Hansard: Appropriation Bill: Debate on Vote No 35 - Tourism
House: National Council of Provinces
Date of Meeting: 22 May 2012
Summary
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Minutes
START OF DAY
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 142
WEDNESDAY, 23 MAY 2012 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES_____________________________
The Council met at 14:04.
The Deputy Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): Hon members, could you please check if your systems are working and if you are logged in. Are they working? Could you please help some of the hon members? They seem to be having some problems. Are we all ready?
Hon members, I have been informed that the Whippery have agreed that there will be no notices of motion or motions without notice today.
VOTE No 35 – TOURISM: The MINISTER OF TOURISM
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 142
START OF DAY
APPROPRIATION BILL
(Review of policy)
Vote No 35 – Tourism:
The MINISTER OF TOURISM: Chairperson, if it is true that a picture is worth a thousand words, then the value of a visit to our country holds millions of visitors speechless. This is the wonder that greets the millions of tourists who travel to our shores to experience our country, our cultures and our people.
Our tourism industry has managed to build on the momentum achieved during a record-breaking 2010 World Cup by growing a further 3,3% and attracting over 8,3 million international tourists in 2011. While our core markets in Europe and North America remain our major source of long-haul tourists, the country's overall tourism growth in 2011 was largely due to a 14,6% growth in the emerging markets of Asia, driven by a growth of 24,3% from China and 26,2% from India. Tourist numbers were also up, thanks to a 6,9% increase in arrivals from our continent.
From an African continental perspective, we will be investing R218 million over the next three financial years to support the efforts by South African to grow our share of the African market. We further plan to have five SA Tourism offices open on the continent in the next five years. We will open one in Angola and Nigeria before the end of this year.
This past financial year has also seen business tourism taking centre stage, especially in light of the establishment of our first National Conventions Bureau as a business unit under SA Tourism. For the next five years, South Africa has already secured over 200 international conferences, which are estimated to attract 300 000 delegates and provide an economic boost of more than R1,6 billion.
Recognising that domestic tourism has been the backbone of the tourism sector for many years, contributing over 70% of our country's tourism volume and injecting R20 billion into the economy, our department has recently put in place the new Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy. The department aims to reach 54 million domestic trips by 2020, as well as to ensure that domestic tourism contributes 60% of tourism's overall contribution to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP. The Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy is effectively supported by a marketing campaign: "Whatever you are looking for, it's here."
The past financial year has also seen the department delivering on a number of key objectives relating to product development, namely the development of the Heritage and Cultural Tourism Strategy and the Rural Tourism Strategy. The former aims to mainstream heritage and cultural resources into the ambit of tourism, and thereby enhance the country's competitive edge as a tourist destination. The Rural Tourism Strategy will, in turn, focus on ensuring a more even geographic spread of tourism, with more emphasis on supporting tourism growth in rural areas in particular, with more rural community involvement.
The importance of intergovernmental relations in implementing these strategies cannot be overemphasised, as the success of these strategies is wholly dependent on provincial government and on local government also playing their part.
The tourism sector is also a fertile environment for entrepreneurs and small, medium and micro enterprise, SMMEs. We will continue collaborating with the Tourism Enterprise Partnership, Tep. The Tourism Enterprises Partnership was successful in achieving and exceeding its performance indicators over the past year. For 2011, Tep supported 4 991 jobs created by SMMEs, which delivered an increased turnover of R454 million. This raised Tep's overall contribution to job creation over the past 10 years to more than 66 900 jobs and to a turnover of over R5,3 billion.
During the past financial year, the department exceeded its Expanded Public Works Programme target of full-time equivalent jobs. As part of this programme, training or skills development is critical for our sector. Our department has many successful socially responsible investments, SRI, programmes.
I would like to mention one specific project, namely the Young Chefs training programme, which was launched and implemented last year as part of the department's EPWP SRI initiative. To date, 545 young persons have graduated as chefs, and 120 have already been placed with established hospitality institutes, such as hotels, bed-and-breakfast establishments and restaurants. Altogether 300 of the 545 have been enrolled for second-level training. That is just one example that I wanted to share with hon members.
Our department adopted the National Tourism Sector strategy one year ago to crystallise the tourism mandate, which is to be a catalyst for tourism growth and development in our country. Furthermore, the draft tourism Bill has been developed as a legal framework. Public and stakeholder participation has been concluded, and the draft Bill will be introduced into Parliament during the third quarter of this year.
The National Department of Tourism will, during this financial year, appoint the Tourism Empowerment Council of South Africa, Tecsa, also known as the Tourism BEE Charter Council Tourism, to monitor the implementation of the sector transformation agenda.
In conclusion, I would like to thank our Deputy Minister, Ms Tokozile Xasa, for her commitment to this portfolio. She will participate in this debate a little bit later on. I would also like to thank our Director-General, Mr Kingsley Makhubela, and his capable team for their hard work. They are in the officials' benches over there. The unqualified report of the Auditor-General after the 2010-11 audit, which was our department's first audit as a stand-alone department, demonstrates administrative success in establishing a sound governance foundation.
Special thanks also go to Thulani Nzima, who is the new SA Tourism Chief Executive Officer, and his excellent team for working very hard with the department to achieve its targets. I would also like to thank all the private sector partners for engaging with us, and for their commitment to our shared growth goals.
Lastly, to the chairperson and members of the select committee: we value and appreciate the good working relationship that we have with you. Thank you very much, Chairperson. Later, when I get the opportunity to reply, I will respond to the issues that hon members raise. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr A WINDE (Western Cape) .../TM / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 143
The MINISTER OF TOURISM
Mr A WINDE (Western Cape): Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister and colleagues in this House, it is an honour to partake in this debate. First of all, in the province of the Western Cape our number one strategic objective is growth in jobs, and tourism forms a key component in achieving that strategic objective. We have set ourselves a bold target. At the moment, tourism makes up 10% of our provincial economy and we want to push that by 2015 to 15% of our economy. That means we have to have investment and a clear, concise programme on how to roll out this growth in this sector. I will highlight some of the areas that we will be supporting and rolling out over the next little while and, obviously, we will be doing that in conjunction with both national government and the local authorities.
First of all, in trying to get to that 15% of our economy, we need to make sure that we align budgets. I think that is probably one of the most important things we want to do. Obviously, what we need to do then, alongside the national objectives and alongside what SA Tourism is doing, we will then make sure that our provincial frameworks – as we have discussed – will be aligned to that programme and specifically start to really make sure that we focus on getting South Africans to travel. We have made that agreement at Minmec level. We will ensure that we carry that through in our spend and also influence our spend at local government level. We all know that this is an issue that not only this province has to deal with.
In the Western Cape we have 31 marketing agencies, that is the provincial and local government marketing agencies, and the big issue is to get alignment amongst those 31 tourism marketing agencies. It's not easy because all spheres of government have their autonomy. We also know, as the Minister has said before and as I have said, it is not explicitly spelt out in the Constitution. But through a programme that we have launched in the Western Cape called the Economic Development Partnership, EDP, in terms of which we want to bring all of these role-players together to discuss that common strategy, we have outlined, first of all, understanding the future of the Cape - the future economy of the region - and, second of all, tasks to see how we can get commonality amongst all our spend at local government level and provincial government level that falls within the strategy.
We spend about R130 million between those 31 tourism marketing agencies, and I do believe that we really need that focus.
What we will also do is to continue focusing on events, and I think that is one thing in the province that we do very well. We will continue trying to grow these events, such as the jazz festival, the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour, the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees, KKNK, the J&B Met, etc. I think those events are really key to that strategy of getting South Africans to travel and creating the opportunity for South Africans within the province and within other provinces to come along to take part in those kinds of specialist focus events in the region.
We will also, alongside with what the Minister has just said, focus on cultural tourism and our cultural tourism roots. We value the partnerships that are being struck up and the co-programmes on trying to get specifically these cultural roots in a position to take them to market.
It was evident in our exit interviews after the 2010 Fifa World Cup that cultural tourism was what the foreign tourists were looking for and did not find enough of. They needed to see more of what we do, how we live, what we eat, the kind of music we listen to – and that is what we need to be selling; as well as our history: where we come from over the last couple thousand years and how we have evolved as people. That is what our tourists want to see both locally and internationally.
Regarding business tourism, we will increase our focus on business tourism. We have already announced the doubling of our convention centre and that will help us over the next while to really increase that business tourism aspect. According to the last report from the Cape Town International Convention Centre, we already have 115 events booked this year. We have 688 events, whether they are banquets, exhibitions, film and photo shoots, to the really big stuff such as international conferences and national conventions, right down to special events. Over the next seven years, there are 688 bookings already.
We also know that just the international and the national conferences are worth R360 million to our economy this year. Also, overall business tourism is worth R1 billion to our economy. So this is a very big plan. We know that the doubling of our convention centre is going to help with that side of doing business.
I want to talk about some of the accolades that we have received over the past while in the province and use this opportunity to both inform the members and also congratulate, first of all, Mr Ebrahim, the winner of the Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the year, Eteya, at Indaba. We were very proud that that award came to the Western Cape. Obviously, there was strong competition from the other provinces, but we are very proud to have a Western Cape emerging entrepreneur get that award. I congratulate him specifically on the innovation around tourism that he brings into the market.
I think we also need to recognise Cape Town on winning the World Design Capital 2014 award. That is going to be a big event for not only Cape Town and the Western Cape, but for South Africa. It is going to showcase our innovation and our ability to innovate across the country, and that is something that we really need to start focusing on over the next few years as we start to move towards 2014.
Also, Table Mountain became one of the seven natural wonders of the world. That also helps not only Cape Town but helps South Africa in the marketing space. Lastly, let me congratulate the Airports Company of SA, Acsa, and specifically Acsa Cape Town International Airport on winning the best airport in Africa award. They will be off to Singapore to get the award. They have won it not only once but twice and, obviously, that is how we need to showcase an entry to the region when the world or Africa come to visit us.
On the same note, I would like to congratulate Acsa as a whole on securing the US$10 billion deal in Brazil. They are going to be running three of the Brazilian airports during their World Cup, and one of is the São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport, which is their biggest airport. I think that is a major accolade for Acsa and we need to congratulate them on that, and on specifically earning us some international currency and some big money and on projecting what we can do and using that as a mechanism.
Talking about airports and airlifts, I have mentioned this to you, Minister, this conference that's happening in October. You spoke about the numbers of people coming to our country, specifically looking at what is happening in the European Union at the moment - and that is a core market and affecting that core market – focusing back onto Africa which is right. One thing that really hit me was this document that I picked up which is a US-Africa conference which is happening in October. We need to make sure that we have the bidders in that conference, and this is where I picked up the numbers that really show that we have a lot of work to do.
At the moment, the flights coming out of the US weekly - are 927 flights that travel from the US to Asia; 2 155 flights a week that travel from the US to the Caribbean; 2 303 flights travelling from the US to Europe; 3 158 flights travelling to Latin America – so there are 5,500 flights a week that move south: into South America or south of America.
We need to be able to see how our businesses can tap into that new market, a market which we have to get ourselves into. But the most amazing number of this whole document is the US flights to Africa – the whole of Africa - from the southern tip of Agulhas right up to Egypt. There are only 36 flights per week leaving the US and coming to Africa. If we don't open that supply chain, we will not be able to grow. Thank you very much, Chair. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mrs B L ABRAHAMS/KC/ END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 144
Mr A WINDE (Western Cape)
Mrs B L ABRAHAMS: Hon Deputy Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon Deputy Ministers, hon members and honourable guests, South Africans are blessed abundantly to live in such a beautiful country that is one of the world's greatest tourist attractions, although most of the South Africa community do not have the privilege to enjoy our beautiful country owing to affordability. South Africa is one of the few places where you can enjoy and witness both the ocean and the mountains at the same time.
I would like to quote former President Mandela, "During the many years of incarceration on Robben Island ... Table Mountain was a beacon of hope. It represented the mainland to which we knew we would one day return." Former President Mandela was apt to say that and that is why today we can boast proudly that Table Mountain is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The department has aligned its key priorities with that of the New Growth Path and state of the nation address. Accessibility for disabled people needs serious attention. In certain instances, there are many establishments that do not comply with the legislation and think if they install a ramp, they have complied. Facilities must be made affordable for disabled people as many of them cannot move beyond the boundaries of their homes owing to affordability. Disabled people should not be marginalised and should be able to enjoy the beauty of our country equally with all citizens.
More opportunities must be created for the youth in the tourism sector across all provinces. Learners should be identified while still at school to give them the opportunity to further their studies in tourism. A database of all local establishments must be created to promote tourism. Many jobs can be created if Parliament and other government departments start utilising local bed and breakfasts, B&Bs, when visiting and doing oversight in different provinces. Millions of rand are spent on hotels preventing local B&Bs from benefiting.
The Tourism Act of 1993 provides an opportunity for the promotion of tourism in and out of South Africa. We need to let this sector develop to its full potential. Part of the department's key priorities is to develop and encourage previously disadvantaged communities and individuals to be involved in tourism.
Tourism in South Africa is considered to be one of the key economic drivers in the reduction of unemployment and poverty in our country. According to the National Tourism Sector Strategy set in line with the New Growth Path vision, it is expected to create 225 000 jobs by 2020, which will increase the GDP from an estimated R189,4 billion in 2009 to R499 billion by 2020.
The Chef Training Programme and the National Tourism Careers Expo and the hospitality youth initiatives are all intended to add to skills development and job creation. These programmes must be equally distributed throughout the nine provinces to give all students in South Africa an equal opportunity and not just in some provinces.
The expenditure increased from R1,2 billion in the 2008-09 financial year to R1,3 billion in the 2011-12. This is owing to the refurbishment of an office building acquired during the 2011-12 financial year and also for the implementation of the tourism plan to allow South Africa to meet its Fifa obligations.
It is interesting that the expenditure increased from R86 million in the 2008-09 financial year to R185 million in the 2011-12 financial year, mainly due to an increase in funding the new office building. Will this be increased year on year, and when will it become a fully paid, old office building?
In subprogramme 4, it is outlined that domestic tourism management provides administrative and operational support for this programme's activities to be developed, to promote and to support domestic tourism in South Africa's southern and northern regions, and to promote and support the growth of domestic tourism in South Africa.
In conclusion, the department's budget has reflected a slight growth – 2,0% in real terms. Even though the department is one of the best growing industries and contributes 8,3% to the GDP, Treasury allocated only 8,1% across all programmes. This is not good for the department's restructuring plans. The department needs to market South Africa and the rural areas where historical, cultural and heritage sites are situated in tourist destinations.
Sepedi:
Ke leboga maAfrika Borwa ohle, siyabonga. Thank you, ke a leboga. [Legofsi.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF TOURISM
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 144
Mrs B L ABRAHAMS
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF TOURISM: Deputy Chairperson and hon members, the National Tourism Sector Strategy is now in its implementation stage. The national Department of Tourism has completed the setting up of delivery mechanisms, including a monitoring and evaluation framework, the allocation of roles and responsibilities, and support for the integration of the National Tourism Sector Strategy at provincial and local government levels.
In 2012-13 we will see the first annual report on the National Tourism Sector Strategy, NTSS, implementation. The department has also developed a local government capacitation programme, which aims to transfer the necessary skills to effectively support tourism planning and management at official levels across municipalities, thereby preventing serial job hopping across the municipalities with limited capacity. This will create awareness of tourism for policy-makers and promote tourism-friendly policies, including municipal bylaws.
We still experience a slow rate of transformation in the sector. As a department, we pride ourselves on being one of the first to have a sector charter gazetted as a section 9 code, in May 2009. To ensure that we continue in this pole position, nominations for the second charter council have been issued and the process of identifying members is now at an advanced stage. With the council appointed, which will be composed of members from the different constituencies with a vested interest in transformation – members from civil society will be identified from SMMEs, big businesses, labour and the public sector - we are confident that this sector, as one of the key priority sectors of our economy, is ready to contribute to the development of an inclusive and transformed economy.
We regard skills development as very critical for the industry and it is part of the government's initiative to equip the youth of South Africa for the future. Our human resource development strategy needs to be fine tuned, managed and implemented, and formal training needs to be promoted in collaboration with industry associations in order to improve the quality of the people working in the industry, as well as to ensure an increased intake of unemployed tourism graduates.
In March 2012, we also launched the Tourism Service Excellence Requirements, which serve to provide benchmarks and capacity-building tools that can be used by all tourism products, regardless of size and location, to improve their service levels and offer world-class standards that South Africa as a global competitive service economy and the preferred destination can offer.
Our collaborative efforts among key role-players are yielding results. To mention a few: The third National Careers Expo held in Durban last year had a record of more than 19 000 attendees. This programme was initiated in 2008, in response to the gaps identified in the 2007 Tourism Skills Audit. This is a forum where young people from high schools, Further Education and Training colleges and universities are exposed to existing professional and career opportunities that exist within the tourism sphere.
This intervention is also prudent in exposing the tourism industry to the host of skills that exist among young people of this country that the industry could harness and benefit from. The department has since facilitated this becoming an annual event in which interested and affected youth are exposed to industry opportunities. This year our National Tourism Careers Expo will be held in East London, in the Eastern Cape, from 28 September to 30 September. This works in a three-year cycle.
At the recent round-table discussion organised by the Cathsseta - Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority – indaba, it was revealed how the industry, especially the SMMEs, are not accessing Cathsseta funding to empower themselves to deal with the issues of skills development for both the employed and the unemployed tourism graduates. This is a concern and an area the department must take a lead in and that the department must also create awareness of.
We are collaborating with Cathsseta to ensure that tourism organisations are aligned and able to access Cathsseta funding to empower them to deal with issues of skills development for both employed workers in the sectors and unemployed qualified youths. We are co-operating with Cathsseta with the aim of turning the workplaces into learning centres that offer accredited training, which is in line with the recommendations of the National Skills Accord. We have recently formalised our collaboration by signing a memorandum of understanding.
With regard to tourist guides, this year saw the department celebrate the International Tourist Guides Day and, to date, we have registered more than 11 200 tourist guides who are our tourism brand ambassadors and who proudly wear their badges to serve the country with distinction. The National Registrar of tourist guides has been appointed and will work with the tourist guiding fraternity to restore the dignity of this important profession. We also recognise that tourist guiding is an ideal entry point into the sector, particularly for previously disadvantaged groups; hence we will be pursuing a developmental approach to law enforcement and local community participation, particularly in areas that are rich with natural, cultural and historical resources.
Therefore we wish to indicate that we have put together all levers that we think we will be able to grow our tourism and ensure that we have sustainable development, which one of the themes that we will facilitate this year during our tourism month in Mpumalanga. Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr A J NYAMBI VM/END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 145
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF TOURISM
Mr A J NYAMBI: Hon Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, director-general, officials of the department, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is an honour to participate in this important Budget Vote debate in this historic year of the centenary celebrations of our glorious movement, the ANC. Let me be upfront and indicate that the committee supports the Budget Vote presented by the department.
We are not supporting it because tourism month is going to be held in Mpumalanga. We support it because it is really a testimony to the decision by the President, His Excellency J G Zuma, to establish tourism as a stand-alone department – something that not only gave hope to the businesses in the sector, but also created a platform for growth, development and transformation of the sector.
The gains made by the department are indeed a step in the right direction. Be that as it may, the department must have a clear programme to address the major weakness in advancing the agenda of the transformation of the tourism industry.
