State of the Nation Address by Pres. Jacob Zuma

Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete
Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Thandi Modise
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP,
Deputy President of the Republic, Honourable Cyril Ramaphosa,
Honourable Ministers and Deputy  Ministers,

Former Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe,
Honourable Chief Justice of the Republic, and all esteemed members of the Judiciary,
Premiers and Speakers of Provincial Legislatures,
The Heads of Chapter 9 Institutions,
Members of the diplomatic corps,
Honourable members,
Chairperson of SALGA, and all local government leadership,
Chairperson of the National House of Traditional Leaders,
Leaders from all sectors,Fellow South Africans,
Distinguished guests

Good evening, sanibonani, molweni, riperile, dumelang, ndi madekwana.

It is a great pleasure to address you on this first State of the Nation Address of the fifth democratic administration.

Let me begin by extending our deepest condolences on the sad passing of the Secretary of Parliament, Mr Michael Coetzee.

His contribution to the struggle for freedom and democracy will never be forgotten.

Last week we also lost our mother, Mama Epainette Mbeki. Her guidance and wisdom will be sorely missed. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Mbeki family.

Our hearts go out to the families of SANDF members who died in a tragic helicopter crash in Mpumalanga today during a training camp.  We wish the injured a speedy recovery.

Compatriots,

We have recently emerged from a successful national general election held on the 7^th of May. We look forward to working with all the parties in Parliament as we move South Africa forward.

In the February State of the Nation Address, I related the good story of 20 years of freedom and democracy.

We stated that South Africa is a much better place to live in than it was in 1994, and that the lives of millions of our people have improved.

However, as the National Development Plan and the Presidency Twenty Year Review highlight, the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment continue to affect the lives of many people.

As we enter the second phase of our transition from apartheid to a national democratic society, we have to embark on radical socio-economic transformation to push back the triple challenges.

Change will not come about without some far-reaching interventions.

We have put in place a programme of action based on the ANC Manifesto and the National Development Plan.

The economy takes centre stage in this programme.  It remains our strong belief that the most effective weapon in the campaign against poverty, is the creation of decent work, and that creating work requires faster economic growth.

We have set a growth target of 5 per cent by 2019. To achieve this, we will embark on various measures and interventions to jump-start the economy.

We have set this target during a difficult period. The economy has grown below its potential over the last three years and many households are going through difficulties.

The slow growth has been caused in part by the global economic slowdown and secondly by domestic conditions, such as the prolonged and at times violent strikes, and also the shortage of energy.

Given the impact of the untenable labour relations environment on the economy, it is critical for social partners to meet and deliberate on the violent nature and duration of the strikes.

The social partners will also need to deliberate on wage inequality. On our side as Government we will during this term investigate the possibility of a national minimum wage as one of the key mechanisms to reduce the income inequality.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will convene the social partners dialogue, within the ambit of NEDLAC.

Secondly, Government will play its part in the implementation of the landmark Framework Agreement for a Sustainable Mining Industry entered into by labour, business and government last year, under the leadership of former Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

The process will now be led by the President.

We will implement the undertaking to build housing and other services to revitalize mining towns, as part of the October 2012 agreement between business, government and labour.

The focus is the mining areas of Motlosana, Emalahleni, Sekhukhune, Lephalale, West Rand and Matjhabeng.

An Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Revitalisation of Distressed Mining Communities has been established under the leadership of the Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Jeff Radebe.

The members of the committee include the Ministers ofMineral Resources, Water and Sanitation, Trade and Industry, Social Development, Labour, Human Settlements, Health, Economic Development and Finance.

To further promote improved living conditions for mine workers, Government is monitoring the compliance of mining companies with Mining Charter targets, relating to improving the living conditions of workers.

Companies are expected to convert or upgrade hostels into family units, attain the occupancy rate of one person per room and also facilitate home ownership options for mine workers.

We urge the companies to meet the 2014 deadline for these targets and extend this right to dignity to mine workers.

Honourable Members

Distinguished guests,

The low level of investments is a key constraint to economic growth. We are determined to work with the private sector to remove obstacles to investment.

We would like to see the private sector showing as much confidence in the economy as the public sector.

We will continue to engage business in promoting inclusive growth and to build a more prosperous society. In this regard, I will soon convene a meeting of the Presidential Business Working Group.

After the last meeting of the Working Group last year, six work streams were established and these have been discussing solutions to various obstacles to doing business in South Africa.

