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18 April 2009

Programme director, Mr N Nkosi
MEC for Health: Ms Neliswa Nkonyeni
Members of Parliament
Your worship, the Mayor of Hlabisa Municipality, Councillor B B Ntombela
Other Mayors and Councillors present
Amakhosi
Acting Head of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, Dr Y L Mbele
Other Heads of Department and government officials present
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen

A little while ago, not very far from here, the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Ms Baleka Mbete, together with myself and MEC Nkonyeni officially opened phase one of the Hlabisa Hospital Presidential Project as well as the Hlabisa Gateway Clinic, which cost R130 million. Phase two will cost R350 million bringing the total cost of improvements to the Hlabisa Hospital to approximately R500 million.

In three days time, we will witness our country’s fourth democratic general elections. This year also marks the celebration of 15 years of our democracy. For KwaZulu-Natal, it was only in 2004 that an African National Congress (ANC) led government was voted into power and this government has worked tirelessly, since 2004, to turn this province from gloom to prosperity.

Hence, a solid foundation for a democratic and prosperous KwaZulu-Natal has been laid.

As the first ANC led provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal, we were able to work towards achieving the objects of social, economic and political transformation, over the last five years, in the province. More importantly, we intensified our efforts to bring change and improve the lives of our rural communities, whether to connect you by road from one place to the other or build you facilities, such as what we are witnessing here today.

In 2004, when we, as government, visited this area we were shocked at the state of dilapidation of the Hlabisa Hospital, an integral service for this vastly rural community. To this end, government embarked upon a programme for the revitalization of the hospital. A presidential task team of experts identified the key projects for revitalisation. Today, this hospital boasts improved wards, liveable accommodation for health care workers and doctors and renovated essential service areas. And our work does not stop here, as these improvements are continuing.

This hospital is situated under the Hlabisa Municipality which is plagued by a number of developmental challenges including a more than 90% unemployment rate, low household income levels (more than 90% earning less than R800), only 35% of the adult population is economically active, high prevalence of HIV and AIDS and infrastructure backlogs, to mention a few. The population in the Hlabisa municipal area was recorded to have increased by 4,48% in 2001 (from 165 508 people in 1996 to 176 890 people in 2001). Further, the population density has increased to 100 people per square metre.

Towards a healthy province

Since 2004, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has been working tirelessly towards a healthy province which includes:

* Currently, there are 577 Primary Health Care clinics, including local municipality clinics as well as 27 gateway clinics,
* 81 of the clinics offer a 24 hour service while 203 clinics offer on call services,
* More than 65 million clients visited the clinics, and of these more than 13 million were children under five years of age.
* We have 405 mobile clinics which service a total of 2,392 points monthly throughout the province.
* We have 17 fully functional Community Health Centres, and 41 district hospitals.
* More than 205,000 HIV and AIDS patients (double the target set by the Department) have been put on antiretroviral treatment since the start of the programme in 2004.
* The prevention of Mother to Child Transmission programme is available in 100% of hospitals and 98% of clinics and Community Health Centres.
* In April 2008, in line with recent scientific discoveries, Zidovudine (AZT) was added to the package; dual therapy for both the mother and child.
* Consequently, in August 2008, six months post the introduction of AZT, the prevalence has been reduced to 12% in KwaZulu-Natal less than the national average of 15%.

The Provincial Council on AIDS is fully functioning in the Province with representation from Civil Society, Members of the Executive Council, Mayors of District Municipalities and the eThekwini Municipality.

Women at the forefront of fighting poverty

As per the demographics of this area, the majority (77%) of the population are women below the age of 35.

The area has a high prevalence rate of HIV and AIDS and our government has and is continuing to address this through our Department of Health’s active programme of Antiretroviral (ART) roll out. Many research organisations are flocking to the area to conduct research on vaccines, anti-retroviral drugs and anti-microbicides.

But every time the word Hlabisa is mentioned, it cannot only be associated with disease and poverty. We must work together to de-stigmatise this notion and give you, the people of Hlabisa, confidence that we can, and we will, overcome.

In this regard, government has been implementing programmes in Hlabisa that will create wealth, reduce poverty and provide best-practice models of an emancipated society.

Women here are the head of households. They are supporters of their families. Young women from Hlabisa cannot continue to carry the triple burden (being a woman, a mother and provider) of patriarchal society.

