May we start by taking this opportunity to extend our best wishes to our Muslim brothers and sisters who today mark Eid al Fitr which is the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan and the close of the fasting season. On behalf of our provincial government and the people of KwaZulu-Natal we say may this special day bring you peace, happiness and prosperity as we continue to pray for a better world. Eid Mubarak!
On the 27th of April 2004, as South Africa we marked our 10th anniversary since the dawn of liberation. It was a momentous year in which our young democracy reached a decade since that great leader of our people Tata Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela had, like the Biblical Moses, led us to our historic first democratic elections on 27 April 1994.
Aware of the significance of this milestone, government produced the “Towards a Ten-Year Review,” a document that mapped the socio-economic impact of democratic change since 1994. The Ten-Year Review document was part of the process of self-examination, wherein as a country we looked back to 1994 as a significant tilting point in our history.
We paused to admire the distance covered, and to tally our massive achievements along the journey travelled. Perhaps more importantly, we then had a clearer view of the challenges which lay ahead, and that more work remained before we could taste true freedom. Our victory in the first and subsequent democratic elections was based on the promises we made in 1994, and the social compact we adopted together to lead the country to a non-racialist, non-sexist, just, and democratic future.
It became abundantly clear, as we had always known, that indeed political freedom was inadequate unless accompanied by economic freedom. Many of our people were still confronted with the indignity of poverty and want.
At the same time we were also reminded, that as President Nelson Mandela famously declared that: “Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and Apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings”.
Honourable Speaker, we can state with certainty that as we head towards the three decades of our hard-won freedom, that we have made remarkable progress since 1994. Indeed, today we are closer to reaching the Land which God promised Moses and the people of Israel as he led them out of the captive land of Egypt.
However, the road is long, hard, and fraught with danger and resistance particularly because economic freedom remains a dream to many. Equally, we are discovering that the people’s ability to create and improve their own livelihoods remains constrained after the legacy of the inferior Bantu education and years of systematic exclusion of black people, Africans in particular, from particular trades and professions. These two factors undermine our efforts to deal decisively with the challenges of inequality, poverty and unemployment, and the total transformation of our province. Without addressing these, the goals of national unity, genuine reconciliation, and social cohesion will forever remain unattainable and an impediment to a truly non-racial, non-sexist, free, equal and united KwaZulu- Natal.
THE DOUBLE BLOW OF LOSING HIS AND HER MAJESTIES
Honourable Speaker on 12 March we suffered a double blow with the demise of His Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu. As if that was not enough, on 07 May we had to bid final goodbye to the Regent, Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu. We never imagined that so soon, we would be again be in agony, mourning, and laying to rest our Regent Queen. Once again, we extend our deepest sympathies to the Zulu Royal Family for this tragedy and loss.
We are however a resilient people. We now have a new King. Today we say “Bayede” to His Royal Highness Misuzulu kaZwelithini who takes his place in history among the long line of leaders of our people stretching from Mnguni to Luzumane the progenitor of AmaZulu. His Majesty Misuzulu kaZwelithini joins the great leaders of our nation in the form of Malandela, Zulu, Ntombela, Nkosinkulu, Phunga, Mageba, Ndaba, Jama, Senzangakhona, Shaka, Dingane, Cetshwayo, Dinuzulu, Maphumzana, Bhekuzulu and our recently departed King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu.
As KwaZulu-Natal we stand ready to provide the necessary support to the Royal Family during this period and beyond. The KwaZulu Natal Traditional Leadership and Governance Act No 5 of 2005 in Section 17 provides for the recognition of Isilo as the monarch of KwaZulu-Natal, or King as defined in Section 1 of the Framework Act. In established practice we have therefore clearly defined the role and relevance of the institution of Monarchy and the obligations of provincial government to the Royal House.
Working together with the Royal Family, we will soon finalise and announce the date for the coronation of His Majesty Misuzulu ka Zwelithini. This will be the first coronation in a long time and will be a fitting tribute to His Majesty King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu who would have reached 50 years on the throne this year.
RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF COVID-19
Honourable Speaker it may be appropriate to describe the past financial year as an “Annus Horibilis”. Indeed 2020/2021 has been a year of great misfortune and disaster in our province, our country and in the world.
In March 2020 our country was placed under the State of Disaster following the discovery in KwaZulu Natal of South Africa’s first case of the deadly Corona Virus. The pandemic resulted in the dramatic decline in global economic prospects and led to a severe contraction of the South African economy.
KwaZulu-Natal remains South Africa’s second largest economy, contributing an average of 16% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product. The largest negative contributors to the provincial economic growth in the second quarter of 2020 were mining and quarrying, which contracted by 75.5%; construction by 75.3%; manufacturing by 75.1% and wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants by 68.9%. During this time unemployment also rose. As reflected in the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, during the fourth quarter of 2020 South Africa recorded a 32.5% unemployment rate with KwaZulu-Natal at 29.6%. Compared with quarter four in 2019, total unemployment was at 25% and the unemployment rate increased by 2,9% annualised.
In response we have adopted the Recovery and Transformation Plan which should push our economy out of the woods, but the threat of a Third Wave remains real. We remain optimistic and encouraged by investor confidence in KwaZulu-Natal. On Tuesday, for instance, we were honoured to witness the launch of the Keytone Logistics Facility in Hammarsdale which is R1.6billion investment in our economy by the private sector. As the economy enters recovery, our policies must focus on inclusive economic growth that promotes both public and private sector investment in productive infrastructure, fruitful expenditures and social relief. The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government will continue to engage economic development partners and stakeholders to promote key trade and investment opportunities in a more targeted and coordinated way.
We delivered the 2021 State of the Province Address under the theme of “Quickening the Tempo to Economic Recovery and Job Creation.”
To achieve our objective which is expressed in the theme, it is important that we locate our province within the emerging economic picture globally and nationally.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ECONOMY
Honourable Speaker, after an economic collapse last year caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, global economic output is expected to grow at 4% in 2021, however, remaining more than 5% below pre-pandemic forecasts. Global growth is projected to moderate to 3.8% in 2022, weighed down by the pandemic’s damage to potential growth.
The global economic activities were impacted by great lockdown regulations enforced in different countries to slow local infections transmission while preparing healthcare systems to handle rapidly rising caseloads. The global economy began to rebound steadily from the substantial contractions reported in the first half of 2020, following the cautious reopening of economic activities in most economies, particularly in May and June. However, the recovery path remained uncertain as COVID-19 continued to spread in many parts of the world, forcing other countries to reinstate partial lockdowns to protect susceptible populations. Countries that had previously flattened the infection curve experienced second-wave of infections. Thus, global growth is estimated to have contracted by 3.5% in 2020.
The optimism about the global fight against the virus has intensified following the approval of multiple vaccines and the launch of vaccination programmes. Notwithstanding the probability of experiencing new waves, the roll-out of vaccines is generally expected to boost global growth prospects as can already be witnessed through upbeat financial markets and increasing global oil prices.
South African economic outlook
Back home, the country’s overall annual economic performance, real gross domestic product increased at an annualised rate of 6.3% in the fourth quarter of 2020; supported by the further easing of lockdown restrictions in the country and largely driven by the Manufacturing industry. With that said, several risks still persistent and pose a significant threat to the country’s economic growth trajectory including the resuscitated Eskom load shedding, predictions of a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, weak global economic growth sentiments and the escalating national debt amongst other risks. To sum up, on an annual basis, South African economy contracted by 7% in 2020 and is expected to expand by 2.8% in 2021 and by 1.4% in 2022. This is indicative of coming off a lower base in 2020 to 2021 and therefore we expect a slower positive rate in 2022.
