Honourable Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Mr Willies Mnchunu 

Honourable Premier Dr S J Ndebele 

Honourable Provincial Members of the Executive Council 

Honourable Members of the Legislature 

Amakhosi & Izinduna 

Honourable Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Speakers & Councillors 

Officials from all spheres of Government 

Other honoured guests 

Abafewdu Nabadawethu 

It is indeed a great pleasure and honour to extend a very sincere welcome to all our distinguished guests here today and in particular to our District of Uthungulu which has year after year performed beyond expectations and accomplished all its tasks in an exemplary manner and in so doing been the recipient of a host of awards, the most notable being six consecutive unqualified Audit Reports from the Auditor General's office. 

The spotlight will without a doubt reflect on the activities, discussions and decisions that are taken during the next three days of the Legislature's sitting here in Uthungulu. 

It would serve no meaningful purpose and in fact would be tantamount to wasteful and fruitless expenditure if no tangible progress was made during the sitting "of taking Legislature to the people", especially in the field of service delivery to the communities in this district which are predominantly rural poor and who are yet to after 14 years of democracy fully enjoy the privileges they have been promised in accordance with the Country's Constitution. 

The multi-party oversight delegations' extensive 5 day consultative process prior to this sitting and the 3 day legislative process including the entire organizational commitment is undertaken at huge cost to the electorate. 

While there will always be questions regarding the expenditure of this nature I am sure it will be better understood and accepted if as in this instance, there were material and substantial deliverables to all our rural communities and not just a select few on conclusion of the Legislature's visit.   

It's commendable that the Speaker of this Legislature will be visiting communities during his responsibility programme but it is inconceivable that as father of this Municipality I have not been consulted as to where assistance is needed and which are the most deserving areas nor my children that will benefit. 

After my 20 years in Local Government my understanding of co-operative governance is working in partnership but it is obvious my views are very different to that displayed with the roll out of this programme.  

It is obviously to everybody's benefit to learn and try to understand what a sitting of the Legislature is all about -  the majority of us here today probably have little or no knowledge about the complex processes of Parliamentary deliberations. 

I am sure most members of the community present have one desire that is foremost in their minds and that is to hear how and with what they will be benefiting in their respective areas and if our MECs can relate that unequivocal message, we will be most grateful and depart with some sense of hope that we will witness tangible progression.  

It has been happening far too frequently during the past number of years when even the then Honourable Deputy President of the Country Jacob Zuma visited Uthungulu and backed Provincial MECs on their promises of service delivery but which have regrettably never materialized. 

We continually and eagerly participate in a host of extremely costly sod turning ceremonies by MECs but more often than not their engagement with and pledges to communities seldom if ever, come to fruition and it is us Councillors on the ground that then have to face the wrath of the people.  

We are still a fledgling and developing democracy and while much progress has been made and of course appreciated, there is still a long road ahead before all our people can truly say they have in all respects reaped the benefits of the new South Africa.    

The Multi-Party Oversight Report conducted by the KZN Legislature in our district last month serves to highlight some of the pressing problems and needs of our people which include amongst others the following: 

*     Access to grants and social welfare for orphans, the aged and disabled, 

*     The long distances children have to walk to schools, deterioration of school buildings and lack of sanitation 

*     Provision of clinics and adequate medical supplies 

*     The condition of rural roads, which make schools, homes and clinics inaccessible during inclement weather and most of all hampers service delivery 

*     Lack of policing in rural areas 

      There are insufficient classrooms and sanitation facilities at schools (children are tired of running into the bushes). 

*     Huge tracts of fertile land lie idle due to a lack of agricultural skills and affording suitable training to would be farmers.

In this regard our Traditional Authority land must not be haphazardly disposed of to foreign investors and large conglomerates for development without the immediate communities benefiting there from. 

*     Sports fields and sports centres are vital to promote youth development and are lacking 

*     Proper housing for rural communities is imperative but lacking due to bureaucratic procedures. 

Parliamentary members of my Party and am sure those of other Parties have always been afforded the opportunity to participate in debates during the Taking of Legislature to the People and I now wonder with much amazement when looking at the programme why the IFP and other members will not have the opportunity during this sitting to engage in the affairs that affect our communities and constituencies as raised in the 25 page report of the Multi Party Oversight delegation. 

Uthungulu District Municipality is governed by the IFP of which I am the Mayor and having advised the people of this District that there will be interactive sessions with all Members of Parliament they will be astounded if my Party and others are not afforded an equal opportunity of interacting in this legislative process without restraint. 

We are all elected Party representatives of the people and it must therefore not be a one sided deliberation and be viewed as taking the ANC Legislature to the People.     

Crippling droughts and deep rural communities living in abject poverty are regrettably still characteristics of this District and am sure most places in South Africa and leaves communities wondering just when this "Better Life for All" so frequently propagated will actually materialize and translate into meaningful upliftment of our poor people. 

In an attempt to address our water and sanitation backlogs Uthungulu allocates the uppermost part of its budget towards these capital infrastructure projects but falls far short of the R185 million for 20 years required in terms of our Water Services Master Plan to eradicate the backlogs.   

As Mayor of this District I have the necessary expertise at hand and all I need is the additional required funding from National Government in order that I may implement further water and sanitation projects. 

I am very pleased to announce that the R9,8 million Upper Nseleni Water Project which will supply water to Wards 7, 9 and 10 of this very area where we are today, has received a further R600 000 just last week to expedite the completion and commissioning of this project which will serve some 78 000 people.   

An amount of R118 million has also been allocated to the Phobane Mthonjaneni and Ntambanana water project of which R20 million had to be taken up in the form of a loan by Uthungulu due to insufficient Government funding.

During a function last week at this very spot, accompanied by Mayor Mthethwa of Mbonambi  a further R11 million was committed to the implementation of sanitation projects in Wards 10, 12 and 13, 

Despite the enormous challenges Uthungulu was the proud recipient of the 2007 award for the Most Improved Water Services Authority from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. 

At the Provincial Integrated Development Plan assessments held earlier this year Uthungulu District Municipality's IDP was the top performer in all Key Performance Areas and I am merely highlighting some of our achievements as they are attained under difficult conditions and we are naturally proud thereof, especially when viewed against the many poorly run Municipalities elsewhere in the Country. 

Uthungulu is the fastest growing economic municipality in South Africa with a burgeoning central business district and major industrial expansion taking place in an unprecedented manner exceptionally well orchestrated by our former Mayor Dr Danny Moffat. 

The Government's decision to abolish business levies in 2006 has resulted in a significant generator loss as the Levy Replacement Grant we receive does not compare favourably with what we as a District were collecting.  

With the limited financial resources at our disposal the successes of Uthungulu are indicative of the strides we are taking in terms of meeting our mandates and we will continue to serve our people in a spirit of Solidarity. Freedom and Unity in Diversity. 

In conclusion Honourable Speaker, Ladies & Gentlemen, once again welcome to Uthungulu District - I trust you will enjoy your few days stay here and that we, the people of Uthungulu, will indeed reap the benefits of this session of Taking the Legislature to the people - if not we will be deeply saddened, remain unconvinced and raise serious reservations about the purpose of the programme in that this will be viewed as the ruling Party's show at our taxpayers' expense. 

I thank you.
 

Contact: Stan Larkan, 082 877 7192