OPENING ADDRESS BY THE SPEAKER OF THE KZN LEGISLATURE, HONOURABLE LYDIA JOHNSON MPL, DURING THE SPECIAL SITTING OF TAKING LEGISLATURE TO THE PEOPLE

Durnacol Sports Complex 27 October 2016

Programme Director

Honourable Premier Mr TW. Mchunu

Members of the Executive Council

Honourable Members

AmaJuba District Municipality Mayor Cllr MG Ngubane

AmaJuba District Municipality Speaker Cllr AF/ Rehman

Mayor of Danhauser Local Municipality

Councillors from all Municipalities under AmaJuba District

Chairperson of the AmaJuba District House of Traditional Leaders

Amakhosi

Secretary to the Legislature

Heads of Department

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great pleasure for me to be afforded this platform to officially open and give a brief explanation on the purpose of the Taking Legislature to the People held here at Amajuba District today and tomorrow.

Notably, this programme coincides with the day where we celebrate the birthday of our great icon u Tata u Oliver Reginald Tambo who played a remarkable role in the struggle against the injustices of the apartheid regime and who was instrumental in bring about the democracy that we enjoy today. Therefore we say his spirit shall live forever.

It is for this reason that we should feel indebted to heroes like him as they were subjected to various atrocities but they did not surrender as it was their conviction that theirs was a just course.

Against this background, let me congratulate the newly elected Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Speaker, Deputy Speakers, Whips, PR Councilors and Councilors and also remind you that the electorate have entrusted you with a crucial responsibility to champion their course and ensure that their aspirations are fulfilled. You should therefore prioritize service delivery and that would be the most valuable gift you can give to struggle heroes like OR Tambo.

You should work closely with your communities and provide the necessary feedback on successes and challenges on development. Always provide platform for engagement with your communities, be accessible and listen to the people.

Local government is the sphere of government which is closest to the people and you are at coalface of service delivery. It is equally important to work closely with other spheres of government, the provincial and national government. This approach will give expression to the concept of cooperative governance and ensure delivery of services ina well-coordinated manner.

Ladies and gentlemen, coming back to the business of the day, today the KZN Legislature is here to conduct the Taking Legislature to the People programme.

The Legislature has three core functions which are

  • Law making-where the public may participate through making inputs during public hearing
  • Oversight over the executive-where the public may participate through attending portfolio committee meetings
  • Public participation-where the legislature hold sectorial parliament and TLTP where the public is always encourage to participate and raise their input sand concerns on services.

Therefore today were are here to fulfill our mandate of ensuring effective and efficient public participation through Taking Legislature to the People. The TLTP has been running since 2002 when it was first initiated by the National Council of Provinces. Here in KwaZulu-Natal it started in 2005.

The TLTP given effect to Section 118 of South Africa’s Constitution which makes provision for legislatures to involve the public on legislative activities. The programmes afford citizens with the opportunity to engage directly with law makers and the executive.

It is worth mentioning that the KZN Legislature held this programme here at Amajuba District in 2008 where various service delivery issues were raised. Therefore, the main focus of today’s programme will be to provide provincial departments and municipalities with the opportunity to provide reports on progress made since then.

On 27-28 September 2016 the KZN Legislature sent a Multi-Party Delegation Committee, which visited all municipalities within Amajuba District. The delegation visited various projects and service centers to have first-hand experience of issues and to ascertain the extent to which issues raised in 2008 have been addressed.

To this end, Honourable Gcabashe,Chairperson of Committees, who led that team will present a comprehensive report on the visit by the Multi-Party Delegation Committee.

The report carries recommendations to which municipalities concerned, the district and the provincial governments will be given an opportunity to respond.

Our Honourable Premier would give a consolidated report in response to these issues on behalf of the executive.

In conclusion, let me encourage you to work closely with the government so that you participate actively in shaping the direction of our country.

Let us work together to build a united, non-sexist and a democratic South Africa. We also call on all stakeholders involved in negotiations pertaining to university fees to speedily reach common ground so that there is stability in all tertiary institutions.

While we support the just and noble call for free education, we condemn the recent violent protest which resulted to damage to university properties. Our hearts also go to the family of the students who was knocked down by a car during the protest.

Yesterday, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Pravin Gordan painted a picture that the country is faced with financial constraints hence it becomes crucial to ensure optimal use of our limited resources. It gives pleasure that he re-iterated the commitment of the government to provide free education to the needy.

Lastly let me take this opportunity on behalf of KZN Legislature to wish all those who are writing exams good luck particular our matric learners, l call on parents and educators to provide them with support.

I hope that we will use this opportunity in a fruitful manner and ensure that our deliberations take South Africa forward.

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