KwaZulu-Natal economic outlook
Turning our attention to KwaZulu-Natal, the Provincial Treasury Socio-Economic Review and Outlook for 2021/2022 reflected that KwaZulu-Natal’s economy was already in a technical recession (like the South African economy at large) prior to the global pandemic after it had reported a third consecutive quarterly contraction in the first quarter. The provincial economy is expected to strengthen to 2.5% in 2021 before moderating to 1.5% in 2022. The province forecast strong economic recovery, particularly in 2021, will be supported by the anticipated effective management of COVID-19 as vaccines increasingly become available for a larger proportion of the population.
The unemployment rate is very high in KZN when measured using the expanded definition, including discouraged jobseekers at 38.9%. Expanded unemployment almost doubled the official unemployment rate in KZN (26,4%), making the province counted among those with higher expanded unemployment. This indicates a stark reality that most people of the province's working-age are not actively looking for employment and therefore form part of the discouraged work-seekers.
Inclusive growth and economy
In the final analysis, the KwaZulu-Natal government needs to follow policy direction from national government in regards to structural economic reforms to facilitate higher and more inclusive growth. Network industries in telecommunications, electricity, ports, rail, and roads should undergo modernisation and reform. KZN need to implement trade policies that are reoriented to take advantage of the free trade area in Africa through African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
The KZN government must lead the private sector and assist businesses to pursue greater regional opportunities and establish KZN as an export province. The advantages of AfCFTA is that entry barriers will be lowered to make it easier for business to start, grow, and compete with the support towards labor-intensive sectors like tourism and agriculture, where there is more potential for people to get jobs.
A strategic inclusive policy approach by KZN government is to ensure an environment for businesses to access credit, improve productivity, reduce unemployment in partnership with the private sector, harness public revenue and deploy it in efficient transport infrastructure. KZN should operate at a regional level and integrate with national policies and the African trade agenda.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE BUDGET VOTE
Honourable Speaker, departments use Budget Votes to respond concretely to the commitments made during the State of the Province Address. It is expected, therefore, that provincial budgetary allocations reflect the priorities identified during SOPA, and duly mirror our commitment to a stronger, transformed and better country and province for all.
In this context, the Office of the Premier (OTP) is principally responsible for the transversal functioning of government by coordinating, monitoring and evaluating our provincial delivery programme. OTP develops appropriate laws and policies and provides the strategic direction and management of provincial government. In addition, we take the cue from the State of the Nation Address, the National Development Plan 2030, the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy and Plan (PGDS/P) and the MTSF Implementation Plan which customize the NDP to our local conditions.
Honourable Speaker;
Honourable Members;
According to our Annual Performance Plan for this year, among the strategies driven by OTP are the following:
The Siyahlola programme which involves unexpected visits to service delivery centres and provides feedback to communities on progress and development initiatives;
The Poverty Eradication Master Plan (PEMP) which targets the poorest households in the poorest wards and supports the coordination of game-changing interventions in the Poverty Master Plan.
Inkululeko Development programme wherein government moves as one into an area, engages local stakeholders and capacitates them to take over once the project is delivered.
The Provincial Implementation Plan (PIP) 2017-2022 on HIV and AIDS, TB and STIs which is driven through the Provincial Council on HIV and AIDS (PCA) and is responsible for coordinating the multi-sectoral HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Tuberculosis (TB) response in the Province.
Operation Vula which uses public procurement to address deep-seated and persistent racial inequalities in our economy.
The Provincial Communication Strategy which enhances the reputation and recognition of the province, improves stakeholder relations and the sharing of technical and financial resources across all spheres of communication.
Strategies supporting vulnerable groups such as women, people with disability, elderly, children and LGBTQI+ with the Democracy Support. This includes fighting gender-based violence, the second pandemic in KZN and the rest of the country.
The provincial Human Resource Development Strategy (HRD) which aims to develop the capacity of citizens to unlock their economic potential and the utilisation of all available human capital.
The Youth Development Strategy which fosters the economic participation of youth in the mainstream economy. This is done through employment or business opportunities, skills development and offering second chances for matriculants to rewrite.
