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8 July 2008

Programme director, Mr Sifiso Maseko
Mayor of Nkomazi, Councillor Mavuso
Councillors present
Representatives from the Department of Economic Development and Planning
Mpumalanga Youth Commission
Umsobomvu Youth Fund
South African Revenue Service (SARS)
National Empowerment Fund
ABSA
Ladies and gentlemen

Mpumalanga, being part of the broader South Africa, belongs to all those who live in it. As a representative of the Mpumalanga government, allow me then to start today’s proceeding by observing a moment of silence, in remembrance of all those who died senselessly, as a result of attacks on national and foreign nationals.

As a result of those barbaric and senseless attacks on the so called foreigners, 62 people lost their lives, including twenty-one (21) South Africans. The official statistics indicates that 1 522 people were displaced in our province, as a result of the violence. Acknowledging that you, the people of Nkomazi refused to be part of heartless attacks on our fellows brothers and sisters from the rest of Africa, we, the people of Mpumalanga, must actually feel ashamed for having caused misery to them.

I’m saying this because those who brought the name of our beautiful province into disrepute are part of us and the world sees us in that light. I take this opportunity on behalf of government, to thank you for having lived peacefully, side by side, with the foreign nationals. It shows that the spirit of Ubuntu still prevails in your hearts and that you subscribe to the notion that South Africa, in particular Mpumalanga, belongs to all those who live in it, irrespective of one being legal or illegal in the country.

In paying tribute to all those who fell prey to this coward, barbaric and stupid attacks from May this year, President Thabo Mbeki last week apologised to their families, on behalf of the South African government. As a country we have therefore pledged that:
* we will do everything necessary to ensure that as Africans, regardless of our geographic origins, we will once more live together as Africans, at peace with one another, refusing to impose on ourselves a new apartheid order
* we will work expeditiously to achieve the reintegration of all the displaced Africans within the communities from which they were forced to flee because of murderous criminal activities
* we will do everything necessary to assist the victims of this criminal onslaught, both the South Africans and our foreign guests, to resume their normal lives
* we will act without any unnecessary delay to address all genuine concerns which may give birth to tensions between the native and immigrant Africans
* we work to improve our social and national cohesion, we will also address the challenge to entrench the understanding that this includes full acceptance within all our communities of new residents from other countries, as well as the understanding among the latter that we welcome them as good neighbours and citizens
* we will work to mobilise all our communities to isolate and defeat the evil elements in our midst who target vulnerable African migrants, subjecting them to violent attacks for criminal purposes and personal gain
* we will ensure that all those responsible for the criminal activities during the dark days of May, targeted against African migrants, face the full might of the law
* we will take all necessary and possible measures to sustain respect for the law and our Constitutional order by all who live in our country, and the safety and security of all these, whether native-born or immigrant.

I therefore on behalf of the Mpumalanga government, request all of us present here today, to accept this pledge as our commitment to bringing normality to our country, and our province in the spirit of Ubuntu.

Programme director, we are meeting here this morning to fulfil our quest to provide a better life for all – a better life for our youth, who are in the majority. This is because once empowered with the necessary information required to bid for services, our youth could then participate in the mainstream economy of our province and the country at large. This we do with the believe that this type of empowerment, could one day create millionaires amongst yourselves.

I therefore pose a challenge to the youth to stand up and do things for themselves, and not wait and complain that government is not doing enough. Vuk ‘uzenzele! Remember that our intervention is only aimed at teaching you how to do things, and not to do things for you. It is usually said that God help those who help themselves.

Through these empowerment workshops, we continue to pay homage to the courageous youth of 1976, for their contribution towards our political emancipation and freedom. As the caring ANC led government, we subscribe to the notion that total emancipation includes economic and financial emancipation, which will see our youth playing a critical role in growing the economy of the province and South Africa at large. This intervention will also contribute to fulfilling the objectives of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA), which places emphasis on being biased towards the youth, women and people with disabilities.

Our intervention also comes as a way of addressing dissatisfaction and complaints raised by communities, in most cases the unemployed youth, women and people with disabilities, during a number of outreach programmes by the Provincial Executive Council, on their inability to benefit from government procurement, in the provision of goods and services. At the same time, it is the same people who want to take government for a ride when they are awarded contracts.

They provide sub-standard and inferior quality of goods and services to government, and complain bitterly, when they are not considered the second time around. As government, we will not tolerate such unbecoming fraudulent actions, and promise to deal harshly with those who commit them. We commit to blacklist all those who defraud government in this way, and will leave no stone unturned, in ensuring that they are brought to book.

Through the Norms and Standards Unit in the department, we will continue to monitor projects awarded to community members, to ensure that public funds are properly accounted for, that we get value for money, and that the contracted service providers deliver on the agreed specifications.

Turning now to saving, statistics show the culture of saving in South Africa has fallen to an all time low level. The latest figures released by the South African Reserve Bank indicates that the gross saving ratio continues to decline and now stands at 1.2 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This means that most of us rely too much on credit and do not bother much about the future.

As July is the National Saving Awareness month, I therefore call on every one of you, to start saving the little that you can afford. It is never too late to do so. We acknowledge that there are a number of discouraging factors such as high banking charges, but believe that discipline is all it takes to start saving today. We continue to call on all financial institutions to partner with us, in our quest to re inculcate the culture of saving by making special considerations especially for the poor.

We commend them for coming up with the Mzansi Account, a saving vehicle designed for the poor, and the previously unbanked, but believe they can still do more. The culture of saving begins with you. You can start small and eventually go big by buying shares, properties, opening a savings account and even buying the Republic of South African government Retail Savings Bonds, just to mention but a few.

I commit to reward, financially, a youth who can start to save from today, and after at least six months to a year, prove to me that he/she was disciplined and committed to saving. You can save through any interest bearing method.

Let’s hope that today’s session, will one day produce serious entrepreneurs, or even millionaires in the province.

In concluding ladies and gentleman, tat’uNelson Mandela once said and I quote:
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear”.

Be brave, stand-up and do things for yourself for your destiny lies within you.

Vuk'uzenzele!

I wish you a very fruitful, informative and interactive session.

Ngiyabonga!

Issued by: Department of Finance, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
8 July 2008