hospital, Sebokeng Hospital, Leratong Hospital and Itireleng Community Health Centre. It is through such dedication that the people of Gauteng are experiencing a living expression of our commitment to Batho Pele principles within our health services.

Improving our health care infrastructure was a major target of 2002. Last year saw major renovations at Tembisa Hospital, the completion of a psychiatric ward at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, completion of the second phase of the Stretford clinic in Orange Farm, planning for renovations at the OPD and casualty at Sebokeng Hospital and the outpatient and trauma unit at Garankuwa Hospital. Centres for victims of violence were refurbished at Natalspruit Hospital and Stretford Clinic.

This year we will revitalise the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital outpatients and casualty sections. We will also commence with the construction of the Mamelodi Hospital. Community health care clinics will be built in Block L Soshanguve and Hillbrow. The construction of the new Pretoria Academic Hospital is continuing, with completion expected in 2004.

The Wits Dental School revamp was completed in June 2002, contributing to affordable dental health care to the community and teaching of students at a tertiary level.

Later this year we will be opening a world-class radiation oncology unit at the Johannesburg Hospital to treat cancer patients.

Last year Gauteng had the honour of being the host province for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

During the Summit we highlighted the high levels of wastage by humankind and explored the alternatives to this. The legacy of the WSSD lives on in numerous initiatives to improve the environment in Gauteng.

We had the opportunity to draw the attention of the world to some of the things in our province, which required urgent action to reverse the degradation of the environment and resources.

Most importantly, we were able to rally the people of Gauteng around the issues of sustainable development. Many of our people now have a better sense of what sustainable development means. They also understand that, like all the other peoples of the world, they have a role to play in the achievement of the goals of sustainable development.

This year will see us intensifying our work in respect of cleaner technology, rehabilitation of mining areas, and reducing air, water and land pollution. We will also intensify our efforts towards the reduction, re-utilisation and recycling of waste in line with our commitment to sustainable development best practice.

We are piloting a medical waste management project at Leratong Hospital and Itireleng community health care centre. The results of the pilot will determine new standards and methods for the disposal of medical waste in all our facilities. This should lead to improved health and safety of staff, patients, visitors, and ultimately, our communities.

Together with local government, we are setting up mechanisms for monitoring air quality.

Last year we said that we would pilot the usage of cleaner technology in government cars. About 236 vehicles will be converted by the end of this financial year and it is likely that the remainder of cars will be converted in the next financial year, depending on the outcomes of the pilot on the financial viability.

The objectives of sustainable development can only be achieved under conditions of peace in the world. We call upon the people of Gauteng to actively support the worldwide campaign for peace and development. We add our voices to those of President Mbeki and millions of people all over the world for global peace and development and disarmament.

In the area of transport, last year we initiated 18 projects to begin to address traffic congestion. They include the introduction of extra lanes on steep hills for trucks so that faster traffic can pass, limiting heavy trucks to certain roads, the construction of additional taxi and bus stops and the improvement of intersection layout to speed up traffic flow.

However, more needs to be done to address the fact that transport demand is outstripping the supply of road and public transport infrastructure. We need to change our transport habits, reduce the demand for travel and introduce new 'intelligent transport systems' such as integrated ticketing systems and call centres for passenger information which aim to make transport safer, smoother, smarter and quicker.

We will also continue to improve our road network.

Key plans for 2003 include the doubling of the Atlas Road and the construction of an interchange on the R21 Freeway near the Johannesburg International Airport. The work starts in March 2003 and should be completed by 2005 at a cost of approximately R240 million.

Together with all road users we need to pay more attention to road safety. We need to continuously mount roadblocks to check drivers licences, the roadworthiness of vehicles, overloading and drunk drivers. The country needs to move with speed to implement the point system, which will allow us to dock points from bad drivers. The same applies to unroadworthy vehicles. The culprits should take these off the road despite protestations. We also call on all those who have not yet converted their drivers' licences to do so as a matter of urgency.

