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State of the Province address by Premier Stofile
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Premier's Office

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 EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS
BY THE PREMIER OF THE EASTERN CAPE, REV. M.A. STOFILE
 AT THE PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE CHAMBER, BISHO,
 16 FEBRUARY 2001

INTRODUCTION

Making his maiden speech in the apartheid Parliament on the 13 February 1990, one important MP who still serves in the democratic 
Parliament had this to say:

Despite the positive events of the last fortnight we still live in a divided and troubled society:divided by differences and troubled by 
our failure to reconcile them.

He was, of course referring to ideological differences rather than socio-economic differences. What this MP said in 1990 is as true today 
as it was then.The basic foundations for our dividedness / division as a country have not changed much.They continue to be racial prejudice 
and the protection of privileges accrued from that past. But we would be big liars if we say that there has been no progress away from the 
hard-nosed racism of the past. We have certainly made strides in changing society.

Speaking in our Legislature on the 12 February 2001, the Speaker of the Legislature of Lower Saxony, Prof. Rolf Wernstedt, had this to say:

But that one must speak openly over the past, also we believe.If one does not deal openly with such problems, the spirit of the 
intolerance and the discord will continue to exist.

The Professor from Germany was repeating almost verbatim what we have been saying over the years.Unlike him, we were roundly criticized by 
members of this House for saying exactly the same thing. But it was accepted when said by Prof. Wernstedt.

The answer to this contradiction in responding to the same message from different speakers will be found in our past. The poisonous 
situation in which we were born and brought up continues to distort our judgment and also our response to issues. After more than ninety 
years of successive white rule in South Africa, the advent of Black majority rule is still tolerated than accepted by many South Africans 
(black and white). Great mistrust and suspicion for a Black government is going to take some doing to be overcome. What with centuries of 
prejudice against any colour darker than that of the ruling class. The inferiority complex and self-hate inculcated into black communities 
continues to abide with us.

The situation as described above leads to every rumour being accepted as fact, for as long as they discredit this Black government. Every 
explanation is quickly condemned as a cover up for some corruption which no one ever puts a finger to. Employment of people from the ranks 
of ANC supporters is quickly labeled as cronyism. When such employees come from the ranks of opposition parties, they have been co-opted. 
This relentless campaign to discredit the government is bearing the inevitable fruits. Suspicion of the government and readiness to break 
the laws. This, as I say, even by those who stand to gain from this democratic order. Like the black police of apartheid days who saw 
themselves as different from their people (die kaffers), some of our people see themselves as no part to the blacks who cannot be trusted. 
Many are still ashamed of being Black and of being African. They suffer from some kind of identity crisis.

The main victims of this attitude are:

* The truth and integrity;
* The common pride to be who we are: South Africans.Black and White

TRANSFORMATING SOCIETY

But, Mr Speaker, we have done better than many would like to concede. The culture of taking the Rights and Dignity of people seriously is 
taking root albeit under difficult circumstances. For those of us who come from the Democratic Movement this should be no surprise. In 1927 
as well as in 1944, long before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ANC had produced its own blue-prints on Human Rights. Now 
that we are in government, we try as much as we can, within available resources, to extend these Rights to all. Even those who opposed a 
Bill of Rights before have now learned to be harbingers of Human Rights. This is a great achievement

Our people had continued to be denied social services that most of the world had taken for granted. Although not all the people have access 
to all social services yet, the truth is that great strides have been made in rural electrification, access to clean water, building of 
clinics and schools where none existed before, electrifying classrooms and providing toilets for the schools. The doors of culture and 
learning are open to all equally. We cannot, however, claim that they are accessible equally to all. Economic imbalances make sure that the 
legacy of the past continues to be our companion

All languages have equality before the law. But the accommodating spirit of our Africanness has been guilty of undermining this language 
equality. The dignity and pride of our people has been relatively restored. But the road is still very long ahead of us. Some of our own 
people lack the consciousness and maturity to refrain from undermining this hard-won democracy. They do corruption and commit crime.