The Provincial Stakeholder Coordination Strategy and Provincial International Relations and the Social Cohesion and Moral Regeneration Strategy.
Implementing the Digital Transformation Strategy which guides our digital transformation and draws citizens into the new world of technology and the 4th Industrial Revolution and e-learning and the digitisation of government services.
THE BUDGET VOTE FOR 2021
Honourable Speaker, we have the honour today of presenting this year’s Budget Vote 1 which is the responsibility of the Office of the Premier. The total budget for the Office of the Premier for the 2021/22 financial year is R802, 240 million which is allocated in line with the structure and programmes of the Office of the Premier as follows:
Programmes
Currently the programme structure of the Office of the Premier is as follows:
• Programme 1: Administration
• Programme 2: Institutional Development
• Programme 3: Policy and Governance
PROGRAMME 1: ADMINISTRATION (R 189,368 million)
Honourable Members, Programme 1, that is, Administration, has been allocated for the current financial year a budget of R189,368 million.
This programme provides administrative support to the Premier, Executive Council (Cabinet) and the Director-General and promotes co-operative governance, sound financial management support and advisory services within the Office of the Premier.
There are five sub-programmes supporting this programme which are: Premier Support, Executive Council Support, Director-General Support, Financial Management and Inter-Governmental Relations. The sub-programme: Premier Support has been allocated a budget of R 33,107 million to provide technical, administrative and advisory support to the Premier in executing the office’s constitutional mandate.
The sub-programme: Executive Council Support has been allocated a budget of R 10,311 million to render secretariat support services to the Executive Council, Cabinet Izindaba, Clusters and key provincial committees. The sub-programme: Director–General Support has been allocated a budget of R 22,309 million to provide administrative support to the Director-General in strategically managing the Province. The Financial Management sub-programme has been allocated a budget of R 104.773 million to provide sound financial management support and advisory services as well as auxiliary services for the entire department.
The Inter-Governmental Relations (IGR) sub-programme has been allocated R 18,868 million. The aim is to strengthen IGR in the province through collaboration and integrated planning for improved service delivery. In July 2020, the unit facilitated the approval of the IGR strategy for the province. Since the commencement of the national lockdown in March 2020, OTP has been co-ordinating the Provincial Command Council on Covid-19 through Executive Council Clusters. District Development Structures were also supported with donations of water to war-rooms, sanitisers, sanitary towels and face shields.
The Office pursued closer collaboration with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Embassies and Consulates. In addition, we worked together with our own diplomatic missions abroad conducting reviews on virtual platforms, of twinning agreements to further strengthen bilateral ties.
In this regard, we reviewed:
• The Maryland Twinning Agreement on 9 July 2020;
• The Guangdong Twinning Agreement on 17 July 2020;
• The Shanghai Twinning Agreement on 17 July 2020;
• The Fujian Twinning Agreement on 17 July 2020;
• The Baden-Wurttemberg Twinning Agreement on 21 July 2020;
• The Jakarta Twinning Agreement on 1 October 2020;
• The Maputo Twinning Agreement on 11 November 2020.
The 2021/22 financial year will see an increase in support to the Premier and Director-General in inter-sphere, inter-sectoral and inter-governmental co-operation. The implementation of the recently approved Intergovernmental Relations Strategy (IGR) will be done through community engagements, workshops and other stakeholder platforms. This will be followed by the implementation of the IGR Learning Network to all stakeholders, which will serve as a benchmark on the monitoring of the IGR Strategy and implementation plan.
The resuscitation of inter-provincial activities, especially with the Mpumalanga province, will enable joint cluster meetings and events to resume. The inter-provincial engagements are meant to be the initial process leading to the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs).
PROGRAMME 2: INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT (R 427,948 million)
The purpose of programme 2 – Institutional Development - is to improve service delivery through institutional capacity building and transformation management in the Province. This programme comprises Strategic Human Resources, Legal Services, Information Communications Technology, Communication Services, Special Programmes and Forensic Investigations and Integrity Management. The largest portion of our Budget goes to this programme.
