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Speech by Premier at the renaming of Memorial Hall
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 EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
SPEECH BY PREMIER STOFILE
 AT THE RENAMING OF MEMORIAL HALL
 AND GRANTING OF THE FREEDOM OF TOWN TO PROF. R.M. SOBUKWE, DR BEYERS NAUDE AND MR FRED HUFKIE IN GRAAFF- REINET
 12 NOVEMBER 2000



1. INTRODUCTION

The municipalitisation of rural areas offers an opportunity for piloting rural/urban economic development zones. Pilot projects would be 
extended, on a phased approach, into becoming a feature of economic development in the Province as a whole.

As Prof Bill Davies puts it:

* demonstrate, through pilot, that it can be done; and,
* extend, through replication.

2. FRAMEWORK

The framework for this development approach is the governments Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Strategy.This approach to 
development planning is part of the governments institutional mechanisms to address two of the most critical national priorities at this 
time:

* building the national economy (one of the pillars of the RDP); and
* alleviating poverty.

At the core of the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Strategy are the following pillars (Bongani Khumalo : Presidency):

* development and maintenance of infrastructure;
* strengthening key community structures; and
* co-ordination of multi-sectoral activities

3.PROBLEM STATEMENT

Apartheids spatial engineering was characterized by the following socio-economic feature

* group areas concept;
* racially biased development;
* clear distinction between rural and urban areas, with the former being distinctly underdeveloped while the latter enjoyed First World 
developmental status; and
* subsistence land use in so-called African homeland areas and market-oriented commercial land use in so-called real South Africa.

The socio-economic consequences of this apartheid spatial engineering (ASE) are well documented.

The greatest spin-off to the alleviation of poverty is social stability and security.Under such conditions; conditions of relative social 
stability and security, socio-economic development deepens.These conditions; conditions of relative social stability and security must be 
created in rural areas.For this to happen, basic human needs of the rural people must be met, and the rural component of the national 
economy must be seriously and urgently attended to.This is what government intends doing through its Integrated Sustainable Rural 
Development Strategy.

4.STRATEGIC PILLARS FOR THE RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ZONES

The meeting of basic human needs of rural people, where they live, and the building of the rural component of the national economy, have 
one big spin-off, the slowing of rural-urban migration.There may even be an urban-rural trickle-back in the short-to-medium term, as more 
and more black people in general, and Africans in particular, gain access to commercial land.Another potential urban rural push factor is 
the increasing job losses in the mines, as a result of both industrial rationalisation and closing down of certain mines.

It is submitted here that the most critical pillars of the envisaged Rural Economic Development Zones are the following:

* land;
* water;
* transportation network;
* intensive production;
* markets;
* labour intensivity; and
* infrastructure development.

The twin principles, Land Development Objectives and Integrated Development Planning (LDO/LDP) come into play here.In this scenario 
virtually all spheres of government and departments, and all other stakeholders, have a role to play at every step of the way.It is true 
that a champion is necessary to drive and co-ordinate the efforts, but every one of the stakeholders must put their shoulder to the wheel.

National Departments, Provincial Departments, Local Government and Service Providing Parastatals (Eskom, Telkom, DBSA, etc.) will have to 
feed into, and subject themselves to the same developmental plans, as their priorities.In Xhosa, the appropriate concept is Ilima, a 
collective or communal effort.What is required for the success of these REDZs is nothing short of Ilima.And, this will require a 
fundamental shift in thinking and practice amongst all stakeholders.In the medium-to-long term this approach must, and will, affect the 
organisational and institutional set-up of government as a whole, as this organisational and institutional set-up becomes more and more 
influenced and informed by these developmental objectives and processes.The viability and sustainability of the forthcoming municipalities 
depends in large part on the successful execution of these REDZs.In short, this concept could revolutionize government and socio-economic 
development in a very short period of time.

5. KEY ASSUMPTIONS

Everybody needs, and deserves, a good quality of life, expressed in a variety of ways.Critical and basic amongst these are:

* job opportunities;
* ownership of productive means/factors;
* decent shelter;
* food security; and
* physical security and comfort.

These are the primary factors that drive human migratory patterns across the world, particularly within nation-states.Rural people flock to 
urban areas in search of this perceived good quality of life out there.

The second assumption is that the primary economic sector cannot satisfy secondary social and economic needs of people.Only the urban 
industrial and commercial sector has the wherewithal to satisfy such needs.As such, as people graduate beyond meeting basic social and 
economic needs, they tend to migrate even more and further away from their primary roots.Therefore, as long as there is grinding poverty 
(poverty is a syndrome) in rural areas, and relative prosperity in urban areas, people will be pushed out of the former and pulled into the 
latter.

6. GOVERNMENTS STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE

The governments strategic objective, as of now, is the alleviation of poverty, and its eradication in the long term. The tactical pillars 
in this regard are to be found in the RDP:

* Meeting basic human needs; and
* Building the national economy

Thank you

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