These issues were also raised by owners and CEOs of major companies that I hosted in three separate, intensive working sessions at the Mahlamba Ndlopfuresidence in November and December last year.

The next meeting of the Working Group will take forward the partnership for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

Fellow South Africans,

We need to respond decisively to the country’s energy constraints in order to create a conducive environment for growth.

The successful electrification programme which has changed the lives of many households was achieved by tapping into artificial electricity reserves, which had not been designed to cater for mass energy distribution.

This situation calls for a radical transformation of the energy sector, to develop a sustainable energy mix that comprises coal, solar, wind, hydro, gas and nuclear energy.

The transformation will require structural changes in the manner in which government departments, affected state owned companies and the industry as a whole address the energy challenges.

The energy plan also calls for the injection of capital and human resources into the energy sector.

We will also need to identify innovative approaches to fast-track procurement and delivery by government in the energy sector.

To prepare the institutional capacity, we are in the process of converting the National Nuclear and Energy Executive Coordinating Committee of Cabinet, into the Energy Security Cabinet Sub-committee.

The sub-committee will be responsible for the oversight, coordination and direction of activities for the energy sector.

The sub-committee will also ensure that Eskom receives the support it requires to fulfil its mandate and that it remains focused on achieving its goals and targets.

To achieve our energy security goals, state owned companies involved in the Energy Sector, such as Eskom, South African Nuclear Energy Corporation and the Central Energy Fund will have to adapt to the redefined roles to achieve these objectives.

Work needs to be done at a technical level on all forms of energy especially nuclear energy and shale gas with regards to funding, safety, exploitation and the local manufacture of components.

Nuclear has the possibility of generating well over 9000 megawatts, while shale gas is recognised as a game changer for our economy.

We will pursue the shale gas option within the framework of our good environmental laws.

There are also some urgent activities that we are engaging in, in the short term. Progress at Medupi power station construction site will be accelerated.

Plans on the financing of the next large coal fired power station, Coal 3, will be speeded up so that the procurement process can commence.

We will also continue the 4^th window of the renewable energy independent power producers programme, to take advantage of wind, solar, biomass and other technologies that increase the opportunity for rural development.

Honourable Speaker and Honourable Chairperson,

We are also looking beyond our borders for energy security.

In October last year we signed the Grand Inga Hydro Power Project Treaty with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This massive and strategic project has the potential to generate 40 000 megawatts of hydro-electricity.

Our country will benefit enormously from this milestone project.

To prepare for the implementation of the energy plan, we need to finalise the legislation that relates to the restructuring of the energy industry as envisaged by the Independent System Market Operator Bill, the Integrated Resource Plan and other policies affecting the Energy sector.

Honourable members,

Distinguished guests,

We are a nation at work.

In addition to our major energy security interventions, we will continue to implement the successful National Infrastructure Plan, under the supervision of the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission, throughout the country.

During the past five years, we invested about one trillion rand in new infrastructure to provide water, energy, transport, sanitation, schools and clinics and internet connections to our people.

Over the next three years, we will spend 847 billion rand on the infrastructure and several projects are to be started or completed.

The construction of Mzimvubu Dam in the Eastern Cape will continue, and also the raising of the wall of Clanwilliam Dam in the Western Cape.

During the next five years the bulk of the construction work on Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project will be completed.

In the next five years, we will finish building more than 60 MeerKat dishes and start building the first 100 Square Kilometre Array dish antennas.

We will expand, modernise and increase the affordability of information and communications infrastructure and electronic communication services, including broadband and digital broadcasting.

Cabinet adopted “South Africa Connect”, our Broadband Policy and Strategy, in December last year to take this mission forward.

We will continue with various other infrastructure projects that will change the living conditions of our people and boost economic growth.

Compatriots

Our radical socio-economic transformation programme will be taken further with the implementation of the Industrial Policy Action Plan.

We will promote local procurement and increase domestic production by having the state buy 75% of goods and services from South African producers.

We will utilise the renewable energy sector, the manufacturing of buses, Transnet’s R50 billion locomotive contracts and PRASA’s passenger rail projects among others, to promote local content and boost growth.

We will also over the next five years promote regional economic development and industrialisation, through the creation of Special Economic Zones around the country.

We will continue to support through incentives, the competitiveness of the auto, clothing, leather, footwear and textile industries, which are labour intensive.