This year, building on the gains of the previous years, we have approved a comprehensive strategy to prevent violence and abuse of women, people with disabilities, the elderly and children. This strategy includes supporting survivors of violence through support centres, shelters and safe homes and by enhancing the training and capacity of nurses, police officers and other public officials in implementing the various laws and protocols that can empower survivors and put perpetrators in jail.

In the next year we will continue to roll out one-stop support centres where survivors of violence can receive treatment for injuries, infections, trauma and support to initiate court proceedings against perpetrators.

Last year Eskom donated a building, which we are now converting into a one-stop centre called Ikhaya le Themba in Braamfontein. Areas also prioritised for such centres are Alexandra, Nigel and Reiger Park.

The Adopt-a-Cop programme, where schools adopt police officers who then have certain responsibilities towards these schools, has been extended to all policing areas.

A multi-disciplinary programme called Tiisa Thuto, which aims to reduce crime levels in schools, has been piloted in 40 Soweto schools since April 2000. After a successful evaluation, the programme will now be rolled out to schools in Pretoria, Alexandra and Ekurhuleni.

We are working together with youth organisations, NGOs, CBOs and faith organisations in Westbury to address substance abuse and gang-related crimes.

Following a successful youth summit last year, we have adopted a youth development strategy and will be setting up the Premier's Youth Advisory Council to advise and work with us in the effective implementation of this strategy. All departments have been asked to mainstream youth programmes into their daily work. We will also continue with the awarding of bursaries to deserving learners as well as those who are pursuing areas that are a priority for the province.

Heritage Month 2002 was a cascading cavalcade of music, visual performance, fine art, film and theatre. Coinciding with the World Summit, and working in partnership with Arts Alive, it positioned Johannesburg and Gauteng as a premier cultural tourism destination.

A significant proportion of the Heritage Month events originated in our communities. An enormous effort in development and training, especially of our young people, underpinned those efforts.

This year we will continue to promote and support these initiatives, with a focus on the empowerment of women. Over 150 women will be trained and be given an opportunity to participate in four regional craft fairs while 90 women will be trained to perform in two shows about women issues planned for the Heritage and women's months later this year.

Every August 9th we pay tribute to and reward women who have contributed to our society. Last year the winner for overall change was Mama Sisulu, a stalwart of our struggle and an outstanding health worker. We also congratulate Prudence Mabele and Paulinah Sithole, the runner up and winner respectively in the development category.

We call on the committee dealing with nominations for the Women's Awards to start the process early so as to allow for enough time to approach organisations, especially professional ones, to nominate deserving candidates.

Part of developing our nation is to commemorate and celebrate our past, particularly the struggle against apartheid. This requires the provision of knowledge, especially to our young people. On World Book Day, 23 April 2002, we launched a political heritage collection at the Bekkersdal community library. Information resource packs depicting our struggle against apartheid were distributed to 30 libraries in historically disadvantaged communities.

On Human Rights Day, 21 March, last year, Deputy President Jacob Zuma unveiled the Sharpeville Monument. The Monument was erected in honour and memory of the victims of the Sharpeville massacre. It will serve as a constant reminder to current and future generations that never again will South Africans be subjected to such gruesome human rights violations. This year we will unveil tombstones on the gravesites of those who died during the massacre.

In line with broader national efforts to raise awareness and commitment among our people on NEPAD and the African Union, we will this year celebrate Africa Day on 25 May in a manner befitting a province, which is making a significant contribution to the renewal of our continent. This will include activities in schools to understand the history of the continent, as well as the different African countries, their national symbols and peoples.

Schooling in Gauteng got off to an impressive start this year, with effective learning and teaching starting on day one of the academic year. We have moved swiftly to address problems such as overcrowding and provided a toll free number for parents needing assistance.

