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Ceremony to open Dordrecht Youth Centre
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Sports, Arts Culture

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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

SPEECH BY THE MEC FOR SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE, MRS BALINDLELA

AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE DORDRECHT YOUTH CENTRE

ON 18 NOVEMBER 99

"The dark days of despair have given way to the season of hope."

Master of Ceremonies, MEC Mr Enoch Godongwana, the First Citizen of the Town and the First Lady Mr and Mrs Fitz, the Deputy Mayor and 
Mayoress Mr and Mrs Manuel, Councillors of the Council, the Rev Pieterson, our Youth Commissioners, distinguished guests, ladies and 
gentlemen, allow me to greet you on this historic day with the above excerpt by our State President Mr Thabo Mbeki on the occasion of the 
1999 Election Campaign.

It is an excerpt that befits an occasion like this today. Our Province of the Eastern Cape has translated the words into living words. The 
Provincial Growth and Development Strategy seeks to: create jobs, invest in people and in meeting their needs, develop rural areas, 
distribute resources equitably, fight and prevent crime, and build an effective and efficient civil service.

It is heartening to hear, Your Worship, that locals were employed in various phases in the construction of this building ever since the 
beginning of this project. It is hoped that those who acquired skills as a result of this project will be able to use those skills for 
themselves in other projects so that they are self sufficient economically. If they are able to do so then we would have truly invested in 
the people of Dordrecht.

More than ever before the Provincial Government is earmarking rural communities for development projects and programmes in line with the 
mandate of the National Government of prioritising rural development.

Projects initiated by, for example, the Provincial Youth Commission are focused in rural areas.

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture salutes the sterling work being done by the Provincial Youth Commission in providing quality life 
for youths in the Province. We commit ourselves in ensuring that the Provincial Growth and Development Strategies are brought to their 
fruition. To this end the 5 year Strategic Plan of the Department outlines how the Department will bring a season of hope to the people of 
the Eastern Cape and those of Dordrecht in particular.

Only 5 Strategic objectives have been agreed upon. These are service delivery, work organisation, financial management, human resource 
development.

Ladies and Gentlemen allow me to categorically state that services delivery is one strategic objective that the general public is 
interested in for they expect the government to meet their aspirations and needs.

We believe that in order to be able to deliver services to communities the following must be addressed:

1.  Partnerships with other departments, community based organisations, the private sector and also civil society.
2.  To build the capacity of communities through skills education so that this investment in people can result in the development of 
opportunities for careers in Sport, Arts and Culture.
3.  The development of infrastructure and lastly.
4.  Ensure that communities are involved in areas of decision making in all government programmes and projects so that they can claim 
ownership of such programmes and projects.

We hope that through partnerships with other governmental departments, the private sector, CBOS and NGOS meaningful projects will be 
delivered to communities.

Although we are full of hope for the future one must mention Master of Ceremonies, that a dark cloud about the dark days of despair still 
hangs above us all. Our communities are faced with robberies, women are raped, little children are molested and killings are the order of 
the day. Our society is faced with ever growing HIV/ AIDS pandemic. Values and morals are very low. Communities especially those in rural 
areas and townships live in abject poverty.

The existence of this centre will help us in changing the lives of our youths in Dordrecht by providing a venue where programmes that are 
specifically youth orientated will be organised.I am thinking here ladies and Gentlemen about Indoor Sport Codes like table tennis, 
volleyball, chess, dancing and draughts. Beadwork, sewing, drawing, drama and plays workshops will be provided for youths.

Because of the belief in an intergrated approach to youth development, joint ventures with other government departments will boost the 
programmes provided here. Sex education, leadership, entrepreneurship, health education and other workshops that will develop youths come 
to mind.

Although this centre is called a youth centre we all realize that there is no youth without parents. If we are to win the battle against 
the rampant AIDS pandemic parental involvement is needed more than even before. Both parent and Child should speak more openly and frankly 
about sex and sexual education. Are parents and Children talking about chastity, our values and morals of society ? If not, we must start 
today to communicate openly about issues that affect our families.

Master of Ceremonies in the quest for the total development of our youth, leaders of religion, traditional leaders and all other 
stakeholders must be consulted in order to bring forth a lasting solution to the problems that face our youths. To this end on - going 
consultations have already begun with the Eastern Cape Provincial Council of Churches and traditional leaders.

In closing Master of Ceremonies, ladies and Gentlemen I have set aside a portion of funds from the MECs Discretionary fund for Sport Clubs 
and Associations. I invite therefore applications from the local clubs and associations. The closing date for the submission is 15 December 
1999. I hope therefore that this youth centre will be able to get some equipment from the funds.

With those few words, MC, I thank you all.



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