Honourable members

Despite tough global trading conditions in its traditional markets, South Africa’s tourism sector continued to show positive growth in 2013, reaching a record high of 9.6 million international tourist arrivals.

People love our country and continue to visit South Africa.

We have set a target to increase the number of foreign visitor arrivals to more than 15 million annually by 2017.

We are also looking at increasing the contribution of tourism to the country’s revenue to more than 125 billion rand by 2017.

Over the next five years, we will prioritise support to small business, as well as township and informal sector businesses in particular, thus using the SMME development programme to boost broad-based black economic empowerment.

We will sharpen the implementation of the amended Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Act and the Employment Equity Act, in order to transform the ownership, management and control of the economy.

We will promote more employee and community share ownership schemes and boost the participation of black entrepreneurs in the re-industrialisation of the economy.

Compatriots,

The total assets of our Development Finance Institutions amount to some R230 billion.

However, their impact on development is not sufficiently broad-based and their investment programmes are not well coordinated.

The institutions will be repositioned in the next five years to become real engines of socio-economic development.

In the same vein, Postbank will be supported so that it can play a leading role in the expansion of banking services to the poor and the working class.

Honourable members,

Distinguished guests,

Youth empowerment will be prioritised in our economic transformation programme.

Government will introduce further measures to speed up the employment of young people, consistent with the Youth Employment Accord.

We will expand the number of internship positions in the public sector, with every government department and public entity being required to take on interns for experiential training.

The private sector has responded positively to the introduction of the employment tax incentive. In only five months, there are 133 000 employees who have benefited and 11 000 employers who have participated in the incentive scheme.

The majority has been employed in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing and finance sectors.

Honourable Speaker,

Honourable Chairperson,

Government has since 2004 run the successful Expanded Public Works Programme which provides work opportunities and training for the unemployed. The new phase will provide six million work opportunities by 2019. We are building on the success of the past few years.

We created around four million work opportunities in the past five years.

The Expanded Public Works programme environmental initiatives such as working on waste, working on wetlands, working for water, working on fire and the Environmental Youth Services programme will also be upscaled up to 2019, in support of youth development.

In addition, the local government- based Community Work Programme will be expanded to provide a million work opportunities by the end of 2019.

Compatriots

We have identified agriculture as a key job driver. Our target is for the agricultural sector to create a million jobs by 2030.

Government will provide comprehensive support to smallholder farmers by speeding up land reform and providing technical, infrastructural and financial support.

Support will be provided to communities as well to engage in food production and subsistence farming to promote food security, in line with the Fetsa Tlala food production programme.

We will accelerate the settlement of remaining land claims submitted before the cut-off date of 1998. We will also re-open the period for the lodgement of claims for the restitution of land for a period of five years, and codify the exceptions to the 1913 cut-off date for the descendants of the Khoi and San.

Honourable speaker,

Honourable Chairperson,

Sub-Saharan Africa is increasingly becoming a more important trade partner for our country. We are encouraged that South African investments in the continent increased from 5.5 billion rand in 2002 to 32.3 billion rand in 2013.

Our exports into the continent are also increasing each year, having been at 28.5 percent up from 22.6 percent in 2002.

South Africa will continue to champion broader regional integration through the Southern African Customs Union, SADC and the envisaged Tripartite Free Trade Area that spans Eastern and Southern Africa.

Fellow South Africans,

We would like our people’s experience of local government to be a pleasant one.

We have listened to the complaints and proposals of South Africans over the past five years, relating to the performance of municipalities.

I would like to share with you now, our plan of action to revitalise local government.

Our municipalities are built on a firm foundation, built over the last 20 years of democracy.

We have evaluated all our municipalities.

We have inspected their financial management, how they work within legislative processes as well as their ability to roll out projects and to address capacity constraints.

We have also looked at how they respond to service delivery protests. There have been many successes in many municipalities. However we face a number of challenges in others.

We are pleased that eleven municipalities stand out for consistent good performance in audits, expenditure on municipal infrastructure grants and service delivery.

The eleven municipalities are the following;

1.      Nkangala District Municipality.

2.      Cacadu District Municipality.

3.      Zululand District Municipality.

4.      Umzinyathi District Municipality.

5.      Ilembe District Municipality.

6.      Knysna Local Municipality.

7.      The West Coast District Municipality.

8.      Matzikama Local Municipality.

9.      Mossel Bay Local Municipality.

10.  Breede Valley Local Municipality and

11.  Steve Tshwete Local Municipality.

We congratulate the municipalities for this performance.