We have also learned not to waste our time and energy with those who talk to the gallery and then go home to play with the cat. Where they 
play the oratory game, we get things done. We bring about change for a better life of our people. We believe in the adage: Fiat iustitia 
ruat caellum (Let justice rule though heavens fall).

TRANSFORMING GOVERNANCE

Our basis for the transformation of government institutions is the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). The RDP is explicit 
about the need to overhaul and democratize state institutions. One of the six (6) principles of the RDP states:

The RDP requires fundamental changes in the way that policy is made and implemented

In order to ensure that we co-ordinate and integrate our approach in implementing our strategy, the government Departments are organised 
into clusters and cabinet committees. The year 2000 has seen much more co-operation among cabinet committees than ever before. Guided by 
the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy as well as by short-term government priorities, Departments have been able to plan jointly 
how to deliver services. The own affairs or Pty (Ltd) approach which led to ineffective sprinkling of resources all over the show has 
remarkably receded. This approach has also improved the Budget process and the workings of the Budget Committee. A great effort is made by 
all to allocate resources and focus delivery where government has collectively agreed they should. We have learned not to throw meager 
resources into a whole range of small bits.We have decided to be focused. We want to focus in a big way on what we focus on so that we make 
a lasting impact. We are moving away from what Comrade Godongwana characterizes as the Ntloyiya syndrome (the chicken-eagle syndrome if you 
like).

The annual Budget Indaba assists to engender a corporate approach in planning. By the time we hold Budget hearings, there is a common 
understanding amongst Departments as to what our priorities are. This financial year we shall intensify our efforts to further improve this 
co-ordination work to make sure that departments work as a well-oiled machine for a more effective integrated delivery. This must obviously 
take on board the new Municipalities and parastatals like Eskom, Telkom, DBSA, IDT, IDC etc.

TRANSFORMING THE PUBLIC SECTOR

This year we also managed to focus on the implementation of policy in a co-ordinated way. This necessitated the bringing together of human 
resources in evolving implementation plans for the Public Service Act, Employment Equity Act, Skills Development Act, Skills Development 
Levies Act etc. A Performance Management System for the Province is now in place albeit in a piloting stage. The revision of departmental 
service delivery improvement plans and Batho Pele service standards is currently being conducted. All this to make sure that we comply with 
the Public Service Act and we are able to monitor and evaluate the performance of departments. This has assisted us to detect glaring 
weaknesses in the management structures of some of the Departments.Corrective measures are being effected and monitored.

Both the Performance Management System and the Batho Pele implementation have been supported by our co-operative agreement with the 
Department of International Development (DFID) of Britain through the Integrated Provincial Support Programme (IPSP). We are currently 
busy, with the Department of Provincial and Local Government, rationalizing all legislation relating to traditional affairs. This involves 
the review of the thousands of laws that moulded and governed the lives of African people during the colonial and apartheid years. Indeed 
most of them continue to govern the lives of most rural Africans. This process will also deal with the long-awaited audit of traditional 
leaders. This process involves all Provinces and is driven by the National Government.

There can be no effective integration of plans and monitoring of those without proper information technology. A Master Information System 
Plan is being finalized.An information technology strategy is being worked out for the whole Province. Both these are very crucial for our 
full participation in the State Information Technology Agency (SITA). Plans for that participation started last year and will be finalized 
this year. We are confident that this year there will be clear service level agreements with the SITA. Deficiencies identified in our I.T. 
will be addressed. Our twin Province in Canada (British Columbia) will partner us in the process of improving the I.T. systems in this 
Province.