It is allocated R 427,948 million for this financial year and will be split as follows:
SUB-PROGRAMME: STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCES (R 88,073 MILLION)
The sub-programme of Strategic Human Resources coordinates and monitors the customisation, development and implementation of human resource policies, systems, programmes and plans for the Province of KwaZulu-Natal.
The Covid-19 pandemic constrained the normal departmental HR audit visits. Notwithstanding this, all quarterly compliance reports were finalised. The KZN Provincial HR Turnaround Strategy was approved by the Provincial Executive Council for implementation by all provincial departments.
With the reality of Covid-19 upon us, occupational Health and Safety has become a bigger priority with OTP being responsible for co-ordinating the Provincial Safety Health Environment Risk and Quality (SHERQ) Management Plan. The pandemic has challenged all workplaces to revisit their occupational health and safety structures and systems, and to ensure that they are responsive to efforts to curb the virus. Due to Covid-19, departments are now expected to strengthen psychosocial, economic and mental health support interventions in the workplace.
A budget of R88,073 million has been set aside for the sub-programme of Strategic Human Resources.
SUB-PROGRAMME: INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) (R 67,356 MILLION)
The purpose of this sub-programme is to coordinate Government Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, and to render internal ICT support to the Office of the Premier. The sub-programme aims at improved Information Communication Technology (ICT) Governance in the Province and the department.
As part of the Digital Transformation Strategy roadmap, the Office of the Premier has completed the ICT Integration Plan that includes the Provincial Cloud First Policy, Cloud Business Case, Cloud Legal Compliance checklist as well as the Implementation Plan. The Cloud Policy will ensure data protection and alignment to international data security standards.
The Cloud First Policy, Cloud First Privacy Legal Checklist and the Cloud First Business Case have been aligned to the draft DPSA Cloud First documents. This forms the basis for effective decision making as the province moves into the 4IR (Industrial Revolution) and the Digital Transformation Strategy. We have already drafted the roadmap in terms of Provincial ICT Priorities and the Implementation Plan, the Integration Plan and Cloud Policy have already been adopted by the Executive Council.
In 2021/2022, R67, 356 million is allocated for the sub-programme: Information Communication Technology.
SUB-PROGRAMME: LEGAL SERVICES (R12,302 MILLION)
An amount of R12, 302 million is budgeted for the sub-programme: Legal Service. KZN currently follows a decentralised model in respect of the provision of legal services and has taken the lead in the country on the Rationalisation of Laws and the Audit of and Compliance with Laws. The KwaZulu-Natal Public Sector Lawyers’ Forum (KZN PSLF), the intra-governmental structure will co-ordinate the provision of legal services across provincial departments. There is improvement of the quality of our Provincial legislation and the rationalisation of our Statute Book, but more needs to be done.
SUB-PROGRAMME: COMMUNICATION SERVICES (R 73,818 MILLION)
Honourable Speaker, the Provincial Government Communication is responsible for enhancing the three principal elements of government communication which include responsiveness, effectiveness and accountability. Government Communication creates an empowered citizenry by providing timely two-way communication between government and the citizens it serves. With the new normal of Covid-19, Provincial Government Communication has moved into higher gear characterised by an increase in the use of multimedia platforms including digital and online platforms.
During 2021/22, the Provincial Communication Service will intensify the promotion and profiling of the work of government. Communication will be anchored around the following projects:
• Defeating Covid-19;
• Re-igniting the economy and supporting job creation;
• Strengthening governance, especially the District Development Model;
• Fighting corruption;
• Water Provision;
• Ending Gender-Based Violence.
An informed and empowered public is an essential condition for a responsive and accountable government. Capacity-building programmes for government communicators at provincial and district level will be prioritized.
The Sub-Programme has been allocated R73, 818 million.
SUB-PROGRAMME: SPECIAL PROGRAMMES (R 140,431 MILLION)
Honourable Member, Special Programmes led by the Office of the Premier is allocated R140, 431 million in 2021/2022.