This can be attributed to the nature of the tourism industry being privately driven, and the role of the department will be to create amicable conditions for the industry to willingly transform. The department needs to invest more energy and resources in the development of SMMEs, and also to promote mentorship programmes by established businesses for emerging entrepreneurs.
Attention given to training needs in order to further the goal of service excellence needs to be intensified if South Africa is to compete with global players in attracting tourists to the country. The 52nd ANC conference and the 3rd ANC general council were very clear about rural development. President J G Zuma's state of the nation address was clearly informed about those resolutions when it came to the issue of rural development.
Supporting product development in rural areas for tourist consumption will be a critical tool for tourism's role in rural development. In intensifying rural development, the implementation of programmes at the level of local government is very critical with regard to rural tourism development. Thus the department needs to actively engage with municipalities, especially in targeted areas, and contribute towards tourism product development in areas where there is the possibility of a feasible project.
We have noted how the transfer of funds, in the past financial year, was raised by the Auditor-General. The department should focus on that so as to comply with all the laws in terms of funds transfers.
The New Growth Path is very clear about the role of tourism in creating jobs. It should be noted that it cannot be possible to create jobs if provincial project managers and implementers of the Expanded Public Works Programme are not compliant with reporting procedures. The strategic plan of the department has responded positively to the challenges that were experienced since being given the responsibility as a stand-alone department.
The money that has been allocated to projects in all provinces that are inactive should be revisited with a clear intention of coming up with a concrete way forward. The Department of Tourism is about people; hence it is very important that people are prioritised.
The department should derive a strategy that goes a long way in making sure that members, especially those that are supposed to do efficient and effective oversight, have a better understanding of the country. I am referring to the country in the true sense and not to selective parts of it.
Let me submit that there is no province in South Africa that does not have places to attract tourists. But the key question always is: Are we really doing enough in terms of marketing, or is that aspect being done in a selective manner? It is a fact that there are members - when you are talking about South Africa and places that attract tourists - who do not understand their country. How are we expected to be ambassadors of our own country when we, as members, are not clear about how our country is structured and where the places of attraction are? Provinces like the Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape - they all have tourist attraction sites.
Allow me to quote the 52nd ANC declaration, which is very relevant to the department as it is now a stand-alone department:
Our work is far from complete. We are only at the beginning of a journey to a truly united, democratic and prosperous society; based on the principle contained in the Freedom Charter. Yet we are confident that the strategy and policies we have adopted will take us further towards the goal of a better life for all.
The committee said we have to be upfront, Minister, Deputy Minister, and director-general, and indicate that if ever there is anything that has to do with the department, and the select committee is left behind ... Hernando de Soto in his book, The Mystery of Capital, wrote that knowledge is power. In the absence of knowledge, perception, at times, becomes a reality. You are doing a wonderful job in advancing transformation and attracting tourists in our country.
But, if ever - as the select committee that is doing the oversight - we are left behind in some of the strategic things that you do, because we don't have that knowledge, because we don't have that information, we will end up criticising some of the best things you are doing in the country. So you have to be mindful of that.
A recent example is when you had the last indaba in Durban. As you know, the Constitution is very clear about Parliament, the National Council of Provinces and the National Assembly – they are what constitute Parliament, not the National Assembly.
In conclusion, let me emphasise that the committee supports the Budget Vote. I thank you. [Applause]
Mr M JONAS (Eastern Cape) /EKS//LIM CHECKED / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 146
Mr A J NYAMBI
Mr M JONAS (Eastern Cape): Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members and fellow MECs present here today, I would like to start by welcoming the innovations and many good points raised by the Minister in his speech. We are also of the opinion that some of the innovations that the Minister eloquently articulated in his speech - if they are effectively and efficiently implemented - will definitely have a huge impact on increasing our comparative and competitive advantage in the sector. As such, as the Eastern Cape, we welcome the Budget Vote.
Key amongst the innovations articulated by the Minister is the establishment of an International Tourism Management branch. This will greatly assist in consolidating and focusing on international marketing interventions which will target new markets and maintain existing international markets.
The development linked with the efforts to address the issue of airlift as well as the establishment of the National Conventions Bureau, will, in our opinion, increase both the competitiveness and comparative advantage of South Africa as a tourism destination.
We also concur with the value the Minister places on joint marketing agreements. As a province, I must say that we have first-hand experience of the benefits of such agreements in both ensuring the promotion of local products and also ensuring that we are integrated in some of the national efforts. We would urge the Minister to increase support to provinces that would enable them to enter into more of such high-yielding agreements.
As the Eastern Cape, we acknowledge the importance of domestic tourism as a critical element in sustaining continued growth and development in our sector. In this regard, we are fully in support of the Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy, as it is being developed. We would also want to emphasis two points in this regard.
Firstly, it would be important that we make investment attraction in tourism a central piece within the Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy. In order to ensure that we attract investment in tourism, it is very clear that, as a country, we need to look at packaging new forms of incentives to support tourism investments, as we are doing in other sectors such as the automotive sector, etc. We believe that the country is lagging behind in terms of incentives directed to tourism.
Secondly, the issue of integration and alignment is a critical factor. We would want to appreciate and acknowledge the efforts made by the national department in ensuring greater alignment in the integration of tourism promotion efforts across the country. In particular, we would like to single out and applaud the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa for its efforts in increasing collaboration and integration of its work with provincial and local government interventions. We believe that local government is a critical player, as was indicated in the Deputy Minister's speech. We also believe that we should do more to ensure that local governments are integrated in our national and provincial efforts to promote tourism.
As a province, we support the view that cultural and heritage tourism is critical. In this regard, we believe that more should be done to promote this area of work. As a province, given the history and our location as a rural province, this is certainly a very critical component of our work.
We welcome the emphasis made on research capacity and the development of greater research capacity. We believe that this represents one of the most critical challenges to the development of the tourism industry in our province. In this regard, there is not only a need for primary research, but also for real-time management data that can assist in increasing our management and effectiveness in the tourism industry. We believe that the collaboration between the provinces, local government and national department, in this regard, will strengthen our research capacity in the sector so that the information that we have will be useful for planning and designing interventions that are more relevant to the real conditions.
We must, as I conclude, welcome the decision to hold the National Tourism Careers Expo in the Eastern Cape. We hope that the Minister and the Deputy Minister will do more in this regard, to ensure that more events come to the Eastern Cape. We thank you. [Applause.]
Mrs M C DIKGALE / Nb/ /Robyn/END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 147
Mr M JONAS (Eastern Cape)
Mrs M C DIKGALE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, as a developmental state, given the history of our country, the ANC sees its role as being to lead and guide the economy and to intervene in the interests of the poor. To that end, the ANC's 2009 manifesto policy framework stated that tourism, amongst other services, would be supported to expand work for our people.
The poorest regions of the country, with the highest unemployment rates and most vulnerable workers, are the rural and commercial farming areas. Improvements in livelihoods of rural dwellers are possible if tourism and its infrastructure were upgraded in those areas. Domestic tourism, being an essential contributor to the growth of the tourism economy, provides a foundation for sustainable tourism growth and development, including job creation in the provincial tourism and hospitality industries. The domestic tourism market is, therefore, critical to the sustainability of the provincial and rural economies.
The National Tourism Sector Strategy, approved by Cabinet in March 2011, provided for the development of the Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy, which was launched by the Minister of Tourism on 2 May this year. It provides an immense opportunity for contributing towards national priorities such as economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation. It focuses on issues of broadening economic participation and community beneficiation, and it deals with creating a better society in which all are able to enjoy what the country offers in terms of tourism and in creating a culture of tourism amongst South Africans.
In his 2010 state of the nation address, President Jacob Zuma spoke about the revitalisation of heritage and cultural projects, and that the investment would benefit the poor and the communities in those areas by creating local jobs and stimulating the influx of tourists.
Economic development in the rural areas is integrally linked to cultural and indigenous tourism growth, jobs and sustainable livelihoods. It is, therefore, laudable that the Department of Tourism's medium-term strategic plan identified the development of niche products such as cultural heritage tourism as a priority.
It is indicated in research findings that through creative innovation, tourism can put South Africa at the cutting edge by, inter alia, ensuring that previously disadvantaged persons are involved in the tourism business. Research also indicates that jobs could be created in six priority arrears, among which is tourism, as a key strategic area of the economy, with low barriers to entry for entrepreneurs and the potential of creating jobs in provincial, urban and rural areas and to stimulate growth. It is estimated that for every 16 tourists, a job is created in the sector. These employment and training opportunities could be created by provinces only in conjunction with local businesses, labour and community constituencies.
Tourism is recognised as a priority sector for job creation by the ANC's January 2011 national executive committee lekgotla. Informed by its responsibility, the New Growth Path framework identifies, amongst other things, tourism as a job driver. In tourism, improved training and employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the youth are set as practical measures. An excellent example is the training of the youth in the National Youth Chefs Training programme for employment in the hospitality industry. The programme sees tourism as an integral pillar of our economy and is aimed at training, developing skills and creating jobs, which will have a positive impact on the youth and their communities in all nine provinces.
According to the Domestic Tourism 2011 Performance Report, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal continue to have the highest percentage of domestic travellers, and were the biggest recipients of domestic tourists in 2011. KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape drew the largest share of holiday trips at 25% and 24% respectively. That would explain why there are differences in budget allocations between provinces, the bulk of which going to Gauteng and the coastal provinces, as opposed to that received by the inland provinces.
Sepedi:
Ka hlompho Modulasetulo, ntumeleleng ke re "bana ba motho ba ngwathelana hlogo ya tšie." Mohlala wo nka o fago ke gore, ge o le Limpopo o lebile Mpumalanga ka tsela ya Tzaneen, o kgona go bona mehlare e metelele yeo ka segagaborena e bitšwago gore ke "mepolukomo". Mohlomongwe ka sekgowa ba e bitša gore ke "bluegum". Bjale, potšišo ke gore ge tšhelete e ntšhi-ntšhi ye eya diprofenseng tše lego mabopong, dikutullo tša mohuta wo re tlo di tseba bjang?
English:
The spiritual aspect of human development involves heritage tourism, and the moral and cultural life of communities, and visits to religious sites. No church tourism is complete without a visit to the Regina Mundi, Soweto's largest Catholic Church. Not only has it always been a spiritual haven for thousands of Sowetans, it has also played a pivotal role in the township's history of resistance against apartheid. As such, it is a well-circled destination on the tourist map. Every day, the church opens its doors to streams of visitors keen to witness the scars it still bears from the Soweto uprisings.
Another example is the Shembe Church, which is a blend of Old Testament-based Christianity and African Zulu culture, with its stronghold in KwaZulu-Natal, and its belief system steeped in Zulu culture.
The majority of adult South Africans have not had an opportunity to undertake a holiday within the country for various reasons, which has resulted in the current lack of a travelling culture amongst most South Africans. We must, therefore, build a culture that will result in increased awareness of tourism and its value for the country as well as an increase in the levels of community participation in the tourism sector, and we must accelerate programmes and projects that are aimed at benefiting local communities.
The successful implementation of the tourism growth strategy, however, requires substantial financial resources. The current national and provincial tourism budgets are extremely limited and do not allow for the successful implementation of the tourism strategy, given the need to develop domestic and provincial tourism growth, which is less prone to international fluctuations.
Chairperson, I cannot miss this opportunity. Allow me to come to marketing the tourism jewels of my province, Limpopo. It is a land of myth and legend, with a great diversity of natural attractions and a rich cultural heritage. These ancient lands, which we seek to preserve for future generations and for sharing with our fellow South Africans, include the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site in the Limpopo Valley, the Makapan's Caves near Mokopane, and the Modjadji Nature Reserve, north of Tzaneen, named after the legendary Rain Queen, Modjadji.
Sepedi:
E sale go lekwa go agiwa lefelo la boeti gaModjadji, gore batho ba kgone go tseba ka ga tlhago ye e lego mola le tsebo ya segagabobona, o ka ipotšiša gore ana lefapha le be le le kae. Le ngwageng wa go feta ke le botšišitše.
English:
In conclusion, Chairperson, I wholeheartedly agree with hon Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk when he said that by travelling around this country, with the variety and experiences it offers, its rich culture and heritage, and the warmth and hospitality of our fellow citizens, South Africans can achieve something only dreamed of by people all over the world. The ANC supports Budget Vote 35. I thank you. [Applause.]
Cllr C HUNSINGER (Salga) / ARM (Eng/Sep) / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 148
Mrs M C DIKGALE
Cllr C HUNSINGER (Salga): Hon Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister of Tourism, hon members, local government tourism represents the third sphere of public sector tourism. While national and provincial tourism organisations are chiefly responsible for the design and implementation of tourism strategies at national and international marketing campaigns, it is the lesser-known local municipalities that often shoulder the responsibility for promoting and supporting local tourism.
While there is a need to widen the local government's own view in how they manage their socioeconomic environment in terms of how it impacts positively or negatively on tourism, national and provincial governments must also be aware that municipalities require greater support, capacity-building and funding to better support tourism from the local level.
As the SA Local Government Association, Salga, we will restrict our comments to the key focus areas highlighted in the 2012-13 tourism budget speech and these are as follows.
On international tourism, firstly, Salga welcomes the drive towards international tourism and the establishment of the International Tourism Management branch. As highlighted by the Minister, by aligning the strategic, political, and policy direction, South Africa's tourism potential across various regions of the world will be best profiled. Our concern is that business tourism has taken centre stage and that the focus will remain only on the major tourism centres, namely Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.
Salga would like to highlight the need to also market the other metros and other large secondary cities. For example, the upcoming 2013 Africa Cup of Nations is an ideal opportunity to market and promote Rustenburg, the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and Mbombela as host cities.
Secondly, there have been concerns about municipalities participating individually in international marketing events. As Salga, we have been encouraging them to rather work more closely with and through SA Tourism. We would also welcome more support on the development of guidelines for all municipalities for improved tourism marketing coordination, going forward.
On domestic tourism, again Salga welcomes the establishment of a focused domestic tourism management branch that is now specifically focused on strategic, political, and policy direction for national tourism management. Successful domestic tourism requires an integrated and co-ordinated approach to tourism at all levels of government. Improving the working relationships between municipalities and national and regional stakeholders will result in better planning for tourism.
As highlighted in the National Tourism Sector Strategy, enhancing local government's role and profile will serve as a tool to drive change, and improve the performance and competitiveness of the sector. As Salga, we would appreciate it if the domestic tourism management branch is visible and becomes accessible to ourselves as well as to municipalities.
On niche product development, as Salga we understand that the Heritage and Cultural Tourism Strategy and the Rural Tourism Strategy will fall under the umbrella of the Domestic Tourism Strategy. While ensuring a more even spread of tourism, there needs to be a realisation that tourism cannot develop everywhere. Underlying potential combined with a more spatial approach will result in the development of sustainable tourism areas and more robust local economic development.
As highlighted by the Minister, the importance of intergovernmental relations cannot be overemphasised. From a municipal perspective, the success of this strategy is dependent on better co-ordination of the funding of tourism projects, particularly the governance conditions under which tourism plans may be funded, as well as a meaningful investment in the capacity of local government to realise tourism opportunities.
On the social responsibility implementation projects, or SRI projects, we congratulate the department on exceeding its Expanded Public Works Programme target for full-time equivalent jobs as we believe that tourism can and should unlock meaningful employment potential. We would appreciate it if the department could share the status, location and impact of all its SRI projects. Local government could, in turn, benefit both and even extend the department's tourism development investment.
On small, medium and micro-sized enterprises, like the department, Salga also collaborates with the Tourism Enterprise Partnership. More funding and strategic support need to be made available to support entrepreneurs at a local level as this capacity at a municipal level is not available. Hopefully, with the recent launch of the Small Enterprise Finance Agency, Sefa, there will be a co-ordinated approach.
On research capacity, while the department has begun to work on possible future scenarios for 2030, we at Salga are interested in tourism research and information as it pertains to local government. There is currently a lack of information to guide investment by the private sector and/or good practices to assist municipalities.
We encourage the department to develop a tourism research, knowledge and exchange platform to provide wider access to research on tourism trends. Such a platform could also highlight best-practice case studies from other municipalities to encourage peer-topeer learning.
In conclusion, while not directly highlighted in the budget, Salga is aware and excited about the Local Government Tourism Support and Capacity-Building Programme, which has been added to the list of priority projects of the department in the upcoming financial year. We assume that the department has set aside sufficient funding for such a programme, including for partner projects such as working directly with municipalities and with Salga. As Salga, we will continue to support the new and strong partnerships between national, provincial and local government around tourism, especially the implementation of the National Tourism Sector Strategy.
Finally, Salga would like to bring to the attention of this House the rhino poaching epidemic in South Africa. We are at a point at which we are losing this animal species almost daily, and if we regard rhinos as part of our natural assets and our heritage, then this epidemic must also be addressed as part of the tourism policy. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr K A SINCLAIR
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 148
Cllr C HUNSINGER (Salga)
Mr K A SINCLAIR: Chairperson and hon Ministers, the post-2010 World Cup boom in tourism unfortunately did not materialise as predicted. This was largely due to the international economic situation in the traditional markets of Europe and Africa. Substantial challenges exist on how to develop new markets. I therefore congratulate SA Airways, SAA, on opening the Johannesburg to Beijing route. This will aid tourism as China is an important partner, given South Africa's membership of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa – Brics - group. More studies could be done to also explore the tourism potential of the other Brics partners.
The National Tourism Sector Strategy provides guidance in terms of priority sector development and the future development of the industry. The critical question, therefore, that needs to be answered is: What, in essence, are the future growth markets, and what are the tourism choice options in this regard?
The key issues that need to be addressed are, firstly, value for money. In this context it is necessary to look at the grading certification and the alleged defrauding of some of the establishments that are involved.
Secondly, is the issue of flight costs in South Africa. We all believe that it is unacceptable that a flight ticket from Cape Town to Kimberley is sometimes almost as expensive as a flight ticket from Johannesburg to Dubai.
Thirdly, there have been various talks and policy developments on the cruise liner strategy for South Africa. However, we need adequate facilities to cater for larger cruise liners. In this regard, Transnet and specifically the port authorities need to look at the appropriate berthing options in the future.
Fourthly, public-private partnerships should be enhanced when promoting joint programme development and investments in the sector. It is very good that the Minister referred today to the Tourism Enterprise Programme but, certainly, in terms of the broader agenda of the government of the day we can do more.
Lastly, we must move away from the paradigm of the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in terms of tourism potential. In this regard, and on behalf of the Northern Cape and other rural provinces, I want to motivate that we have a very strong drive to promote rural tourism with the specific benefits that that might bring to the poor and marginalised people of our country.
I want to conclude by saying that the one issue that came out today as a golden thread was the issue of a co-ordinated tourism message. We often have different organs of state, some provincial and some local government, that attend various activities and functions promoting their own little haven. As national government we must take very strong actions to address that unacceptable situation. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
Mr F ADAMS /MS//nvs /END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 149
Mr K A SINCLAIR
Mr F ADAMS: Chairperson, hon Minister Van Schalkwyk, hon Deputy Minister Xasa, Director-General Ambassador Makhubela, staff of the Department of Tourism, hon members, MECs present, MEC Jonas, someone asked me why I talk about the Western Cape. Now, with your permission, Chairperson, I want to bring what the Constitution states to the attention of the DA.
