I am very pleased therefore, to be able today to hand over this CMIP cheque for R199 000 to the Cederberg Municipality for the people of Graafwater. The funding will be matched by another R85 000 from the local council and will be used to provide upgraded sporting facilities for the people and especially the youth of this area. With more than 65% of the people who live in the Cederberg municipality under the age of 34, there is a great need for this type of development - especially to provide a real alternative in terms of recreation to address challenges related especially to juvenile crime. Netball, athletics, cricket, rugby and jukskei will all benefit from the new facilities - and with construction underway the local community is already benefiting from the added employment opportunities.
This cheque also demonstrates that the development needs of our rural towns and villages in the Western Cape are far wider than a need for physical infrastructure alone. As important as roads, street lighting, and drainage are, there is a much more human dimension to the development challenges in many parts of our province. Amongst the most pressing of these needs are:
Sustaining delivery of free basic services like water and electricity: 40% of the households in the Cederberg Municipality earn less than R18 000 a year, and much of the local employment is based on seasonal agriculture. This is a pattern repeated in communities across the Western Cape - with many families dependent on the free amounts of water and electricity supplied by local councils. Prof Lieb Loots, an expert in public expenditure and economic management of social transition from the University of the Western Cape, was appointed recently by the Provincial Government to investigate ways to ensure sustainability of these free basic services. His report has been submitted, and on the strength of his recommendations we will now be investigating ways to change the formula used to calculate the equitable share allocated to municipalities, to assist local councils in accessing the required funds.
Better and more accessible Health-Care facilities: In rural areas like the Cederberg municipality, one of the biggest development challenges is posed by the need for quality health-care close to the people. With little or no access to private health-care, the youth and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. This is why we have introduced HealthCare 2010 - our health plan for the next ten years. It will shift patients to the most appropriate levels of care, resulting in cost savings as well as considerable improvement in access to care for some of the most deprived communities in our province. It will also see about 1300 additional staff employed in primary health services, 300 more beds for TB treatment, and an increase of more than 250% in funding for equipment and maintenance.
Widen the Benefits of Tourism Growth to create jobs: The 976 000 overseas visitors to the Western Cape last year represented an increase of 20% over the previous year - and we aim to break the 1 million mark in 2003. The challenge is to get these visitors to spend more time and more money in areas of the province beyond Cape Town alone - with every 12 international visitors creating another job for our people. Our new Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO) is designed, among other things, to spread the benefits of our tourism growth to our rural communities.
Safer Communities: We are determined to stop the gangs and criminals who threaten our homes, our streets, our communities, and our families with violence. As part of our plan to increase the number of police in the Western Cape by 50%, in partnership with the National Government, by the end of next year, our rural communities will benefit significantly. The West Coast District Municipality alone will receive an additional 143 recruits - almost double the current shortage of 78 officers.
Enquiries: Riaan Aucamp Cell: 083 778 9923