Major community-based programs may have been adversely affected due to Covid-19, but every effort was made to ensure work continues. We can report to this august House that we however succeeded in organizing Human Rights Workshops. The workshops were held in the Zululand, uMkhanyakude and uGu district municipalities, as well as the EThekwini Metro. The commemoration of significant calendar dates continued, such as the International Day for People with Disabilities and the National Senior Citizens Day.
The department plans to undertake programs such as the physical access audit for persons with disabilities, and capacity building for vulnerable groups, e.g. farm workers and persons with disabilities. We will continue to roll-out of human rights awareness campaigns, such as National Human Rights Day, International Day for People with Disabilities and the National Day for Senior Citizens. The programme has intervened on farms where abuse has been reported. We have also hosted the Inter-Generational Dialogues and the Centenarian Program.
In the Youth Directorate, the R50 million was budgeted in 2020/21 for supporting youth owned enterprises, but this was suspended to 2021/22 because of Covid-19. The R50 million in respect of the KZN Youth Empowerment Fund has been allocated for the 2021/22 period. These funds will be used to support youth businesses, with disbursement managed by the KZNGFT (Growth Fund).
SUB-PROGRAMME: FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONS AND INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT (R 45, 968 MILLION)
The sub-programme “Forensic and Integrity Management” is allocated R45, 968 million. It is responsible for undertaking Forensic Investigation Services and well as Integrity Management Services for all departments. On 1 August 2020, the Forensic Investigation Services unit was transferred to OTP from Provincial Treasury and was placed within the Institutional Development and Integrity Management branch.
As at 31 December 2020, the unit had completed twelve (12) investigations, and conducted 42 follow-ups to track the status of implementation of recommendations arising from forensic investigation reports. As the OTP we are fully committed to the fight against fraud and corruption. We will continue our close collaboration with law enforcement agencies such as the Anti-Corruption Task Team (ACTT), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), South African Police Services (SAPS), Fusion Centre, Specialised Commercial Crime Unit (SCCU) and Asset Forfeiture Unit on criminal investigations.
The bulk related to disciplinary and remedial actions implemented by provincial departments while the balance involved criminal matters conducted with the SAPS. The unit is finalizing the Fraud Case Management to be used to record, consolidate and track forensic investigations in provincial government. As part of the anti-corruption plan, fraud prevention strategies of all departments and public entities will be reviewed.
The unit will this year drive stronger collaboration to strengthen provincial compliance and to foster greater initiatives with COGTA. This will help combat fraud, corruption, irregularities and maladministration occurring within municipalities and municipal entities in the province. We expect greater focus this year on local government as we head to the local government elections on 27 October.
PROGRAMME 3: POLICY AND GOVERNANCE (R 184,924 million)
Honourable Speaker, the purpose of programme 3 – Policy and Governance - is to initiate province-wide development and implementation of strategies and policies to achieve a co-ordinated approach towards sustainable provincial growth and development. There are three sub-programmes supporting this programme, namely: Provincial Policy Management, Premier’s Priority Programmes and the Royal Household.
SUB-PROGRAMME: PROVINCIAL POLICY MANAGEMENT (R 37,640 MILLION)
The sub-programme of Provincial Policy Management initiates, facilitates, supports and co-ordinates implementation, monitoring and evaluation of provincial policies and plans to ensure sustainable provincial growth and development.
The Provincial Planning Commission advises and recommends to the Premier and the Provincial Executive on the long-term strategic development perspective and vision of the province. In 2020/21, the Commission reviewed the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) and ensured continued alignment with the National Development Plan (NDP) and Medium Terms Strategic Framework (MTSF) 2019-2024.
The Executive Council adopted the KZN Medium Term Strategic Framework Implementation Plan for 2020-21, as amended through Cluster contributions and COVID-19 Recovery Plans for each cluster.