The Constitution states that the National Council of Provinces represents the provincial interest in the national sphere of government. We preach in the NCOP that we are here to talk about our provinces, but, be that as it may, I think some of our members of the DA still need an education about what the NCOP is all about.
There is more to the Western Cape than abalone, bobotie and crayfish. One may discover more than ostrich meat, potjiekos, rooibos tea, snoek or waterblommetjies. The province consists of more than wine farms. It is also an area where the present hostile DA regime has made many mistakes.
Table Mountain, which has a new title, that of a natural world wonder ... the DA failed to drum up more interest for the province since the award process – a huge mistake. The mountain is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom which stretches beyond Kirstenbosch, past the Garden Route but is not fully promoted. It is a pity that a part of this World Heritage Site is sacrificed for a toll plaza at the scenic driveway of Chapman's Peak, which the DA supports. A project which the DA-led Western Cape government approved, to the utter dismay of residents – another blunder!
Then there is Robben Island, which is another Unesco World Heritage Site. But, last week, in the Western Cape legislature, the DA demanded that this national icon be handed over to the provincial government. What a cheek! The power-hungry DA wants to control everything! What a ridiculous notion!
The DA has cut funding to destinations marketer Cape Town Routes Unlimited, which was a huge error. The province subsequently lost a large chunk of market share. What a mess!
Not even the World Cup tournament could be harnessed to bring in more tourists. The DA first stubbornly refused and eventually reluctantly joined the World Cup drive. Then the DA tried to take credit for it!
Afrikaans:
Wat 'n skande!
English:
Who can forget the attention-seeking DA and its leaders running after photo opportunities during this period? What a joke that was! [Interjections.]
Lately, the DA has once again got tangled in wasting time on the Africa Cup of Nations tournament - to lose out on a major injection for the region through sport tourism! What a shame! [Interjections.]
It seems as if the Western Cape does not want to be part ... [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Order!
Mr K A SINCLAIR: Chairperson, I just want to establish if it is true that the hon Adams was a founding member of the DA. [Laughter.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Hon Adams, continue.
Mr F ADAMS: Chairperson, he was a founding member of the DA. That is why he says that.
It seems as if the Western Cape does not want to be part of the emerging soccer circuit at the expense of the region and its people. [Interjections.] How short-sighted can it be?
Then there is the case of Wesgro, the Western Cape's marketing agency. The Auditor-General highlighted as wasteful and fruitless expenditure about R120 000 spent on a 3G data card by its senior official on an overseas visit in a single week. Such maladministration under DA rule is kept secret and quiet.
Now the DA is closing down the clean-audited Cape Town Routes Unlimited destination marketing agency ...
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Hon Manzini?
Mr V M MANZINI: Chair, I want to check whether the hon member is prepared to take a question.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Are you prepared to take a question now, hon Adams?
Mr F ADAMS: Chair, I must just check my time. [Interjections.] Okay, let me hear the question.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Please ask your question. [Interjections.]
Xitsonga:
Nkul V M MANZINI: Ndzi lava ku tiva eka Muchaviseki leswaku xana sweswi u endla njhekanjhekisano hi DA kumbe hi mhaka ya swa vupfhumba naa?
English:
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon member, take your seat please. Continue, hon member. [Interjections.]
Mr F ADAMS: Chairperson, now the DA is closing down the clean-audited Cape Town Routes Unlimited destination marketing agency and laying off many people, in order to transfer its duties to the badly run Wesgro. What a devious move!
When the present hostile regime in this beautiful city of Cape Town and province of the Western Cape is stripped of the normal DA spin and smoke and mirrors, it leaves more reason for concern for the rest of South Africa.
That fabricated face-lift and appearance only add to the thin layer or veneer of window dressing. The DA is but scheming and dreaming. Yes, the DA piggybacks on the ANC, as we have seen with the skills and experience programme for the youth in the Western Cape that is now presented as a youth wage subsidy with the MEC and the premier taking photo opportunities under ... It was the ANC that initiated that. How disingenuous can the DA be?
The Western Cape under the DA does not care for poor people, but only uses them. It will not guide small and medium enterprises into the mainstream economy; no, as it is biased towards big business that backs the DA. With them, money talks. [Interjections.]
The DA in the legislature wants to rewrite and reinvent the history of the province, mostly in order to glorify ...
Mr R A LEES: Hon Chair, I would like to ask the hon Adams if he will take a question.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Will you take a question, hon Adams?
Mr F ADAMS: He may put his question, Chair.
Mr A LEES: Given that tourism is so important to our country and that there is a need for us to be open to all our people, isn't it possibly an important aspect to be able to speak an indigenous language ...
IsiZulu:
... awukhulumi ngani ulimi lalapha eMzanzi Afrika?
English:
Mr F ADAMS: Chair, unfortunately, I cannot answer his question, because there is no interpreting mechanism around here.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Order! Hon Mabe, order! Hon Adams, what the hon Lees asked was why you do not talk in an indigenous language. That is all he said.
Mr F ADAMS: Well, Chair, Afrikaans is an indigenous language. I can talk Afrikaans, if the hon member wants me to do so. [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Continue with the debate, hon member. [Interjections.]
Mr F ADAMS: The DA in the Western Cape legislature wants to rewrite and reinvent the history of the province, mostly in order to glorify the periods of colonial occupation. Clearly, the DA cannot be trusted.
The Western Cape has become politically unstable under DA rule. In fact, instability and violence are taken to provinces like Gauteng, with an aggressive march behind a shield- and stick-wielding warrior. The blood in the streets of Johannesburg is on the heads and hands of the DA and its leaders.
The DA does not send good messages to tourists and investors. The DA may revel in giving Cosatu some of its own medicine, but it doesn't instil confidence. [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Order, hon members! Open the microphone, please. [Interjections.] Order, hon Mabe, give the hon member a chance please. Could you use another microphone. [Interjections.]
An HON MEMBER: Come this side. Here! Take this one. [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order, hon members!
Mr D A WORTH: Chair, I want to ask hon Adams ...
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: No, no, no! Hold on! First tell me why you are standing.
Mr D A WORTH: Chair, he was speaking about smoke and mirrors, and I want to know whether he has been smoking something.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Do you want to ask a question?
Mr D A WORTH: No, it's alright. [Laughter.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Adams, please continue with your speech.
Mr F ADAMS: Here in the Western Cape, various lawful demonstrations are slammed and organisers persecuted by the double-standard DA. Perhaps the time has come for the national Minister to consider establishing a tourism agency in the Western Cape reporting directly to national government, instead of giving the money to the DA government to be used on wasteful expenditure.
This is urgent, as we see the DA brand of governance has been laid bare by the Public Protector with multiple cases of maladministration. Yes, it runs from Midvaal to the Western Cape Department of the Premier, and it grows. The DA repels tourists with all sorts of bylaws and constraints, such as reduced liquor trading hours. The DA befriends criminals and flirts with gangs instead of the MEC finding solutions. This does not help tourism.
The DA does South Africa no favours by painting a negative picture of our country. Yes, it bad-mouths South Africa at every opportunity. How does this help tourism?
This placeholder DA government wants a cheap copy-cat Rio-style Cape Town carnival for the spoilt, instead of the Kaapse Klopse Malay choir carnival to reduce the local heritage and a unique tradition. The Cape has far more to offer. The DA fails to see the real gems and rough diamonds of the rural areas, the hearts of residents in almost pristine areas, and the true rhythm of the Cape.
Tourists should also have the right to go to areas like Hangberg to see locals with hollow eye sockets after the battle ordered by the DA, the undignified toilets of Macassar, and the killing fields of Khayelitsha, where babies die of diarrhoea and raw sewerage runs in townships owing to inferior service delivery by the DA-led government. Perhaps it is better that the Western Cape tourism MEC does not touch the tourism industry.
The ANC supports this Budget Vote. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr D V BLOEM: Chair, I rise on a point of order: I just want to establish whether it is parliamentary for an hon member to ask another hon member what he smoked. [Laughter.] I don't think it is parliamentary.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Well, I don't think there is nothing unparliamentary about it. But I will ask the staff to check that for us.
Mr D V BLOEM: The implications of that are very serious, Chair. This is the Western Cape here. [Laughter.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: We will check up on that terminology.
The MINISTER OF TOURISM//nvs(Eng&Afr)/// //GC(Xitsonga)/// /Nomthi(isiZulu)// END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 150
Mr F ADAMS
The MINISTER OF TOURISM: Chairperson, thank you very much. Chairperson, I would like to make a special request that on boring afternoons in the National Assembly that you send us Mr Adams and Mr Bloem. [Laughter.]
I would like to respond to a few issues raised by the hon members. The first issue that I would like to respond to is that of alignment mentioned by quite a number of hon members. Yes, over the years we have made progress with regard to better alignment between the three spheres of government, and also with certain role-players outside of government. We have made progress with regard to branding. For the fist time, all of us use the same branding. Let me share with colleagues that it was quite a battle to convince everybody that when we market our country to the outside world, we should do it in exactly the same manner.
There are still some challenges, as MEC Winde referred to them. This is a discussion that we had in Minmec. I believe that the NCOP is key in helping us to find an answer to that. Simply put, the challenge is this: Is it really necessary, when we market to the outside world, that we should have South African tourism there, but that we should also have all the different provincial and local government agencies – and sometimes municipalities - attending international trade platforms? That is an answer that we will have to find.
I understand the reasoning that sometimes provinces feel that they also have niche products to market internationally. In that process, I think sometimes we are not using our money wisely. So there is a discussion that we should have as colleagues, but we would appreciate it if the NCOP, as was pointed out, be the guardian of provincial interests but aligns those interests with national interests to help us find an answer in that regard.
Some members also raised the issue of the Fifa World Cup and what happened afterwards. Hon Sinclair specifically raised the issue. He asked why we didn't see the boom after the 2010 World Cup that we expected. He gave part of that answer himself. It is because of the global economic slowdown that nobody at that stage foresaw and predicted. But, we should also say to ourselves, as a country, we did extremely well after 2010.
Just remember when the rest of the world went into negative growth territory – minus 4% growth globally tourism-wise – we continued to stay in positive territory: plus 4%. And it was, yes, because of the World Cup, but it was also because we had a plan. The day after that World Cup our plan kicked in to continue marketing South Africa and leveraging the World Cup. Not only did we grow by over 15% in 2010, but a few weeks ago we announced the growth figures for 2011. Year-on-year we grew by 3,3%. So this is not only 3,3%; it is growth on growth against the background of an economic slowdown. We are outperforming all our direct competitors, and I believe we get value for our money in the way in which SA Tourism is marketing the country. Obviously, we can always improve and are open for suggestions of how to do it.
The issue of air access was also raised by a number of members, inter alia, MEC Winde and some of the other hon members. MEC Winde used the United States as an example. It is good that we look at the international air linkages. In that regard, since Cabinet adopted the air strategy in 2006, we have doubled the number of airlines flying to and from South Africa. We had a massive increase in flights to South Africa.
But we also have to say to ourselves that there are certain routes that we should still open up, or increase the number of flights to or increase competition; and drive down prices. In my view, one of the biggest challenges that we never really talk about is the African continent. On the African continent, it is not only about flights – though it is also about the number of flights - but it is also about the present grid pattern that we need to change to a hub and spoke one on the African continent - that we make it easier and cheaper for tourists on our own continent to fly to different destinations. Hopefully, all of us will make progress in that regard.
On the provinces, hon MEC Jonas did it very diplomatically, and others were very upfront in saying that we must remember that we are one country and we should market all our tourism products. That is why we have a strategy to specifically support the six lesser visited provinces. It is a very important strategy.
Where is the hon member Dikgale sitting? Has she left? [Interjections.] Okay. She referred to Limpopo and some of the wonderful products that they have there. I am quite sure that if we ask people outside Limpopo about some of the products that she mentioned ... but there are others, like the Debegeni Waterfall, I don't know if anybody would really know about them. [Interjections.] Oh, there is one, two, three – so three people out of 30 which is 10%, so we are doing well. Oh, four – it's 40%; five – it's up to 50%. [Laughter.]
There are so many wonderful products that we should market, but I think, colleagues, the mistake that we sometimes make is that when we say "market these products", we only think about international tourists. We should think about our own people. We are totally underestimating the potential of domestic tourism in our country.
Mine is a personal view, and one that we are discussing between colleagues. But if our provincial colleagues can say, "Let's use our marketing money to market ourselves domestically," I think we will give domestic tourism a huge amount of and positive momentum.
Other issues were also raised and including that of accommodation - not how well it was going in that subsector, but also with regard to grading. Some positive comments were directed at the Tourism Grading Council. MEC Jonas and others - Mr Hunsinger - referred to that, and that is appreciated. Regarding the grading council, we announced a new system of grading that came into force in 2010. Initially, as with all things that change, there was a bit of resistance.
The grading council had a road show throughout the country to talk to all the interested parties - the provinces and MEC Jonas expressed his appreciation for that. Also, all the private-sector interests came on board. That system was devised to close all the loopholes to ensure that people can really trust the grading system
I think, colleagues, all of you know that sometimes in the past you have turned up at what was graded as, say, a four-star establishment, only to turn up there and say, "No; this is not four stars." So, this is, inter alia, what this system is supposed to do. Since the introduction of the system, the grading council has successfully graded 800 establishments for universal accessibility.
Then there is the very last issue. When it was mentioned by the hon member Nyambi, I felt that I should respond to it. He mentioned the issue of the status of the NCOP. The NCOP is a very important institution. The hon member said: just remember; let me remind you that in the Constitution there is very specific mention made that the two Houses should be treated equally in some respects. I would like to give the hon member the absolute assurance that from me and the side of the department, that is exactly what we do.
He also mentioned the indaba. I know there was an impression that the hon members of this House were not invited to the indaba. We dealt with that at the committee. The hon members were actually invited to the indaba. There was recognition of that fact and I think that was cleared up. Hon members here were also invited to the domestic growth strategy - held not far from Parliament - and to many other events.
Let me say that from our side as the department, members from this House are always welcome, invited or not. This is part of your oversight function. If you feel that there are other events that perhaps you have not been officially invited to, please take it up with us. We respect this committee and we would obviously like to strengthen the working relationship.
I would like to conclude with a very last comment. When I walked to the podium, I had just received an announcement by Statistics SA. They announced late this morning that in the accommodation sector, year-on-year, first quarter this year, compared to the first quarter last year, in terms of income measured, reported a 15,1% increase. In these economic times, I personally think this is good news. This is testimony to the good work that all of us are doing. This is not taking away from the fact that there are still some people out there who feel that their guest houses and hotels should be fuller. We understand that, but at least we are on the way back. The announcement this morning was good news. Thank you to all hon members. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Thank you, hon Minister. Hon members, because our space is small, I will release the staff from Tourism to allow those from the other department to occupy the space. We will now move to the next Orders of the Day.
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.../TM / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 151
The MINISTER OF TOURISM
APPROPRIATION BILL
(Review of policy)
Vote No 16 – Health:
Vote No 19 – Social Development:
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Chairperson, Deputy Minister of Social Development Ms Bongi Maria Ntuli, Ministers and Deputy Ministers present, members of the Select Committee on Social Services, MECs present, and hon members, on this occasion of the debate on Budget Vote No 19: Social Development, I rise, as the Minister of Social Development and on behalf of the Deputy Minister, the hon Bongi Maria Ntuli, to share with this House the department's plans and priorities for this financial year.
Last year, the department received a budget of R105 billion. This financial year, the department's budget grows to R122 billion to pursue our medium-term strategic priorities that will focus on strengthening welfare services, expanding our social security system and facilitating community development. These priorities constitute the department's major contribution towards building a caring society. The ANC government believes that the building of a caring society begins with strong families and vibrant communities. To this end, our policies and programmes are geared towards responding to the life-cycle needs of all South Africans, as part of families and communities, from their childhood to old age.
Last week in Mpumalanga, in Perdekop Village, the Deputy Minister launched the Green Paper on Families, which marked the commencement of government's consultation with the public on its contents. Families of all shapes and sizes are the most important influence on their members, particularly children.
Government is already providing a range of services to assist families. These include housing, access to free basic services and social grants which enable them to provide for their most basic needs. As government, we need to affirm parents and equip them with the capacity to play both a nurturing and developmental role in the lives of their children. In addition, we need to provide appropriate services to families that are experiencing social and personal challenges.
The department remains committed to the full realisation of the rights and wellbeing of children by tackling some of their most pressing needs in the first 1 000 days of their lives. Beneficial and protective experiences during this time determine the degree to which a child is able to take full advantage of future opportunities and participate in the world of learning and work.
Government provides a basket of services to children, which includes social grants, early childhood development services, nutritional support, health care services and targeted free basic education.
Over 10,9 million children receive social grants, with invaluable benefits. In this regard, tomorrow the department will present the findings of a research report on the impact of the grants. This report presents new evidence of the positive impact of the child support grant. It suggests that, in addition to the child support grant, government may need to consider appropriate support to pregnant women in order to improve the health of the mother and child through nutritional and other forms of support.
This year we will work harder to ensure that children younger than five years, who access the child support grant, also access early childhood development services and that older children are enrolled in Grade R and primary school.
Early childhood development is important in terms of building cognitive skills of children, to improve their long-term health, productivity and their overall social wellbeing. Accordingly, the early childhood development programme remains a key priority for us. All provinces will equalise the ECD subsidy at R15 per child per day. Furthermore, we are working towards ensuring that ECD services, be it at home or at a centre, be provided for a period of 264 days per year. We will also increase the number of children accessing ECD centres across all provinces. In order to enrich the quality of ECD services, we will conduct a comprehensive audit of infrastructure and services at a cost of R24,4 million.
Notwithstanding the comprehensive services we provide to children, there are still too many orphaned and vulnerable children who live under conditions of hardship. We will expand the current services provided to them by using the Isibindi model. Under this programme, the child and youth care workers at provincial level will provide supervision and psychosocial support, as well as safe community parks and life skills programmes. More than 1,3 million children will be targeted over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, with a budget of R1,2 billion to be allocated to provinces to cover Isibindi, early childhood development and victim empowerment programmes.
The future of any nation lies in the kind of investment it makes in the development of its youth. Given our youth demographics, we dare not ignore this section of our population. In this financial year, we will initiate youth camps, which will bring adults and the youth together to promote information exchange in order to bridge the intergenerational divide.
In furtherance of the new National Strategic Plan on HIV and Aids, sexually transmitted infections, STIs, and tuberculosis, the department, during this financial year, strives to reduce new HIV and Aids infections through social and behavioural change programmes and to build HIV and Aids-competent communities.
We need to acknowledge that much more needs to be done to empower vulnerable people and people with disabilities. In many spheres of life, for them their hopes and desires for inclusion remain but a distant dream. We have aligned our policy on disability with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which will enable us to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are fully protected and promoted.
Our older persons are entitled to live in a safe and secure environment with due care and support. To improve services for senior citizens, the department has completed an audit of 58 high-risk residential facilities for older persons in the Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Audits will also be carried out in the remaining provinces. Provinces are expected to set aside funds to upgrade all high-risk facilities. Last October, we supported a successful South African Older Persons' Forum conference which resolved, among other things, to establish provincial and local structures to promote participation by members in all matters that affect them. In celebration of our centenarians, and in pursuance of the outcomes of that conference, we will, towards the end of this year, convene a senior citizens parliament in this parliamentary precinct.
