By
Hon. Blessed Gwala MPL
KZN Legislature
Thanks Premier for the State of the Province address:
Hon Speaker, I want to commence by reminding the Hon Premier of what he said when he took office in May 2014, he said:
“I want to assure the Judge, President and the people of KwaZulu-Natal in general that as elected representatives of the aspirations of millions of our people, we will cast our eyes into the future with a clear understanding that failure is not an option”.
Today I rise to say to the Hon Premier that you and your executive have closed your eyes and failed the millions of our people in KwaZulu-Natal.
Hon Speaker, the Inkatha Freedom Party was expecting the Hon Premier to set the mind of His Majesty at ease regarding the Royal Household Trust and its sustainability. The Premier should have informed this House as to why his government took a decision to disestablish the Department of the Royal Household without consultation with other political parties. When the future of this Department was discussed, it was agreed that the Department will be disbanded only after all political parties are satisfied that the Royal Household Trust will be able to sustain itself and manage its affairs in the interest of His Majesty and the Royal family. Since His Majesty was present at SOPA, it would have been appropriate for the Hon Premier to explain why this decision was taken in such a clandestine manner. In this regard the Premier has failed His Majesty and the Royal Family.
I would like to remind the Hon Premier that in his address in this House last year, His Majesty instructed MEC Xaba to fast track the programme “ukubiywa kwamasimu” but this programme has not even started in Ngwavuma and Nongoma. Here again you have failed, Hon Premier.
It is good that the Hon Premier mentioned his concerns around increasing criminal activity in the province. Here again the Premier has failed the law abiding citizens of KZN. Hon Speaker, how can this Premier expect to curb crime and ensure the safety of our citizens when the Provincial Commissioner, Mmamonnye Ngobeni has a dark cloud hanging over her head. For a long time the IFP has raised its concern about the credibility and suitability of Ngobeni to head crime fighting in KZN.
I must commend the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID) for its report and now the police are carrying out investigations under Section 12 which deals with serious misconduct against the Commissioner, a Colonel and a Captain all on related charges of corruption. We want to see that an advocate with a clean track record be at the head of the disciplinary hearings. How can police personnel feel inspired and be motivated when their provincial commissioner is under investigation? How can the KZN community feel safe when the police has such dubious personnel sitting in high offices? But even though we advised the Premier not to renew her contract when it expired last year while these allegations were hanging over her head, her contract was renewed on recommendation from this executive to the National Police Commissioner. Is the Hon Premier serious about reducing crime?
Just this past week a 71 year old couple, Susanna and Melvin Lawson were murdered at Oribi Village just up the road from where we are: Hluhluwe farmer, Terrence Rizzato was gunned down: a well-known Estcourt farmer Malcolm ‘Stick’ Green was also killed and the list goes on to include rapes, burglaries, hijackings and robberies. In this regard the Premier has failed every law abiding citizen in KZN. The IFP sends its condolences to all those who have lost loved ones due to the broken promises of this Executive.
Hon Speaker, this Executive closed their eyes and failed the thousands of learners across our province. Let me remind the Premier that speaking about education during his Inauguration in May 2014 he said:
“We want to ensure an improvement in our matric results from the previous term of office”
But what did the Premier do – he appointed a MEC that stumbles from one disaster to another. How can we consider the drop in the matric pass rate from 77.4% in 2013 to 69.7% last year “an improvement”? It is a disaster! How can we consider the “mass copying” uncovered by Umalusi “an improvement”? It is a disaster and a disgrace! Unfortunately this MEC will consider it “a good story to tell” while our children’s lives are being destroyed. Here again you have failed our people.
The Premier mentioned that far too many of our school children are being killed or injured while being transported in bakkies but he does not provide a solution to the challenge of scholar transport. How many of our children must still die before this government will apply its mind and come up with a workable solution?
Again the Premier has failed.
Let me also remind the Premier what he said about health care:
“During this term of office we will move with speed towards the introduction of the National Health Insurance system. There is no turning back”.
How can you turn back when you are lying flat on your face with no sense of direction? The implementation of the NHI seems a distant dream while conditions at our public health care facilities deteriorate. When my colleague in the IFP, the Hon Nkwanyana goes on oversight visits to hospitals to see how she can assist, not only patients but also staff, the MEC for Health gets hot under the collar and wants to complain to the Speaker. Complain about what? This Hon Member is doing what every Hon Member in this House should be doing and that is to conduct oversight and inform the MEC about any shortcomings. Is MEC Dhlomo ashamed of what is going on at some hospitals that he wants to prevent MPLs from doing their jobs?
Madame Speaker, allow me to remind Hon Members what the Hon Premier said at SOPA last week:
“We acknowledge and respect the oversight role of this House as set out in the Constitution”
Whilst the Hon Premier acknowledges and encourages MPLs to perform oversight, the MEC for Health is against this.
Our public hospital infrastructure is crumbling, there is a shortage of doctors and nurses are resigning in droves afraid that they will not get their pension fund money when they retire. There is a shortage of medicines even at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Memorial Hospital which is supposed to be the flagship health care facility of our province and a model for the country, so much so that the NGO, the Gift of the Givers had to come to the rescue of the Department of Health by donating the required medicines. I take this opportunity to thank the Gift of the Givers for its humanitarian work nationally and internationally.