Communication within and outside the state machinery was identified as a major challenge in our Province. To deal with this we developed a 
close working relationship with the Government Communication and Information Services (GCIS). We also had to identify the key audiences of 
our message. It became clear that communicating with the most important stake-holders, the rural poor, cannot be left to the whims of the 
media for whom sales and profits are more important than facts and integrity. But we will not give up on the media, some of them have 
greatly improved except one or two seniors who have a baggage of their previous life and countries. But we have decided to communicate with 
the people ourselves. Our government Outreach Programme has been very fruitful.Members of the Executive Council are able, through this 
programme, to interact directly with the people.Listening to the people themselves state their problems, needs and ideals ensures that 
their direct participation in both policy development as well as in delivery prioritisation is facilitated. Again in line with the RDP, the 
ordinary person is empowered to interact with policy and with government.

This year has also seen the launch of our internal communication publication: INTENGU, which is designed to close the communication gap 
inter-and intra-departmentally. This publication has been made possible by the assistance we received from the Swedish Government through 
our co-operation agreement. The publication will be produced quarterly.

The implementation of the Public Finance Management Act of 1999 has started. The Year 2000/2001 has been a trial year but it has already 
borne fruit as more and more controls are being put in place. Some top managers have already stepped on the toes of this Act to their own 
detriment. We are not looking back on this and there will be no sacred cows.

Since declaring 2000 the Anti-corruption Year, several strides were made in a concerted fight against this scourge. The Anti-corruption 
Forum which we established in the year 2000 is a multi-sectoral structure that co-ordinates the implementation of our Anti-corruption 
strategy. The first report of the Forum was tabled at the Legislature in October last year. A number of breaks-through have been registered 
and reported in this area (not just perceptions but actual cases where corruption was identified and busted).

Although we had experienced teething problems with the establishment of the Internal Audit section, we are pleased to report that at least 
50 per cent of the personnel at the deputy director level has been employed. Applicants for the assistant director level have already been 
interviewed. The Audit Committee has been in place since March 2000. A tender for the risk assessment of the Province has already been 
advertised and is being evaluated. This will inform the activities of the audit unit both in terms of formulating strategy and its 
operations. The Chief Directors contract expired at the end of December and the post has been re-advertised. All this is in line with our 
stated strategy last year of staggering the establishment of this unit to make sure that every step is closely monitored and evaluated.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

The issue of a representative civil service continues to be uppermost in our agenda. It should be on the agenda of other sectors as well, 
including public representatives. We cannot agree with those who see this as apartheid in reverse. They too know that they are merely being 
hypocritical. Theirs is a lame justification of retaining the imbalances of the past. These imbalances are not going to go away of their 
own volition or just because market forces assist them to go away. There is neither scientific nor historical evidence that such imbalances 
ever went away without governments conscious intervention. This is so in all spheres of life

(1)THE NATIONAL QUESTION

We are satisfied that in this Province we have done well in getting a proportionately balanced representation of our communities. It is no 
longer necessary in government departments to worry about black participation. This balance will have to be watched carefully to avoid 
over/under-representation. Despite the fallacy of those who feel ALL is well now, there are no two nations, the hunted know that there are 
still hunters out there.

(2)GENDER

The President noted that only Gauteng has more than 30 per cent of females at decision-making levels. Although we are not doing badly at 
the levels of Director, all departments and parastatals are doing very badly at Chief Director and Head of department levels. I have 
already instructed the Director General and all MECs to make sure we have a minimum of two (2) Heads of Department as females this year. 
This is a serious policy matter which should not be allowed to be a victim of expediency from the pressure that is mounting to compel us to 
forget about the imbalances that continue to haunt our communities. This has nothing to do with compromising any standards.

(3)PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

Last year we asked Departments to do an audit of the number of people with disability in the employment of government. The report on this 
matter is not available yet. We will respond to the report appropriately when it comes.