A comprehensive assessment of various municipalities has indicated where they need support.

We will provide assistance to the following municipalities amongst others:

In Amathole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape, our Development Bank of Southern Africa has approved funding to develop infrastructure.

One hundred numerous projects, mainly in water and sanitation, will be started and the objective is to complete them over the next 12 months.

In Umzinyathi District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, funding will be provided to develop infrastructure projects covering mainly the electrification of households.

The local municipalities to be serviced include Msinga, Umvoti and Nqutu.

In Alfred Nzo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape, funding will be provided for infrastructure development projects covering water provision, sanitation, and electrification.

Local municipalities involved include Mbizana and Ntabankulu, catering for a population of about one million people.

We will support Lukhanji Local Municipality to reorganize its administration and implement support plans for the provision of water and electricity.

We will assist OR Tambo District municipality to stabilise the administration and organizational structure and fast-track the implementation of the Presidential Intervention Plans.

In Mbashe Local Municipality we will implement waste management plans and address ground water contamination issues.

At Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in the North West, national government will provide support and work with the Development Bank of Southern Africa to resolve financing for water and sanitation infrastructure.

We will support the City of Joburg in Gauteng to resolve problems with the billing system.

We will support Moqhaka Local Municipality in the Free State with the eradication of the bucket system and open toilet challenges.

Meanwhile work is underway to eradicate the bucket system throughout the country. This will also be the priority of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team on Service Delivery that I have established. The team is led by Minister Pravin Gordhan.

The team comprises the Ministers of Planning, Performance Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Transport, Home Affairs, Public Enterprises, Energy, Rural Development and Land Reform, Health and Basic Education.

Honourable Speaker and Honourable Chairperson,

A key focus area in local government in the next five years will be how we respond to the  reality of rapid urbanisation.

South Africa is becoming an urban country. By 2011 almost 63% of our population were residing in towns and cities and this trend is expected to continue over the coming decade.

Our government’s Integrated Urban Development Framework will be finalised by 30 July 2014.

It will provide a new deal for South African cities and towns.

It will set out a policy framework on how the urban system in South Africa can be reorganised so that cities and towns can become inclusive, resource efficient and good places to live in over the next 20 to 30 years.

Together let us move local government forward!

Compatriots

Over the past twenty years, we have steadily expanded support for marginalised and vulnerable households through investments in housing, extensions to our social grants programmes and improved access to education and primary health care.

Over the period ahead, poverty reduction will continue to be reinforced.

We will continue to invest in education and skills development as that is the key to economic growth and development. We need engineers, electricians, plumbers, doctors, teachers and many other professionals to build our country’s economy.

Education therefore remains an apex priority for this government. We will continue to promote universal access to education by ensuring that all children between ages 7 and 15 are in school.

We will increase the number of Grade 12 learners who can gain entrance to university, moving from 172 000 in 2013 to 250 000 in 2019.

We opened at least one new school a week in the Eastern Cape last year and will continue to eradicate mud schools and other inappropriate structures.

The number of young people in universities and colleges has increased over the years.  Contractors will move on site in September to build new universities in the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga.

By January next year, the first intake of medical students will be enrolled at the new medical university in Limpopo.

In addition, 12 training and vocational education colleges will be built to expand the technical skills mix in the country.

Compatriots

Together we must continue to fight drugs and substance abuse in our schools and communities. We will also prioritise safety in schools, scholar transport and child health.

In the area of health, we will work harder to increase life expectancy at birth from 60 years in 2012 to 63 years in 2019.

The campaign to reduce child and maternal mortality ratios will continue.

This will require the  implementation of the National Health Insurance and the improvement of the quality of care in the public sector.

We will build on the success of our HIV and AIDS treatment and support programme by expanding our mass HIV prevention communication campaigns.

Compatriots

We will take forward the advances we have made in promoting women’s empowerment and development.

The Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women’s development, Ms Susan Shabangu, will work with other Government departments, agencies, the private sector and non-governmental organisations, to promote women’s socio-economic empowerment, development and human rights.

To further consolidate our democratic gains, we will continue to advance and improve the lives of people with disabilities over the next five years.

We will work with the Disability sector to identify key areas in which we should fulfil South Africa’s role as signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocols.

Another key intervention this term will be to finalise the National Disability Rights Policy which includes the National Disability Rights Framework.