We are concerned about the negative impact of alcohol and substance abuse on individuals, families and communities. With this year's allocation, we seek to intensify efforts to combat alcohol and substance abuse. This will include strengthening the Ke Moja campaign and a government-wide programme of action to implement the outcomes of the Second Biennial Anti-Substance Abuse Summit. These efforts will be reinforced by the full implementation of the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act and new legislative initiatives in the marketing of alcohol, the raising of the age limit to purchase alcohol from the age of 18 to 21 and other measures to limit access. We salute the efforts of Mr Bongani Khathi of Pietermaritzburg, Mr Sifundo Languza of East London, Mr Vusi Zwane of Diepkloof, Soweto, and Ms Dolana Dlamini of Pietermaritzburg who have transformed their shebeens into institutions of social change. They are here with us in the gallery, Chairperson. [Applause.] Next month, the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to highlight the destructive impact of drugs on individuals, families and society as a whole will be held in Mpumalanga.
Access to social security is a human right. Towards the fulfilment of this right, we have worked to ensure that all those who are eligible for social grants access them. In addition to the studies confirming the positive impact of social grants in reducing poverty and vulnerabilities, we will in November this year also release the results of the social budget exercise, which will explore the financing of our social assistance programme. South Africa's social assistance programme, with an allocation of R105 billion in the 2012-13 financial year, projected to grow to R122 billion in the 2014-15 financial year, remains our government's biggest poverty alleviation programme. It is evident at this stage that the cost of social grants will decline significantly as a share of gross domestic product, GDP, and should create additional fiscal space to expand the social security system.
In addition, we will also complete a study into the option of changing social grants into family benefits instead of individual benefits. Finally, government's plan to publish proposals regarding a mandatory retirement system is imminent so as to address the shortcomings in the second pillar of our social security system.
Good policies must be supported by effective systems, processes and capable people. Accordingly, we are happy to report that the administration and management of social grants have improved significantly, in particular over the last two years. The SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, has introduced a range of service delivery improvement initiatives. These include, amongst other things, the reregistration and updating of all beneficiary information; the standardisation of business processes to achieve uniformity and to reduce the grant approval time; and the rolling out of a new payment system that will result in an estimated R800 million saving in this financial year.
Five years from now, Sassa will take full responsibility for the direct payment of social grants. Sassa will also implement a reregistration programme on a biometric identification system as from 1 June to 31 December 2012, in order to verify the identity of beneficiaries. In this regard, we request the support of all members of this House.
Sassa staff will in future have to access the information technology system processing grants through a biometric identification system to address leakages, fraud and corruption in our social security system. Already, our efforts are bearing fruit. In the Northern Cape, Sassa identified over 400 cases of fraudulent social grant beneficiaries. The suspension of these grants will save government about R30 million.
Large numbers of South Africans still experience extreme poverty and suffer from food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition. In December 2011, the department launched the Food for All campaign, which seeks to promote household food security through appropriate income transfers, promoting household food production and food fortification programmes. As part of our aims to foster partnerships between government and community organisations, we initiated a campaign called "Taking the Department of Social Development, DSD, to communities," which is led by the Deputy Minister. Under the banner of this campaign, we are visiting many rural communities across the length and breadth of our country, conducting community dialogues to ascertain the developmental needs of these communities and to form developmental partnerships between government and community-based organisations. Through this campaign, we will train 580 community development practitioners, train 300 community-based organisations on community development, and stimulate developmental initiatives in 100 communities in the poorest wards of our country.
Taking Social Development to communities is essentially about social mobilisation. It is precisely for this reason that we have partnered with Soul City, the Seriti Institute and the SA Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, to launch a 10-part series called Kwanda Talk in June this year.
Nonprofit organisations, NPOs, including faith-based organisations, play a critical role in community development. In 2011, the department received more than 18 000 new applications for registration from community-based organisations. This is an encouraging development. We processed 94% of these applications within two months of submission. The number of nonprofit organisations on the register stands at more than 85 000. The registration is important as it promotes effective, efficient and accountable management within the sector. In order to strengthen the capacity of NPOs, the department will continue to build their capacity and monitor their compliance with legislation.
The National Development Agency, NDA, will continue to drive development work in impoverished communities. To this end, the agency has budgeted R74,8 million to implement projects in various communities, which include, amongst other things, R22 million to strengthen ECD services, to support food security at ECD sites, and to build the leadership and management capacity of nongovernmental organisations, NGOs.
Ladies and gentlemen, all these efforts are at the heart of building a rights-based society. Regrettably, these efforts are being undermined by the insulting manner in which the dignity of persons, including one in the highest office, is being violated. As a society, we cannot and should not tolerate racism, even if it is disguised under the mantle of satire or art. We owe it to all those who fought for a nonracist and nonsexist future to fight against racism as much as we fight for freedom of expression.
We would like to thank the MECs present here, the director-general, the chief executive officers of Sassa and the NDA, special advisers and the entire staff of the Social Development family. The Deputy Minister and I urge the members of the NCOP to support Budget Vote No 19: Social Development. I thank you. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH /Mia / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 152
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH: Hon Chairperson, Chairperson of the Select Committee on Social Services, hon Rasmene, and the committee, Ministers, Deputy Ministers present, MECs from the various provinces, hon members of the House, members of the SA Local Government Association, Salga, senior managers from all three spheres, leaders of statutory bodies, business, labour, nongovernmental organisations, NGOs, and health-related organisations, members of the media, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is my singular privilege and pleasure to present for debate and consideration the priorities and budget of the national Department of Health for the period of the 2012-13 Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework, MTREF.
Today's debate takes place just as we celebrated the 18th anniversary of the inauguration of the first President of a democratic South Africa, Tata Nelson Mandela, on the 10th of this month. Incidentally, on the same day, we joined the world to focus on the campaign called Move for Health. The campaign seeks to mobilise society to engage in physical activity as one of the key interventions to promote health, increase life expectancy and, indeed, to reduce the high disease burden that is a barrier to and actually strangles the social wellbeing, productivity and economic prosperity of many nations, including our own.
The generation of Nelson Mandela not only enabled us to celebrate the centenary of the liberation movement this year and the democracy we enjoy today. It is also the inspiration of a generation that survived many hardships, including diseases that thrived as a direct and indirect result of oppressive laws and exploitative practices against the majority of our people. Building on this legacy, we take this opportunity to remind South Africans that, just as much as the attainment of freedom has created an enabling environment for democracy and development, the attainment of health should be considered as an enabling environment for the democracy we enjoy and the development we are building to thrive.
Health and indeed, social development are conditions for development. These are not just an expense, as some narrowly look at them. These budgets for health, social development and education, in general, are an investment in the people and the human capital of a nation that is supposed to sustain democracy and the development thereof. We are thus encouraged that, since the beginning of this term, we have begun to see the budget of Health increase in real terms.
We also support the call by President Zuma in his state of the nation address that we should work towards the reduction of risk factors that are in our control. These include being overweight, a high salt intake, alcohol, lack of activity, as well as poor diet, especially with increased salt. We want to invite members to take responsibility also, as we take joint responsibility with all of society. This will enable us to ensure that we use the resources that are available to greater use and limit them to those diseases that we really cannot prevent.
We thank all those who marched, joined in various games and also signed pledges to lead healthy lifestyles in the Thabo Mofutsanyane District in the Free State with us on the 10th of this month. We encourage all of us to make physical activity a way of life, a lifestyle that indeed will bear health fruits.
Over the past three years, the Ministry of Health, led by Minister Motsoaledi, has worked tirelessly and jointly with the National Health Council and other stakeholders in implementing the four Outputs that are geared towards achieving the goal of A Long and Healthy Life for all South Africans.
On life expectancy, we are not only happy to hear that the funeral undertaker business is no longer as lucrative as it used to be, but that there is empirical evidence released by Statistics SA's mid-year population estimates, indicating that, indeed, the life expectancy of South Africans is steadily on the increase. In 2009, the figures were 53,5 years for males and 52,2 for females. The 2011 figures were 54,9 years for males and 59,1 for females. Also, the Actuarial Society of South Africa, Assa, using the model of 2011, indicates that the number of Aids-related deaths has reduced from 257 000 in 2005 to about 194 000 in 2010. Indeed, South Africans are living longer. We should not be complacent, however, as these are just early signs of our efforts yielding results.
The country is still burdened with the quadruple burden of disease, namely HIV/Aids and TB; high maternal and child mortality; noncommunicable diseases, like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cancers – most of which are preventable; and the high incidence of violence and injury, including motor vehicle accidents, interpersonal violence, and abuse against women and children.
The budget we debate today will enable us to build on the progress that we have made in various programmes by paying greater attention to strengthening the health system to be optimally responsive and more effective.
The key achievements on the HIV/Aids Programme last year were possible because of the leadership of the SA National Aids Council, Sanac, chaired by the Deputy President, and the policy changes that have been instituted since 2009. Today, more than 20 million South Africans know their status. Over 1,6 million are on antiretroviral treatment, ART.
This month we also observed International Nurses Day. I wish to pay special tribute to the nurses who responded positively to the call to support the Nurse-Initiated ART Policy. Their efforts added to the efforts of many health workers who have worked on the reduction of HIV/Aids transmission, particularly from mother to child, and have yielded results of a more than 50% decline.
With the continued efforts of all health workers in both the public and private sector, South Africa stands on the verge of an HIV-free generation. I am happy the MECs are here, and we want to congratulate KwaZulu-Natal, in particular, for outperforming all the other provinces in this programme.
In the effort to scale up interventions to reduce new infections of HIV, the department reiterates the abstinence, being faithful and condomising message. We will also be increasing the number of medical male circumcisions performed, the uptake of the HIV Counselling and Testing, HCT, campaign, and the HIV tests done annually. Over the MTEF period, the aim is to increase the number of patients initiated on antiretrovirals to at least half a million, and to ensure that 100% of patients living with HIV/Aids are able to get nutritional support.
With regard to reducing the co-infection burden with TB of HIV-positive patients, we will build on the TB case-finding progress that has already seen 180 000 households visited countrywide. The programme will further increase the percentage of HIV-positive patients screened for TB and also reduce the TB defaulter rate from 7% to 5% over the MTREF.
On the 4th of this month, the Minister, supported by MECs and Salga, announced and launched the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality in Africa Programme, Carmma. The future of a nation is determined by the investment it makes in the wellbeing of its children, from conception to the first 1 000 days. This is a period of optimal cognitive development that we cannot afford to lose out on. We cannot sentence our children to a life of difficulty as they struggle with cognitive challenges. This Carmma programme has already outlined steps to reduce maternal and child mortality, essential steps in managing pregnancy-related emergencies, and also to introducing obstetric ambulances and care throughout the country, including in rural areas.
The focus of the budget cycle for 2012-13 is on strengthening the effectiveness of the health system, which is the basis for achieving the health outcomes. In this area, we are focusing on the re-engineering of primary health care, which will see community-based services strengthened through the establishment of family teams in each of the more than 4 000 municipal wards throughout the country. Access to primary health care services will be increased, ensuring the utilisation rate increases by 3,2%.
We have begun to recruit the district specialist teams of doctors and nurses. These will be introduced in all 52 districts covering the length and breadth of our country, so that all of our people have an opportunity to get specialist care closer to where they live, but also so that we really become decisive in reducing the disease burden. The percentage of primary health care facilities that receive monthly supervisory visits also must increase from 68% to 90% over the MTREF period.
We look forward to the National Health Amendment Bill, and to the establishment of the Office of Health Standards Compliance, to be passed by Parliament this year. Patient satisfaction will be monitored and we want to work with all provinces to ensure that 90% of the 400 public hospitals are compliant with patient satisfaction surveys. By 2014-15, all hospitals need to be compliant.
In terms of public complaints, we want to work with each and every province. We will also be working with them to monitor compliance. Public complaints that are not urgent are to be resolved within 25 days. Those that are urgent should be resolved during the patients' visits.
A total of 4 333 public health facilities are targeted for audits, and we have already done more than 90% of the audits. Already, teams from the national Department of Health, led by the director-general, have gone to those districts where the audits have been completed, as teams that would improve on the areas that have been found to be critical.
In terms of the functionality of the district services, we are developing a district health system policy to ensure that we improve governance, management and accountability at this level. On human resources, which is the backbone of our health system, there are wellness programmes that we, at national department, will be strengthening. We also recommend that this should be strengthened in each provincial and local government where health is delivered. We have also introduced a system where chief executive officers, CEOs, must have certain minimum competencies to ensure that our facilities are properly managed. The department is working on ensuring that the leadership and development programme of the new CEOs is in place by the time we complete the recruitment of them.
Hon members are aware that the national Department of Health has finalised its new structure for 2011-12. The structure is aligned to the priorities that we have outlined. We are working on ensuring that we work with provinces to have an alignment too, not only at a provincial level but also at the district level. If we work together in an aligned manner, there is no way that we cannot only, in our lifetime, eliminate some of the diseases that we have mentioned, but also ensure that our population is much more healthy.
We have also been forced to look at alternative ways of improving the accessibility and availability of health workers. We have introduced the Clinical Associates programme, which is aimed at midlevel workers. We are happy to indicate that last year the first group graduated from three of our universities. We will continue with this programme whilst we strengthen our relationship with Cuba, with respect to the medical graduates.
In terms of infrastructure, there are five priority hospitals that we will ensure that we build on. These academic hospitals are the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath, Dr George George Mukhari, Limpopo Academic Hospital as well as King Edward VIII Hospital. We will be making sure that we work through public-private partnerships to ensure that these projects do not take a very long time.
The last area that I would like to deal with is the issue of the National Health Insurance, NHI, system. Indeed, the affordability of health care is one of the risk factors towards attaining an effective and efficient health care system. We wish to reiterate that the NHI is a necessity, and I am now happy to announce that it is a reality for South Africa. This quest for universal health coverage is actively promoted by the World Health Organisation as a system that is inclusive and does not discriminate against any citizen in any country.
Minister Motsoaledi spoke on our behalf in announcing that we have reached a point of no return in South Africa on this issue of universal coverage through NHI. In the budget under debate, R1 billion is provided for 10 pilot districts. We have already started to visit three of these districts, namely Limpopo, the Northern Cape and the Free State, to brief various stakeholders on what is expected.
Piloting means doing all the things that are needed to meet the preconditions for quality and affordability to be compliant with the NHI implementation. In the first five years, we will be preparing the public health system, including aligning and recruiting the private health providers, especially general practitioners, to support the primary health care services, especially in rural areas.
The success of the NHI also depends on certain basics in health care delivery being adhered to. We need to understand the main reason for the existence of any health care delivery system: to take care of the sick and the vulnerable, and to ensure that they receive quality and compassionate care. We have agreed, within the National Health Council, that we will have a minimum of non-negotiables in each and every province and in each and every facility throughout the country.
These non-negotiables include that delayed payment of pharmaceutical suppliers, resulting in shortages of medicines, vaccines, dry dispensary and other consumables, must become history in our country. The payment of laboratory services and blood supply services should also be honoured and be paid within the 30 days, as prescribed for the payment of suppliers. The provision of equipment and devices for neonatal, perinatal and maternal services must be compliant with the essential equipment list that we have agreed to together. The maintenance of health infrastructure and equipment also remains key.
Overall, the budget included new allocations of R97,6 million for the first year, and R1,9 billion for the outer year. We also want to indicate that R10 million per annum has been set aside for forensic laboratories, and in this area, it is in the service of the justice system.
We really want to thank all those that have contributed to putting this budget together, and to setting up priorities, particularly the members of the National Health Council, which consists of MECs and the senior management and members of Salga. I want to thank you, and look forward to the House supporting the Budget Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr T BOTHA (Western Cape) /Robyn/ END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 153
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH
Mr T BOTHA (Western Cape): Hon chairperson, in his absence, the national Minister of Health Mr Motsoaledi, the Deputy Minister, chairperson of the standing committee, hon members, and other Members of the Executive Council, MECs, present, thank you for the invitation and the opportunity to speak in your House.
In the Western Cape, the strategic objective for wellness aims to achieve the best health outcomes for the 5,8 million people in our province who are dependent on health services. Towards this aim, we are in agreement with the 10-point national plan of the national Minister.
The national policy priorities and budgets for the financial year 2012-13 highlights the burden of disease, the integrated strategic plan for HIV and Aids, and tuberculosis, as well as high maternal and child mortality rates. All of these are in line with the World Health Organisation and the Millennium Development Goals, which we support one hundred percent, and these are: the aim to reduce infant mortality by two thirds by 2015; calls for increased efforts to improve maternal health, especially to reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio and achieve universal access to reproductive health; and, lastly, the aims to combat HIV and Aids, TB, malaria and other diseases.
A large part of the national budget speech focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system through the National Health Insurance, NHI. We agree one hundred percent that we need a lot of improvement there. The NHI does not and will not fix the real problem of low-quality health care provision in the public sector on its own. The NHI is still in the Green Paper phase, and the national budget allocates a billion rand to pilot projects in each province. We say, from the Western Cape, first get the management structures in place; implement structures to run the health system properly, in each province, on good, sound business principles; implement interventions to monitor and evaluate efficiency, and then we can develop a model of national health insurance once you have those fundamental items in place.
This is certainly the route that we are following in the Western Cape, and the route we propose. In our province, patients are referred to regional and specialised facilities according to their medical needs, and government then provides the transport infrastructure to support that. This is a system that leverages our system's strengths, minimises its deficiencies, and delivers good health services in a reasonable and sustainable manner.
In its current format, the NHI does not address the real problem of inadequate and low-quality health care provision in the public sector. The NHI does not adequately attend to accountability and management structures. While the Green Paper calls for an Office of Standards Compliance, which we support in principle, its members will be appointed by the national Minister and they will also answer to the national Minister, so it will be vulnerable to political influence.
The country lacks the human resources to implement the NHI, which demands, for instance, triple the number of medical officers or doctors that we currently have: 27 000. But since we currently only train enough doctors each year to keep pace with the number of those who retire, enter the private sector or emigrate, the state will be unable to train the necessary number of doctors in the prescribed periods, amongst other key health professionals, to implement the NHI within the envisaged timeframe. It is simply not possible.
The creation of a centralised fund will over-bureaucratise the public health care system, rendering it more inefficient and costly than it currently is. The size and scope of a provincial health department will be reduced to that of a de facto regional office of the national Health department. In essence, this means the nationalisation of provincial health services.
Whilst this, in our view, is unconstitutional, it will reduce the effectiveness of a health service such as that currently delivered by the Western Cape government and be counterproductive to the objective of a quality health service for all. [Interjections.] It is unconstitutional, and you are welcome to challenge that.
Throwing money at the problem is not solving the problem. In South Africa, we are already spending R2 766 per public patient, which is the highest in the world of a developing country. So, throwing money at the problem is not really a solution. Mismanagement, maladministration, corruption and financial ill-discipline are the problems that we have in South Africa. [Interjections.]
Let me give you an insight into that, Chairperson. The national Minister never mentioned once the corruption or maladministration in our services in our province. Let me give you insight into that. At this point in time, it is common knowledge that the health system in the Eastern Cape is falling apart. Listen to this: A Special Investigating ... [Interjections.] I also think it is a joke. A Special Investigating Unit probe in the Eastern Cape, released last week, revealed corruption involving R200 million and thousands of officials in your department. The investigation, which was launched in December, found out that 15 900 departmental officials were illegally receiving child support grants totalling R58 million. The leaked report also revealed that almost 4 000 officials were illegally receiving housing subsidies to the tune of R86 million.