Mr Speaker, these are invisible deliverables and may be very hard to appreciate. But believe me, they constitute important building blocks 
towards the creation of the South Africa of our dreams. We must now turn to Hard Deliverables.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The Local Government Elections of the 5/12/2000 marked a very important break with the skewed past. Racially-based structures have been 
replaced by integrated ones. The calibre of councilors has improved. The number of municipalities has been reduced almost four (4) times. 
But most importantly, the new municipalities are suitably enabled by law to ensure equitable distribution of resources and quality services 
to all residents to redress continuing imbalances. This includes the provision of an amount of free basic services to all households to 
ensure that the needs of the poor are met. Oversight and finance control mechanisms have been improved to prevent wastage of resources.

To ensure a swift delivery of services, the municipalities will be developing integrated development plans for each Council to make sure 
that existing proper services are delivered systematically to meet the long-term needs of municipalities and our Province. Ward Committees 
are in the process of being formed on a multi-party basis to make sure that the people do govern. This is an important structure to make 
sure that the people are not just consumers or end-users of arbitrary programmes

The tax-base of most of these Municipalities is going to be a big challenge for all spheres of Government for a few more years to come. But 
we are not afraid of doing what must be done to transform our society into a democratic one. The MEC for Housing and Local Government, 
together with the DG will be developing a strategy to involve the municipalities in the Inter-Governmental Forum. This will make sure that 
planning and resource allocation is done jointly by all spheres of Government. This is a further attack on the own affairs approach of some 
national departments and parastatals. The Office of the Premier will make this co-ordination priority number one.

GOVERNANCE CLUSTERS

The Economic Growth and Development Cluster, together with the Social Needs Cluster have been very active in ensuring that an 
implementation plan for the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Strategy is in place. An initial strategy which focused on the Wild 
Coast areas was worked out in 1999 and the following year various programmes and projects were implemented in these areas. We must concede 
that the impact of such projects was undermined by the own affairs approach adopted by some national departments in Project Planning and 
Management. This led us to convening a Provincial Rural Development Summit involving all spheres of government and other stakeholders. The 
Summit identified the OR Tambo, Khahlamba, Chris Hani and District 44 Municipalities as priority areas for the initial phase of the rural 
development strategy implementation plan. We were greatly excited to hear from the Presidents opening address that National Government 
concurs with our priorities. This augurs well for integrated and co-ordinated development.

We are fully aware that Amathole District Municipality also needs attention. This goes for areas in the Mid-Karoo and Western Districts as 
well. Attempts will be made to roll out elements of our development plans to these areas as well. But a concerted effort to attend to them 
will come later. Both GTZ and DFID will play a significant role in these development initiatives.

It is very important to note that just over 85 per cent of the Provincial Budget goes to the Social Needs Cluster departments which are: 
Social Welfare, Education and Health. This is so because these Departments focus specifically on poverty eradication, meeting the basic 
needs of our people and the prevention and combating of HIV/AIDS.

Subsidiary Departments in this Cluster are Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation as well as the Departments of Safety Liaison

A. SOCIAL NEEDS CLUSTER

The co-ordinator here is the MEC for Social Welfare and Development. Health, Welfare and Education are the three (3) delivery sectors that 
critically underpin human development. The two broad objectives in social service delivery are:

(1)The redirection of resources to key social sectors from sectors previously aimed at bolstering apartheid;
 (2)The redistribution of resources within sectors to services geared to service the poor.

These objectives explain why more than 85 per cent of the Provincial Budget goes into this Cluster.

The Key Strategic priorities identified by this Cluster are : Poverty Alleviation; HIV/AIDS Programmes, developing One-Stop-Service-
Delivery Districts. Within this framework, the following has been achieved in respect if HIV/AIDS: A Community/Home-Based Care Project has 
been launched in the Mhlakulo Locality in the Tsolo District targeting Lower Gungulu and Sidwadweni. Its primary target group is affected 
families and communities who are challenged to care for affected and infected people at their homes. Volunteers are trained on how to 
provide support for these people. A similar project at Hlabatshane in Mqanduli targets the youth for HIV/AIDS related education and 
training. Volunteers have been trained in Umtata and Umzimkhulu as well. CKIFM has been very supportive in our HIV/AIDS Awareness 
Campaigns.