The Policy and the Framework will guide Government action to promote a more inclusive society and to promote the involvement of people with disabilities in decision-making processes.

Fellow South Africans

Some progress has been made over the past five years in reducing the levels of serious crime such as murders, aggravated robberies, crimes against women, children and other vulnerable groups, but they remain unacceptably high.

We will work to further reduce levels of crime.

The Special Investigating Unit, the Anti-Corruption Task Team the Asset Forfeiture Unit and the Hawks, have made notable progress in our quest to combat corruption in society broadly and in the public sector. This work will continue in the next five years.

Weaknesses in procurement, management and operations systems that undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of government will be addressed.

One of the key steps, which is already underway, is to centralise procurement under the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer in the National Treasury.

We have begun piloting this new approach with the centralised procurement of school furniture in the Eastern Cape. The furniture will be delivered in all Eastern Cape schools by the middle of August 2014.

Measures will be introduced to prevent public servants and public representatives from doing business with the state.

These will be supported by improved implementation of the Financial Disclosure Framework, strengthened protection of whistle-blowers, and the provision of technical assistance to departments for the effective management of discipline.

Compatriots

Over the next five years we will continue to promote the building of a better Africa and a more just world.

South Africa will continue to support regional and continental processes to respond to and resolve crises, promote peace and security, strengthen regional integration, significantly increase intra-African trade and champion sustainable development in Africa.

This will entail supporting and executing decisions of the African Union as well as the promotion of the work of its structures.

We will also continue to promote South-South cooperation by utilising membership and engagements with formations and groupings of the South.

Similarly we will continue to promote mutually beneficial relations with countries of the North.

We will continue to deepen economic development, trade, and investment partnerships with the BRICS through the work of the BRICS Contact Group for Economic and Trade Issues.

Honourable Members,

Distinguished guests

The South African National Defence Force has been a source of national pride as it participated in peacekeeping missions in the continent.

This role will continue and government is looking into the resourcing of the SANDF mandate in line with recently concluded Defence Review.

Fellow South Africans,

To take this programme of action forward, the Deputy President and I will be meeting with Ministers and Deputy Ministers to discuss the detailed implementation plans for each department.

Each Minister will sign a performance agreement with the President outlining what each department will do to deliver on the programme of action.

Compatriots

The 17^th of June marks the 22^nd anniversary of the horrific Boipatong massacre in Gauteng.

Looking back at one of the worst horror stories in recent history, we are reminded of the fact that we need to prioritise healing and nation building more than ever before.

We must continue to build understanding, tolerance and reconciliation, and together fight racism, xenophobia, homophobia and all related intolerances.

The use of sports and culture as a unifying factor in our country will continue during this term.  We will also continue to promote the Constitution in schools and ensure that our children grow up with positive values and love for their country and its people.

We will continue to build inclusive heritage over the next five years through building monuments and other symbols that honour the heroes of the struggle that delivered the freedom and democracy we enjoy today.

As part of our 20 years of freedom and democracy celebrations, records turning 20 years this year, such as those of the late former President Nelson Mandela’s first days in Office will be transferred to the National Archives.

This year will also see the listing of the CODESA Multi-Party Negotiating Forum Records in the International Memory of the World Register.

Next month the country and the world will mark International Mandela day.

All South Africans should dedicate at least 67 minutes on the 18^th of July, to clean South Africa, which is our theme for this year.

Let us begin planning for a major clean-up of our cities, towns, townships, villages, schools and beautify every part of our country.

Fellow South Africans,

This programme of action is aimed at making South Africa a better place for all.

We urge all South Africans to work with us make the implementation of these programmes a success.

Together let us move South Africa forward.

I thank you

Youth: Pioneers of Reconstruction and Development

As South Africa commemorates Youth Day, it is important to know the day is about more than the death of Hector Peterson and the many others who died. It is also about the hundred of young people who stood up for what they believed was right and this sadly lead to the tragic death of so many.
Most of the young people I know show either little or no interest in this historic day. This happens with reason as most would say why dwell in the past if we have a future to work towards, why talk and talk about what happened and not what could be done?

Politicians will speak about our role as youth in our democracy and while their words might differ, the messages comes down to the same thing: the youth of today also face challenges.
South Africa's youth unemployment rate is not what it should be, gangsters rule neighbourhoods and this is becoming a comfort for so many. Drugs are used like I would eat sweets, if you don’t have a child before you are 21 then you not really that cool.

