On Wednesday the 28th of February, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube will deliver her State of the Provincial Address (SoPA), and with only three months left before she vacates office, we remain hopeful that she will shy away from tabling ideas that are too extravagant and futuristic, but should focus on realistic planning and issues.
From her speech, one can anticipate that she will give a false sense of achievement to the people of our province, when in actual fact, our province has been in regression.
Education
As ActionSA, we believe that education must empower our people, as it is our most powerful tool in creating a prosperous society, however, our current government has dismally failed in protecting our education system, and ensuring that they provide equal opportunities and education for all.
Despite the Department of Education receiving the largest share of the provincial government’s 2023/24 budget at R60.6 billion, it is perplexing that challenges that have plagued our education system continue to breed, birthing further challenges inthis system.
First and foremost, the province has an alarming rate of teacher shortages across many schools in our province, yet the department spent an astounding R400 million paying former employees after they leave.
During our school functionality oversight across many schools to assess readiness for the financial year, I was frustratingly met with dysfunctionality, poor infrastructure, poor learning conditions and politicisation of schools.
One of the key issues that I uncovered during my visit at Dumakude Secondary School, located under the uMzimkhulu Local Municipality is that the school does not have a nutrition programme, however, what was unsettling is the Department of Education’s lack of response to this issue, explaining that Dumakude Secondary has been excluded from the 2024/25 financial year benefits, therefore, the school and the department will have to seek donations in order to be to provide nutrition to learners.
We are fearful that Dumakude may not be the only school within our province that may be facing challenges with nutrition.
I further uncovered that school learners are expected to walk a vast number of kilometres to get to school, due to the department’s failure to implement the scholar transport in areas where the department closed schools after defining them as ‘non-viable’. It is not in the best interest of learners to close schools without providing an alternative solution on how learners will be transported to ‘viable’ schools.
In her speech, the Premier ought to address these issues that continue to hinder our education system from unlocking the full educational potential of our children.
Furthermore, during her 2023 SoPA speech, Premier Dube-Ncube indicated that to capitalise on the the Province’s position as a maritime gateway, the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs has concluded its feasibility for a proposed Maritime University which was set to be established in the Ugu District, we wish to be furnished with details on the progress of the project.
Healthcare
KZN is facing a serious shortage of qualified healthcare practitioners at public healthcare facilities, which has positioned our healthcare system under serious threats, resulting in long waiting times, inefficiency, and some cases, dysfunctional filing systems, which had robbed the people of our province of the quality health care they deserve.
While the Department of Health received the second largest chunk of the provincial budget of R50.6 billion, it is shocking that the state of public healthcare facilities remains an eyesore, with mediocre care provided to those in need.
The emergency medical vehicle crisis in our province continue to strain the small amount of healthcare practitioners we have, and threaten the supply and demand of healthcare.
Just recently, a group of medical doctors marched to the offices of the KZN Department of Health to raise their frustrations about the lack of employment of healthcare practitioners, and the employment of unskilled personnel occupying higher positions due to cadre deployment and nepotism and the department.
The premier ought to address this concern during her speech and provide a sustainable solution for a way forward, as the province faces a shortage of healthcare practitioners, while qualified individuals struggle to find work.
The Premier should address this challenge, while providing viable solutions, and collaborate with the Department of Health to work on a strategic plan of employing more health care practitioners.
I must express that an ActionSA government will establish decision-making processes that are driven by the best available scientific research and data, to ensure that adequately trained and informed medical practitioners ultimately approve public health interventions.
Water
Residents from all district municipalities have been experiencing water challenges of various forms, despite KZN being a water-rich province, which highlights the systemic service delivery failure the people of KZN are subjected to once more.
Residents of the uMkhanyakude District Municipality, Ugu District Municipality, Zululand District Municipality, uThukela District Municipality and the eThekwini Metro Municipality – to name a few – have been forced to battle with water shortages or zero access to clean running water, and eThekwini in particular, having to deal with illegal water connections that have strained water supply, however, the Metro does not have the sense of urgency to deal with this matter.
In an effort to deal with water challenges, Municipalities roll out water tankers to communities and have used this system as a permanent solution to the problem, as these tankers are also used for the enrichment of a few individuals, through the use of the tender system.
Once ActionSA is in government, we will begin the process of scrapping district municipalities, as they have failed in delivering their key mandate, which is to supply water to our people. They have become a financial liability, and to save tax payer coffers, we will centralise the distribution of water to local municipalities.