We have also launched a Parents' Rights Campaign in our schools where we have publicised our standards and expectations in respect of infrastructure, overcrowding, safety, payment of fees and the role of learners and parents.

The grade twelve examinations pass rate continues to improve. Reasons for the improvement include improved support to schools, monitoring the productivity levels of educators by providing effective governance support to school management, visible improvement in the levels of self-discipline on the part of educators and learners, improved management systems and high levels of motivation among educators, learners and parents.

What is noteworthy is that learners from previously disadvantaged schools are making significant contributions toward this improvement. In Soweto, 70% of Secondary schools have shown improved performance. In Alexandra there has been an improvement in 80% of schools. Similar trends are true for schools in Katlehong, Thokoza and Vosloorus. This demonstrates a marked consistency in these communities.

The performance of girl learners and of African learners in particular, as shown in the 2002 results, is proving that our policies and intervention strategies towards building equity in education excellence are working. For the first time, one of the top ten achievers in our grade twelve examinations was an African girl who scored six As including 100% marks in Accounting Higher Grade and 99% in Mathematics Higher Grade. Rea u tlotla Kebaabetse Rapoo. Re tshepa hore tsela eo u e butseng e tla saloa morao ke babangata. U fela u ba abetse tsela morali oa Rapoo.

Two years ago we introduced a new initiative, Schools for Focused Learning, to redress the imbalances of the past, which had prevented African children from taking subjects that would prepare them to play a meaningful role in the economy.

Through this initiative we provide highly specialised education in the fields of mathematics, technology, science, business, commerce and management studies and language and communications.

Two schools under this programme, namely Pace College and St Barnabas College, have already been converted into Section 21 institutions. The Rosina Sedibane Sports School in Laudium, the Daveyton School of Music and Arts and an Information and Communication Technology School in Troyeville have also become operational. Together with the envisaged sports academy, we will further enhance high performance sports in our province.

We are committed to increasing educational opportunities for learners with special needs or disability. To this end we will be implementing the inclusion policy which includes converting certain ordinary schools into full-service schools and re-training educators to meet the needs of these learners.

Approximately 98% of children in Gauteng are in school. No learner is excluded from a public school because a family cannot afford to pay. We continue to ensure that public schools remain viable, and that resources for learning are spread more equitably.

The implementation of our rural education strategy is on course and is due for completion in the next financial year. Our plan is to reorganise and consolidate the existing 193 schools into fewer but more viable centres as well as build new rural schools. These new centres of learning will give rural learners access to better quality schooling and decent facilities such as sporting facilities and laboratories. We will also for the first time be providing rural learners with free transport to school.

We can now boldly say that Gauteng is a better place for our learners.

Bridging the digital divide remains a key priority, with a focus on the Gauteng Online project and the introduction of e-learning in our schools. In preparation for the installation of computer laboratories, we have completed the refurbishment of 235 schools within the current financial year. A further 300 laboratories are scheduled for completion in the 2003/2004 financial year.

We have also commenced the establishment of a Science Edutainment Centre in Newtown to further popularise science and technology among our young people in an exciting and fun way. In addition to teacher development, the centre will attract school visits with on the spot science and technology lessons. The project is scheduled to be launched in the next few months, with the first phase, including mobile science exhibitions, scheduled for completion by 2004. The centre is scheduled for completion by 2006.

Our emphasis on quality public schooling with a focus on maths, science and technology has a direct link to Gauteng's economic growth. We are confident that the learners that will emerge from Gauteng schools will have a solid foundation, which will enable them to become the future engineers, accountants, entrepreneurs, scientists, inventors, biochemists, geologists, innovators and programmers.

Gauteng's consistently high economic performance reaffirms the appropriateness of the strategies we have employed to stimulate higher growth rates, enhance sustainable job creation and attack the roots of poverty.

Last month I visited Japan with MECs Moleketi and Mosunkutu, the Gauteng Economic Development Agency (GEDA) and a group of local business people from the automobile component and tourism sectors. We had discussions with Japanese automotive companies and tour operators about new investment and tourism opportunities that we are creating.