In terms of Poverty Alleviation, the Cluster is moving towards the funding of larger programmes for the purpose of achieving more 
substantive development and sustainability. Twenty six (26) such projects have been approved.The respective MECs will give more details in 
their policy speeches. The Development of Delivery Districts is going ahead as planned. This is an endeavour to further improve the 
accessibility of government to ordinary services. It is also aimed at improving the quality of services people get. The IPSP is giving full 
support to this initiative.

The management of our Health Centres, Clinics and Hospitals, as well as that of our Education sites (Districts and Schools), is being 
attended to. Twenty (20) Clinics are being upgraded and refurbished. Most of these are in rural areas. Twenty five (25) hospitals are being 
attended to under the Hospital Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Programme. A major effort is afoot to staff and equip clinics 
appropriately. Mental Health is being integrated into Primary Health Care. Above all, Human Resource Management as well as Finance 
Management is being beefed up in the Department of Health.

The increase by almost 10 percent of Matriculants who passed last years exams confounded all critics and cynics.We were told that such 
change was only possible in 2002.We proved them wrong!Credit must go to the hard work of the MEC for Education who motivates all stake-
holders to a better performance. The desirable environment for learning and teaching is gradually coming back. We must continue to improve 
the situation. We must also improve the transformation of our understanding of the dictates of our constitution. Last year a learner was 
debarred from school because his hair was shaven off clean. This year another learner is debarred because her hair is unacceptable to the 
SGB. This new form of discrimination must not be allowed to proliferate. This will be achieved by working together as a collegiate of 
leaders. It will not be achieved by fame-seeking demagogues and charlatans.

We must pause here and salute two outstanding sons of the Eastern cape who try very hard to improve the education of our children and our 
communities. One is Mr Ludidi of Mount Frere who built modern classrooms from his own meager income. The other is Mr Mzimkhulu Jikijela who 
led tirelessly in the building of a Community Centre at Tsilithwa, Qumbu. This is a multi-purpose centre which surpasses many in urban 
areas. These two gentlemen exemplify what the President envisages when he said:

The success of these plans will also depend on the extent to which the people can be mobilised so that they become active participants in 
the processes targeted at the upliftment of their communities,  (Parliament, 9/02/2001)

The primary socio-economic need of all animals, humans included, is FOOD. The Department of Agriculture, together with a variety of 
partners including Fort Hare's Agricultural Research Council (ARDRI), Agricultural Research Council (ARC), National Wool Growers 
Association (NWGA) and others has been spearheading a whole range of projects improving livestock, cultivation and other agricultural 
activities. The Integrated Livestock and Crop Production Programme (popularly known as the Eastern Cape Land Care Project) has not only 
been a national Award-winner, it is on track in its mission. Stock for some emerging farmers in more than 20 rural communities of the 
former homelands of Ciskei and Transkei have had their quality improved. This in turn has improved the earnings on wool for the farmers. A 
number of shearing sheds have been built, the ring-fenced budget for dipping tanks made a difference to our cattle.

The Department has also spearheaded the revamping of agricultural schemes at Ncora, Lambasi, Tyefu and elsewhere. Cash crops like Chicory, 
hemp, sugarbeet, and sunflower are doing well at this pilot stage. We take this moment to dip our heads in remembrance of a dedicated 
patriot who was untimely snatched away by death at the time when we were all excited with what he was doing. We salute the late Mr George 
Ward and again offer our condolences to his family in Grahamstown.

Together with the Department, we are identifying strategic areas for quality food production. Communities like Eliotdale, Ncora, Umzimkhulu 
and Eastern Pondoland will benefit from this initiative. We hope as many established farmers as possible will join us in this programme. 
The MEC will provide the details when his time comes to do so.Plans for the implementation of Bee-Honey apiaries as well as the Goat-Milk 
Cheese are quite advanced. Together with the National Department of Welfare and the Presidency, we are driving these programmes.

