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The Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
The Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya
Directors-General present
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media.

INTRODUCTION

In January 2000 we recommitted ourselves to refocusing the National Department of Public Works towards optimum public service delivery. We called our Five Year Delivery Pledge: Mintiro Ya Vula Vula (actions speak louder than words).

The preceding five years were however characterised by intense policy development, refinement and alignment. In 1996/1997 the department commissioned the compilation of a comprehensive register of all fixed assets owned by the State. The results were published in May 1999 and for the first time allowed government adequate knowledge of the value of assets under its control. This has enabled us to do thorough planning and exercise, efficient management of state's fixed assets, including maintenance and disposal.

Emanating from the Presidential Reconstruction and Development Programme lead projects of 1994 the Community Based Public Works Programme (CBPWP) was promulgated as part of poverty alleviation through integrated development and job creation. To maximise its impact, the programme was subjected to policy refinement and international best practice. This exercise lead the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to conclude in 1996 that our version of the CBPWP was "the best Public Works programme" in the developing world citing its labour intensive construction methods and job creation potential. In that period, the CBPWP created 39 306 jobs from an investment of R335 million.

Since 1994, the Department of Public Works has championed a range of initiatives and co-ordinated the development of a comprehensive construction industry development policy, programmes, institutions, and instruments that bind public and private endeavour as part of its contribution to national reconstruction, growth and development.

With the full backing of all industry stakeholders, the Department of Public Works has developed and championed legislation to enable the implementation of a comprehensive industry development strategy.

Eight pieces of legislation were enacted in December 2000 to establish:

• The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) to promote industry growth, delivery and "best practice" performance of clients and suppliers
  
  
• The Council for the Built Environment (CBE) to promote improved co-ordination within the professions and with government for the attainment of developing goals
  
  
• An enabling regulatory framework for the professions (the Councils for the Built Environment Professions), re-enacting the laws regulating architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and property valuers and recognising two new professions: landscape architects and project and construction managers.

Looking back over the years, we are pleased with the remarkable milestones we have attained and we look into the next ten years with confidence.

For the purpose of this briefing, we shall focus on rural development and poverty alleviation, expanded public works programme and public private partnerships.

1. POVERTY ALLEVIATION, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE COMMUNITY BASED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME

Since 1999, the Department of Public Works has invested more than R1,7 billion and created 2 993 rural infrastructure projects and 123 739 jobs in the impoverished rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo.

The structures are demand-driven and include community gardens, multi-purpose community halls, rural access roads, bridges, taxi ranks, market stalls, sports fields, crèches, additional classrooms, poultry houses, theme parks and many more.

1.1 Special Projects

Included in the above are the following special projects.

1.1.1 Kings Chambers and Community Halls

As part of rural infrastructure development and in recognition of the institution of traditional leadership, government through the Department of Public Works is building Kings' Chambers and community halls at the Great Places. No less than R5,3 million per Great Place was invested in their construction since 1999. To date three have been handed over, two will be handed over shortly and work is in progress for the other two.

1.1.2 Community Production Centres

These centres, which have an agricultural bias, are run on strict commercial lines. Since 1999, R50 million has been spent in the establishment of 14 such centres in the country, some of which are doing very well in the domestic market. For example at Ndaya women participants have just bought a tractor as an investment into the growth of the business.

1.1.3 Multi-Purpose Community Centres (MPCCs)

Since 1999 just under R20 million has been used by the Department of Public Works in the procurement of 15 of the 46 MPCCs currently rolled out nationally by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS). Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal received six each whereas three were built in Limpopo. These centres have brought essential government services on the doorstep of communities. At Mbazwana in KwaZulu-Natal the community used to travel 80 km to access these services at Hluhluwe. Since then they have been saved both time, money and labour. One woman at Tombo in the Eastern Cape thanked government for shielding them from both social and natural elements given the fact that before they had to walk and/or hitch-hike to Port St Johns.

2. Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP)

One of the most aggressive programmes of government intended to address the question of unemployment and poverty is the EPWP. The department plans to launch EPWP officially in April this year.

In terms of progress, the Department of Public Works along with other sector departments have been preparing for the start of the EPWP. The infrastructure, environmental and social sectors of the EPWP will complete detailed sector plans by the end of February, detailing how each sector will contribute to the creation of job opportunities in their respective sectors.

In the infrastructure sector a Labour Intensive Contractor Learnership programme has been established. This programme is a joint initiative of the Department of Public Works and the Construction Sector Education and Training Authority (CETA) and will be implemented with partnering provinces and municipalities. Furthermore through national agreements, three banks have made proposals to provide financial services to learner contractors. 500 individuals across the country will enter into learnerships for contractors and construction site supervisors in order to execute EPWP projects.

Together with the CETA, the Department of Public Works has also put in place relevant skills programmes and unit standards on labour intensive construction. Consultants and contractors who participate in the EPWP will have to complete these courses, to ensure that they have skills to execute work efficiently. Train-the-trainer programmes for 35 training providers are currently running to ensure these training courses will be available across the country.

A programme to visit various provinces and municipalities is underway. The objective is to explain the role of both provinces and municipalities and to give comprehensive guidelines about the implementation of projects under EPWP. The South African Local Government Association Conference held on Thursday, 5 February 2004, gave us further opportunity to make a presentation. Briefings are also being held with the construction industry about the EPWP requirements so that they can also start preparing themselves.

In the Social Sector, it has been decided that the EPWP will focus on expanding home and community-based care programmes, and early childhood development programmes. These programmes are targeted because of the large needs they address and because these activities are highly labour intensive. Together with provincial departments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs) learnerships will be established to support the growth of these sectors.

In the Environmental Sector the currently running programmes, such as Working for Water, Land Care, Coastal Care, etc. will also be expanded to increase outputs of these programmes and thus increase the number of employment opportunities created.

In the economic sector of the EPWP, the focus will be on creation of venture learnerships. During these learnerships the small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) on venture learnerships will be providing goods and services to government as part of the practical experience requirements.

Together with the Department of Labour a comprehensive training plan is being prepared for the EPWP. This includes the creation of a standard training course of ten to 14 days for workers only employed for shorter durations under the EPWP. This training programme will focus on providing workers with life skills, information about the labour market, in particular were there are skills shortages, and opportunities on learnerships, internships, further education and training and job opportunities in the private sector. Furthermore the Department of Labour is working with the sector education and training authorities (SETAs) to put in place additional learnerships necessary to grow the EPWP in all the relevant sectors.

3. ASSET PROCUREMENT AND OPERATING PARTNERSHIP SYSTEM (APOPS)

In response to the President's call to prioritise and expedite Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), it gives me pleasure to announce that my department has been running with APOPS as a PPP initiative. A brainchild of the department, APOPS is an ingenious concept to procure immovable assets of the state at a lesser cost to the state using a public private partnership model premised on design, finance, build, operate, maintain and transfer.

Two facilities for the Department of Correctional Services collectively worth in excess of R600 million were procured and delivered to the client department in the form of:

• 3000-bed Mangaung Maximum Security Prison near Bloemfontein, Free State (July 2001)
• 3000-bed Kutama Sinthumule Maximum Security Prison near Makhado (Louis Trichardt), Limpopo (February 2002).

Three office accommodations for the head offices of Foreign Affairs, Education and Environmental Affairs and Tourism are currently being planned under APOPS.

Issued by: Ministry of Public Works
9 February 2004