All the automotive companies that we met, including Toyota, Mazda and Nissan, agreed to support our efforts to create an environment conducive to more investment in the automotive industry. They committed themselves to sourcing more component parts and supplies from South African companies.

The increased investment in automotive manufacturing has been spurred in part by the investments we have made in training and technology support through the Automobile Investment Development Centre, one of our Blue IQ projects.

The centre has recently entered into a partnership with Ntsika to support and promote black SMEs in the automotive component sector. They are working with fourteen companies of which nine are black owned.

Almost four thousand students were trained in automotive skills in 2002. We expect the same intake this year, addressing one of our critical problems of skills shortages and overcoming a major obstacle to investment.

We continue to build strong partnerships with the private sector in other identified economic sectors. We were thus able to contribute positively to the improved economic performance, which the President alluded to in his state of the nation address 10 days ago.

It is encouraging to see that our partners in the private sector have accepted that our partnership is not only based on the need for the state to create a climate conducive for companies to maximise profits. They also understand the need to alleviate poverty, promote SMEs and black economic empowerment, create jobs, develop skills and fight disease and illiteracy.

GEDA continues to facilitate increasing amounts of new investments. During the 2001/2 financial year, GEDA attracted R610 million worth of new investment. They are on target to reach the figure of R1.5 billion by the end of this financial year.

GEDA is also active in export promotion and has subscribed to the largest and most focused e-business platform in the world called Global Sources. GEDA has identified 60 Gauteng based manufacturing services that will showcase two products each in categories such as food and beverage, health and beauty, furniture, auto parts and aluminium products, ICT and electronics.

This programme ensures that locally manufactured products of world class standard receive the necessary exposure to become internationally competitive. This will in turn increase job opportunities for our people.

To ensure that our products are exported quickly and efficiently out of our province and to attract even more export orientated companies we are continuing with the upgrade of access to the Johannesburg International Airport as well as establishing an industrial development zone in the area.

The designation of the area as an IDZ was granted by the Department of Trade and Industry in November 2002 and already seven expressions of interest have been recorded. We are looking at the aerospace industry and world class handling facilities for perishables as anchor tenants. This will make it possible for us to respond to the announcement by the President identifying the aerospace industry as a growth sector requiring focussed attention by the government.

We are presently investigating the creation of an outsourcing business process hub in Johannesburg, which is export orientated. Our investigation is looking at the possibility of selling services like call centres, human resource and pay roll administration, asset management, unit trust administration and insurance claim processing to English speaking foreign companies.

The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link project continues to gather full speed. The approval by the Minister of Finance of the financing model for the project makes it possible for us to move to the next stage of the project. The environmental impact assessment has been completed and the report has been made public. We remain on course to begin construction in February 2004, and complete the project within the stipulated time frame.

We are pleased by the amount of public interest that this project has generated. Thousands of people took part in the environmental assessment study and many continue to express views on the project. We receive messages from many people who know what the train will do to improve the efficiency of our public transport system and make life easy for commuters.

One of the letters came from Lindani Mabuza, a banker, who said: "I have just been reading about the progress of the Gautrain project and must congratulate you on its progress so far. I spent a few months in Europe and marvelled at the ease with which one can get around in the major cities using public transport. From what I read this project would present our citizens with a viable option for transportation into the major cities and places of work, and I say 'full steam ahead' with Gautrain".

Other Blue IQ projects aimed at boosting economic growth through providing strategic economic infrastructure are progressing well.

The Newtown Cultural Precinct is almost complete. Last year the Metro Mall, M1/Carr interchange and Carr gardens housing project were completed. The Bus Factory was also renovated. This year, on 20 July, we will open the Nelson Mandela Bridge, which is already soaring over the western side of our city.