The Wool and Mohair beneficiation project adds value to our natural resources. It will benefit farmers in the Karoo, Aliwal North, 
Sterkspruit and other districts in the old homeland areas.

B. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CLUSTER

(1) Key Achievements

This Cluster has been very active in the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Strategy. Activities in the Wild Coast SDI as well as the 
Fish River SDI are on track. We are all excited to know that the first Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) to be gazetted this March will be 
Ngqura (Coega). This is the culmination of four (4) years of hard work on our part. We hope that local investors will make full use of this 
opportunity and stop accusing foreign investors of unproven nepotism and corruption. These negative statements by lobbyists paid by losing 
competitors are not helpful for our Province and our country.

The development of infra-structure is a key component of this Cluster. To this end an Integrated Housing Project for Holo-Holo (Riebeeck 
East) has been approved. This will entail housing and agricultural economy-related activities per homestead. We are also engaging the 
National Department of Housing to partner us in the upgrading of the Sanitation system of Umtata to meet the demands of the new Umtata 
Hospital. Another rural livelihood programme is a pilot project of the Department of Housing and Local Government at Emalahleni 
Municipality.

With integrated development planning being a key focus of the provincial strategic plan, we are pleased to report that 14 IDP s have been 
approved. This will ensure co-ordinated and systematic development in municipalities. We are also happy to announce that 15 630 houses have 
been built and 4 844 state rental houses have been transferred to the current occupants. This is a significant relief for the homeless. In 
the Consolidated Municipal Infrastructure Programme 35 819 women, 235 093 men and 53 934 youths were employed. On top of this 2 122 women, 
10 427 men and 1 766 youths were trained. CMIP has benefited 800 000 rural inhabitants. In order to sustain this 37 works managers in 38 
towns have been employed to assist municipalities with these projects.

The Executive Council decided last year to withdraw the 1996 case against the residents of Mandela Park in Umtata. The area has now 
formally been declared a residential area. Integrated development plans include the building of a school and a clinic for those 
communities. Both the road infra-structure and sanitation will be upgraded

The small townships of many rural dorpies continue to use the bucket-system. Various systems of replacing the bucket-system have been and 
continue to be researched. This is so because the water-borne or flushing system is going to cause a great strain to some areas where even 
water for cooking and drinking is not enough. In the meantime, our Province will step up the replacement of the bucket system. Our first 
priority is the Cradock Townships (Inxuba Yethemba). Others will follow.

(2)Priorities for 2001/02

The East London Casino will be open by September 2001 and will be completed by May 2002. 5000 Jobs will be created in the construction 
phase and 600 jobs in the operation phase. This year it is our plan to collect R40M by March and R39M by March 2002 from gambling taxes and 
levies.It is also hoped that there will be positive responses to the Zone 3 and 4 casino licenses call for applications

In the Wild Coast SDI 16 920 youths and 5 2000 adults will be trained in business skills, 5300 community members including Traditional 
Leaders will be trained in nature resources management, 300 community development projects will be implemented.

Prospecting work and impact studies are continuing in areas where mineral deposits seem to exist. The MEC for Economic Affairs will give a 
full report on this in his policy speech.

(3)Roads

MEC Masualle, together with the National Roads Agency (NRA), have been attacking roads construction and maintenance like nobody else 
before. We note with appreciation that the Public Works Programme and NRA Projects created about 9,000 jobs, 46 per cent of which went to 
women. The R90 million we received for disaster-stricken infra-structure also went a long way in improving existing and ageing infra-
structure like roads, bridges and culverts. The road from Willowvale to Idutywa is being tarred.

