Speech by the Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Alderman
Patricia de Lille on the occasion of a Council sitting on
Thursday 31 January 2013
The Auditor-General of South Africa’s representative, Mr. Lesley Holland,
Mr. Shaun Johnson, CEO of the Mandela-Rhodes Foundation,
Mandela-Rhodes scholars,
Aldermen,
Councillors,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Good morning, goeiedag, molweni.
Mr. Speaker,
Let me begin by welcoming everyone back. I believe that it is going to be
an exciting year of challenges and opportunities and I am confident that
the City will go from strength to strength.
In that regard, I believe that we should reaffirm the values by which we
govern and upon which we have built this city on the five pillars: the
Opportunity City; the Safe City; the Caring City; the Inclusive City; and
the Well-run City.
Those values are informed by our drive to create a city of economic
opportunity that addresses the imbalances of the past through a
commitment to reconciliation, redress, delivery and diversity.
We believe that there is no greater embodiment of these values than the
former President and father of the nation, Tata Madiba, Nelson Mandela.
And so we declare that to honour Tata Madiba in his lifetime, we are
making 2013 officially known as the year that Cape Town honours Nelson
Mandela.
We have a special relationship with Madiba.
It was here that he was unjustly imprisoned for his beliefs. It was from
the City Hall that he gave his first address as a free man. It was from
here where he presided over the first democratic parliament that ushered
in a new constitutional era of rights and dignity. It was here where he
established the Nelson Mandela Rhodes Foundation almost ten years ago,
and I welcome the scholars of that Foundation who are with us today. And
it was here that he received the Freedom of the City.
Considering this rich and complex relationship, and our on-going
commitment to furthering his ideals, the City is committed to spending
the coming year ensuring that his values and commitment to our future
are woven into all of our work.
This will entail a programme that will unfold throughout the year,
reaching out to citizens in a variety of ways and with full public
consultation and engagement. Indeed, among the highlights will be the
installation a multimedia exhibition reflecting Mr. Mandela’s relationship
with Cape Town at the Civic Centre and City Hall.
In all, we have as our aim the objectives of honouring this great man in
his lifetime; spreading his legacy among our citizenry in a City-led
initiative; and reaffirming our living bond with his ideals and all that he
fought for.
In the coming weeks and months, as further details are rolled-out, I call
on all the members of this Council to lead their communities in engaging
with us as we work towards strengthening the commitment that we made
for a better South Africa in 1994.
Beyond the slogans and the posters, we have as our goal the very real
aim of providing the kind of government and leadership that the people of
South Africa deserve. Because I believe that perhaps one of the greatest
examples we have to live up to, is the example of Madiba’s leadership.
One of the finest leaders of our age, his values of unity, compassion and
humility act as a moral compass for us.
Mr. Speaker, after that announcement, I turn to other matters of Council
business.
Mr. Speaker, last year, certain questions were raised around the tender
concerning the old Athlone Power Station, a tender that was awarded to
Aurecon. At the last Council meeting, I informed this chamber that the
City had written to Aurecon and was awaiting their response regarding
the way forward.
Since then, Aurecon’s lawyers submitted a formal request for information
on the tender and the City’s investigation thereof in terms of the
Promotion of Access to Information Act - we complied with that request.
To fully apply themselves to the information provided, Aurecon’s lawyers
requested that they be granted until 31 January to respond, to which we
have agreed.
In the meantime, I can inform the Council that the City has commenced
formal disciplinary processes in respect of those employees implicated in
the investigation for their role in the awarding of the tender.
I shall keep the Council informed of on-going developments.
Also last year, the proposed renewal of leases in respect of municipal
holiday units at Fleur Park in the Gordon’s Bay area was a matter of some
controversy. The issue was more than a standard variation of a property
transaction.
Indeed, this government respects and upholds the law, the rights of
property and matters of contract. But what we do not respect is an
unreflective acceptance of matters that challenge our very notion of
justice, especially given the compact of redress we have entered into with
the people of this city.
Our reflection takes place in a context where, under the previous regime,
some portions of the population unfairly benefitted from special privileges
such as vastly deflated costs for the use of public assets.
But that compact does not mean a shallow rejection of some things and
not others depending on our mood. But what it does mean is that we will
interrogate our business beyond what is presented only at face value.
That is what we have done with the matter of Fleur Park. We considered
numerous factors, including: leases issued by former municipalities; the
prevailing legal framework under which those leases were issued; and the
current projected commercial leases of similar properties, valuations
which came in at around R4 000 per month as opposed to the leases of
R1 500 per month.
Given these considerations, I can report to Council that we intend to
increase the rent of these properties to market-related rates should any
of the lessees choose to renew their leases in 2015/ 2016. Furthermore,
we will closely interrogate any application for cession and ensure that the
proposed lessee is aware of and reasonably capable of meeting the
increased rental to be effected in 2015/ 2016.
I believe that this course of action will meet our obligation under the law
and our obligation under our sense of social justice to review past unfair
privileges.
But if our sense of social justice must take account of past imbalances, it
must also take account of the immediate needs of the people of this city,
especially where those needs have been created by tragedy beyond
anyone’s control.
