Speaker, hon President, hon Deputy President, hon Ministers, hon Deputy Ministers, hon members, and distinguished guests, it is worth noting that South Africa, as a nation, faces a number of developmental challenges, of which poverty and unemployment remain the most critical.
This is as a result of colonialism and apartheid that were rooted in the dispossession of the African people of their land, the destruction of African farming and the super-exploitation of wage labourers, including farmworkers and their families.
Furthermore, poverty, inequality and joblessness are the consequences of centuries of underdevelopment and exploitation consciously perpetrated on the majority of the population. Consequently, the structural faults that characterised the apartheid rural economy remain with us to this day.
While the ANC-led government has implemented a number of initiatives to address the scourge of poverty and unemployment in South Africa, it has to be acknowledged that these can only be achieved if integrated service delivery remains a priority. This means that rural areas should receive equal attention. We should, however, note that reference to a rural area does not necessarily imply villages, but also includes rural towns.
Research cautions us that a narrow focus on income and financial assets denies other dimensions of poverty, which are indeed determinants of deficiency and need. In this regard, it points to the importance of considering issues such as food security, education, health, levels of service delivery and infrastructure, etc. Interventions such as the Integrated Rural Development Programme have made significant progress.
It is a reality that social grants are also making a significant contribution to pushing back the frontiers of rural poverty, fighting hunger and improving potential for economic growth in rural areas. To date, as the President has announced, 15 million South Africans are benefiting from social grants. However, in the struggle to build a better life for all, grants are no substitute for a broader strategy of rural development and employment creation.
It is important to note that high levels of rural poverty and inequality inhibit the growth of the country's economy and undermine government's efforts to ensure that growth is more equitably shared amongst our people. To respond to the latter, the 52nd ANC national conference held in 2007, identified rural development and agrarian reform as one of the key priorities. The conference drew its inspiration from the prime source of its policy orientation, which is the Freedom Charter.
South Africa, having been declared a developmental state, has a central role to play in leading and sustaining rural development. This includes leading the process of land reform, promoting sustainable change in social and economic relations, and supporting the goals of growth and development in the rural economy. Therefore, mobilisation of communities is central to all of these objectives.
As we are aware, South Africa's rural areas are characterised by deep levels of poverty, exclusion from the provision of services and food insecurity on an almost daily basis. Over and above the backlog in the provision of water, backlogs in sanitation, health services, high schools, etc, are predominantly located in rural areas. In addition, the rural population experiences severe difficulty in locating any form of employment, and faces high transport costs to the nearest urban centres.
Therefore, the commitments made in the 2009 ANC election manifesto, placing rural development, and land and agrarian reform as one of the five key priorities for the government in the five-year term, are more than welcome. The ANC manifesto commits the ANC government to promote food security with affordable food prices, rural development and security of tenure for farm dwellers.
On rural and agricultural development, the manifesto commits government to intensify land reform, to give more land to the rural communities and, therefore, to provide technical skills and resources for productivity on the land. All these commitments provide the necessary foundation to drive rural developments for the benefits of the overwhelming majority of our people.
We can, however, be proud of the fact that in our predominantly rural-in- character provinces, with mainly towns and villages, we have promoted the development of sustainable human settlements. This is illustrated by our achievements to date in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West, Northern Cape and the Eastern Cape. Our focus of attention is that in our towns and villages our people must have sustainable livelihoods and an improved quality of life.
The hon President, in his state of the nation address, correctly mentioned that the country is making significant progress in the provision of basic services. Coupled with that, the 2010 review of South Africa's progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, suggests progress in accelerating access to basic services to the poor.
Ezi zibalo ebezichaza apha uMongameli zinjengokuba ebesitsho ke. [These figures that the President has mentioned here are correct.]
It is evident that, as a country, South Africa has either already achieved these MDG targets or may possibly do so by the required target date.
In 2009, the government conducted a review of the capacity of local government to deliver to the people and published the State of Local Government Report. The report provides an honest and sobering review of achievements and challenges hampering service delivery. The ANC government acknowledges that some provinces and municipalities still experience infrastructure backlogs. These challenges are currently receiving priority attention through the rural development programme.
The ANC's work to intensify the land reform programme has taken long strides to ensure that more land is in the hands of the rural people. This includes providing the rural poor with technical skills and financial resources to productively use the land and to create sustainable livelihoods.
In response to the challenges identified in rural areas, government has undertaken the following interventions through the rural development department and other departments.
The Recapitalisation and Development Programme was introduced to respond to the challenges of collapsing land reform projects, defunct irrigation schemes in the former homelands and farms in distress belonging to private individuals.
Some of the irrigation schemes identified include Ncora, Thaba Nchu, Taung, Makhathini Flats, uMkhanyakude, etc. The core principles of the programme are mentorship, co-management and share equity. The objectives are to increase production to guarantee food security, for small farmers to graduate to commercial farmers and create employment opportunities within the agricultural sector. Other initiatives that have been achieved to date are the following.
Zakhiwe iindlela eMuyeshe [Muyexe] neekliniki zaphuculwa, izindlu zakhiwa kwasungulwa neemanyano zoshishino, kwabakho namatanki okugcina amanzi emvula, kwakhiwa neendawo zokukhulisa iimveku kwakunye neekhretshi phaya.