The importance of monitoring and evaluation of the PGDS and Plan has been strengthened to ensure implementation. The subprogramme on Monitoring and Evaluation will this year have much more focus on monitoring of key projects of the Province and departmental performance which was started in the 2020/21 financial year. Business systems have improved to ensure sustainable monitoring of performance in government. The adoption of consequence management framework will ensure accountability for poor performance both in the Office of the Premier and the entire Provincial Government.
SUB-PROGRAMME: PREMIER’S PRIORITY PROGRAMMES (R 81,210 MILLION)
Operation Sukuma Sakhe (OSS) under the Premier’s Priority Programmes is a ward-based programme used to mobilise government and non-governmental resources to address social problems afflicting various households, vulnerable groups and communities. With the adoption of the District Development Model (DDM), we are in the process of aligning and integrating OSS with DDM.
All non-functional War Rooms have been identified with the Director-General and Heads of Departments and Municipal Managers and CEOs required to identify public officials to be allocated to various wards in the province. The Premier and the Speaker of the Provincial Legislature will co-ordinate the deployment of MPLs in various constituencies to be attached to districts and wards.
One Wednesday each month shall be dedicated to the OSS War Room programme with appointed and elected officials expected to be in KZN OSS War Rooms. These public officials shall be bound to leave their conventional workstations and be present in the various OSS War Rooms.
Action plans per War Room will be developed and submitted to the DDM Secretariat and the OTP through OSS Local Task Team and District Task Team structures. OTP will also ensure that the revitalised OSS Strategy is applicable to all War Room structures in order to deliver essential and long-term services to communities in an integrated manner.
The Inkululeko Development Projects (IDP-1 and IDP-2) will focus for 2021/22 at Indumo and Cwaka, Muden and Weenen to ensure that projects that are not complete are being implemented and finalised.
The IDP-1 project is currently being implemented in the Ndumo area. Most projects were completed and handed over to the respective departments, and others are at 95 to 99 per cent complete. We have projects from EDTEA, DARD, and Human Settlements are behind schedule due to litigation issues and specification problems, among other reasons. These issues are now resolved and the focus in 2021/22 will be eradicating the backlog to ensure that projects with teething challenges proceed.
The IDP-2 project is currently being implemented in Cwaka, under the Msinga local municipality, in Muden under the Mvoti local municipality and in Weenen under the Inkosi Langalibalele local municipality. This project is still at planning phase, hence a need for all critical role players to ensure that necessary planning is undertaken through the identification and mobilisation of the required resources.
The Poverty Eradication unit is based on the Poverty Eradication Master Plan (PEMP) which indicated that more than 3.5 million people in the province live below the poverty breadline (R418.00 per month as defined by the National Planning Commission. Thus, the unit seeks to unlock the Community Development, Agricultural, Enterprise Development, Skills Development and Work Creation potential of the province of KwaZulu-Natal by identifying high impact interventions that would assist in the eradication of food poverty, and poverty in general. Currently the implementation of PEMP is at phase (four), cascading to all the poverty-stricken wards of the province.
The Poverty Eradication Programme is focused on the coordination of Government and Private Sector Poverty Eradication initiatives and channel them to where they are most needed. It also helps in identifying service delivery gaps, coordinate and package immediate, short term and long-term interventions.
The Poverty Eradication Programme has to date assessed all the 169 most deprived wards where a total number of 28 393 cases from vulnerable households were identified and assisted towards relevant interventions implemented by sector departments and private sector. So far, a total of 19 270 cases which required immediate and short-term interventions have been resolved.
In 2021/22 financial year the unit will be working on the balance of 9 123 cases which still need long-term interventions as well as new cases identified. The vulnerability of beneficiaries ranges from social insecurity to a vast range of economic activity deprivation due to lack of investment, resources and engagement by stakeholders (Government and Private Sector) to offset the extrication of the beneficiaries from poverty.