I think that there can be no more unfortunate example of such need in
recent times as the devastation of the fire in BM Section in Khayelitsha on
New Year’s Day. Over 800 families were affected and five people tragically
lost their lives.
What measures our capacity for being a Caring City is not the scale of the
tragedy - it is the scale of the response. To this end, the City and the
Provincial Government of the Western Cape have met with community
representatives on a weekly basis and we are in the process of fast
tracking the development of a Temporary Relocation Area (TRA) at OR
Tambo Hall. Earthworks have been completed and very soon those
residents still residing in the community hall will be accommodated on
this site.
In addition, the City is working closely with the Provincial Government to
ensure that that Bosasa site is developed with the necessary services so
that all those citizens affected by the fire can ultimately be
accommodated at this site. All of this is happening while we generally
upgrade BM Section to lead to improved services.
But even in this sadness, and despite the hard work of our officials to help
the people of Khayelitsha, some people insist on trying to make political
capital out of the misery of others. There are those who have complained
about the effectiveness of our Fire and Emergency Services.
These people have tried to place the blame for the fires on the people
who put them out.
As I stand here, let me say that I am proud of our Fire and Rescue
Services and thankful for their sacrifices and contribution to the city.
Mr. Speaker, let me remind this Council that the Fire and Rescue Services
Department was almost destroyed between 2002 and 2006 under the
leadership of another government. During those years, the Department
had inadequate staff, little training, had few vehicles and was underbudgeted.
It was a Department on its knees.
Since 2006, however, that Department has become a model of excellence
and our investment in it has seen the fire mortality rate in informal
settlements halve from 7,9 per 100 000 in 2005 to 4,3 per 100 000 in
2011. Indeed, it is thanks to the men and women in our Fire and Rescue
Services that more people have not lost their lives, especially in poorer
communities.
Mr. Speaker, also before us today is the Adjustments Budget, which is
part of the legal budgeting processes as prescribed by the Municipal
Financial Management Act (MFMA).
As budgeting practice allows for, the proposed adjustments are the result
of approved roll-overs received from National Treasury in terms of certain
unspent grant allocations, roll-overs of internal funds, and the
realignment of certain budget provisions as a result of updated
implementation programmes.
In this regard, let me state up front that the Adjustments Budget means a
reallocation of some funds within the Human Settlements Directorate, in
particular, that will have implications for our annual targets and goals.
This entails the reallocation of funds away from projects that have met
with certain delays due to external factors to projects where we can
immediately spend the money. For example, the Fisantekraal Garden
Cities project was delayed by ten months due to an appeal against our
service provider. The Manenberg Infill Project saw a delay due to the
lowest bidder withdrawing at the stage of project approval, restarting the
tender process.
In the cases concerned, factors beyond the City’s control have meant that
we have to rephrase project completion, with the full understanding that
the projects will be completed as promised. Furthermore, that funds will
be immediately reallocated to other priority projects.
These include the installation of services in Happy Valley, Kanonkop, and
the Scottsdene Community Residential Unit (CRU) and BNG. These
services are vital for laying the infrastructure that improves people’s lives.
But in addition to these reallocations, the Adjustments Budget will also
enable us to undertake additional, exciting projects.
These include the employment of 38 new Traffic Officers and additional
vehicles and equipment for the Safety and Security Directorate.
Reallocated funds to the Tourism, Events and Marketing Directorate will
go towards the completion of the Green Point Athletics Track, for a total
adjustment for the City’s strategic assets of over R12 million.
R88 million within the Water and Sanitation Department will make it
possible for us to increase work on our reticulation systems while also
allowing for increased maintenance through our Expanded Public Works
(EPWP) Janitorial Services Project.
R27 million will be used by the Corporate Services Directorate to replace
our ageing vehicle fleet while R24 million will also go towards the upgrade
of the Bellville Waste Water Treatment Plant.
But Mr. Speaker, while we speak about financial matters, I am also
pleased to announce that the City has been awarded an Orio Grant by the
Dutch Government to the value of approximately 19 million Euros, or just
over R200 million.
This external funding, which will work in conjunction with our funding
from National Government for the IRT roll-out, will go towards the project
of building a sustainable, road-based public transport infrastructure and
services in the Metro South-East of the city.
The project includes a trunk route for the bus service linked to the N2
Express Service; non-motorised transport projects; five public transport
interchanges; and allocations for maintenance and socio-economic
business planning.
This funding will enable us to realise our vision to connect the people of
the South-East of the city, including the people of Khayelitsha and
Mitchells Plain, with places of economic opportunity in Cape Town.
These adjustments, and our work over the coming year, will help us take
Cape Town to the next level of government, thereby fulfilling the promise
of the dream of 1994 and such visionary leaders as former President
Mandela.
In conclusion then, it is only fitting that I quote from Tata Madiba’s words
upon being given the Freedom of Cape Town in 1997:
“In Cape Town resides part of the souls of many nations and cultures,
priceless threads in the rich diversity of our African nation. This legacy of
our history is both a strength and a challenge… I am confident that a city
which has overcome such great obstacles in the past will be equal to the
challenges facing not only Capetonians, but all of us throughout the
country… Today I am proud to be associated with citizens who are uniting
at last to build a better life for all who live in Cape Town.”
Thank you, baie dankie and enkosi.