Despite misgivings by those who deserted the Johannesburg CBD a few years back, confidence in the area continues to grow. All renovated buildings and housing within Newtown are let. The Department of Arts Culture Science and Technology has asked us to enter into an arrangement to place the WSSD cultural exhibition permanently at the Bus Factory and negotiations on this are ongoing.

The developments around the Newtown Cultural Precinct have truly ignited the spark that Johannesburg needed, to reclaim its status as South Africa's mecca of arts and culture.

John Kani, Chairman of the National Arts Council SA and Member of the Managing Trustees African Bank Market Theatre said: "Gauteng is known as the economic hub of SA and with developments around the Newtown precinct Johannesburg has become the Broadway of theatre, arts and culture in SA - the rejuvenation of SA begins with the rebirth of Gauteng - we see a new life line coming down the Nelson Mandela bridge to bring people into Newtown, visitors from SA and abroad - by nature, the Mecca of art ensemble in Gauteng."

He further said: "Newtown boasts two years of free zone from crime - thanks to the installation of CCTV cameras, the area has never been safer and families now come here without fear of being robbed. Money is moving back into the precinct and we see more deals. Newtown is now a centre where youth look for focus for their future".

New and current occupants of Newtown and surrounding areas as well as those who now enjoy activities at the Market theatre in safe conditions now know that it is true that indeed Gauteng is a better place than it was in 1994.

As John Kani says, Newtown will become a tourist mecca. But it is not the only project that is progressing to attract the world's visitors to our province.

Work on the Constitution Hill is progressing well and we are on course to open the new Constitutional Court building this year. We hope that the President and the Minister of Justice will join us as we open this historic site. This site, which once housed the world famous human rights prisoners such as Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, will become a symbol of human rights and democracy in our country.

We are well on our way to constructing a world class exhibition and interpretation centre at the site of the most prolific finding of the origins of humankind, the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, where UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and President Thabo Mbeki left their footprints, during the WSSD.

The centre will boast highly interactive, creative and innovative facilities that tell the story of human origins. It will also serve as a premier destination for conferences, banquets and other events.

On the other side of the province, Dinokeng can be regarded as a tourism destination under construction. Game lodge operators are beginning to report month-on-month record occupancies, restaurant owners have evidence that their turnover is on an upward trend and some tourists are exploring the products on offer in previously disadvantaged communities.

The vision for Dinokeng is that tourists to Gauteng will be able to enjoy "All of Africa in one day", including a new game reserve, outdoor and cultural activities, visits to historical sites such as the World War II graves, Iron and Stone Age sites and sites which demonstrate the history of the BaTswana, BaPedi, Machangana, Ndebele and Afrikaner people as well as the history of mining in South Africa. It will also showcase African adornment, music, singing, drumming, traditional farming and medicines.

Last year we made progress in respect of road construction, signage and the construction of hospitality facilities at Roodeplaat Dam. This year will see the establishment of a public private partnership to establish a network of tourism and cultural hubs and nodes. We will also establish a tourism organisation to promote the area.

This will improve opportunities for employment in this area, which, as we all know, remains one of the poorest areas in our province. Together with an economic regeneration project to be announced by MEC Fowler, this will make it possible for the people of Metsweding to also proclaim loudly that Gauteng is now a better area to live in, for them as well.

We will continue to promote tourism to the many sites in our province, such as the Hector Petersen Memorial in Soweto and the Apartheid museum, that speak of the horror of apartheid and our painful but proud struggle against it.

We continue to establish Gauteng as a filming destination. The Gauteng Film Office has to date facilitated film production worth R110 million.

The film office's biggest achievement was facilitating the production of "Stander", which is the largest local feature film production ever to be produced in South Africa. It stars Jane and Debra Unger and is directed by Browen Hughes from Harriet the Spy and Forces of Nature.

The office is also involved in development work. In October 2002 it implemented a mentorship programme with the "Stander" production for five black aspirant filmmakers. In January this year it facilitated, through the National Film and Video Foundation, the awarding of The Spirit Film Scholarship Fund to three aspirant film students.