The Eastern Cape health department reportedly paid R42,8 million to 226 companies linked to 235 civil servants, while 170 officials' spouses are in business with that department and that government. The Eastern Cape department of health – and this is just the cherry on the top – has lost R800 million to corruption between January 2009 and June 2010. [Interjections.] Eight hundred million rand!
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M W Magadla): Order, hon Groenewald!
Mr T BOTHA (Western Cape): One of the manifestations of the breakdown in health services in the Eastern Cape is the failure to pay suppliers and, in recent times, also a failure to pay staff. The SA Medical Association, Sama, issued a statement today to say they are putting that province on terms to pay their doctors, otherwise there is going to be a shutdown of the health services.
Hon Chairperson, it is evident that maladministration in other provinces – many other provinces, not all of them - is leading to a collapse of the health system. I have just received - while seated here - a media statement on the new MEC, Mr Mabasa, in Limpopo, who has just bought himself a new car for R877 000 and spent R172 000 on accommodation in his first few weeks in office – this, with a province that is dysfunctional, with four departments under administration. [Interjections.] I am glad you support that.
At the same time, it is an unnatural haste to expedite the National Health Insurance before we get the structure, the management and the financial control in health services in this province under control and functioning properly. Unless we do that, the NHI, with all its good intentions, Deputy Minister and Chairperson, cannot succeed in our country. [Interjections.] It will succeed if we have proper administration, proper management and proper financial discipline. I hope you agree with that.
I stand by my stance: first, govern well; then get the system in place; maintain financial discipline; and then we can talk about successful National Health Insurance. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): Order! I now call the hon Rasmeni, the chairperson of the select committee.
Mrs R N RASMENI/EKS//LIM... END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 154
Mr T BOTHA (Western Cape)
Mrs R N RASMENI: Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy Minister Dlamini, hon Deputy Ministers Ramokgopa and Ntuli, MECs, directors-general, hon members and guests, throughout the evolution of our liberation movement, we have upheld the pursuit of social and economic transformation. Our 1943 African Claims document called for adequate investment in health care and education for Africans, among other freedoms. The apartheid government dismissed these human rights, yet the ANC-led government harnessed the power of democracy to realise these African claims for all South Africans.
In the first instance, under the leadership of the ANC, health and education have become key national priorities. Moreover, as the ANC, we believe that health and education are the most critical tools in addressing inequality, eradicating unemployment and reducing poverty. Through ANC policy, we are transforming the traditional health care and education systems into more equitable ones that will reach all South African citizens and offer an improved quality of life.
The current two-tiered public and private medical system reinforces the undemocratic access to medical care, because only those who are employed or who can afford medical aid can access a range of health services that are not afforded to others in our population. The National Health Insurance, NHI, which offers health care financing through the state, is founded on ANC policies as expressed in our 1992 Ready to Govern document, the 1994 Reconstruction and Development Programme and the 1994 ANC National Health Plan for South Africa. Thus, the NHI is not a new concept for us; it is a model we have studied for years. It is no surprise that the DA comes here and throws stones at the NHI. Their interest has always been the protection of the elite few.
Minister, as the ANC we are convinced that the NHI is a solution to our health challenges caused by apartheid, to which some of the DA members contributed. The information shared by the hon Botha today is highly misleading and a distortion of facts. The NHI entails that all citizens will have access to health care services irrespective of their socioeconomic status, race, gender, area, and other characteristics that were once used to discriminate against people. So far, the NHI, as one component of the ANC's 10-point plan for transforming the health sector and building a healthier nation, is going to be piloted in all nine provinces, as stated by the Deputy Minister today.
Also part of our 10-point plan is the re-engineering of our public health system into a comprehensive package of services that will benefit school-going learners. The challenges faced by learners in terms of the impact of poverty, HIV and Aids, and substance abuse will be dealt with more effectively through an integrated school health programme we intend to reinstate across the country. KwaZulu-Natal has already purchased mobile clinics for this programme, with the aim of bringing health services closer to learners and communities at large.
The unavailability of health care services, particularly for people living in remote regions, can be linked to apartheid spatial planning, which was designed to deliberately marginalise our people, hon Botha. As a result, poverty became so deeply entrenched in rural communities that the resulting high rates of mortality were ignored in the previous dispensation. In contrast, for the past 22 years, the ANC has tackled this bull by the horns.
In an effort to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates, the ANC recommended the decentralisation of emergency medical services. In practice, the Department of Health availed obstetric ambulances and maternal lodges to provide greater support to pregnant women in remote areas. We believe that health care underpinned by inclusivity brings not only dignity to patients, but promotes social inclusion and ensures a healthy nation.
Social inclusion through job creation also forms a major part of transforming the health sector. The department has responded by implementing a graduate programme, in terms of which hundreds of interns are trained and incorporated into the folds of provincial departments. The department has ensured that graduates who will be deployed gain a range of skills from forensics, administration, finance and human resources.
'
In the arena of social development, we have seen advances in a number of areas related to substance abuse, early childhood development, food security and the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa. Over the years, we have noted the devastating impact that alcohol has had on our communities, not to mention foetal alcohol syndrome which has had a devastating affect on the health of young children.
The relationship we have identified between crime, alcohol consumption, drug abuse and the increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases concerns us very deeply. Historically, poorer communities have suffered the most from the abuses related to alcohol and are most likely to be catapulted into poverty because of unregulated price increases in the alcohol industry.
To curb alcohol consumption among vulnerable communities, the ANC has called for the implementation of prohibitive measures, including public education and awareness campaigns. The Department of Social Development has responded by making antisubstance abuse a key priority in its programme and by intensifying antisubstance abuse campaigns. Such efforts are aimed at reducing vulnerability to substance abuse by increasing awareness and reducing the exposure of our young people and the general population to alcohol.
On a separate note, the case for improving early childhood development, ECD, remains a priority for the ANC. This is because investment in education contributes to economic growth through human capital development by preparing a literate and capable workforce, whilst reducing intergenerational poverty. So far, the Department of Social Development has responded positively by undertaking audits of ECD facilities in several provinces and is on its way to expanding access to ECD for all children by 2014.
The ANC has called for social assistance grants to reach all poor and marginalised people who meet the department's means test. However, duplication and fragmentation in social security policies will need to be tightened up, particularly since gaps favour corruption and reduce the efficiency of grant administration. In response, a new smart card for grant beneficiaries has been introduced to consolidate social services and facilitate grant administration. The government saves up to R800 million a year, which can go towards other development efforts.
On the last note, we have noted for many years that the presence of malnutrition is more than just a symptom of hunger; it is an indicator of deep-seated poverty and inequality, particularly in our rural areas. Strengthening the Food for All campaign contributes to social transformation in this country. The Minister is working hand in hand with other departments to establish food banks in five provinces, namely Mpumalanga; the Western Cape, which claims to be very rich; the North West; the Eastern Cape; and KwaZulu-Natal. Thank you very much. We support both Budget Votes. [Applause]
Mr S GQOBANA (Eastern Cape) JN ///tfm///END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 155
Mrs R N RASMENI
Mr S GQOBANA (Eastern Cape): Deputy Chairperson, earlier on, I thought I would concentrate on responding to the policy debate, but I didn't realise that the more successful we are in dealing with corruption in the Eastern Cape, the more ammunition we give to the opposition parties. At the same time, it is good that my colleague hon Botha spoke like that because when you are in the bush and fighting, you don't recognise that you are making progress. It's other people who are watching that can see that there is progress, and therefore the manner in which he spoke ... [Applause.] ... it's a fact that it is very clear that the Eastern Cape government is successful in uncovering and attacking corruption in the province.
The issue of the Special Investigating Unit, SIU, and other state agencies that are investigating are the resolution of the Eastern Cape executive council, and therefore the results that you read about in papers are not a surprise to us. They are there for everybody to see them. Hon Deputy Chairperson, it gives me great pleasure and I am excited to address you today about this particular debate in support of the Minister's Budget Vote and the Department of Health's policy priorities.
This moment also presents me with an opportunity to show how the Minister's health priorities find expression in the programmes which we are embarking on in the Eastern Cape and what progress has been made. Hon members, the Minister spoke of the Department of Health's outcome being "a long and healthy life for all South Africans". The Eastern Cape department of health has made great strides in the realisation of this objective.
In the area of HIV and Aids and tuberculosis, the department has tested 1,274 million people through the HIV Counselling and Testing campaign, and the number of people on antiretroviral, ARV, treatment has risen to 179 000, with ARV sites numbering 784. The number of nurses initiating ARV treatment has also increased to 1 800. We have also reduced HIV and Aids transmission from mother to child tremendously thereby ensuring that our children are born without the virus and have a chance in life.
On the TB front, we have rolled out a community-based TB model, thereby increasing the TB cure rate and stabilising the HIV infection rate. We have also increased the number of GeneXpert machines from four to 10. I am proud to say, hon members, that the President launched the National Strategic Plan in the Eastern Cape's Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality on World Aids Day, 1 December 2011, a municipality we are clearly keeping a watchful eye over, seeing that there are frightening levels of TB prevalence and HIV/Aids.
With the "Saving Mothers, Saving Babies" campaign, advanced midwives have been identified and have been deployed to be in charge of all maternities. A total of 50 emergency obstetrics ambulances are attached to maternal obstetrics units. Regarding school health, all schools that are close to particular clinics are grouped together, especially Quintiles 1 and 2 schools, and, as such, this is a joint programme between the Department of Health and Department of Education. They are working very well to undertake this particular important programme.
Regarding the issue of oral health, indeed, the department has made several outreaches using all its personnel to provide these services to the various areas that have been targeted. We are very excited that the O R Tambo District Municipality has been chosen as a pilot district for the rolling out of the National Health Insurance, NHI. We have met with all our managers in the area, all stakeholders and all hospital boards within that area. They are vey excited about this matter, and all of them are working towards the realisation of the objectives set by the Minister. Unfortunately, we don't have time, and the Eastern Cape has inherited a serious situation from the previous government. Therefore, the NHI is presenting an opportunity to us to begin to address those particular problems.
Regarding the infrastructure front, the Eastern Cape department has committed its entire grant funding for the first time in 17 years. There is major infrastructural work being done to ensure that our hospitals and clinics are places of care and that they give hope to our people that they will be cared for and will be healed.
The department has opened the third haematology unit in the country in Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital. I know that in today's paper hon Botha made reference to this particular matter on the grounds that one doctor is complaining about our failure to appoint nurses. It is true that at the moment we will not appoint nurses, given the challenge that we have in ensuring that we pay doctors. There is a particular problem that has affected this particular matter, but it is not true that we will not provide nurses for this particular project. We will look internally from where we can redeploy nurses to undertake this particularly important responsibility.
On 15 May, we paid R96 million to four district municipalities for primary health care services that have been rendered, and the Eastern Cape has reopened some of the satellite nursing campuses in order to ensure that we train as many nurses as possible. Regarding human resources, we have also recruited doctors, nurses and allied professionals to ensure that our people are well looked after. However, this area is a blot on our department which leaves one with a bad taste in the mouth. This is the earlier point that we were making: because we did not anticipate the challenges we are going to get into in this financial year, we did not plan properly, both in terms of ensuring that all our processes were in place and that there was a budget in place, as a consequence of which we have found that on investigation there are people that have been appointed without due consideration to the availability of the budget.
That is why, therefore, there is this particular matter which we are not going to hide as a challenge that is confronting us, but we are equally not going to agree, hon Botha, to whatever somebody is saying about intervention in terms of the application of section 100. We will not agree to that because by its very nature, it has not worked anywhere. We will only agree to the practice that the national Department of Health has done across all provinces to provide support to those provinces whenever there are weaknesses that a particular province is showing.
Section 100 in the Eastern Cape, up to now, has not convinced me that it is the proper route to take, because it's not being accompanied with resources to ensure that there is proper intervention. If we were to apply it to health, I can tell you that people like hon Botha will speak almost every day about the Eastern Cape once that happens. We are doing all we can together with the Treasury and the Office of the Premier to ensure that the few doctors who have not been paid are paid what is due to them.
Hon Deputy Chairperson and hon Deputy Minister, we want to be on record that indeed we reject the so-called call from the SA Medical Association, Sama, with the contempt it deserves. The department has spent close to R450 million on training and developing our clinical personnel, and the Eastern Cape is one of the provinces that are revising and instituting the social compact with bursars. The department has also sent 18 paramedics ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms N W Magadla): Order, MEC! What is your problem?
Mr K A SINCLAIR: My problem is my microphone.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms N W Magadla): Your microphone is on.
Mr K A SINCLAIR: Thank you, Chair. Is the hon member prepared to take a question? I am asking him if he's prepared to take a question.
Mr S GQOBANA (Eastern Cape): No!
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms N W Magadla): Sit down, hon member.
Mr K A SINCLAIR: I am asking him if he is prepared ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms N W Magadla): He says no.
Mr K A SINCLAIR: Oh! So, he's afraid? No, it's fine. Thank you.
Mr S GQOBANA (Eastern Cape): The department has also sent 18 paramedics to train at the Durban University of Technology, we have also opened our own emergency medical services, EMS, college and we are continuing with the Cuban programme. The department was also thrilled to be mentioned by the President on its multi-agency working-group initiative in order to have a corruption-free department of health. This is the point I am referring to, hon Botha. Hon members, all this has been made possible by the Minister's policy direction, and we are always inspired by the words of Chairman Mao which are: As long as there's faint hope, victory can be achieved. The Eastern Cape department of health therefore supports the Minister's Budget Vote unreservedly. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Mr B A MNGUNI / GG//Mia / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 156
Mr S GQOBANA (Eastern Cape)
Mr B A MNGUNI: Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Ministers, hon members and colleagues, we debate this budget at the time of the ANC's centenary, with the knowledge that the ANC cares, and has a visionary leadership that has the interest of the people at heart.
This vision has been emphasised by the ANC's Health Policy document in 1994, which envisaged that, and I quote:
Free health care will be provided in the public sector for children under six, pregnant and nursing mothers, the elderly, the disabled and certain categories of the chronically ill. Preventive and promotive activities, school health services, antenatal and delivery services, contraceptive services, nutrition support, curative care for public health problems and community-based care will also be provided free of charge in the public sector.
This budget indicates work in progress of the ANC policy position espoused in its policy document in 1994. As a caring organisation, the ANC insisted on affordable and free health care for the vulnerable and the old. To achieve this objective and commitment, the Minister has announced a National Health Insurance pilot programme that will start in 10 districts in the country during this current financial year.
As envisaged by this programme, many more citizens and legal foreign nationals will, in the near future, access health care that is currently beyond their means. It has been indicated by the Minister how capitalistic private health-care services operate in the country, thus making proper health services inaccessible to those who do not belong to medical aid schemes.
We know that there are still the doubting Thomases, as in the Western Cape, who think that the NHI, as proposed by the caring ANC- led government, is costly and not realistic. The fact of the matter is that South Africa cannot have universal coverage mainly through voluntary health insurance. As Dr Olive Shisana said recently at the National Health Insurance conference, held at the Gallagher Convention Centre, on 7 December and 8 December in 2011, and I quote: "The path of universal coverage via medical schemes is not likely to take us to our goal of making health care accessible to all." The department intends to spend R42,9 billion over the current financial year to initiate this project.
In his address on the occasion of the 30th World Aids Day, President Jacob Zuma stated that, and I quote: "When people test positive for HIV, they need the love, understanding and support of family, friends and relatives more than ever to enable them to live long and healthy lives. They must not be made to feel like lepers."
In our policy document, Ready to Govern, it is stated that "The ANC is committed to making HIV a priority of all sections of society and especially of the highest decision-making body in the land." Thus, it is no wonder that the fight against the scourge of HIV and Aids is located in the Presidency. The SA National Aids Council, Sanac, has and is still playing a key role in ensuring that the government is at the forefront in fighting the disease.
Recently, the Deputy President launched a testing campaign at the Kusile Power Station which has been, like other testing centres, a great success. According to the department's annual performance plan, between April 2010 and June 2011, 15 million people volunteered for HIV counselling, and 13,7 million were tested. The campaign to have as many people as possible tested seems to be bearing fruit as targets set by the department at specific times have been exceeded. The department has budgeted a sum of R9,2 billion for the current financial year to combat the scourge of HIV and Aids.
Part of the department's 10-point plan is overhauling the health care system by refocusing on primary health care and improving the functionality and management of the health system. It is reported in the strategic plan that significant progress has been made towards the development of a re-engineered primary health care model for South Africa. As reported, the model consists of three streams, namely district clinical specialist support teams, municipal ward-based public health care outreach teams, and the school health services programme.
It is with great pleasure to note that by December 2011, the Free State had already had five family health teams, which consist of professional nurses, enrolled nurses and community health workers. We hope and are looking forward to seeing these teams working together with home-based care teams and community development workers to bring about a better life for all.
Chairperson, I hope the department did not forget that the majority of our people and the poorest of the poor still reside in remote rural areas. There is little, if any, mention of mobile clinics other than the mobile units that will be used to access schools mentioned under the public health care outreach teams. We are all aware that the mobile clinics in rural and mountainous areas in the hinterland have been inadequate.
As the government, led by a caring organisation and the vanguard of the people, we are optimistic and look forward to a time when the rural masses enjoy the same hospitality, care and peace of mind, like that of their urban fellow citizens, when faced with complicated births or life-threatening situations.
The lack of skills and capacity is a plaque in most, if not all, departments. The situation becomes graver in the Health department, as the number of health workers, be it nurses or doctors, is far below the minimum required ratio for the population. We hope that the improved resource planning, development and management strategy will bear fruit as quickly as possible to alleviate the situation. The lack of medicine supplies and the long queues at clinics and hospitals are also of grave concern. Can we plead with the Minister to move away from outsourcing medication and all health equipment, as this practice compromises the whole process of satisfactory service delivery?
According to the strategic plan, R450 million has been mobilised to fund the refurbishment of nursing schools that need minor repairs. We also welcome the reopening of training colleges for nurses. Many matriculants who did not have the opportunity or fees to enrol at universities will have the choice of furthering their studies through these colleges. I, however, plead with the Minister and the Minister of Higher Education to look into the issue of allowing such students to enrol for other nonmedical courses that will enhance their output and career development in order to fulfil their quest for job satisfaction in life, rather than monetary satisfaction only.
In conclusion, research and development are key inseparable variables, including innovation, that are essential for the development and success of any entity or nation. The establishment of the National Health Research Committee, by the Minister, in December 2011, is a step in the right direction, in terms of addressing some of the problems we are facing in the health sector and the country in general, thus fulfilling our commitment to a better life for all. We support the Budget Vote. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr J J GUNDA / LMM/ END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 157
Mr B A MNGUNI
Afrikaans:
Mnr J J GUNDA: Agb Voorsitter, agb Ministers en Adjunkministers, LURs hier vandag, laat ek begin deur te sê dat gesondheid 'n primêre verantwoordelikheid van die staat is om kwaliteitdiens te lewer aan ons gemeenskappe.
English:
We see that the Department of Health's strategic plan and vision for 2012 to 2015 is of a good standard. However, we hope that they will implement and monitor this wonderful plan that has been presented to us.