We are pleased to announce that the following roads will also be tarred in the current financial year:

* Ntafufu (tenders are already out) (R61)
* Mount Fletcher/Maclear (R56)
* Cala, Lady Frere (R393)
* Tyolomnqa/East London (R72)

I have also instructed the MEC for Roads and Public Works together with his colleague, MEC for Finance, to look at more efficient ways of 
maintaining our roads using the private sector and local personnel. Both the work done on the Kei cuttings as well as the earlier one on 
the Sithebe-Komkhulu road in Bumbane have good lessons to offer both in efficiency and labour intensity.

SAFETY , SECURITY AND JUSTICE

We can never have proper services to our people in the presence of a high crime rates. Whilst we accept that poverty and unemployment have 
a great impact on the rise of crime levels, we cannot wait for a prosperous Eastern Cape before we deal with crime. As such we are pleased 
with the strides made by our police officers and their related Departments in busting criminals of all shapes and sizes. The latest 
incident where pupils and residents of Mcubakazi assisted the police recovered some property that belong to the W.S. Mbanga School near 
Butterworth has been noted with appreciation. May many other communities emulate this good example.

Our government is portrayed as being soft on crime. Our understanding tells us otherwise. The Department of Safety and Security in this 
Province has had a number of breaks through in busting crime in the last year. All three (3) accused in the abduction and murder of Brenda 
Fairhead and her daughter, Kia, are serving life sentences. The same applies to those who kidnapped and killed Michael Brown in June 2000. 
They are serving multiple life sentences.

In other serious cases the perpetrators have been arrested although their cases have not been completed yet. These are the murderers of 2 
and rapists of 3 girls in Cofimvaba, the fraud case involving Danie Halgryn where almost R1 billion is involved; the fraud and theft case 
of Maureen Clifford involving R billion as well as the money-laundering case of the Govender family. Add to these the cases of Nolundi 
Yanta who defrauded the Welfare Department; the twelve (12) other cases involving officials from the same Department as well as many other 
cases of fraud, corruption etc involving civil servants, the police, professionals etc. Surely this is not being soft.

Altogether 1,490 people were arrested between January 2000 and January 2001, most of them for murder, robbery and for illegal possession of 
firearms. Charges are also being prepared against those police officers who set dogs on citizens in Port Alfred. A lot of work has also 
been done to stabilise the taxi industry.

We wish to congratulate (Provincial) Commissioner Wilson Toba, Miss Karen Geyer (Director of the Scopions and Miss Alfredeen Jenneker 
(Director of the ICD in the Province) and their teams for their untiring work in keeping our Province free from crime and corruption. We 
have observed them leading their teams in person on the field. We must single out two officers for outstanding work this year, Senior 
Superintendant P. Wolvaard on the Govender case and Captain Siyothula on the Nolundi Yanta case. They are shining examples of what we are 
capable of doing. The unit of officers Noge, Jafta Chavula and company is also making a lot of unpublished arrests.

To assist the community of Majola near Port St Johns begin to focus on development, peace and prosperity, I have conferred with my 
colleagues both provincially and nationally. Also to add to the tarring of Ntafufu we have decided to initiate an integrated development 
project at Majola. A multi-purpose Community Hall to assist the youth with recreation and other projects will be built. To combat crime 
effectively, a new police station will be build. The clinic and the school around there will be refurbished and upgraded. This is not to 
reward crime. Rather it offers an alternative to the people of Majola. It is to Rebuild and to Develop their Communities. In the meantime, 
we are closing the noose on the warlords there.

Contrary to public perception that the escape of prisoners is increasing, the Report of the Department of Correctional Services indicate a 
steady decline from 126; 60; 59; and 14 during the 1997 to 2000 financial years. So far 5 reported escapes have occurred in 2001.

What seems to be a problem is the inability of the courts to cope with the pace of the police. The big number of Awaiting Trial prisoners 
is the key contributor to the over-crowding of prisons and cells. More creative ways of dealing with suspects are needed. It cannot be good 
economics to keep a person in the cells for a year only because the suspect cannot pay a bail of R500, for example. We do not believe that 
no way can be found to deal with suspects of non-serious crimes.