SUB-PROGRAMME: ROYAL HOUSEHOLD (R 66,074 MILLION)
The Office of the Premier is responsible for and continues to give support to the Zulu Royal Household Trust. In 2021/2022, R66, 074 million is allocated for the Royal Household sub-programme. This budget is allocated for activities which include among other things, the hosting of annual traditional and cultural events to preserve Zulu culture, as well as the hosting of heritage events such as the King’s Coronation day, Prayer Day events. By mid-year, eight events were hosted, which were coordinated OTP, while six events are planned for the remainder of the year. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, most of these events were hosted virtually.
Events already hosted include:
• Cultural events – Umkhosi weSivivane (Umkhosi woMama), Umkhosi weLembe (King Shaka commemoration) and the Umkhosi Womhlanga (Royal Reed Dance).
• Heritage events including His Majesty, the King’s birthday.
• Religious events including the Nhliziyonye annual multi-denominational prayer day, and the King Dinuzulu prayer day, among others.
• Events where food parcels and water tanks were provided to communities to help people affected by the lockdown. Some planned religious events, like Umgidi wamaShembe, Seventh Day Adventist Church Prayer, and the St. John’s Apostolic Church Prayer, were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of the King’s activities/events for the remainder of the financial year include the King’s Coronation day, Umkhosi woSelwa (First Fruit Ceremony), the annual Amarula Festival (Umkhosi WaMaganu) at Machobeni and KwaKhangela Palaces, Ukukhonza (Homage) by the Makhaya Clan at Enyokeni Palace and the opening of the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders.
REVENUE (R 1,394 million)
Finally, Revenue which comprises revenue from commissions on PERSAL deductions such as insurance premiums and garnishee orders and tender fees will receive R 1,394 million.
The people of KwaZulu-Natal are renowned across the world as a warm and hospitable people. We are known as a society that endures, that is resilient, that overcomes challenges and adversities. In the face of a common enemy, COVID-19, we will draw from our history and collective strength to unite and defeat this enemy.
It would be amiss of me to conclude this budget vote without commenting on the unacceptably high levels of violence in our province. Any sign of violence and conflict does not bode well for the image and future of KwaZulu-Natal. I wish to implore not just our law enforcement agencies and communities to rise against violence and crime, but also this Legislature to be seized with the question of rooting out the culture of violence.
Honourable Members, we read this week in the press about tragic news of the murder of four men, including three brothers, in Richmond on Tuesday. These are Xolani Ngcamu (36), Siyabonga Ngcamu (32), Andile Ngcamu (28) and their cousin, Mlondi Simelane. We extend our sincere condolences to the family and urge our police to leave no stone unturned to ensure justice is served.
With the ascendancy of His Majesty King Misizulu kaZwelithini to the throne, we believe that KwaZulu-Natal’s new day to moral regeneration and social cohesion has been born. We are all called upon to offer our best in the service of our people and to restore their humanity and dignity.
This is not a time to despair or lose hope. We can discover this sense of hope from the Poet Laureate of Africa, Professor Mazisi Kunene, who on Wednesday , 12 May, would have turned 91. He writes in his epic Stages of Existence:
“I watched the rainbow
Advances with the faces of old women
Who raised their heavy eyes
Like the shadows of magical figures.
I bent the rainbow-rope from the horizon
So that I might tie the earth
So that whatever is passed of the past
May give birth.”
Let us put the past of the pandemic behind us, tie the earth to the rainbow so that the new is may be born.
Let us be workers of peace and development and proscribe poverty and violence in the dustbin of history.
Together, let us create a province where our daughters, sisters, and mothers can walk our streets without the fear of being attacked or killed by men.
May I finally take this opportunity to thank the Director-General, Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize and the staff of the Office of the Premier for their commitment and dedication.
I also extend heartfelt appreciation to all Members of the Executive Council, the portfolio committee responsible for oversight of our work, and indeed all Members of the KZN Legislature.
I also wish to thank my family for supporting me all the time as I go about my duties. I now formally table Vote 1 with a budget of R 802,240 million.
Together Growing KwaZulu-Natal!