Mbhazima Shilowa, the Gauteng Premier, is not exactly John Lennon, but like the famous former Beatle, Shilowa would also like us to ”imagine” a better world, specifically, a better Gauteng.
Shilowa delivered his budget speech this week, in which he set out his government’s intention for the coming year. In a business-like speech, Shilowa found space to tickle the imaginations of his citizens.
”The plan of action for 2007 that we are tabling today is our contribution to growing the economy and creating jobs, improving the health, skills and education of our people, ensuring the provision of adequate shelter and, in partnership with all stakeholders and communities, responding positively to the challenges of crime, especially violent crime, and poverty.”
Inevitably, the premier’s address gave concrete policy details to deal with crime, poverty, jobs, education and health.
Shilowa said although matric results had improved, black children, especially those in township schools, were still lagging behind. This, he said, had caused many black parents to ditch these schools in search of better education opportunities for their children.
”It is the African child who learns in overcrowded schools. It is African children who have a higher failure rate. It is the township schools where the African child is based that are dysfunctional. This we must bring to a complete halt.
”Accordingly, the MEC [provincial minister] for education will convene an urgent summit that will bring together trade unions, school governing bodies, learner organisations and other stakeholders, before the end of the first school term, to agree on a programme of action for all stakeholders to improve the quality of education of the African child in our province over the next two years.”
Turning to housing, he promised ”25 159 serviced sites will be provided as part of our plan to formalise and upgrade informal settlements. A total of 58 552 houses will be built through mixed housing developments, the community builder programme, the people’s housing process and alternative tenure. Together this will benefit close to 300 000 people.”
Previous successes in education, housing, health and other areas had sown the seeds of future challenges in the same area, he said.
”As we set our sights higher, our successes have also brought both achievements and challenges. As we grow the economy and create jobs, provide better healthcare, education and housing, and focused our attention on the poor and children, we have also experienced more challenges as more and more people continue to migrate to the province – continuing to exert pressure on our social and economic infrastructure.
In keeping with his Lennonesque message, he added: ”Imagine the following scenario: all patients with chronic diseases are in possession of a smart card containing all their medical history. When Mr Dlamini collapses at home and is rushed to hospital, the doctor simply swipes his card to immediately know what illnesses he was treated for previously and the prescribed medication. The doctor is, in turn, able to speedily diagnose what may have caused Dlamini’s collapse.
”After recovery, when Dlamini returns to the hospital, administration clerks do not have to go through a long process of opening a new file for him. They too simply swipe his card to know that he has come to pick up his monthly supply of medicine. The dispensary is immediately alerted of Dlamini’s presence and pharmacists begin packing his medical supplies before he arrives at their window. When he gets to the window, he simply collects his medical supplies and goes home. Improbable? No! If Gauteng is indeed a smart province, it will be so!”
Shilowa further asked the people of Gauteng to imagine a scenario where all police emergency response vehicles and radios were fitted with satellite-tracking devices that allowed ”10111 centre operators to identify the exact location of the police vehicle nearest to the place from where an emergency call is being made.
”Dispatch operators will then be able to direct a specific police vehicle to the scene of the emergency along the shortest possible route. The system will digitally track the response of each police vehicle and record all communication between the caller, the 10111 centre operators and the police official responding to the call. Furthermore, new systems will be established to recruit, train and supervise the call operators so that the highest service standards are upheld.”
The premier said R600-million had been set aside to build and equip a new, world-class police emergency response centre to replace the six existing centres. The latest technology will be introduced to ensure that each emergency call is attended to as quickly as possible. All this, he said, will be in place by July this year.
Winning the poverty war
The percentage of people living below the poverty line has declined from 8,4% in 2001 to 7,3% in 2002.
The percentage of households living in informal dwellings declined from 18,7% to 14,4% between 2002 and 2005.
The percentage of households connected to the electricity supply has increased from 87,6% in 2002 to 89% in 2004
According to the University of South Africa’s Bureau of Market Research, the average personal income of Gauteng residents increased from R248 564 to R327 211 between 2001 and 2006.
Gauteng residents received 34,8% of all personal income in South Africa in 2006;
Average per capita income in Gauteng was 81,7% above average.
Gauteng’s per capita income grew from R28 962 in 2000 to R50 911 in 2006, an increase of 75,8%.
The share of income received by blacks living in Gauteng increased steadily from 37,2% to 39,6% of the total.
Turning education around
All learners in schools where the failure rates are unacceptably high will receive career guidance to ensure that their subject combinations, particularly in grades 10 to 12, are in keeping with the focus on gateway learning areas.
All educators’ competencies will be assessed to ensure they teach the subjects in which they are best qualified and that there is a match between their subject allocation and competencies.
There will be measures to raise the level of English second-language proficiency for learners and educators.
Principals and their senior management teams at poorly performing schools will be given additional training by the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance on school and classroom management efficiencies, as well as learning assessment practices.
Principals with shortcomings will be partnered with competent ones for support. However, stringent measures will be taken should there be no improvements after three months of support. Similarly, officials and educators not pulling their weight will be dealt with.