Despite these challenges our youth is good in technology, yet our lost generation, is a confuse generation. Confuse because:

• Some say there are no opportunities while there’s so many we just can’t decide what to go for.
• We think following friends is cool, and not thinking as an individual
• We think what we see, hear and our parents go through should also happen to me
• We sometimes don’t want to come out our comfort zones

The late former President Nelson Mandela said in 1995 “young people are reaching out to other to build a common future. This demands emotional maturity and moral strength.”

Our past is important and while we should learn from the past, we need to work on the present to move towards the future.
I would thus agree with Madiba, young people in their own unique way try and reach out to build a common future, sometimes society just tend to:

• Not see this
• Criticize the youth
• Reject the youth
• Judge young people

The common future Tata talks about is not just a common future amongst the youth but also all spheres of society.

At a youth day event in Zuurbekom in 1997, Mandela told young people “become pioneers of reconstruction and development, by your example you will be helping ensure that South Africa indeed becomes the country of our dreams.”
Building this common future would thus seek the moral strength and emotional maturity of all recognizing, informing, educating, motivating, encouraging and accepting the youth...

Is free Wi-Fi good or bad for Metrorail

Metrorail announced that it would be rolling out free Wi-Fi on Cape Town station later this month and soon after that on the Southern line, before extending this to other lines. This benefit comes despite the crippling service where daily you hear of delays. I was asked do I agree with the Wi-Fi benefit.

This is my answer:

We should admit that yes Metrorail Western Cape is in the ICU and the service will not get better overnight (okay within three to six or even 12months). The lack of service is something I mentioned in a previous blog: Visiting critical but not stable Metrorail

While one can do the blame-game, this will not better the service and that is what should receive attention.

Metrorail Western Cape cannot promise a reliable service within 2014, but they can promise better communication with and to commuters with dedicated staff. They can also promise to take atleast once a week a train in peak-time to understand the frustration of commuters. 

Al read: Another day Another delay 

Now about Wi-Fi:

Data cost in the country is expensive, no matter which network provider you use. Anyone with a smartphone, using data will welcome free Wi-Fi.

Considering the delays and most people make use of social networks like bbm, whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter – if you late because your train is delay or has been cancelled and you need to take another one, you will now atleast not have to make use of your own data but the free Wi-Fi that Metrorail is providing, to inform your loved ones that you will be late and give an estimated time of when they can expect you.

I would think that students would be happy about this announcement as they can now download music with the free Wi-Fi and even movies.

Mthura Swartz, outgoing regional manager Metrorail Western Cape, explains
the Metrorail Wi-Fi

So do I agree with it?

If it’s Metrorail’s way of keeping commuters quiet? Then without a second thought, NO!
If it’s their way to try and compensate commuters? I agree and disagree. I agree because they want to compensate commuters but disagree for not keeping ticket prices the same in the current financial year due to the service being critical.

If it’s Metrorail’s way of admitting the digital world is expanding and want to give commuters added value? Then I agree.

Wi-Fi is not and can never be a substitute for the poor service, but Metrorail should be commended for this benefit that commuters will be enjoying. My only hope now is that Metrorail will better their communication and customer service.

Classify me as South African

This morning our complex had no water... The social media addict I am sent out a tweet to the City of Cape Town and I tagged Gisela Kaiser, executive director for Utility Services at the City of Cape Town, ald. Patricia De Lille, executive mayor of Cape Town and Helen Zille, premier of the Western Cape.

Not that I owe anyone an explanation, I tagged them because it is the director of the relevant department and de Lille and Zille are our public representatives and political head of the city and province.

Kaiser responded swiftly, an official called me and explained what happened and both apologised.

Zille also responded on the tweet saying she would ask Gisela to respond immediately. This response to my tweet, got the following response: "black citizens in your city are getting kicked out of their homes and the gvt. must fix it. But whites get helped immediately?" 

The person then said "I assumed Earl was white because he had his issue fixed "immediately" in the WC. Was I wrong?"

I replied on the first: why must race be an issue? I am a South African citizen. On the second I said we shouldn't always assume. My race should not be an issue.

I understand and respect our country's historic background, but feel despite this and 20years into democracy - race should not be the first thing that pops up.

I doubt if in other countries you would ask what is his/her race, you would rather ask what is the person's nationality.

I thought of this I am coloured and blessed when reading the tweets. 

Yes I am coloured and proud to be coloured, but please classify me as South African!