Crime
Residents of KZN face significant challenges with crime, with various areas experiencing high levels of criminal activity.
In our province, 23 people are raped daily, 18 people are killed daily and there are 21 attempted murders on a daily. Inanda South African Police Station (SAPS) recorded the highest number of reported murders in the country, uMlazi SAPS recorded the highest number of attempted murder, Plessislaer SAPS recordedthe most cases of robbery and burglary, while Mountain Rise SAPS recorded a 60% increase in the number of cases opened for attempted murder, subsequently placing it in the 10th spot countrywide.
During her speech last year, Premier Dube-Ncube announced that 1800 police officers would be allocated to our province, and we remain hopeful that considering the severity of this issue, we will see higher numbers being allocated to our province.
In her speech on Wednesday, the Premier must give an update to the call she made to private companies to provide panic buttons linked from households to police stations. Although we expressed that this is a fairy-tale call, given the current state and failure of the SAPS 10111 emergency number, however, it is essential that she informs us if the government took steps towards breathing life into the call she made in an attempt to combat crime.
Political killings in our province have been a longstanding issue that is often associated with powers struggles within political parties, and as we move closer to the election period, we anticipate that killings will be on the rise, and government/municipal official will also fall prey to this evil system.
From January 2023 to date, over 23 councillors have been killed in KZN, over 103 municipal officials and political office officials have been killed.
To date, the Premier has failed in implementing the Moerane Commission, which was established by then KZN Premier, Mr Willies Mchunu. The Commission was tasked with investigating the underlying causes of political killings in the province, however, Premier Dube-Ncube has failed to implement the findings of the commission, nevertheless, we remain hopeful that she will begin the process of implementing the recommendations of the findings.
Corruption
The persistent issue of corruption across government departments demands urgent attention and decisive action from the Premier. The rampant corruption not only undermines public trust in government institutions but also hinders socio-economic development, and deprives citizens of essential services.
Last year, the Premier failed to acknowledge the epidemic during her speech, and one can hope that she gives attention to this matter within her final 3 months of holding office.
Unfortunately, her administration lacks the commitment of accountability, transparency and consequence management in this matter.
On previous occasions, the government has vowed to perform lifestyle audits on all officials, but there seems to be a snail-pace movement from the government in the implementation of these audits.
I must make it clear that lifestyle audits are an essential tool in the fight against corruption and in promoting good governance and integrity within government institutions.
Therefore, I expect the Premier to furnish us with the implementation progress in this regard, and when can we anticipate that these audits will be rolled out.
The Department of Education recorded a staggering R1.5 billion lost to irregular expenditure, and a further R7.6 million lost to wasteful expenditure, yet, no one has been held accountable for these losses.
As ActionSA, we have declared corruption as ‘public enemy number one’. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of corruption, and once in government, we will lobby for the amendment of the Constitution to establish an independent Chapter 9 anti-corruption agency that is specialised in addressing corruption.
Job creation
High levels of unemployment persist in KZN, particularly among youth and marginalised communities, and the lack of jobs worsens poverty and inequality, posing social and economic challenges for the province.
A significant portion of employment in our province is found in the informal sector, which is characterised by low wages and a lack of job security. With job opportunities mainly concentrated in urban areas such as Durban and Pietermaritzburg, this has led to disparities in employment opportunities between urban and rural areas.
The Premier should provide targeted support and incentives for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which are often the backbone of the economy and a significant source of job creation.
However, her reckless decision to defund the KZN Growth Fund Trust (KZNGFT) of the Youth Empowerment Fund of its R100 million budget, and channel it towards funding non-profit institutions is deafening. While our province is faced with high levels of unemployment amongst the youth, which has led some towards crafting unique business ideas with the sole mandate to sustain themselves and their families, and in doing so, the Premier declared herself as the enemy of youth empowerment by revoking the remaining hope for a better life.
And to this end, we are eager to hear how she aims to address this challenge that she aims to sink our province deeper into.
We have previously highlighted that once we’re in government, we will prioritise the KZNGFT by further increasing it to an astounding R200 million to ensure that we can comfortably assists assist the youth in creating and breathing life into their crafts.
Economic growth
KZN is the second-largest provincial economy, contributing about 16% of the national gross domestic product (GDP). While economic activities are diverse with agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. 60% of the economic activities are concentrated in the eThekwini Metro, followed by uMgungundlovu District Municipality at 11%.
Infrastructure constraints, unemployment, crime & safety concerns, corruption and environmental degradation are some of the challenges that contribute to the lack of economic growth in our province, and with the current state of eThekwini, we fear that our economic engine is destined for failure.