Let me quote directly from the Freedom Charter:
A preventive health scheme shall be run by the state;
Free medical care and hospitalisation shall be provided for all, with special care for mothers and young children;
... The aged, the orphans, the disabled and the sick shall be cared for by the state;
... These freedoms we will fight for, side by side, throughout our lives, until we have won our liberty.
Sometimes it is good to criticise people, but sometimes you need to appreciate them in order to motivate them to do their work better. We must appreciate the health personnel, namely doctors, nurses and other health care officials that are working under strenuous conditions and that are still performing their duties very well.
I urge the department to look into the health dumping site in the Kuruman region that is still open, but is not hygienic for the people of that region. It is a very dangerous situation.
It is important that we note when people visit our hospitals that they are there to heal and not to remain ill. I therefore ask that we ensure cleanliness and the upkeep and maintenance of our hospitals.
Further to the cleanliness and upkeep of our state hospitals, we need to address urgently the issue of patients having to sit and wait in long queues from early hours in the morning, and only being attended to late in the afternoon. I don't think that is human dignity. We need to treat our own people with dignity in order for them to feel good, and like Mr Mnguni said, to ensure a better life for all.
Surely this calls for there to be urgency in the employment of additional health care and administrative staff to state health facilities. I challenge some of the members of the provincial delegation here from Upington. Let me thank the department for building a state-of-the-art academic hospital in Upington. I hope that that hospital will be a symbol, not only of hope, but a symbol that will show the people that the government cares about them. That is very important. I hope it will be properly staffed with trained health care officials of the Siyanda region.
I challenge the department to train rural people, to train people from their particular areas, so that they don't have to import people from other provinces. Train the people of that region who are used to that region, so that they can work there in order for them to look after their families. By doing that, the department is not only developing certain people but the community and that region as a whole. I thank you, Chair.
Ms P MAJODINA (Eastern Cape)
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 157
Mr J J GUNDA
IsiXhosa:
Nksz P MAJODINA (Mpuma Koloni): Mbexeshi wale Ndlu, ndivumele ngale njikalanga ndithabathe eli thuba ndibulele ukuba yinxalenye yolu hlalo-lwabiwo-mali.
Ndibulisa uMphathiswa kazwelonke uMama uDlamini, uSekela Mphathiswa, uMama uNtuli, noSekela Mphathiswa uMama uRamokgopa kunye nabo bonke abaPhathiswa abasuka kumaphondo, kodwa omkhulu umbuliso ndiwuzisa kule Ndlu endandikhe ndaba lilungu layo. Yiyo kuphela iNdlu edibanisa izigaba zontathu zoburhulumente kwaye ke imbiza iyavuthwa yakuziswa kule Ndlu. Ndithi ke ze bangayiyeki bayibambe njalo.
Ndimela ukuxhasa uHlahlo-lwabiwo-mali oluthiwe thaca namhlanje kule Ndlu. NjengeSebe loPhuhliso loLuntu neeNkonzo eziKhethekileyo, sinikwe uxanduva, njengoko kusekiwe kuMgaqo-siseko, lokuphulisa nokutshintsha ubomi babo, ukukhathalela abantwana, ingakumbi abo babandazeleke ngokwasemphefumlweni nangokwasemizimbeni, ukhuseleko nenkxaso kwabo badelekileyo eluntwini.
Nangona kunjalo, masivume apha esidlangalaleni ukuba imiceli mingeni yona iyenyuka umhla nezolo, ingakumbi ukuxhatshazwa kwabantwana ngokwesondo, ukubulawa kwabantwana noomama, nangakumbi kwimicimbi yezoqoqsho; naphaya ekuhlaleni awubaboni bevela nkcakasana. Amakhaya neentsapho athe saa, yiyo loo nto ngomhla we-15 kule nyanga besinephulo leZizwe eziManyeneyo elithi masizame ukulungelelanisa phakathi komsebenzi neentsapho zethu.
Mandinike ingxelo apha kule Ndlu. Kwiveki ephelileyo, ohloniphekileyo uMama uXingwana, uthethile ngomcimbi waseKomani apho utata ophila nentsholongwane athe wadlwengula ngolunya iintombi zakhe ezine. Thina ke - kuba singoqal' azive kwaye eli sebe lingena kuqala libe lelolugqibela ukuphuma, lisenza umsebenzi - sesisuka phaya kwaye utata lo ukwesimnyama isisele. Ngomso uza kuvela kwiinkundla zamatyala. Uxwebhu lwezikhalazo selendiluthumele kwaye nomtshutshisi ndidibene naye ndamxelela ukuba angayinikwa ibheyile. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
Andikhange ndiphelele apho, umama waba bantwana, ngenxa yento yokuba usela abuye kusasa abashiye abantwana besesichengeni, naye akasindanga kuba siza kumthatha okwethambo liphethwe yinja. Abantwana sibathathile kuye kuba akanguye umzali ungumzekelo omhle. Kuhle nokuchaza ukuba abantwana sibathathile sabasa kwagqirha kuba kaloku siyakhathala kwaye sifuna ukuba bakhuseleke. Bobane aba bantwana baphilile kwaye akukho nomnye onesandulela seNgculaza. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
Iintsuku ezifana nezi zisinika inyhweba yokuba sinike umkhomb'andlela esiza kuwulandela kulo nyaka-mali. Abantu sibabeka kuqala njengoko umakhwekhwetha okhokela eli lizwe, unyawo zabezolo, umbutho wesizwe wathi makubekwe abantu kuqala. Namhlanje kukho abantu abathi asibakhathalelanga abantu. Umbuzo uthi: Babekhathalele abantu abangaphi na ngexesha bona babeselulawulweni? Namhlanje, xa sisithi makukhathelelwe abantu, nabo zizikhwekhwenene apha emva kwethu ezithethe le nto siyithethayo.
Ukunqongophala kwemisebenzi yinyaniso emsulwa kwaye akuqalanga ngo-1994, kwakukho kodwa kungathethwa ngako. Ingxaki yethu kukuba izinto sizibeka elubala sizithi thaca okwekat'emhlophe ehlungwini batsho ke bafumane into yokuthetha.
Siqinisekile ukuba kulo nyaka-mali siza kongeza amakhaya okugcina abantwana, ingakumbi kwiindawo zasemakhaya kuba kaloku kufuneka kuvulwe izithuba zemisebenzi. Kulo nyaka-mali sizibopholele ukuba sivule imisebenzi engama-5464 yophuhliso lwabantwana abaselula kuba kaloku sisiqalo nesiseko somntu eso.
Kumba wokunqongophala koonontlalontle, siliphondo leMpuma Koloni siye saqeqesha oonontlalontle ngokuthi sibanike isibonelelo semali yokufunda iminyaka emine. Kulo nyaka ngoJulayi sizakufumana oonontlalontle abangama-332 kwaye batyikityiswe isivumelwano sokuba baza kugqiba isibophelelo setyala phambi kokuba baye kumarhiwu aluhlaza.
Siye safumanisa ukuba ulutsha lungene kakhulu kwiziyobisi, siza kongeza amaziko namaqumrhu angama-300 amaqela ee-Teenagers Against Drug Abuse, Tada, ukuze silwe neziyobisi ezitshabalalisa isizwe sakowethu. Le yona andiyiceli kwaye ndiza kuyenza ngenkani noba ubani uyavuma na okanye akavumi.
Kufumaniseka ukuba amakhaya okugcina abantu abadala kumhlaba waseBhayi,eKomani nase-Aliwal North ngawabantu abamhlophe abazityela itheko labo. Ngoku, siza kubanyanzela ukuba bamkele zonke iintlanga zoMzantsi Africa kula makhaya, ingakumbi ukuba sibanika inkxaso-mali. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Bebekhe bandizama ke xa bendifuna ukuya kubala bathi andizukungena. Xa ndinga ngeniyo ke, ndivala ipokotho kuba ndim kaloku oxhasa la maziko ngemali. Ukuba abakwazi ukwenza inguqu, thina silela sebe siza kubanyanzela kuba sinegunya lokwenza oko.
Mandichaze ukuba ulutsha lwethu silunike imali yokuba luqeqeshwe ukuze luyeke ukufuna imisebenzi koko luvule amathuba emisebenzi, babe ngoosomashishini bona kuqala. Ngenxa yokhuseleko lwabantwana, xa besidibanisa unyaka wekhulu uzelwe umbutho wesizwe, siye sakhetha amaphondo amabini anoomasipala abathiywe ngeenkokheli, i-O R Tambo ne-Chris Hani, apho kuza kusekwa khona amaziko okukhusela abantwana ukunqanda into eyenzeke eKomani. Kodwa, siza kuncedisa ekubeni kwakhiwe isiseko sesizwe kulungiswe izimilo zolutsha nabantu abadala, nto leyo ebizwa ngokuba yi-bridging the intergenerational gap, kuba sinoxanduva lokujongana nabantwana. Siza kubiza imbadu ngasebuntlanti ukuze abantu abadala bathethe nolutsha balufundise ukuba kuthethwa njani na kwaye umntu uziphatha njani na.
Siza kuyipeyinta mhlomphe iminyango yemizi engama-30 apho umama okanye umntwana othe waphathwa gadalala ngokwesondo ebusuku sibe nesikhululo samapolisa sikude aza kuya khona ukuze athobe uvalo. Sinolo xanduva ke kuba maxa wambi amatyala abawaphumeleli ngenxa yokungazi into ekufuneka beyenzile emva kokuphathwa kwabo gadalala, ngenxa yoko bade bahlambe nto leyo eyenza ukuba kungabikho bungqina.
Sihamba phambili siliphondo leMpuma Koloni kwaye alikho elinye iphondo elisilandelayo. Kunyaka ophelileyo ndandimi kule ndawo ndisithi sinike abafundi abangama-19 000 iyunifomu kunye nemiqhusheko esetyenziswa ngabantwana abangamantombazana xa besexesheni. Ndima apha ndisithi, kulo nyaka-mali sibekele bucala isixa-mali sokuthengela abantwana abangama-800 iyunifomu kwaye asizikukhetha bala lamntu kuba kaloku abantsundu nabamhlophe babulela kunye kule yunifomu. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
Kumba wokudalwa kwamathuba emisebenzi, ingakumbi koomama, abantu abakhubazekileyo kunye nabantwana, siza kuvula imizi-mveliso ekhethekileyo eDimbaza naseGcuwa ukuze le yunifomu, imiqhusheko esetyenziswa ngamantombazana xa besexesheni kunye namanapukeni alahlwayo enziwe ngoomama nalulutsha. Sithi imali karhulumente mayijikeleze kwela phondo; iSebe leZempilo kunye nezikolo zithenge kubo ukutya okunesondlo njengoko iiprojekthi zeenkukhu kunye nemifuno sizinikile inkxaso-mali.
Kubalulekile ke ngoko ukuba sisebenzisane neli phondo kuba sijongene noxanduva olukhulu lokulwa nendlala. Abantu bakowethu kufuneka bafundiswe ukuba isibonelelo semali lungenelelo nje asinto eyakuhlala ikho. Abantu abafumana isibonelelo semali
sibaqeqeshile kuba sifuna bangene kwiiprojekthi eziza kwenza ukuba benze imali ukuze sibakhuphe kule nto yesibonelelo yenza ukuba baxhomekeke kodwa asitsho ukuba loo nto ibinga lunganga kuba awunakuqala unike abantu iidyasi ungakhange ubanike iivesti. Kufuneka ubalinganise kuqala unyuke nabo phambi kokuba ubayeke.
Kumba wukubonelelwa kweeprojekthi, xa ndiza kugqibezela, siye safumanisa ukuba iprojekthi inikwa izigidi zeerandi, umzekelo, kodwa kuphele iinyanga ezintandathu abantu bengenakutya besiya kwiprojethi kusasa babuye besalambile. Siye saqulunqa umgaqo-nkqubo obizwa ngokuba yi-Aftercare policy ukuze ngexesha le nto bayenzayo isantshula babenesibonele sokubancedisa ukuze balale betyile ngezi inyanga ezintandathu.
Sikwiphulo lokudibana neSebe lezoTshutshiso elibizwa ngokuba – ndiyagqibezela siHlalo wam – ngelithi amatyala ajongene noomama nabantwana ayacotha. Ngoko ke sithi elaa phulo lokuba kubekho iinkundla ezikhethekileyo nezikhawulezisa amatyala elalenziwe ngutata uJeff ngeNdebe yeHlabathi, makhe lenziwe ukuze kuxhamle oomama nabantwana ngoba sikulungele oko. Kubuhlungu ukuhamba enkundleni unyaka nonyaka uthetha into enye.
Ndivumele ke siHlalo ndixhase olu hlahlo-lwabiwo-mali ndisithi ngoLwezithathu kunxitywa impahla yezemidlalo kuwo onke amaziko afumana inkxaso-mali eSebe leZophuhliso loLuntu. Sikholelwa ekubeni abantu baphile ngokwasemzimbeni ukuze baphile engqondweni. Athi umbhali wesi-Latin: "Mens sana in corpore sano." [A sound mind in a sound body.] I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr A FRITZ (Western Cape)/ Nb/ END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 158
Ms P MAJODINA (Eastern Cape)
Mr A FRITZ (Western Cape): Hon Chairperson, Minister Dlamini, Deputy Minister Ntuli, Deputy Minister of Health Minister Ramokgopa, all MECs present, it was good to listen to my MEC from the Eastern Cape, and I greet all the hon members of this august House.
I want to start by saying that Minister Dlamini, during her Budget Vote speech, addressed various vital issues relating to child care and protection services, older persons, disabilities, substance abuse, and other very important issues.
What we, as both national and provincial government urgently need, is a comprehensive plan to address youth unemployment. And while this may not be a priority for Cosatu, it is a priority for me as the Western Cape Minister of social development and the entire Western Cape government. [Interjections.]
With 71% of unemployed people in this country being under the age of 25, it is incumbent on every government department to make jobs and job creation priorities. I am so happy to hear the MEC from the Eastern Cape, my colleague who spoke before me, raise the same issue. In my department, we are tackling this problem as follows. Every three months we put no less than 180 young people through an intense life-changing development programme at the Chrysalis Academy. The programme is geared towards not only addressing softer skills issues like confidence, assertiveness, discipline, teamwork, etc, but also includes vocational skills such as office administration, call-centre training, home-based care, carpentry, catering, welding, security work and fire-fighting. They also receive first-aid training as well as assistance with obtaining their learners' licences.
Through this programme, we have managed to extend internships and full-time employment to hundreds of young people in the Western Cape. After graduation, we place these young people in jobs both with government and our nongovernmental organisation partners and the corporate sector. NGOs can offer incredible work experience to young people, and my department will ensure that we pay for the stipends in this regard. This is over and above the existing funding to NGOs. In the regard, the Western Cape government welcomes the roll-out of the Isibindi Youth Development Programme, and we really want to get that moving.
We are sick and tired of handing out food to a whole lot of people and them making people dependent like beggars. What this department is saying is that while food security remains a challenge, we have looked at the best packages in other parts of the world, like Brazil. We will soon be piloting a project in two townships in this province. In terms of this Work-for-Food project, able-bodied – and I want to emphasise that: "able-bodied" - unemployed young men will be given an opportunity to contribute towards the upliftment of their communities, by clearing parks, by cleaning roads, by building crèche cupboards in the crèches and in our early childhood development centres, and by helping with safety projects in exchange for a stipend and a meal voucher. They will be able to stand up proudly and say, "I have contributed to society; I am not a beggar."
These meal vouchers will be redeemable at specific feeding sites. Instead of having situations in which people wait for hand-outs, their dignity will be restored through their having earned their keep. We are talking about co-responsibility between government and their citizens; not dependency.
I want to refer to the graduate placement programme. For the record, I want to make this point about our graduate programme. In recent weeks the issue of placement of social work graduates made big news around the country. Not one other department could place graduates. And I want to make this point, that the Western Cape was the only province where we made provision for the placement of our graduates. I am proud to say that they are now employed as cadet social workers.
Subject to them proving themselves during their initial one-year contract, they will eventually be absorbed into the department on a full-time basis. We must move away from this entitlement that everyone is entitled to this and that without proving their skills. We must also move away from mediocrity – in Afrikaans "middelmatigheid" - let us get excellence, and this is what this programme is all about.
With regards to the youth wage subsidy, as a province we continue to advocate for a youth wage subsidy, which is aimed at providing unemployed youth aged between 18 and 35 years, with a matric or equivalent qualification, and an opportunity to engage in a work experience programme. I am so happy to hear that the general secretary of the ANC is now supporting the programme too. That is great news.
Through the provision of the stipend, participants in the Western Cape department of economic development and tourism are able to incentivise business to hire unemployed young people and to bring them into the formal economy. I heard one speaker speak so beautifully about social inclusion through job creation. It was an earlier speaker. That is exactly what this programme is. The Work and Skills programme has already provided employment opportunities to 2 966 participants since 2009. We will continue with it.
These are some of the ways in which we are able to extend opportunities to young people as a responsible government. The one pitfall our young people are faced with on a daily basis is the infiltration of druglords and the devastation they bring about in families and communities, and in society at large. And, yes, we as the Western Cape government have increased our funding allocation to address harmful drug and alcohol use by nearly 90% in the past three years, from R42 million in 2009 to R77 million this year. This is also up by 14% from the previous financial year. The number of subsidised spaces in drug treatment centres, including in residential and outpatient treatment centres, has increased from 3 700 spaces for 2009-10, to 4 500 spaces for 2011-12, and to 5 050 spaces for 2012-13.
I want to immediately say that we must stop handing over our children to these rehabilitation centres. We must practice early-intervention programmes to stop our children from using drugs.
What I would really want to see in this case is the support of this House. I would like not only see the police going after the individual who is found buying small amounts of drugs, but we want the police to arrest the seller, the drug distributor and the supplier of drugs. We want the police to clamp down on them. I want to make a national call today in this House to ask that the courts impose life sentences on druglords, drug dealers and drug distributors. You may laugh, but they are killing our children. Our children are walking around like zombies in our communities. We support the Minister on the whole issue around substance abuse – increasing the age from 18 to 21, and we support the possible banning of liquor. And we ask today that this House support us in introducing life sentences for druglords, life sentences for drug distributors and a life sentence for people who supply drugs to young people. In that regard, I thank you, hon Chair.
Mr S DLOMO (KwaZulu-Natal) /Mosa/END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 159
Mr A FRITZ (Western Cape)
Mr S DLOMO (KwaZulu-Natal): Hon Chairperson, Minister Dlamini, Deputy Minister Ntuli, Deputy Minister Ramokgopa, hon members of this House, colleagues MECs, heads of departments and senior managers present, ladies and gentlemen, because I'm left-handed I will start with what I was suppose to end with. I'm here to support the budget and I support Budget Vote 16 - in case I do not get time to say that.
Nationally, health has been identified as a priority, particularly because of the deteriorating health outcomes, and of all the provinces KwaZulu-Natal is acknowledged to have the highest burden of disease associated with underdevelopment and poverty in the form of HIV and Aids, as well as tuberculosis. In our endeavours, we have done the following and we continue to be mindful of what was alluded to by our hon Premier, Dr Zweli Mkhize, in his 2011 state of the province address, when he said and I quote:
It is important to acknowledge that the burden of disease that is affecting South Africa has its epicentre in this province. Similarly, to improve the overall health outcomes in South
Africa, Kwazulu-Natal must first improve.
