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Debate on the premier Speech
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Welfare

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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

SPEECH BY THE MEC FOR WELFARE

MS N.C. KONDLO



DURING THE DEBATE OF THE PREMIERS SPEECH
 29 JULY 1999



Speaker
 Honourable Premier
 Comrades
 Honourable Members

I rise to speak on or debate that has charted our way forward as the Province of Eastern Cape.

It is a pity that some in this house have not been able to capture what is in your speech, Premier. But also it could be that this is a 
sign or an indication of the fact that we do not share the same vision. To us as the ANC you have outlined the line of march that we have 
to take.

Speaker and Honourable Members I wish to further state that, the period of campaigning just before elections, exposed a number of things. 
It is common knowledge that many political parties abused the electorate especially the rural poor using welfare related issues to win 
votes. Speaker, let me touch briefly on the role of welfare as one of the crucial departments towards the realisation of our vision as a 
province, that of the elimination of inequalities of the past thereby promoting acceptable quality of life of all our people - through 
optimal utilisation of all resources available, in the context of accelerated delivery.

Speaker, accelerated delivery is self-explanatory in the sense that it suggests/implies that something has been, is being and is going to 
be done.

Coming closer home, in his speech, Premier touched on the most critical areas that impact on service delivery viz. data base and 
corruption.

Speaker, allow me to just briefly highlight some of the plans that we are engaged in, towards ensuring a reliable and clean data base. In 
line with the National driven programme on re-registration [with special focus on all information prior April 1998] - we as the province 
are finalising our re-registration plan to which we believe will be ready to kick start or implement in approximately 2 months from now, 
having ensured that through the communication strategy we would have taken on board communities. We will focus more on information prior 
April 1998.

Secondly, we are engaged presently in a process of decentralisation of responsibilities.

Whilst we are faced in some instances with infra-structural problems, the department is installing computer systems in district offices for 
better co-ordination and attendance of problem of beneficiaries.

The example of Deals House fits this approach. Main problem here is first and foremost supervision as well as the area that the office is 
servicing as of now i.e. Mdantsane, Duncan Village and Mooiplaas. An office will be opened soon in Mdantsane at Khayalethemba. Another 
service point will be opened in Duncan Village.

The moving in of the Regional Data Office to Deals House will also go at long way in attending to the everyday pandemonium that takes place 
in Deals House.

The re-engineering of the payment system whereby government together with business partners are to be involved in developing an effective 
welfare payment and information system that will provide:

* greater choice of payment
* shorter time cycles between application and payments is in advanced stages.

ON FRAUD AND CORRUPTION

There are three main categories of fraud and corruption that are at play in this area, viz.:

1.  Corruption from within
2.  Corruption by communities
3.  Organised syndicates

Speaker, without giving a report I wish to say, the annual report does give figures on monies that have been and those that are in the 
process of being recovered. Mdantsane and Idutywa are cases in point. We will leave no stone unturned to get these culprits.

We believe that the role of communities is critical in ensuring clean governance. Our policy unit has just finalised its first draft on 
guidelines that will ensure a common approach on the role of our communities.

Within the concept of building a caring society is the rebuilding of families and family life, Speaker, the developmental welfare approach 
becomes appropriate, as our responsibility is the family unit. It is within this context that an anti-poverty alleviation strategy has to 
be put in place to ensure that all those who are taken out of the system when that time comes, have viable projects and programmes that 
will sustain them.

The diversion programmes that the department is setting a foot will remove the dependency syndrome that is at play at the moment and will 
also ensure that these services benefit those who deserve or qualify, viz., the rural poor, women, disabled and youth.

Mr Speaker, for us to be able to deliver these services as the Hon. Premier accurately put it, is the improvement of the management and 
administration that we have.

Lastly, I wish to make an appeal to members of this house, not to keep complaints that they receive from communities and wait for debates 
to raise them or to want to use them against government but rather to speedily pass these over to the relevant offices to ensure such 
complaints are attended to timeously.

I thank you.



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