The eThekwini Municipality has been a significant drop in tourist numbers over the past few years, with some areas recording a substantial 30% drop during the previous festive season.
The closure of Snake Park and the iconic Durban Fun World threatened eThekwini’s economic growth, and the City’s failure to repair dilapidated sewer infrastructure that has been spewing raw sewerage into river bodies, residential areas and the ocean.
The strike of over 300 employees at the uShaka Marine World is something that we should not have to witness again. Unfortunately, our government leaders fail to handle challenges that require little effort in doing so, but will allow the situation to explode before they can intervene.
The previous year, Premier Dube-Ncube used this platform to mislead people in the province into believing that all sewer pump-stations in eThekwini are nearing their completion phase in repairs, when a year later, sewer pump-stations stillsit in the same disarray.
As ActionSA, we believe that to address this challenge, it is vital that a comprehensive approach involving collaboration between government, business, civil society and other stakeholders create an environment conducive to economic growth and development in eThekwini and the broader KZN region.
Underspending of budgets
The underspending of budgets in KZN Municipalities is a significant issue that hinders effective service delivery and economic development.
Unfortunately, KZN has had a significant amount of infrastructural damages caused by flood damages, amounting to R25 billion, but at least 23 municipalities are at risk of failing to secure additional funding from National Treasury for failing to spend at least 60% of its municipal infrastructure grant (MIG).
Last year July, the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Ms Bongi Sithole-Moloi warned that over R1.7 billion allocated for MIG was severely under spent by the uMsunduzi Local Municipality, uThukela Local Municipality, Amajuba District Municipality, King Cetshwayo District Municipality and iLembe District Municipality, amongst 18 other Municipalities.
Unfortunately, the underspending of budgets negatively impacts community members, and may result in social unrest and dissatisfaction.
Strong action has to be taken against Municipalities that fail to spend allocated budgets, as it contributes to missed opportunity of economic development and improvement. It prevents municipalities from investing in projects and programmes that could overall enhance the quality of live for residents.
ActionSA is dedicated to upholding ethical leadership and the rule of law, and we will persist until the people of KZN are provided with the services they are entitled to.
KZN SoPA: KZN Has Taken a Beating & Premier Dube-Ncube Must Begin to Heal its Wounds
On Wednesday the 28th of February, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube will deliver her State of the Provincial Address (SoPA), and with only three months left before she vacates office, we remain hopeful that she will shy away from tabling ideas that are too extravagant and futuristic, but should focus on realistic planning and issues.
From her speech, one can anticipate that she will give a false sense of achievement to the people of our province, when in actual fact, our province has been in regression.
Education
As ActionSA, we believe that education must empower our people, as it is our most powerful tool in creating a prosperous society, however, our current government has dismally failed in protecting our education system, and ensuring that they provide equal opportunities and education for all.
Despite the Department of Education receiving the largest share of the provincial government’s 2023/24 budget at R60.6 billion, it is perplexing that challenges that have plagued our education system continue to breed, birthing further challenges inthis system.
First and foremost, the province has an alarming rate of teacher shortages across many schools in our province, yet the department spent an astounding R400 million paying former employees after they leave.
During our school functionality oversight across many schools to assess readiness for the financial year, I was frustratingly met with dysfunctionality, poor infrastructure, poor learning conditions and politicisation of schools.
One of the key issues that I uncovered during my visit at Dumakude Secondary School, located under the uMzimkhulu Local Municipality is that the school does not have a nutrition programme, however, what was unsettling is the Department of Education’s lack of response to this issue, explaining that Dumakude Secondary has been excluded from the 2024/25 financial year benefits, therefore, the school and the department will have to seek donations in order to be to provide nutrition to learners.
We are fearful that Dumakude may not be the only school within our province that may be facing challenges with nutrition.
I further uncovered that school learners are expected to walk a vast number of kilometres to get to school, due to the department’s failure to implement the scholar transport in areas where the department closed schools after defining them as ‘non-viable’. It is not in the best interest of learners to close schools without providing an alternative solution on how learners will be transported to ‘viable’ schools.
In her speech, the Premier ought to address these issues that continue to hinder our education system from unlocking the full educational potential of our children.
Furthermore, during her 2023 SoPA speech, Premier Dube-Ncube indicated that to capitalise on the the Province’s position as a maritime gateway, the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs has concluded its feasibility for a proposed Maritime University which was set to be established in the Ugu District, we wish to be furnished with details on the progress of the project.