Metrorail's new shock

I haven’t penned anything about Metrorail for a few weeks now... Feels like months!
I have been engaging with Metrorail Western Cape on a daily basis though and had a visit to the regional manager, wait former regional manager Mthura Swartz, twice already. An announcement on Friday 30 May is forcing me to write this though.

I should start with the announcement has nothing to do with Swartz leaving Cape Metrorail. He was one of the best regional managers the parastatal has had in the past few years and acknowledges the importance of communication and also engaged with commuters. This is a legacy that I personally hope his successor, Richard Walker, will continue. Apparently I’m meeting him once he’s here, because I’m Metrorail’s biggest critic. I’ve vowed to teach him how to communicate with commuters and tweet.

Anyway……

In March, after a third train derailed that caused a massive headache for Metrorail with massive delays, leaving thousands of commuters frustrated, I wrote four blogs. In one of those blogs I said the harsh reality is that ticket prices will increase in July and that is unfortunately the case. Train fare increases

As a commuter I cannot, nor will I ever support the increase of ticket fares, while trains are delayed on a daily basis.

Having visited Metrorail and engaging with the outgoing RM and other senior staff, I understand the dilemma Metrorail Western Cape is in and also, that they have to generate an additional income to deliver a credible service.

It is also important that commuters take note it is not Metrorail Western Cape who decided on the increases, but Prasa. To tell me new trains will be operational by the first semester of 2016 and that all lines in Cape Town will have free wi-fi are not making things better.

I cannot blame Metrorail Western Cape for the increases but I do wonder what happened to the increases the past few years? They were not used for the recently announced emergency interventions to better the service.

How and did the current management explain to the Prasa executive the current situation in the Western Cape and that not increasing fares this year would be a better/safer bet?

I have also not yet received an answer from Metrorail/Prasa Management if they would decline a salary increase this year until all the constant delays were sorted out!

What is the answer? Well besides the minister’s urgent intervention to ensure commuters benefit and not Prasa from the delays? It would be best if Prasa revise their decision to increase fares and keep it the same for atleast another year.

Since March: Metrorail staff were held hostage, frustrated commuters stormed the offices more than once, more than one train have been torched; stoned and staff assaulted (some even ended in hospital). If the minister and Prasa really cared about both staff and the commuter it is these factors that would make them call an emergency meeting to revise the decision increase ticket tariffs. Guess their response is what they think of staff and commuters

Fit for purpose vs. Consistency

After the General Elections last week, the Western Cape will again be the only province not governed by the ANC. In 2009 there was a big outcry when Helen Zille as premier announced her executive council. I thought I would speculate how a possible provincial cabinet with Zille as Premier might look after the 2014 election.

Zille is on record for saying (at the DA’s manifesto launch) that she’s someone who likes consistency but with Gerrit van Rensburg and Robin Carlisle not returning to the provincial legislature and considering the public outcry against her all male cabinet in 2009, it might be a good opportunity to also make some changes.

Now whether or not MEC’s were performing or not in their portfolios is a different debate, but members, I reckon will likely return to portfolio’s they held before the election are: 

Theuns Botha as Health MEC
Bonginkosi Madikizela as Housing MEC
Alan Winde as Finance, Economic development and Tourism MEC

I think dr. Ivan Meyer might move back to the Social Development portfolio he had between 2009 and 2011, but considering the farm protest and the party’s performance in rural areas in the 2014 election, Meyer (who is also the party’s provincial leader) might also be considered as Agriculture MEC. Should the latter be the case, Albert Fritz might return to the Social Development portfolio. I thought about other possible candidates for Social Development but this portfolio had three MEC’s in 5 years…

My first thoughts on Agriculture MEC, is split between Basil Kivedo (Executive Mayor of Breedevallei municipality) and adv. Gesie van Deventer (Executive Mayor of Drakenstein). Kivedo has the struggle credentials and besides Meyer, is possibly the only other MPL that would be able to speak keep the attention of everyone in the agriculture sector (considering the farmworker protest). Van Deventer has knowledge of the industry and she’s female (a big benefit), how will the sector however receive her.

The other most “most contested” portfolio is that of Community Safety. While Zille is on record for saying she likes consistency, the DA also preaches fit for purpose with the most suitable candidate being appointed. But Zille would also like to avoid the public outcry of not having a female in her cabinet.