However, we are still plagued with the ripple effect of associated social and economic problems such as:
* increase in the dependency ratio as the number of economically active people who die of AIDS increase
* increase in the number of orphans which, in turn, puts a strain on the limited social development budget
* increase in the number of households with members who need special care and treatment, thus placing an additional burden on their families, particularly women, who are often the ones who look after the sick, in addition to their daily activities
* slowing of population growth
* lack of income in cases where breadwinners die of AIDS, and
* low productivity rate.

Focus on Hlabisa

As government, informed by the fact that this area like most of KwaZulu-Natal is predominantly rural, we believe that it will take an agrarian revolution to free KwaZulu-Natal from hunger and grinding poverty.

Therefore, our focus is on rural and land reform. We are putting emerging farmers more firmly in control of the development of their farming enterprises, including co-operatives, and closing the glaring gap between our potential and actual agricultural production. We can do the same here in Hlabisa. The Siyavuna Farmers Associations, together with Commodity Associations, are currently being established throughout KwaZulu-Natal.

This government has brought hope to millions of farmers and ordinary residents whose plight and potential to develop has been so ignored in the past. We have programmes that target the subsistence and emerging farmer sector with assistance to meet food security needs, to market surplus production and, ultimately, to claim an equitable market shares in all agricultural products and their value chains.

In the Umkhanyakude District, for example, we have:
* improved roads in Makhtini flats
* developed Mkhuze, Mbazwane, Jozini, Manguzi and Hluhluwe as agricultural service centres
* supported existing and potential land reform cluster projects across Umkhanyakude with respect to livestock, maize, bio fuels and nuts, and
* developed the Mkhuze air strip for agricultural exports and small aircraft landings with tourists.

Hlabisa’s most significant land use is subsistence agriculture and dispersed settlements; plantations and agriculture are found throughout the area.

At the same time, your major draw card is the tourism industry centred on the near-by game reserves. The manufacturing sector needs to be evaluated for development potential and investment opportunities. Tourism offers specific potential for local entrepreneurs and businesses. While this economy is predominantly agricultural, the area has a high potential for tourism development. The N2, which carries trade and tourist traffic, also runs close to Hlabisa and provides an opportunity for local economic development.

Further, the multi million rand upgrade of main road 235 here in Hlabisa as well as the R350 million P700 corridors from Richards Bay to Ulundi, and the R300 million P577 from Mtubatuba to Hlabisa and Nongoma are also important infrastructure investments that have been made in this area. All of this was only possible under the leadership of an ANC led government in KwaZulu-Natal.

Province of hope

We have drastically reaffirmed our commitment to revolutionary struggle to bring into being a better society, founded on dignity and equality for all. The province has, thus, been able to fundamentally upgrade the levels of service delivery since 2004.

KwaZulu-Natal is completing its most stable five years in the history of our province. We have moved from a province of gloom to a province of prosperity, occupying a well-deserved position of international prestige. No longer do people identify our province with, merely, its big five or its reputation for violence, but rather with the fruits of our development and success, which are evident for the entire world to see.

The success of the transformation of Hlabisa Hospital has been re-sounding. We are mindful that we are not to be judged by this alone and the bar that we have raised for ourselves, in this Province in terms of expectations to meet your aspirations, should continue climbing.

KwaZulu-Natal is a pioneering province, with regards to moving it from being labelled a gloomy province. As we enjoy our status of being the torch-bearers when it comes to new innovations whether we are building a multi billion airport such as the King Shaka International airport or the Moses Mabhida Stadium creating jobs and tourism we are also aware that it is not only the accolades that define our success, but, critically, the practical transformation of our people’s lives is the ultimate barometer of our success.

In the struggle to create a better life for our people, we ask you to be mindful that a weak government equals slow service delivery in our province. This government in this province, from 2004 to today, has shown you its metal.

It is a known fact that, more often than not, pioneering work done by government goes unnoticed and critics will focus on our challenges instead of giving constructive criticism.

Do not only criticise us, but engage us. Talk to your government.

We need your support to succeed and continue with our service delivery to create a better life for all. Together, we can do more. Masisukume Sakhe!

It is now my pleasure to introduce to you Her Excellency, the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Ms Baleka Mbete who will address you.

Thank you.

Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
18 April 2009