Honourable Deputy President, Mr Jacob Zuma,
our Premier, Mr Ebrahiem Rasool,
Provincial Cabinet colleagues,
the Mayor of George, Mr Bazil Petrus,
the Mayor of Eden District Municipality, Mr AJ Lamont, ,/br>Councillors,
senior officials from the Provincial Government and municipalities, ladies and gentlemen.

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the sod turning for a new school being built in Pacaltsdorp. While I was driving to the site where the school is to be built, I noticed children walking along the route.

I saw how these children were jumping from the street onto the sidewalk whenever a car passed. I realised that they were avoiding the sidewalk, because where there were sidewalks, they were littered with muddy pools.

I saw cyclists doing everything possible to avoid speeding cars that seemed unaware of their presence.

I saw people being transported on the back of trucks, bakkies and tractors.

I saw commuters waiting on taxis at intersections - no shelter from the rain, wind or sun and totally unconcerned about the danger that they place themselves in by boarding a taxi in the middle of a road and intersection.

There is no dignity in a transport system such as this. There is very little dignity in the infrastructure in our townships. You have seen / will see in the video - people who try to make the best of the situation. You see daily how our townships have remained dormitory places from where cheap labour is drawn. I see economic growth and activity all through this region, but not in our townships.

We are changing how things have been done in the past. Our townships have been designed to limit economic opportunities, mobility and dignity of our people. We are changing that paradigm.

This mobility strategy is one that not only looks at improving the mobility and integration of communities in this region, but also at unlocking economic and social opportunities closer to our people. Many cities have developed in a sprawling manner - with very negative impacts on the mobility of people to employment opportunities. The mobility strategy will connect people to their places of employment and also encourage development and economic activity closer to where they currently are.

Today, we as Government can say - We have listened and we have responded. But we are going further. This mobility strategy brings together the provincial and local Government in partnership to improve the lives of our people. Today we enter into an agreement to jointly focus our resources on achieving this objective. My Department has budgeted R30 million to be spent over the next two years in this region as part of the mobility strategy.

The local contractors - one of whom we saw / will see in the Video clip, can be very proud of their work. Linda Ziqu, Samson Matiwane and Elliot Qokhela are here today and I want to thank them, my Department and the George Municipality for this initiative, for taking on this challenge and making such a success of it. We are now looking for your next big challenge so that your new skills are not lost.

This is how we intend implementing the mobility strategy - through the principles of our Expanded Public Works Programme, which was launched in our province yesterday in Gugulethu by President Thabo Mbeki.

This rank and the mobility strategy also supports our province's Strategic Infrastructure Plan and our programme to grow the economy of the province - iKapa Elihlumayo. For too long now, Government Departments have worked in silo's - spending on infrastructure in an unplanned manner and in so doing impacting on the effectiveness of such infrastructure.

Our Strategic Infrastructure Plan will see Government Departments working together to plan where, for instance, schools, hospitals and social welfare offices are built - so that it is easily accessible to the communities that it is meant to serve. It is here that the mobility of communities becomes a focus. We have to ensure that these government facilities become focal points that add dignity to the surrounding communities and attract economic development to the area.

The mobility strategy in George is the second phase of the province's implementation of our vision for a transformed public transport system and follows on the excellent progress that is being made in the implementation of the Klipfontein mobility corridor. During September, the third mobility strategy will be launched in the Central Karoo district, with Beaufort West as the nodal point. These three pilot projects will allow the province to draw lessons that can be implemented in cities and towns throughout the province and indeed the country - from urban to deep rural communities.

The key principles for all mobility strategies, however, will remain the same. Safe, affordable, reliable and accessible public transport - Achieved hand in hand with transformation of the social environment in our townships - to bring dignity to our townships, towns and cities and to improve the quality of life of all our people.

In conclusion, I want to thank the Uncedo Taxi Assocation - the association that operates from this rank. Together with the municipality and the Provincial Government, they - with the community have been the third partner in the development of this rank.

Taxi operators in this region have ploughed back into their community and they must be commended for it. It is through partnerships such as this one that we move closer to our goal of making this province truly a home for all.

I thank you