Here again, Hon Premier your Cabinet is failing our people.
Speaking at the Provincial Lekgotla two weeks ago the Hon Premier said:
“There is corruption in government. I no longer doubt that particular issue.”
It is wonderful that there was that admission but the Premier in his address did not convince the people of this province that he has a strategy on how to tackle the corruption that exists across all spheres of government. Whilst you identified supply chain management as an area where corruption exists, you must admit that there are many other areas of government where corruption is rife. By not outlining a clear, workable strategy, Hon Premier you are failing our people.
Allow me to remind the Premier that President Zuma had called for an investigation into the abuse of tax payers’ money on projects like the International North Sea Jazz Festival, Commemorating Prisoners of War – St Helena event and the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board. Millions of Rands were paid to the organisers but the project never took place and money was not recovered that saw this province losing millions of Rands. I was expecting the Premier to heed this call and report on the outcome of the investigation in the SOPA. But here again you have failed not only this House but President Zuma himself.
I will give credit where it is due and therefore I must commend the identification of teachers who have been using fraudulent certificates to gain promotions and increased salaries. These people must be charged and if found guilty they must be dismissed and blacklisted from working in any government department. The investigations must be ongoing and must be intensified to root out fraud and corruption even among officials in all departments.
Hon Speaker, I would have expected the Premier to say something about the recent reports that KZN spent more than R5billion on consultants – the highest in the country. The Department of Health itself spent R1.8billion on consultants. As the IFP we are convinced that such excessive use of consultants can only be attributed to the ANC’s policy of cadre deployment that sees unqualified, inexperienced and incompetent card-carrying members being deployed into positions that they are not fit to occupy. If the Hon Premier is serious about rooting out corruption, he has to pronounce on this issue because such deployments are also examples of corrupt practices.
We are aware of the turmoil that exists at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and the unhappiness among the staff. The HOD has been suspended but no charges have been preferred against him. This entity plays such a vital role in conservation and is recognised internationally, but the Premier failed to mention anything about this. Could it be that this government wants to shut down this entity or have it taken over by National Parks?
The Premier has failed to inform this House why the proposed Drakensberg Cable Way is set to go ahead even though the Environment Impact Assessment has not been completed and the local community has not been taken on board. Could it be that someone has been paid off already to ensure that the project goes ahead?
The same question could be asked with regard to the proposed Dug Out Port south of Durban. Even though international experts advise that more use should be made of the existing Durban harbour there is talk to continue with this ambitious and ill-advised project.
The Premier also failed to mention the much talked about Business Train between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Why is this service not up and running after millions of Rands has been invested in this project?
The Premier rightfully paid tribute to the late Senzo Meyiwa but seems to have forgotten his pledge of naming a stadium or sports academy in memory of our football hero. Was that commitment just another nice thing to say at the time with no intention of fulfilling it? Whilst on this issue I must raise our concern about the huge expenditure incurred during state funerals where service providers and even some officials end up fleecing government. This is something that the Premier must seriously consider going forward.
In reference to the economy and job creation, the Hon Premier said:
“We are experiencing a situation where the private sector seems reluctant to invest in the local economy”
It is encouraging that the Premier acknowledges this challenge. I would advise the Cabinet to take heed of the comments and suggestions made by the private sector at the Executive Retreat held in November last year.
It is also good to note that many times during the SOPA the Premier referred to the erratic power supply as a “crisis” but unfortunately the President of the country who is also President of the ANC has said that it is not a crisis. With this kind of confused leadership, it is no wonder that investor confidence is dwindling.
But on a more positive note it is encouraging to note that the Samsung Manufacturing Plant and the Keystone Light Industrial and Logistics Park are on track as these initiatives will go a long way to create sustainable jobs.
Hon Speaker, in his address the Hon Premier acknowledged many serious challenges that face us as a province and I thank him for his honesty in this regard, but he fell short of convincing our citizens that he has strategies in place to address these challenges. Let me mention some of them:
- With regard to people living below the poverty line of R318 per month, this government had set itself a target to reduce the number to 18%, but in fact the number rose from 25% to 28%. Here again the Premier failed to say how this government intends to turn this around.
- Regarding social inequality, this government had a target of 19.4% but it has remained at 17.6% between 2010 and 2014. Here again the Premier has failed.
- The Hon Premier reported: “a woman is killed every 6 hours by her partner”.
- This is a tragic but factual revelation but there was no assurance coming from the SOPA that our women will be safe going forward. Here again the Premier has failed.
- Weaknesses in local government management are leading to numerous, often violent and destructive, service delivery protests, but SOPA provided no strategy to strengthen local government management. Again the Premier has failed.
- For many years now we have been hearing of more international airlines landing at King Shaka International Airport but apart from Emirates no other international carrier has come forward but SOPA has not provided an explanation or any progress. Here again the Premier has failed.
Contact:
Mr Blessed Gwala, IFP Leader in the KZN Legislature, 078 290 5842