Healthcare
KZN is facing a serious shortage of qualified healthcare practitioners at public healthcare facilities, which has positioned our healthcare system under serious threats, resulting in long waiting times, inefficiency, and some cases, dysfunctional filing systems, which had robbed the people of our province of the quality health care they deserve.
While the Department of Health received the second largest chunk of the provincial budget of R50.6 billion, it is shocking that the state of public healthcare facilities remains an eyesore, with mediocre care provided to those in need.
The emergency medical vehicle crisis in our province continue to strain the small amount of healthcare practitioners we have, and threaten the supply and demand of healthcare.
Just recently, a group of medical doctors marched to the offices of the KZN Department of Health to raise their frustrations about the lack of employment of healthcare practitioners, and the employment of unskilled personnel occupying higher positions due to cadre deployment and nepotism and the department.
The premier ought to address this concern during her speech and provide a sustainable solution for a way forward, as the province faces a shortage of healthcare practitioners, while qualified individuals struggle to find work.
The Premier should address this challenge, while providing viable solutions, and collaborate with the Department of Health to work on a strategic plan of employing more health care practitioners.
I must express that an ActionSA government will establish decision-making processes that are driven by the best available scientific research and data, to ensure that adequately trained and informed medical practitioners ultimately approve public health interventions.
Water
Residents from all district municipalities have been experiencing water challenges of various forms, despite KZN being a water-rich province, which highlights the systemic service delivery failure the people of KZN are subjected to once more.
Residents of the uMkhanyakude District Municipality, Ugu District Municipality, Zululand District Municipality, uThukela District Municipality and the eThekwini Metro Municipality – to name a few – have been forced to battle with water shortages or zero access to clean running water, and eThekwini in particular, having to deal with illegal water connections that have strained water supply, however, the Metro does not have the sense of urgency to deal with this matter.
In an effort to deal with water challenges, Municipalities roll out water tankers to communities and have used this system as a permanent solution to the problem, as these tankers are also used for the enrichment of a few individuals, through the use of the tender system.
Once ActionSA is in government, we will begin the process of scrapping district municipalities, as they have failed in delivering their key mandate, which is to supply water to our people. They have become a financial liability, and to save tax payer coffers, we will centralise the distribution of water to local municipalities.
Crime
Residents of KZN face significant challenges with crime, with various areas experiencing high levels of criminal activity.
In our province, 23 people are raped daily, 18 people are killed daily and there are 21 attempted murders on a daily. Inanda South African Police Station (SAPS) recorded the highest number of reported murders in the country, uMlazi SAPS recorded the highest number of attempted murder, Plessislaer SAPS recordedthe most cases of robbery and burglary, while Mountain Rise SAPS recorded a 60% increase in the number of cases opened for attempted murder, subsequently placing it in the 10th spot countrywide.
During her speech last year, Premier Dube-Ncube announced that 1800 police officers would be allocated to our province, and we remain hopeful that considering the severity of this issue, we will see higher numbers being allocated to our province.
In her speech on Wednesday, the Premier must give an update to the call she made to private companies to provide panic buttons linked from households to police stations. Although we expressed that this is a fairy-tale call, given the current state and failure of the SAPS 10111 emergency number, however, it is essential that she informs us if the government took steps towards breathing life into the call she made in an attempt to combat crime.
Political killings in our province have been a longstanding issue that is often associated with powers struggles within political parties, and as we move closer to the election period, we anticipate that killings will be on the rise, and government/municipal official will also fall prey to this evil system.
From January 2023 to date, over 23 councillors have been killed in KZN, over 103 municipal officials and political office officials have been killed.
To date, the Premier has failed in implementing the Moerane Commission, which was established by then KZN Premier, Mr Willies Mchunu. The Commission was tasked with investigating the underlying causes of political killings in the province, however, Premier Dube-Ncube has failed to implement the findings of the commission, nevertheless, we remain hopeful that she will begin the process of implementing the recommendations of the findings.
Corruption
The persistent issue of corruption across government departments demands urgent attention and decisive action from the Premier. The rampant corruption not only undermines public trust in government institutions but also hinders socio-economic development, and deprives citizens of essential services.
Last year, the Premier failed to acknowledge the epidemic during her speech, and one can hope that she gives attention to this matter within her final 3 months of holding office.
Unfortunately, her administration lacks the commitment of accountability, transparency and consequence management in this matter.
On previous occasions, the government has vowed to perform lifestyle audits on all officials, but there seems to be a snail-pace movement from the government in the implementation of these audits.