Kwaphinda kwanikezelwa nge-10km zocingo lokubiyela indawo yokutya imfuyo. Kwakhona, kunikezelwe ngocingo lokusika umda phakathi kwepaka yesizwe yezilwanyana iKruger kunye neelali. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[Roads have been constructed at Muyexe and clinics have been renovated. Houses have been built and economic organisations have been established. There are tanks to retain rain water and crches and nursery schools have also been built.
A fence to barricade grazing pastures for 10 km has been erected. Again, fencing has been erected to set a boundary between the Kruger National Park and the nearby villages.]
Moreover, people were given reservoirs and drinking troughs, as well as plunge dipping tanks and animal handling facilities. About 1 000 poultry houses were built and paving and brick-making machines ...
Lwaphinda lwakhula olu phuhliso, hayi luyabaleka lona, lwaya kutshona eDiyatalawa eFreystata, apho sele kwakhiwe indawo yeemveliso yobisi, kwathengwa neenkomo ezingama-240, kwaze kwakhiwa nendlela.
Kuhanjiwe kwayiwa eMsinga, eMkhondo, eMhlontlo, eRiemvasmaak, naseVyrheid apho kwakhiwe iindawana zokuqandusela amaqanda eenkukhu. Waphinda lo rhulumente waya Freyistata naseMnta Kapa apho kwakhiwe iiprojekthi zokuphucula amanzi kunye neendawo zokuthengisa iimfuyo. Waphinda waya, eMoses Kotane kweloMntla Ntshona, neseMpuma Koloni imizi yemveliso yokutya ngokwezolimo iphaya. Ndibala ntoni na? Uluhlu lude, ndizama ukubonisa ukuba aba bathi urhulumente akenzanga nto, oku kungqina ukusebenza kwakhe. Hayi, ke nantsi ingxaki enkulu nendifuna ukuyibeka: (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[This development continued to grow at a rapid rate and it spread to Diyatalawa in the Free State where a dairy has been built, 240 cattle have been purchased and a road has been constructed.
The development has spread to Msinga, Mkhondo, Mhlontlo, Riemvasmaak and Vryheid where commercial egg production and processing farms have been built. This government has also improved the Free State and Northern Cape provinces through establishing projects to purify water and a market place to auction livestock. Factories producing food and agricultural products can be found at Moses Kotane in the Northern Cape. What am I counting? The list is long. I just want to indicate to those who say this government has done nothing, that this is testimony to its functions. But, here is a problem that I want to bring to your attention:]
The Nguni Cattle Project is an initiative which aims to reintroduce Nguni cattle into rural communities. Its long-term goal is to turn emerging farmers into commercial Nguni beef farmers and establish Nguni stud breeders amongst the rural poor.
Le ke iprojekthi iseMpuma Koloni, eLimpopo, eMntla Ntsona, kuMntla Koloni, naseFreyistata. Ikude asinakuyibamba kwangoku. Iyintsebenziswano phakathi komanyano lophuhliso lwezoshishino-IDC kunye norhulumente. Hayi, iyabaleka le nqwelo.
Intetho kaMongameli siyiqhwabela izandla, kuba icace gca! Kwaye inika umhlahlandlela namandla, ingakumbi kumalungu ale Ndlu ehloniphekileyo ukuba azibophelele ekwenzeni umsebenzi wawo.
Loo nto ke iyancedisa kakhulu, xa sidlala indima ekuqapheleni ukuba iinkozo, kwakunye neenkqubo zikarhulumente ziya ngqo ebantwini, kananjalo nobomi babo bubangcono. Ukuba besisenkonzweni, ngekuba sithi itekisi okanye umyalezo mnye, noba ukurhulumente wesizwe, ukurhulumente wephondo okanye kurhulumente wasemakhaya, ithi, "makwakhiwe amathuba okudala imisebenzi nophuhliso lwezakhono, qwaba!
Siyavumelana noMongameli xa esithi iingxaki ziseninzi kodwa masilitsho litsole elokuba azinguwo umqobo nakancinci kwindlela eya empumelelweni, nto nje kufuneka ukukhuthala, inyameko, nendzondelelo.
Siyababulela ke nabantu booMzantsi Afrika ngokuphikelela beyithemba i-ANC, nangokuba bezondelele ukwenza oku. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[This project is being run in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, North West, Northern Cape and the Free State. It has been going on for a very long time and it is unstoppable. It is a result of co-operation between the Industrial Development Corporation and government. It is progressing at a very fast pace.
We applaud the hon President's state of the nation address because it was crystal clear. Furthermore, it charts the way forward and gives strength, especially to the hon members of this House, to commit themselves to performing their duties.
That is very helpful, especially when we play the role of noticing that services and government programmes directly reach the people and thereafter their lives become better. If we were in a church, we would be saying the scripture or the message is one, whether to the national government, provincial government or local government, namely "let there be opportunities for job creation and skills development, period!"
We agree with the hon President when he says there are many challenges, but let us state it categorically that they are not obstacles, even in the tiniest way, on our path to success. However, we must be diligent, patient, and persevere.
