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Media Release: Premier calls for integrated planning in Hofmeyer
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Premier's Office

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MEDIA RELEASE
 FOR IMMEDIATE USE
 12 JUNE 2001

PREMIER STOFILE CALLS FOR INTEGRATED PLANNING IN HOFMEYER

The visit by the Eastern Cape Premier, Rev Makhenkesi Stofile, the Housing, Local Government and Traditional Affairs MEC, Gugile Nkwinti 
and Director General, Dr Mvuyo Tom, to Hofmeyer today (12 June 2001) revealed that complete service delivery could only be achieved only if 
there was unity between societal structures and government.

Lack of cooperation between the various structures ranging from schools, clinics, government departments as well as community and political 
organizations as the premiers delegation found out resulted in a number of services not being rendered satisfactorily. This malady has 
resulted in a number of properties being vandalized including the sanitary facilities of Mzamomhle and Phakama schools in Hofmeyer.

Rev. Stofile had an unfortunate opportunity of being taken to a school that was built just over 5 years ago but the toilet facilities had 
been defaced. Stating his utter disgust with what he saw Premier Stofile asked the community to take responsibility of buildings that the 
government had provided in order to allow more delivery.

In an earlier meeting Rev Stofile, MEC Nkwinti and Dr Tom met with representatives from the council, the South African National Civics 
Organisations (SANCO), school governing bodies, businesses, farmers, youth structures and churches and heard about most of the problems 
experienced in Hofmeyer.

They made a cry about teachers who do not go to school when they get paid. One parent said his children on the 20th of each month sat at 
home. When asked why they did not go to school they would respond by saying they were told to sit at home as the teachers had gone to cash 
their cheques.

Other complaints were:

* getting assistance for agricultural projects;
* housing projects that were left unfinished;
* lack of doctors and health workers;
* abuse of ambulance services by communities; and
* absence of recreational facilities like libraries and sports fields

As a number of departments were also represented by their respective district or regional managers, some problems were explained including 
the investigations regarding delayed completion of houses due to constant changes of construction companies and shortage of funds. The 
matter of teachers knocking off early, a representative of the School Governing Bodies (SGB) explained that following a submission of 
complaints about the problems the SGB discussed with the teachers and agreed on releasing them early on the payday as all the banking 
facilities earlier available in the town were closed down, forcing people to travel over 60 km to access these services either in 
Queenstown or Cradock.

Responding, Premier Stofile said the primary purpose of the government Outreach Programme is to listen to the peoples concerns regarding 
service delivery so that the government machinery could be adapted to respond to such needs. He said the visits are not meant to deal with 
local little differences and squabbles. He appealed to the people of Hofmeyer to live for tomorrow, and to use their minds and capabilities 
to move forward. When we have all died or passed away Hofmeyer will remain and therefore we all need to focus on productive engagements 
instead of divisive discussions that would not help improve peoples lives, the Premier said. He was also very critical of the development 
patterns that tended to reinforce apartheid planning that was based on the group areas legislation. He concluded by saying: one town, one 
list (waiting list of people for housing provision) and one residential area.

Heads of departments from the Provincial Government, for the first time since the outreach programme was started in earnest in 1998, 
attended the public meetings with their respective political heads. The decision was taken by the Executive Council recently in an effort 
to close the gap between the policy and administrative arms of the government to ensure that they are both responsive to the needs and the 
aspirations of the people.

The Premier, his entire executive council and the government top management are in the Mid-Karoo region on a Government Outreach Programme. 
The programme as explained by the Premier is an initiative for the leadership of the province to get to hear first hand peoples problems, 
concerns and joys.

Issued by: Communications Division  Office of the Premier
 Statement content queries should be directed to Manelisi Wolela  082 414 7768

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