The Department of Health is also guided by the Health Ten-Point Plan that is drawn from the ANC Ten Priorities for Health. On life expectancy, as KwaZulu-Natal, we all have to work in a sustainable and integrated fashion to ensure that life expectancy increases to 58 years for men and 60 years for women by 2014-15. It will be a resounding success to increase life expectancy from the current status of 48 years for men and 52 years for women.
As the department we are guided by the World Health Report 2002: "Reducing Risks, Promoting Healthy Life" which depicts physical inactivity as the main reason contributing to the noncommunicable diseases, global morbidity and mortality. The department is strengthening healthy lifestyles through the promotion and campaigns of active ageing amongst senior citizens, and the President, in his speech when he was committing his state of the nation address this year, said:
IsiZulu:
Ake sehliseni ukwada.
English:
On issues of maternal mortality, as the province, our situation in this regard has not been positive considering that the National Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths for 2008-2010 reported that the KwaZulu-Natal province maternal mortality rate of 192 per 100 000.
As a means to address this concern, together with the hon premier, we launched a roadmap in KwaMakhutha in 2010 for the reduction of the maternal and child mortality. Paramount is the promotion of universal access to antenatal care, and skilled birth attendance, as well as early postnatal care, all of which lower both maternal and infant mortality rates.
Concerted efforts are continually being made to improve the management of obstetric emergencies. To date, 48 master trainers have been trained and are facilitating the correct management of obstetric emergencies. Thirty-three maternal obstetric units are functioning. A lot of effort has gone into training personnel in the management of obstetric emergencies. To date, 512 staff have been trained, that includes 460 interns, 24 medical officers, and 28 midwives.
We have also ensured that each district has at least one specialised and dedicated emergency medical services, EMS, vehicle for maternity and neonatal care. I was glad to hear the honRasmeni mentioning this. An additional 28 ambulances dedicated for this service have been procured as means to address appropriate care of patients while in transit and further alleviate the problem of shortages of EMS vehicles in general.
For the 2010-11 financial year, our institutional maternal mortality rate was 170 per 100 000 live births, even though there is a decrease compared to the previous year, this is still significantly higher than the 2015 Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, target which is 38 per 100 000 live births. As a strategy to address this, there is a process of establishing mothers' waiting areas at hospitals, which has been prioritised; also, again, the hon Rasmeni spoke about this. Our Deputy Minister alluded to this and touched on the launch of the Campaign of Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa, Carmma, which we were very excited to host in the province, when the Minister and the African Union came with the commissioners to launch this campaign at the Osindisweni Hospital.
On HIV and Aids, in spite of the high prevalence of HIV amongst pregnant women, the prevention of mother-to-child transmission is a major success story, and maybe my hon colleague Botha must listen to this. I thank you, Deputy Minister, for mentioning this point, and I thank you, Deputy Minister, for your comments about KwaZulu-Natal on this matter. The HIV transmission rate from mother-to-child declined from 22% in 2 005 to 2,8% in 2010. This is partly owing to our province's effort to expand access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy to 489 000 people in 518 sites, as well as our positive response to HIV counselling and testing. We even did this better than the Western Cape. [Interjections.] [Applause.]
Now, we are able to say it is possible to have HIV-positive mothers giving birth to HIV-negative babies. This, indeed, is good news for our province in particular, but in general for the whole country as this transmission rate is below the target of 5%. This is also pivotal to our premier's programme of Sukuma Sakhe, the flagship programme which was even praised and acknowledged by the Executive Director Dr Michel Sedibe of UNAids, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids, when he visited our province. He commended this programme and us when he said, among other things:
The holistic approach to accessing health and social services is not only efficient but effective and serves as a model for other provinces and indeed other countries across the region.
HIV and Aids remain a challenge for the province and society at large. As a means to curb this life-threatening phenomenon, we have launched what we call an antisugar daddy awareness campaign. More than 89 billboards across the province warn against the dangers of cross-generational sexual activity. The campaign also uses radio and visual media, such as posters and pamphlets, to promote awareness and discussion about cross-generational sex and its impact on the province.
The male medical circumcision campaign was launched by our king in 2010. Since the launch, male medical circumcision has been performed and we now have 105 800 males who have been circumcised, and 55 traditional co-ordinators have been contracted to mobilise and monitor behaviour after circumcision to maintain the negative status of clients post male medical circumcision.
On TB and co-infection with HIV, the TB crisis programme has initiated the Intensive Contact Tracing Project, which was launched by our Minister, Dr Motsoaledi, on the World TB Day on 24 March last year at the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, and this is also where the new GeneXpert technology was unveiled. South Africa is the first country to launch and use the new gene ExpeXpert rapid TB diagnostic technology.
With regard to the treatment, the focus of ARV treatment during the 2010-11 financial year expanded to primary health care facilities, with a special focus on initiating new patients even on a primary health care level as per the presidential announcement that was made on World Aids Day in 2009, as my MEC colleague Gqobana mentioned. The total number of patients in our province that are now on ARVs has increased from 408 000 in 2010-2 011 to 464 702 to date. Of the registered patients, 9% of them are children, and 59% are women.
Regarding bursary holders, in 2011 the KwaZulu-Natal department of health bursary component funded 694 students studying at tertiary institutions across various disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, optometry, dentistry, radiography, and many more. For the 2012-13 financial year, we are providing bursaries to 668 students, with an allocated budget of R109 million. It must be noted that at the end of 2011 there were 190 students who completed their studies at tertiary institutions.
With regard to the Cuban medical programme - of which, by the way, my colleague MEC Botha must also take note of because we can never train enough people in this country to meet our needs – it is another very important option to consider, MEC Both. And I know that you do not send students from Khayelitsha and Gugulethu who may benefit. [Interjections.] Maybe they could benefit by being sent.
This year we celebrate 16 years of an academic relationship with Cuba, a relationship borne out of the discreditable history that this country emerges from, a history that fostered segregation in medical education. Although long repealed, it cannot be forgotten that the apartheid regime promulgated the Extension of University Education Act, Act 45 of 1959, which limited the universities that black ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms N W Magadla): Hon MEC, I'm giving you one minute to conclude.
Mr S DLOMO (KwaZulu-Natal): One minute. Yes. I think with this one minute I just want to assist the hon MEC Botha and myself. I've learnt something from this. The Minister is currently in Geneva attending the World Health Organisation. I was reading the opening comments by the Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, two days ago and she had this to say, – and this could serve as a very good learning curve for ourselves, including you, MEC Botha:
Following publication of the 2010 World Health Report on health system financing, more than 60 countries have approached the World Health Organisation seeking technical support for their plans to move towards universal coverage.
What we are seeing goes against the historical pattern, where social services shrink when money gets tight. I think this drive to expand coverage is a powerful sign. Despite deepening financial austerity, the will to do the right thing, the fair thing, for people's health prevails.
All of these examples, all of my personal experiences over the past five years, bring me to one overarching conclusion: universal health coverage is the single most powerful concept that public health has to offer.
Universal coverage is relevant to every person on this planet. It is a powerful equaliser that abolishes distinctions between the rich and the poor, the privileged and the marginalised, the young and the old, ethnic groups, and women and men. Universal health coverage is the best way to cement the gains made during the previous decade.
I thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr M J R DE VILLIERS//NPM/END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 160
Mr S DLOMO (KwaZulu-Natal)
Mr M J R DE VILLIERS: Hon Chairperson, Ministers, MECs and members, it is of paramount importance that somebody have a roadmap to guide and lead him or her through life to reach his or her goal. It is therefore important for government and its departments to have a strategic plan for direction, and to keep track on the focused plan to achieve success and reach the objectives. If the whole organisation follows this strategic plan with an eagle eye, nobody will fail or underperform.
Afrikaans:
Hierdie twee departemente, Gesondheid en Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling, het elkeen 'n baie duidelike 2012–15 strategiese plan. Elke program en subprogram in die onderskeie departemente beskik oor 'n goedberekende, kostebepalende uiteensetting, ten opsigte van die begroting en finansies soos deur die Nasionale Tesourie toegeken.
English:
The question is: Is there enough money available? Of course you will answer, no, but the crux of the matter is that you have costed the programmes, and of course the available money according to your plan is enough.
The only thing which you, the head of departments, management, officials responsible and the political head, the Minister, must ensure is that you stay on par with the strategic plan, monitoring co-ordination and evaluation on a frequent basis. Checking the progress of each programme and subprogramme is very important.
Afrikaans:
Die gesondheids departemente in die onderskeie provinsies speel nie die wedstryd volgens die reëls nie en sorg ook nie dat die plan en funksies nougeset uitgevoer word nie. Ons weet dat die nasionale Departement van Gesondheid 'n beperkte mandaat het as dit kom by provinsiale mandate, maar die provinsies en nasionale departement is medeverantwoordelik tot een doelwit naamlik, dienslewering van gehalte.
English:
The national Department of Health must put pressure on their provincial counterparts. Poor service delivery in the health sector in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo is a disgrace and unacceptable to our people, especially the poor. You, hon Minister, are to be blamed because in your Minmec meetings you must address the weaknesses in your discussions. Don't shy away from the problem. Nobody is working for free and they receive their salaries on time. Certainly, some doctors and nurses are waiting for their salaries in the Eastern Cape. This is wrong and you must sort this out quickly.
Your mission is: "The prevention of illness and the promotion of healthy lifestyles and to consistently improve the health care delivery system by focusing on access, equality, efficiency, quality and sustainability." Just do this, then we won't have poor service delivery of medicine, unhygienic circumstances and poor health institutions. The training of doctors and nurses takes time. Therefore, we cannot blame anybody on the shortage of these highly trained professionals. More effort must be put into this plan of training doctors and nurses. That is very important.
Hon Minister, you have the capabilities, so do not allow others in the health sector to disgrace you and neglect our people. Cut off the branches on the tree which cannot bear fruit. Do it speedily within the criteria and rules of disciplinary procedures.
If we cannot correct the health sector where it is now in the intensive care unit, then the National Health Insurance, NHI, will be a complete disaster. You underspent ±R1 billion on the revitalisation of hospitals. Why, Minister? This must be addressed this year, but the plan to do this is absent.
Corruption, mismanagement of funds, nondelivery of equipment ordered and paid for, staff not doing their work, staff not practising the Batho Pele principles must be dealt with quickly so that other people see that only one thing is important: the value of our delivery.
This will save the Department of Health a lot of money and more can be done with the allocated finance. The litigation cases - money spent on the carelessness of doctors and/or nurses - will be stopped. We will never have a situation of poor service delivery at any health care centre or institution.
I must say here today that it is not that most of our health care facilities and staff members are weak or poorly managed. During our oversight visits to provinces we found a lot of them doing good work under very difficult circumstances. Therefore, we must congratulate them on work well done. You are actually the shining marble for those who are not performing well. Keep the candle of deliverance burning.
What actually worries me is that the MEC of the Eastern Cape challenges the Act, the mandate of the national government and us as the NCOP and its function. He is out of order, and I think the ANC must deal with him. [Interjections.]
Afrikaans:
Agb Voorsitter, die visie en missie aan die Departement van
Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling spreek boekdele, naamlik en ek haal aan:
English:
"A caring and integrated system of social development services that facilitates human development and improves the quality of life". The mission speaks of protecting the poor and vulnerable within the framework of the South African Constitution and subsequent legislation, a sustainable development, and quality services in partnership in order to build a caring society. If I can hear you, I will deal with you.
This department also speaks to efficiency, co-ordination and evaluation, and builds the tools to improve service delivery and strengthens the capacity of communities and the vulnerable to sustain and improve their livelihoods.
It is good to invest in our children, especially in the early childhood development centres. Therefore, the R15 per child allocated at these centres is excellent. We as community members and the school governing bodies, SGBs, of those centres must make sure that this money is received by these ECD centres, and used appropriately.
It is of the utmost importance that all ECD teachers and trainers are well educated and qualified to do the work. A programme and framework to do this is also absent.
Alcoholism, drug abuse, gangsterism and ill-mannered persons in communities are all related to the quality of life and values of communities. The interventions from the Department of Social Development have to be sharpened into a more focused and intensive programme in the communities.
The grants to people are not the solution to building a better community. Yes, we must aid those who are poor and unemployed, whose income is very low. This shows that the government is caring for the vulnerable. We must actually try to get to the next level, and that is: people to sustain themselves by work, employment and opportunities of development. We must not concentrate on the increase of the child support grant, etc, but it is better to create opportunities for the parents to earn money to support their family, which will bring dignity to people. We must strive to create a self-supporting nation - the independence of a person.
Afrikaans:
Voorsitter, Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling het dus 'n baie belangrike rol om te vervul. Hulle moet ten doel het om die maatskaplike waardes, moraliteit, gesinswaardes en menslike ontwikkeling van ouers en kinders te ontwikkel. Daarom moet die maatskaplike netwerk, nie-regeringsorganisasies, NROs, gemeenskapsgebasseerde organisasies, nie-winsgewende organisasies, NPO's en ander organisasies intensief gebruik word om die waardesisteem van mense op te lig.
English:
A strong family represents a strong nation. Therefore, one nation, one future is so applicable and valuable.
I believe and I am told by the department that a lot of money is connected to fraud cases. The department is busy with a process to address this, to see how they can get the money back. It is unbelievable to hear that officials who are responsible for these fraud cases are still in the department. This situation flickers red lights to the department for not solving the problem.
Get rid of them. Allocate a dedicated team to this problem so that the system is cleared. Let's build Social Development into a winning and leading department amongst those that are leading. I thank you. [Applause.]
Ms P NGOBENI (Mpumalanga)/ src / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 161
Mr M J R DE VILLIERS
Ms P NGOBENI (Mpumalanga): Chairperson, hon members, hon Deputy Minister of Health, Minister of Social Development, Deputy Minister of Social Development, distinguished guests, members of the community present here today, ladies and gentlemen, fellow South Africans, it is my great pleasure to take part in this debate on Budget Vote No 16 of the Department of Health for the 2012-13 financial year.
This debate comes at a time when we are in the mid-term of office as members of different legislatures and Parliament. The Department of Health has a number of challenges and also a number of successes, which can be seen since the beginning of our term of office. The Department of Health's core focus is a long and healthy life for all South Africans.
To achieve this outcome, we need to work very hard together with the Department of Health and other stakeholder departments and civil society at large. We need to urgently have our plans and programmes in place to achieve this great mandate.
Unity in action is paramount in order for us to achieve this great mandate of giving a long and healthy life to the people of South Africa. Greater focus must be placed on the seriousness of improving the life expectancy of our people.
Our country is currently facing serious challenges as a result of the burden of diseases, namely the scourge of HIV and Aids and TB; the high incidence of maternal and child mortality; the expanding burden of noncommunicable diseases; and the high incidence of violence and injury, including motor vehicle accidents.
Together with the Department of Health, the hon Deputy Minister, provincial MECs and their departments, a lot can be achieved to defeat the above-mentioned four pandemics. Our province, Mpumalanga, together with other provinces, is faced with great challenges with regard to the critical shortages of medical staff, for example doctors and professional nurses; and the shortage of mobile clinics; and the high rate of HIV prevalence, especially in the Gert Sibande District Municipality.
The Mpumalanga provincial department of health needs a budget of R3 billion to address the issues of filling all vacant posts. Mpumalanga is 60% rural, and therefore more priorities and resources must be directed to the suffering masses in the rural areas. Together with our Deputy Minister and the provincial MECs, we must, as a nation, be able to decrease maternal and child mortality rates. With combined efforts and the collaboration of all stakeholders, we can succeed in all our campaigns relating to HIV and Aids.
The Department of Health must be commended for having made great successes in the counselling and testing campaign of 15 million South Africans for HIV and Aids. The department has seen great achievements, and even exceeded the target as more than 20 million of our people know their HIV and Aids status.
We have achieved great success, indeed, in relation to containing the scourge of HIV and Aids. The department has managed to increase the ARV sites from 490 by February 2010 to 10 000 by April 2012. It is very important also to note that during this same period the department also conducted 320 000 medical male circumcisions and reduced the transmission of HIV from mother to child from 8% in 2008 to 3,5% in 2011. This is a great success indeed and our united efforts can further improve on the great successes we have achieved.
I must not forget to mention the fact that in our province, Mpumalanga, the health department is committed to expanding access to health services to our people in rural communities through the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme, CRDP, strategy. This strategy has helped us a lot and already 25 of the 37 provincial health departments facilities in our CRDP sites have food gardens that are linked to the Masibuyele Emasimini Programme.
This has improved the lives of our people in these poor communities. Another important focus by our provincial department is to improve services to rural areas and support the livelihoods of our people. In this regard, our department of health has achieved great successes through the funding of 38% of nonprofit organisations in the CRDP sites. These achievements will contribute a lot to healthier lives for all our people.
Our focus must also be on controlling noncommunicable diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, chronic respiratory diseases and cancer. If we succeed in this regard, we shall have made a great contribution to the health of the lives of our people.
The hon Minister in her budget speech emphasised the fact that matters arising from this budget are mainly human rights concerns that are enshrined in the United Nations Human Rights Charter. These are rights which all of humankind deserves from the day one is born to the day one dies. It is therefore of paramount importance for us in government to focus mainly on the improvement of the day-to-day lives of the poorest of the poor, the children, the elderly, the disabled and all those who cannot support themselves and their children.
We have read a lot in the media about street kids, children being raped, and about the elderly being hurt and raped. These are all things which society must come together to destroy and eradicate. Our government remains committed to the complete fulfilment of human rights and wellbeing of our children.
Together with social workers, health workers and law-enforcement officers we must deal with all criminal acts and provide victims with the support they deserve. One of the most disturbing challenges is that people with disabilities remain completely vulnerable in many different ways.
This happens both at home, on the street, and also at places of work. We must, as a matter of urgency, ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are fully protected, as enshrined in the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Another challenge in our communities is the social ills of abuse against women and children. This continues to happen even during daylight, and the law-enforcement agencies seem to be failing in this regard.
We must acknowledge with gratitude the fact that Cabinet has approved the department's Green Paper on Families. This will bring about order in families and result in strengthening our destroyed families.
We happily acknowledge the great concern by the department of focusing on children, and consolidating services for orphaned and vulnerable children, as well as child-headed households so that they can have the necessary services and proper support. We have seen great improvements in the day-to-day lives of our people in various communities. The elderly, the disabled and vulnerable children are being taken care of. The social grants are increasing year by year and, hence, those desperately in need have started to enjoy their right to life.
The department cannot perform miracles alone without all other stakeholders' participation in this long and tedious path to bettering the lives of our people. We also want to indicate the issue of our province being bothered by Mozambique and Swaziland. You find that most health facilities, including social grants, are mostly utilised by people from the countries that I have mentioned. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Mr O DE BEER / JN ///tfm///END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 162
Ms P NGOBENI (Mpumalanga)
Mr O DE BEER: Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister and members, while we welcome and support the antigovernment corruption initiatives, we just cannot ignore some of the questionable initiatives. The SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, reregistration roll-out is indeed baffling and raising eyebrows.
The first question that needs to be asked is: What led to the reregistration and the roll-out? In 2010 the department embarked on the social grant review and, according to the Minister's reply to the question that was asked by Cope, 10 652 older persons were reviewed. Fifty-three were found to be ineligible for an old-age pension because of their means.