Mark Wiley might make a comeback as Community Safety MEC, a portfolio he was responsible for back in 2000. Until 6 May he was the chairperson of the standing committee on Community Safety. Another possible candidate is Lennit Max, who headed the portfolio in 2009, but was sacked by Zille in 2010. Another suitable candidate as Community Safety MEC is Debbie Schafer. Although new, she brings with her experience of the national assembly and was until 6 May, DA shadow deputy minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and a former DA shadow deputy minister of Police.

Should Wiley be the preferred candidate for community safety, I feel Schafer might be considered for the Transport and Public Works portfolio. She was one of the DA’s best performing MPs in the National Assembly and not making it onto the party’s national or regional to national list, was probably a surprise but also an indication that she will most definitely be given a “senior” portfolio in the provincial legislature.

I can’t think of any other suitable candidates for the Transport and Public Works portfolio, but if I had to randomly pick any it would probably include Wiley or Rodney Lentit.

I have a strong feeling that Lentit will be included in the cabinet and might even be given Sport and Cultural Affairs, if he’s not considered Albert Fritz might get this ministry.

There is also the possibility that Lentit be given the Education Ministry, but I doubt Donald Grant will be shifted out of this portfolio.

I feel Anton Bredell is likely to return to Local Government and Development Planning, but he might be given the Transport and Publics portfolio and Schafer might score the Local Government and Development Planning portfolio.

I decided to also play around with a few other key positions in the legislature.

My first choice for Speaker of the provincial legislature is Basil Kivedo. But Piet Pretorius, who briefly served as Deputy Speaker might become Speaker and Kivedo his deputy. Should Kivedo be given a ministry, Nomafrench Mbombo might be given the deputy speaker position.

I suspect that Anroux Marais might be the new Chief Whip, but should they not become part of the executive council Schafer and Kivedo (in that order) will also be strong contenders.

Should she not be the Chief Whip, Marais will probably be Caucus Chair again. Kivedo and Schafer would also be good candidates for Caucus Chair, but so would Pretorius and even Sharna Fernandez.

So here is my three list:

Helen Zille: Premier

Ivan Meyer: Social Development

Bonginkosi Madikizela: Human Settlements

Theuns Botha: Health

Gesie van Deventer: Agriculture

Anton Bredell: Local Government & Development Planning or Transport & Public Works

Rodney Lentit: Sport & Cultural Affairs or Transport & Public Works

Debbie Schafer: Community Safety or Transport & Public Works

Basil Kivedo: Speaker or Agriculture or Caucus Chair

Anroux Marais: Chief Whip or Caucus Chair

Mark Wiley: Transport & Public Works or Community Safety

Alan Winde: Finance, Economic Development & Tourism

Donald Grant: Education

Piet Pretorius: Deputy Speaker or Speaker

Sharna Fernandez: Caucus Chair

It's Time South Africa

Ke Nako South Africa!

Time for 25million+ to arise on 7May and make that all important X - choosing a political party in whose manifesto you believe and who you want to deliver on promises made. Choosing a political party to represent you in the National and Provincial Legislatures.

 

Once voting is done on Wednesday 7May, we will have to live with our collective decision on who will lead us as a nation and in our nine provinces. After the X, we can't say I didn't vote, but should help make our democracy work!

 

Vote with pride and use your vote wisely – I know I will!

 

I hold my ballot paper in my and I stand alone in the ballot box, I will hold my breath for a while and think that no matter how imperfect the democratic process might be, it is a privilege to vote!

 

Although Zuma, Zille, JuJu, Terror, Buthulezi, Kenny, Zanele, Godi, the Mulders & Mamphela might come to mind, I will think of Tata Madiba, Oliver Tambo, Walter and Albertina Sisulu, Helen Suzman, Frederick van Zyl-Slabbert, Dullah Omar, Kader Asmal and the many many others who had to pay the prize for me to enjoy the responsibility to vote!

 

I will think of freedom...

Freedom of expression, of speech, of the press and of association. I will think of human rights, judicial independence and the rule of law. I will think of the rights of minorities of celebrating ethnic diversity and dream of social cohesion. I will think of poverty, social ills such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, HIV & Aids and even the stigma against my LGBTI-friends.

 

I will also think of peace and hope that you too will use you vote wisely.

 

Hopefully now you will understand when I say, it will take me more than 5minutes just to make an X in a box!

 

Enjoy the responsibility to vote!

 

Vote with pride and walk out of the polling station knowing that you did the right thing.

 

It is all about the cross!!!