We thank our fellow South Africans for continually trusting the ANC, and for being persistent in doing so.]
To respond immediately to issues, whenever possible, is very important, rather than deferring our response to a later period. This in itself is an important method of convincing people about the ANC-led government's commitment to a better life for all.
Ukuzalisekisa iimbophelelo ezikhankanywe kwiNtetho engoBume beSizwe kaMongameli, sikhuthaza oomasipala ukuthi baqinise iinkqubo zokuxhasa iinkqubo ezaziwa njenge-LED support programmes.
Urhulumente neenkampani zabucala kufuneka benze utyalo-mali kwiiprojekhti ezandisa, zixhobise uluntu, ukuze lukwazi ukuzimela. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.) [To fulfil the commitments mentioned in the hon President's state of the nation address, we encourage the municipalities to strengthen their programmes to support the LED support programmes.
The government and private companies must invest in projects which expand and empower the public in order for them to be independent.]
Communities should be trained to become proficient in essential skills such as food gardening, baking, sewing, etc. The key is self-help projects that expand communities without making them dependent. The fruitfulness of the initiative can be related to the old proverb that says: Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime.
The hon President placed emphasis on the establishment of co-operatives. The following initiatives can be undertaken to accomplish the call by the President.
Abantu mabakhuthazwe, kwaye bancediswe ekwakheni iindibaniselwano zamashishini amancinci, ukuze bakwazi ukungenela iinkqubo zokwakha iindlela nezokuzigcina zikwimo entle, bakhe neebhulorho. Bakhuthazwe ukuqhubeka neenkqubo zokondliwa kwabantwana ezikolweni; ukuvelisa imifuno kwiigadi ezikolweni, ezicaweni, ezikliniki, kunye naseziibhedlele; ukuthunga impahla zasezibhedlele kwakunye nezasezintolongweni; ukutyalwa kwemithi namahlathi endalo; inkqubo yokuvelisa izimbiwa emakhaya, okanye i-small-scale mining; utyalo lwemithi yeziqhamo kunye nokuvelisa izitena zokwakha njalo njalo.
Thina sikhule oomama besebenzisa iibhotile kodwa ngoku siyahamba siye kuthenga izinto ezisezinkonkxeni, kantu ukuba abantu bangafundiswa ngokupheleleyo ukusebenzisa iibhotile inene uqoqosho eMzantsi Afrika lungahamba phambili.
Makukhuthazwe ukwandiswa kolwakhiwo lwezindlu zangasese nococeko; nokwakhiwa kwamadama amancinane okanye le nto kuthiwa yi-water harvesting. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[People must be encouraged and assisted in establishing co-operatives, so that they can join in the construction of roads and the maintenance thereof, as well as building bridges. They must be encouraged to continue with the school feeding scheme through the production of vegetables in the school gardens, churches, clinics and hospitals. They must be further encouraged to sew hospital bedding and sleepwear and prison uniforms, to plant trees and natural forests, and to produce minerals locally or do small-scale mining, plant orchards and produce bricks for building purposes, etc.
When we were growing up our mothers used bottles to preserve food, but nowadays we buy tinned foodstuff. If people could be taught how to use bottles to preserve the food, I'm sure the South African economy would grow.
Let us encourage the expansion of building toilets and improving sanitation and the construction of small dams or what is known as water harvesting.]
Housing co-operatives, which can also enhance the resource base in poor rural communities, should also be encouraged. Access to funding is most critical for this.
Sesivile ke ukuba ininzi imali, uMongameli usinikile imali apha. Abantu mabakhuthazwe ukuba bathathe inxaxheba nakwezinye iinkqubo zikarhulumente ezaziwa njengoo-mass participation programmes ngoba zenza nempilo yethu ibentle siphile kakuhle singabantu baseMzantsi Afrika. Makubekho iinkqubo ezifundisa izakhono zokuqeqesha nokuba ngoosompempe, iinkqubo zokufundisa ukubiyela, kwakunye nala midlalo yemveli oopuca, siwazi sonke. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[We have heard that there is sufficient money; the hon President has allocated the money. People must be encouraged to participate in other government programmes known as mass participation programmes because they make our lives better as the citizens of South Africa. There must be programmes to impart coaching and refereeing skills, and fencing programmes and indigenous games must be encouraged.] We also have to acknowledge that small-scale mining serves as an example of what can be achieved through the application of home-grown resources, capacity and self-reliance. Small-scale mining has led directly to job creation for the poor in rural areas in all nine provinces.
Across all nine provinces, we have a total of 1 270 small-scale mining operations, which have created about 10 160 jobs. In addition, these small- scale mining operations contribute to further economic activity through the procurement of goods and services from local suppliers.
With regard to visible policing, there have been noticeable strides made in fighting crime in rural villages. Progress is particularly evident, for example, on the border between South Africa and Lesotho - where I stay - with attempts to reduce stock-theft through the deployment of the Operational Response Services.
I-ANC iyayixhasa iNtetho engoBume beSizwe kaMongameli. [The ANC supports the hon President's state of the nation address. [Time expired.]]