The second question is: Why were only 10 000 older people reviewed? In 2010, there were 13,778 million social grant beneficiaries. In our understanding, the review process is both administrative and medical, and all beneficiaries are eligible for review.
In 2010, 80% of grant beneficiaries were paid in cash at various paypoints in our country. The cash payment contracts are costly. Payment days are also associated with high risk when cash is transported. What is Sassa doing to encourage beneficiaries to open bank accounts? In the Eastern Cape, for instance, there was an agreement between Sassa and First National Bank for beneficiaries that did not have conventional bank accounts. They would open an account and get a card, which did not require any charges by the bank.
We also learnt that there will also be voice recording. How is this going to assist in fighting fraud? How are dumb beneficiaries going to be recorded? How far will the Sassa integrity policy allow Sassa to conduct lifestyle audits? [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr S S Mazosiwe): Order, hon member! Hon Nyambi?
Mr A J NYAMBI: Thank you, Chair. I want to know if the hon member is ready to take a question.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr S S Mazosiwe): Hon member?
Mr O DE BEER: After the speech.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr S S Mazosiwe): After his speech. That is what he said. [Laughter.]
Mr O DE BEER: How far will the Sassa integrity policy allow Sassa to conduct lifestyle audits of its officials? How much was spent on the biometric cards? How is the biometric identification project going to be linked to the social pension system and other anticorruption initiatives already in place?
The Auditor-General lambasted the department for failing to play the legislative role of oversight of Sassa in the annual report. Recently, the Auditor-General rang the alarm again on the lack of accountability and not taking qualified audits seriously. We want to know what steps and action the department has taken to show and exercise leadership towards Sassa as the department's agency?
On behalf Of Cope, I would like to reiterate that social grants are not effective in alleviating poverty. There are vulnerable children who qualify for grants but do not receive them. This, in our opinion, is one of the reasons why Sassa has an underspending of R1,8 billion in the 2010-11 financial year. These vulnerable children are also faced with numerous challenges from birth certificates to the inability to have all the supporting information required when they apply for a grant. Thank you very much.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr S S Mazosiwe): Order, hon members! HonDe Beer, take your seat.
Ms M G BOROTO
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 162
Mr O DE BEER
IsiNdebele:
Mm M G BOROTO: Ngithokoze Sihlalo, ngilotjhise kiboNgqongqotjhe naboSekela Ngqongqotjhe abakhona, ngilotjhise godu kumaLunga wesibethamthetho sesifunda akhona phakathi kwethu namalunga ahloniphekileko weNdlu nemvakatjhi zethu ezikhona la. Angithome ukukhuluma ngokuthuthukiswa komphakathi kodwana ngihlabekile ekulumeni yami, bengifuna ukujika ngibuye kancani khengibuze bengikhalime bona lapha eSewula Afrika asinawo umbuso wokwehlangano yamaphasi, ngithome lapho, begodu asinayo iriphabhliki ngaphakathi kwenye iriphabhliki. Nangitjho njalo, ngitjho bona nangabe isifunda kufanele bona sidose ngokwemigomo yombuso ophakathi. Nawuzokuthi i-National Health Insurance, NHI, ngeze yasebenza nakunganakuphatha okuhle kwehlelo elibizwa nge-10 point, utjho ukuthini? Awuyazi na? Ngibuza lokho ngombana umNyango wezamaPhilo wathoma lapho bona kuzoba nokuphatha okolungileko iphendule izinto.
Ngibuye kuwe godu nawuthi angekhe kulunge bona i-NHI isebenze nakunganabodorhodere ababanduliweko. Ngifuna ukukutjela bona umNyango wezamaPhilo nawukhuluma ngabodorhodere ababanduliweko ungikhumbuza emva lapho sibuya khona. Eendaweni zemakhethu asinabo abodorhodere ngeenzathu zobujamo bezinto zalapho ngokuya ngeendawo okwenziwe kukobana besinganawo amathuba wokuya esikolweni. Kungalokho-ke umNyango wenze umtlamo wokuletha abantu ababuya ngaphandle bona bazokusiza ngombana isikhala esenzekileko angeze savaleka ngelanga elilodwa. UmNyango wezamaPhilo wesiFunda sePumalanga Kapa, uthi wona abalifuni isizo le-NHI.Kodwana njengombana ngikhuluma nje ukhona umtlamo wephayiloti ngale nge-Eden, i-Eden Pilot Project. Ngombana nabakhuluma ngokobana abilifuni isizo baqale khulukhulu ngeendaweni abaziko bona abantu balapho banikazi bemali. Akhe uye ngeKhayelitjha khe uyokubona ubujamo bamatlinigi wakhona begodu uye ngeGugulethu uyokubona ubujamo bakhona kodwana bakhuluma indaba yokobana bona abalifuni isizo le-NHI.
Nasiragela phambili, ngithi iSenthat ye-Sarah Baartman leya esiza abomma iyavalwa njenganje. Umbuzo kukobana ivalelwani nangabe isizo alifuneki? Indawo leya iyafuneka ngombana kulapho kwaziwako bona abomma babalekela khona basizakale nabanobudisi ngombana sifuna woke umuntu ahlale kamnandi.
Angilise laba abangahloniphi umlando weSewula Afrika, bacabanga bona bambuso wehlangano yamaphasi, iriphabhliki ngaphakathi kwenye iriphabhliki. Asizokuvuma ukusolwa ngendlela leyo ngombana bona batjhigamele ngehlangothini elithileko bangaqali woke amahlangothi. Namhlanje isabelomali sesithathu sokuthuthukiswa komphakathi ePalamendeni yesine sihlathulula into esiyaziko bona umNyango lo kukuthi umgomo wayo kukulwa nomthlago. Ngalendlela yindlela engiyibeka ngayo bona izwakale kuhle.
English:
We are fighting poverty in this country and this department is the best placed department to do that.
IsiNdebele:
Angithome ngokutjho bona ngiyasisekela isabelomali sabo. Ngisisekela ngombana bayasilalela thina abaphethe inarha le bona sifuna amatjhuguluko bona enzeke ngayiphi indlela. Nasele baqedileko ukusilalela bayakhamba bayohlela izinto kuhle. Namhlanje sizokhuluma ngezinto ezenza kube nokuragela phambili begodu nokuthuthukisa amatjhuguluko.
English:
Social development plays a critical role in the fight against poverty through its programmes aimed at the poorest of the poor and the vulnerable in our society, in order to improve the quality of life of all South Africans. Our government is truly committed to advancing the social transformation agenda. At the core of this agenda is the acceleration of social programmes to improve the quality of life of all our people.
As I say this, I just want to ask the hon De Beer through you, Chair ...
IsiNdebele:
... bona akhe avakatjhele ikomiti yethu ngombana ngathi usalele emva khulu. [Ihleko.] Izinto ezikhulunywa lapha akazazi. Akazi nokobana umNyango sele uphambili khulu kangangani, usakhuluma ngamakarada webhanga thina sele sikude khulu, siyakhamba siyokulungiselela abantu bethu. Usakhuluma ngokukhohlakala, akhe ngimtjele kusese nje bona ngokukhohlakala, awa baba, sesizwene bona woke umuntu obamphathi kufanele afunisiswe ngokuzeleko ngezomthelo. Kwa-ANC nangabe kunokungakhambi kuhle kwezinto kuyalungiswa ngamahlelo wakhona abekiweko. Into angazenzela yona ukuzokuzwisisa indlela yamakarata kukobana akhe avele ngekomitini azozwisisa ngombana yoke into ayikhulume lapha ikhombisa kuhle bona akazilitho ngokuthuthukiswa komphakathi. [Ihleko.]
English:
Food security targets female households and children with disabilities. We want to applaud the Department of Social Development because this is just a show. You are fighting food insecurity and you are addressing the rights of South Africans. Having said that, I just want to say on the issue of early childhood development, we are aware that the early childhood development centres are mushrooming in our areas and one of the problems is that they don't quality to get funding because they don't have the skills and the qualifications that are needed.
IsiNdebele:
"capacity-building" ... Ukuthuthukisa umthamo.
English:
Otherwise, we really welcome the subsidies that you have brought in so that we have our children ... because it is really critical that they are nurtured carefully to realise their full potential and abilities in the early stages of physical and mental development. Thank you very much for what you are doing for our children. [Applause.]
With regard to child and youth care, what else do we want to do if we want to really protect our children and not only protect them, but come up with programmes that are going to assist them with skills in terms of making sure that they accumulate the skills that are needed.
But substance abuse is still a problem. I must say that really in Sassa things are starting to come together. Tribunals are working. Foster care grants ...
IsiNdebele:
... yinto efanelwe ukutjhejwa.
English:
The Western Cape is the highest province with vacancies that are not filled. Their response is that they don't need social workers. It doesn't have any impact. How can you say that when you are staying there? People there need those social workers. They have been trained. You must appoint them. We know you said you appointed them, but according to the records we have, it is the province with the highest rate of not placing people in these vacant posts. And, as such, the Western Cape was lying to you. Thank you, Chair. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
English:
One of the apex priorities of our department is the food security that targets female households and children with disabilities. We want to applaud the Department of Social Development because this is just a show that you are fighting against food insecurity that existed and you are addressing the rights of the South Africans.
Having said that again, I just want to say, on the issue of Early Childhood Development, ECD, centres, we are aware that they are mushrooming in our areas. Children are taught in garages. Some of the problems faced by teachers are that they don't qualify to get funding because they don't have the skills and qualifications that are needed.
IsiNdebele:
Besibawa bona kukhe kukhulunyisanwe nombuso ophasi lapha wabomasipala bona basize khulu ngokwakhiwa komthangalosisekelo ngemakhaya ngombana izinto lezi bezingekho emakhaya wethu. Basize abantu egade bafuna iindawo zokuhloma amasentha we-Early Childhood Development, ama-ECD.
English:
Otherwise, we really welcome the subsidies that you have brought in so that we can help our children. We welcome them because it is really critical that our children are nurtured carefully to realise their full potential and abilities in the early stages of their physical and mental development. Thank you very much for what you are doing for our children! [Applause.] When we come to child and youth care, I am referring to priorities of a co-operative and responsive department.
IsiNdebele:
Ngikhuluma ngezinto eziqakathekileko zomNyango olalelako begodu usiphendule.
The Department of Social Development is currently busy strengthening child protection services. In doing that, there is Isibindi Programme which addresses the needs of orphans and vulnerable children. What else do we want if we really want to protect our children and come up with programmes that are going to assist them with the accumulation of necessary skills?
IsiNdebele:
Ukusetjenziswa kweendakamizwa ngeze ngakhuluma khulu ngakho. Ngizathi akhe samukele ikampa yabantu abadala etjhukunyiswa mNyango. Esikathini sagadesi abantwana abasakwazi ukukhuluma nabazali, bayasaba ukukhuluma. Akhe ngiqedelele ngobana nesikhathi siyaphela. Enye into esiyithokozako lihlelo elihlonyiweko lekomiti ngokuhlanganyela naboNgqongqotjhe ekuthlogonyelweni kokudla. Ngitjho begodu ngithokoze ngombana silile khulu nge-Sassa esikhathini esidlulileko.
English:
However, I must say that really in Sassa, things are starting to come together. Tribunals and foster care grants are operating and fraud investigation ...
IsiNdebele:
... seyizokuba lula khulu ngoba asisafuni ukubhadela i-Special Investigating Unit, i-FIU, siyibhadelele bona isifunisisela ubukhwabanisi, asiqiniseleni.
English:
My last issue will be on the Western Cape, hon Chair.
IsiNdebele:
Kuneenkhala zemisebenzi wabosohlalakuhle ezikhona. Umbuso ophakathi uzikhuphile iinkhalezo. Ngiyazi bona kunemiraro, kwezinye iimfunda azikwazi ukuzizalisa iinkhalezo ngombana kunomraro weemali kodwana lokho kuzakulungiswa. IsiFunda sangePumalanga Kapa ngiso esinezinga eliphezulu khulu lokothlogeka kweenkhala ezingakazaliswa.
English:
In conclusion, the Western Cape province is the highest in terms of the vacant posts that are not filled. Their response is that they do not need them. That does not make any sense. How can you say that when you are staying here? People need the services of the social workers. They have been trained and you must appoint them. We have been told that they have been appointed but according to the records we have, the Western Cape is the province with the highest number of unfilled vacant posts. Therefore, the Western Cape provincial government has not told you the truth. Thank you, Chair.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH/KC/ AZM MNGUNI (IsiNde)/VM (Ndeb ed) / A N N/Eng(ed) / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 163
Ms M G BOROTO
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH: Hon Chair, because the debates on Votes 16 and 19 have been merged, I want to start by saying that I support both Votes. [Laughter.] We were taken by surprise; otherwise we would have made sure that we have a balanced presentation. I will make a formal request that we maybe look at ...
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr S S Mazosiwe): Order, members, order! Order, hon Adams!
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH: ... whether or not we should not all be compelled to be together because health and social development are Siamese twins in a way, as well as give each one enough time so that we can follow through. The fact that we were put together for this debate is a good initiative. I also want to acknowledge that, under the leadership of Minister Bathabile Dlamini, we have been instructed by the interministerial committee, IMC, responsible for combating substance abuse, to develop legislation to control alcohol advertisement. That legislation is on its way and will be tabled during this financial year.
We would also like to remind members of the select committee that the co-signatories to the various outcomes, including the Negotiated Service Delivery Agreements, relate to more than one Minister. For example, in Health, the Ministry of Social Development is also a co-signatory.
Let me say that we should not be distracted and detracted by those who believe that they can bring the Bantustan system in through the back door. We are a unitary state; we share common citizenship and we should not allow anyone to call any of our people refugees. Yes, indeed, this was withdrawn, but it was withdrawn in a by-the-way fashion.
We will believe that the Western Cape, and particularly the DA, does not believe that any of us are still refugees in our own land if they call a formal press conference to deal with this matter - if they would really like us to believe that they are not bringing this matter through the back door, from time to time.
We would also like to assure all our people throughout the country that the Ministry of Health takes the responsibility of supporting all provinces throughout the country, as well as all the 52 districts, and has an obligation to work with all provinces to ensure that our people achieve optimal health. This also includes acknowledging that some of the projects will be delivered through the provincial government system, like the state-of-the-art Khayelitsha Hospital, the state-of-the-art hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, the state-of-the-art Bertha Gxowa Hospital in Gauteng and many other provinces, including the ones that I have announced. We should not be detracted. Let us not debate that which is not there, unless there are those who do not believe in our Constitution.
Regarding the National Health Insurance, NHI, issue, we still hope that we will come to a common agreement, including with those who are currently saying that NHI is not achievable in South Africa. We still hope that we will convince them; we have not given up. We are also grateful that the people in the Western Cape are participating in the pilot system, for their interest. Indeed we have been to many districts, including some in this province, and we have seen that our people certainly need our support.
I want to thank all those who have contributed to the debate and appreciate that he – I think it was the hon member Gunda – referred to the Freedom Charter. However, I think maybe we need to have sessions because there are more and more of us who adopt the Freedom Charter without understanding it fully. So, we need to have common sessions, so that, as South Africans, we move closer to this dream of a common South Africa and move away from the tendencies of abusing our rights ... [Interjections.] ... our freedom, as well as the so-called freedom of expression in art that has been in the public and media recently, which has evoked emotions that we thought we were healing in our country.
The issue of section 100 is an important one to discuss. It is a reality that if you look at certain provinces you will see that indeed they have no capacity. The intention of section 100 was not to undermine our people or provincial governments, but to be an instrument to assist if there are difficulties. We are happy that in Limpopo, since the institution of section 100, there has not been unauthorised expenditure noted. We hope that sooner or later we will be able to withdraw and hand over to the leadership in the province.
In Gauteng, we are happy that they have managed, through interventions and engagements, to pay many of the suppliers, as well as the nongovernmental organisations that they could not pay because of cash flow difficulties.
It is important that we work together in terms of what we have announced and agreed upon as non-negotiables, so that we do not get to that stage at all. We are confident that all our provinces are with us and are committed and dedicated. As we strengthen the effectiveness of the health system, we are confident that the four outcomes for which we are signatories, together with the Minister, that are aimed at giving an opportunity for a better life ... [Interjections.] ... to all people will be achieved. I thank you. [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 Take: 163
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Chairperson, without wasting time, let me inform Mr De Beer that there are no dumb people in South Africa. They have a challenge; they cannot hear. So, they are not dumb. A dumb person is a fool. It is quite shocking that an MP can say that people are dumb.
We have been advertising the issue of electronic payments; informing people that we have a smart card which they are going to use to withdraw money from banks and pay for goods at any service point. [Interjections.] All banks. It is not true that banks do not charge for withdrawals; they do charge.
The SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, has been accused of spending too much; it is refreshing to be accused of spending too little. The smart card costs are included in the R16 transaction cost. It is not an additional cost. We have said that we are saving R800 million per year and close to R3 billion over a period of five years. I thought Cope would applaud us for these kinds of savings. I am puzzled by the question asked by the hon Nyambi. Members of Parliament, you must be very careful. Please do not come here and represent banks; you are representatives of the people.
Hon member Fritz, let us put issue of the wage subsidy aside; it is a National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac, matter. Nedlac is facilitating negotiations and we are going to reach decisions based on consensus. That has always been the nature of Nedlac.
Another thing, thou shall not steal. This issue was brought up by the President and, as usual, you are so used to stealing our legacy that you are now talking about Madiba as if you own him and you want ... [Interjections.] He belongs to us. Madiba was the president of the ANC. [Interjections.] He joined the ANC long ago. Yes...
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr S S Mazosiwe): Order! Order, hon Sinclair! Order!
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: ... you must also talk about your leaders. Talk about your leaders. [Interjections.] Talk about Verwoerd. [Interjections.]
The issue of dependency ... [Interjections.] ... you gained from apartheid, my brother. You are a beneficiary, so do not behave as ...
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr S S Mazosiwe): Order, hon Minister. Address the members through me, please. [Interjections.]
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: The issue of dependency is a particularly irritating one. It is often raised by middle-class people and the elite who, at the end of the month, are going to get a salary. So, let us look at ourselves and at the kinds of policies that we are championing.
Our policies are based on evidence. Evidence says children in households that access grants are more likely to attend school. It also says adults in households that access grants are more likely to go and look for work. These are not only opinions, but are backed by research that was conducted by the National Income Dynamics Study, the University of Cape Town and others. I hope MEC Fritz will join me in Gugulethu tomorrow, where we will be launching a study. [Interjections.]
I agree that people must prove themselves, but I do not expect qualified professionals to be relegated to cadets or interns. My question is where these social workers come from. Where were they trained? Were they trained in Stellenbosch? Were they trained in the Western Cape? No; they come from universities or institutions of the former ... [Interjections.] No, it is not something like that. They come from institutions that are located in areas of the formerly oppressed. That is what I wanted to say. [Interjections.]
Let us explain the Brazilian programme properly. Let us not create things that are not there about this programme. In terms of other issues that have been raised regarding grants, we pay grants to vulnerable people, not to people who are able to go to work. They are for older persons, children and people with disabilities. So, it is not true that we are creating dependency. Please do your research and say the correct things. You are MPs; you are supposed to be working with researchers. I thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
The Council adjourned at 18:24.
/UNH/END OF TAKE
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