The promotion of meaningful participation of black people in the economy continues to receive our focussed attention. In all our projects, including those that we initiate in partnership with other spheres of government and the private sector, we seek to maximise the involvement of small businesses and black owned businesses.

More than 50% of the companies rendering maintenance services to Gauteng Provincial Government departments are black owned. We have set a 70% target for the next financial year.

Our capacity to implement capital projects are reaching the point at which we can safely say that what has been planned is being delivered. In the first nine months of this financial year we had already spent R2.6 billion, exceeding last year's total spending of R2.4 billion on capital expenditure. Indeed we have geared up our capacity to deliver, to make a difference.

Coupled with our commitment to promote the cooperative sector, provide support to chambers, especially Nafcoc and Fabcos and SMEs, more of our people can engage more effectively in economic activity.

It is evident that the primary beneficiaries of many of our priority programmes in the areas of social services, health care and education are women. However, there is much more that we can and should be doing to improve the economic status and empowerment of women.

In 2002 we tightened our approach to the empowerment of women, which should see dividends in 2003. All departments were encouraged to implement policies and programmes that specifically target women in the fields of training, skills development and mentoring.

To give effect to this, all departments were required to submit 'gender formats' as part of their budget statements indicating what they plan to do for women in 2003 to advance our policy. This year will also see the revival of a Gauteng Provincial Government gender forum, gender champions and gender focal points to support and monitor the commitments of departments. A capacity building programme will also be put in place.

Within the public service we are beginning to remove the barriers to the advancement of women through, among others, employment equity plans. Key challenges in 2003 include transforming the organisational culture to create a more gender-friendly working environment, eliminating sexual harassment and improving working times for women with family responsibilities.

Women headed households are given special allocations within our housing projects. A minimum of 10% of capital funds in housing are devoted to women contractors and developers. During the 2001/2002 financial year, projects to the value of R40 million were awarded to women owned construction companies.

We are committed to the development of people with disabilities and the promotion and protection of their rights. Our focus has been on ensuring barrier free access within government institutions; facilitation of access to health care, social security and housing; inclusive education; and increasing the employment of people with disabilities, including in government, and addressing issues of reasonable accommodation to achieve this.

In addition to improving the accessibility of our healthcare facilities, occupational therapists and physiotherapists are available at many community health centres. We also have a special unit to address the needs of people who are severely disabled and have a spinal care management initiative. We have established wheelchair repair workshops with an average of 12 wheelchairs repaired per month at each workshop.

We fund many NGOs in the rehabilitation field, including those involved in re-training; counselling and home care for people with disabilities.

As I have said, we remain committed to inclusive education for learners with disabilities within our public schooling system, while recognising children with special needs, including those with disabilities. Learners in need are provided with devices such as spectacles, wheelchairs and hearing aids. Schools in previously disadvantaged communities, which cater for learners with special needs, receive an additional budget allocation. We have devoted additional resources to improve teachers' capacity to service learners with special needs. Sign language training for personnel in institutions for deaf learners also enjoys priority.

People with disabilities are among the many beneficiaries of our campaign to extend social grants to all those who qualify. Social security pay points have been modified to accommodate people with disabilities.

Recently we opened the Soshanguve centre for people with disabilities in Tshwane.

We also provide funding to a range of NGOs that provides services to people with disabilities.

All departments are expected to implement policies and programmes within their spheres of work to promote the status of people with disabilities.

In 2003 we hope to draw this together in a GPG Programme of Action and develop a related capacity building programme for staff.

Our programme to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service is progressing well. Last year we began implementing a human resources development strategy aimed at assisting public sector managers to improve productivity and service delivery. As part of this strategy we established the Gauteng Management Development Programme.

We have also been concerned about attracting new entrants to the public service and last year launched a GPG bursary scheme to complement departmental initiatives. About 800 students received support from various departments to advance their careers in the public service.