Transformation of the SAPS is occurring in policing and the police thanks to the Independent Complaints Directorate. The Independent 
Complaints Directorate's role has been to focus on the police and their role in policing. Its principal emphasis in its reforms has been on 
making the police responsive to and ensuring that they are held accountable for the way in which they exercise their role within the 
constitutional dispensation.

In achieving the above, the ICD has adopted a three-pronged approach of investigation, education and prevention of criminal offences and 
misconducts on the part of the SAPS. In the year under review, it has implemented the above approach in respect of the following strategic 
focus areas:

* Violence against women and children
* Domestic violence
* Corruption
* Torture
* Deaths in police custody or as a result in police action

The Independence Complaints Directorate has detected a proliferation of the instances in which spouses of police members are dying at the 
hands of policemen. As a result of the investigations of the ICD, several policemen in the Province are standing trial on murder charges 
for killing their spouses and more have been arrested for attempted murder as a result of domestic violence. Brutality against children in 
the form of physical assault as a form of torture has also come under the spotlight during the year under review

The ICD has also been investigating police corruption and monitoring the SAPS handling of corruption matters. In doing so, the ICD 
collaborates with other government institutions.

During the year, the ICD has hosted training courses for the police members on Human Rights, Domestic Violence and Forensic Medicine. The 
ICD has also participated and invited the SAPS members to participate in Anti-Racism and Anti-Sexism educational opportunities within the 
province. The ICD has in addition extensive educational campaigns with the community and NGOs in the province to sensitize the community 
and the police on what constitutes proper police conduct, protection of Human Rights and how to deal with Domestic Violence.

CHALLENGES/OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2001 AND 2002

* Much work still needs to be done to build a respect for a rights based culture within the SAPS. Some police members are obstructive and 
regard the constitutional provisions as tying their hands in dealing with criminals

Other checks and balances or custodians of our fledging democracy are the Provincial Auditor General, the Public Protector, the Public 
Service Commission and the Human Rights Commission (Chapter 9 Institutions). These institutions are fully conversant with our challenges 
and constraints. As such we have found it easy to deal with them. They have been very diligent to nudge us when it is necessary. They also 
understand our backlogs and financial situation.: We are very indebted to their contribution to good governance.

The last word must go to NGO's CBO's and the organs of civil society. Together with the private sector, these are inevitable partners of 
the government in service delivery. Some of them are very skilled in a whole range of things including training, project management, 
monitoring etc. We shall continue to find ways of mobilizing these sectors to assist in our projects.

Unfortunately we cannot always afford the funding they need.

CONCLUSION

We are OF Africa and we are IN Africa. As such we share a common destiny whether we like it or not. Only a colegeate of leaders will be 
able to change to positive gains the alchemy of the legacy bequeathed to us by the past: This is for our people and the only country that 
we have. The artificial and Eurocentric divide between the government and opposition parties cannot help. To ritually shout at us leaves us 
untouched. Those who see a fire help put it out by carrying buckets of water and wet sack.Not by playing games about the situation.

We want a strong developmental state that can intervene decisively in favour of the poor. A government that will change the property 
relations of the past and relieve the majority from the misery of landlessness, homelessness and no control of the economy. Those who 
really want South Africa and the Eastern Cape to succeed, let them roll up their sleeves and save our Province. We call on all young 
people, on all race groups, on all farmers, professionals and business people. We call on all traditional leaders and religious 
Communities: Come! Let us build our Province, our country, our heritage. We are the government now and we must lead the whole pack. Unity 
in action of all patriotic forces is not only urgent, it is also a precondition for our victory over our current challenges.

We cannot fail.

REV. M.A. STOFILE
 Premier : Province of the Eastern Cape

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