I must make it clear that lifestyle audits are an essential tool in the fight against corruption and in promoting good governance and integrity within government institutions.
Therefore, I expect the Premier to furnish us with the implementation progress in this regard, and when can we anticipate that these audits will be rolled out.
The Department of Education recorded a staggering R1.5 billion lost to irregular expenditure, and a further R7.6 million lost to wasteful expenditure, yet, no one has been held accountable for these losses.
As ActionSA, we have declared corruption as ‘public enemy number one’. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of corruption, and once in government, we will lobby for the amendment of the Constitution to establish an independent Chapter 9 anti-corruption agency that is specialised in addressing corruption.
Job creation
High levels of unemployment persist in KZN, particularly among youth and marginalised communities, and the lack of jobs worsens poverty and inequality, posing social and economic challenges for the province.
A significant portion of employment in our province is found in the informal sector, which is characterised by low wages and a lack of job security. With job opportunities mainly concentrated in urban areas such as Durban and Pietermaritzburg, this has led to disparities in employment opportunities between urban and rural areas.
The Premier should provide targeted support and incentives for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which are often the backbone of the economy and a significant source of job creation.
However, her reckless decision to defund the KZN Growth Fund Trust (KZNGFT) of the Youth Empowerment Fund of its R100 million budget, and channel it towards funding non-profit institutions is deafening. While our province is faced with high levels of unemployment amongst the youth, which has led some towards crafting unique business ideas with the sole mandate to sustain themselves and their families, and in doing so, the Premier declared herself as the enemy of youth empowerment by revoking the remaining hope for a better life.
And to this end, we are eager to hear how she aims to address this challenge that she aims to sink our province deeper into.
We have previously highlighted that once we’re in government, we will prioritise the KZNGFT by further increasing it to an astounding R200 million to ensure that we can comfortably assists assist the youth in creating and breathing life into their crafts.
Economic growth
KZN is the second-largest provincial economy, contributing about 16% of the national gross domestic product (GDP). While economic activities are diverse with agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. 60% of the economic activities are concentrated in the eThekwini Metro, followed by uMgungundlovu District Municipality at 11%.
Infrastructure constraints, unemployment, crime & safety concerns, corruption and environmental degradation are some of the challenges that contribute to the lack of economic growth in our province, and with the current state of eThekwini, we fear that our economic engine is destined for failure.
The eThekwini Municipality has been a significant drop in tourist numbers over the past few years, with some areas recording a substantial 30% drop during the previous festive season.
The closure of Snake Park and the iconic Durban Fun World threatened eThekwini’s economic growth, and the City’s failure to repair dilapidated sewer infrastructure that has been spewing raw sewerage into river bodies, residential areas and the ocean.
The strike of over 300 employees at the uShaka Marine World is something that we should not have to witness again. Unfortunately, our government leaders fail to handle challenges that require little effort in doing so, but will allow the situation to explode before they can intervene.
The previous year, Premier Dube-Ncube used this platform to mislead people in the province into believing that all sewer pump-stations in eThekwini are nearing their completion phase in repairs, when a year later, sewer pump-stations stillsit in the same disarray.
As ActionSA, we believe that to address this challenge, it is vital that a comprehensive approach involving collaboration between government, business, civil society and other stakeholders create an environment conducive to economic growth and development in eThekwini and the broader KZN region.
Underspending of budgets
The underspending of budgets in KZN Municipalities is a significant issue that hinders effective service delivery and economic development.
Unfortunately, KZN has had a significant amount of infrastructural damages caused by flood damages, amounting to R25 billion, but at least 23 municipalities are at risk of failing to secure additional funding from National Treasury for failing to spend at least 60% of its municipal infrastructure grant (MIG).
Last year July, the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Ms Bongi Sithole-Moloi warned that over R1.7 billion allocated for MIG was severely under spent by the uMsunduzi Local Municipality, uThukela Local Municipality, Amajuba District Municipality, King Cetshwayo District Municipality and iLembe District Municipality, amongst 18 other Municipalities.
Unfortunately, the underspending of budgets negatively impacts community members, and may result in social unrest and dissatisfaction.
Strong action has to be taken against Municipalities that fail to spend allocated budgets, as it contributes to missed opportunity of economic development and improvement. It prevents municipalities from investing in projects and programmes that could overall enhance the quality of live for residents.
ActionSA is dedicated to upholding ethical leadership and the rule of law, and we will persist until the people of KZN are provided with the services they are entitled to.