We will continue to recognise and reward public servants who serve our people with distinction. Public servants who continuously apply a high standard of professional ethics in order to provide the highest quality of service epitomise the type of a public service that our country needs.

Our efforts to ensure prudent financial management including full compliance with the PFMA, eradication of corruption and wastage are continuing to bear fruits.

We have shown remarkable improvement in our financial management and accountability. Not one department received a disclaimer from the Auditor-General for the financial year 2001/2002. Our goal for the next financial year is to have unqualified opinions from the Auditor General on all departmental financial statements.

Recently there were high profile corruption cases in some of our departments where public servants were implicated. In all the cases it was our own investigations that exposed corrupt practice, followed by appropriate action against the culprits. Our firm action in this regard should send a strong message to everybody, including business people who intend bribing our officials, that we are serious about eradicating corruption.

We wish to thank those members of our staff and the public who helped to expose those who betray the principles of Batho Pele.

To do justice to our commitment to provide for a better life for our people, this year will see us reviewing the progress we have made since 1994 as well as planning for the next 10 years. We hope to develop a '2014 plan', which will enable us to make further substantive leaps in our service delivery to Gauteng residents. Part of our planning process will involve consultation with our communities and stakeholders on their vision for our province.

This should also feed into the process of review and planning national and local government planning.

This year will see the publication of our first Provincial Integrated Development Plan, a plan that brings together the work of provincial and local government and builds on the Integrated Development Plans of local government. We also hope to develop a joint programme of action with local government to achieve certain of our common key strategic objectives such as poverty alleviation.

Recognising the critical importance of cooperative governance in improving our people's lives, we will continue to engage with our counterparts from provinces, the Presidency, national and local government. Our objective in this regard will be to achieve integration, coordination and exchange of information on best practices on political, economic and social development programmes.

One of the challenges facing the NCOP is how to better coordinate our work between the three spheres of government and the legislatures. We remain concerned about the increased inability of provinces to influence programming and to link provincial weeks to provincial programmes.

Failure to deal with this issue will lead to the NCOP seeing itself more and more as an upper house instead of a house that brings together the interests of different legislatures without undermining or making such legislatures irrelevant.

The 2003 ICC cricket world cup is currently underway. The Proteas are engaged in contest with outstanding sportsmen from across the world. We extend our best wishes to all teams. While the adage, 'may the best team win' is the most appropriate, ours is a wish for Mbeki's boys led by Shaun Pollock to lift the trophy. To Shaun we say: Stay focussed on events on the field. You have the support of all South Africans behind you.

The opportunity to host the ICC world cup, coming so soon after the successful hosting of the WSSD, further enhances our chance to win the hosting of the 2010 FIFA world cup. We call on all South Africans to join hands with SAFA as they re-launch the bid for South Africa to host the football world cup.

Honourable members, as we indicated at the beginning, there is still work to be done to complete our historic task of creating a truly united, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa. But the work we have done so far shows that we are on course.

We have been implementing a plan that continues to respond to the most critical challenges that face our people. With this plan we will:

* Stimulate a higher economic growth rate and create jobs to help millions of our unemployed;
* Create sustainable communities by developing new integrated housing projects and regenerating some of our old places such as Alexandra and Kliptown;
* Expand our social security system to alleviate poverty;
* Create short-term employment to help the poorest of the poor;
* Increase access to healthcare;
* Provide basic services such as water and sanitation;
* Implement measures to protect the environment; and
* Further improve the quality of education to help develop human resources to meet the needs of the new economy.

I have no doubt that with the plans we have announced today, implemented in partnership with all stakeholders and working with even greater determination and vigour, we can guarantee that when our people turn out in their millions to celebrate the first decade of freedom next year, they will do so knowing that Gauteng is a better place to live in.

Thank you.

Issued by Office of the Premier, Gauteng

24 February 2003