Honourable Speaker
Premier Rasool
Cabinet Colleagues
Honourable Members of the Legislature
Friends and Guests
Comrades

I want to start off by welcoming the Minister of Transport, Minister Jeff Radebe, who has been kind enough to come and support our budget vote. I also want to greet my staff in the Department who are currently watching this debate back in our building.

Over six months ago I discovered at home a document, the infamous "dompas" which my mother was forced to always carry with her all the time in the Western Cape during the era of the apartheid regime. This document had a stamp, which prescribed the period for which she could visit Western Cape, the designated time for her to be in white areas, and to a large extent this document verified her legal statutes to be in the Western Cape. The detailed information in this document included recordings of where she worked, for what period, and the purpose for her mere presence in the Western Cape. The modus operandi of this document was embedded in the racial settlement pattern perpetuated by the white minority regime which sought to exclude as many African women as possible in the urban centers. It consciously and deliberately excluded African women from economic activity and denied them rights to be full residents in the urban centers and especially in the Western Cape.

I dedicate this speech to my mother, Nonkosi Gallice Skwatsha, and to countless other African women who have had to endure the humiliation by an inhumane and barbaric system. A system that dehumanised African women and systematically confined them to rural reserves with its ailing economy. I also dedicate this speech to Bukeka Dekeda, my Media Liaison Officer, who was part of a collective that drafted my first ever budget speech. She passed on in October last year. May her soul rest in peace.

I also dedicate this budget speech today, to those countless heroines, women from Crossroads and other areas who defied all odds, and engaged in a struggle, together with their male counterparts to assert their fundamental right to live and work in the area of their choice. I also dedicate this speech to Mrs Anne Silinga, who refused to carry this apartheid badge.

Never again will our people and our women be subjected to this humiliation, dehumanising, racial divisions and denial of fundamental human rights.

Our people converged at the Congress of the People, Kliptown on 26 June 1955. They loudly proclaimed that:

"We the people of South Africa, declare for all our country and the world to know:

That South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and that no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people;

That our people have been robbed of their birthright to land, liberty and peace by a form of government founded on injustices and inequality;

That our will never be prosperous or free until all our people live in brotherhood, enjoying equal rights and opportunities;

That a only a democratic state based on the will of all the people, can secure their birth right without distinction of colour, race, sex or belief;

And therefore, we, the people of South Africa, black and white together as equals, countrymen and brothers adopt this Freedom Charter;

And we pledge ourselves to strive together, sparing neither strength nor courage until democratic changes here set have been won."

This declaration continues to be a rallying point, an inspiring vision which continues to mobilise our people to attain our noble objectives of a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa. In this year of the 50th celebration of the Freedom Charter, we redouble our efforts in the Western Cape to ensure that this province is a Home for All.

The people shall govern!!

Honourable Speaker,

Last year we informed this House that my Department has to develop a Strategic Infrastructure Plan (SIP) for the Province as part of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy of iKapa Elihlumayo. The SIP is designed to promote the alignment of priorities and budgets of government departments and agencies, and inform long-term investment by the government in infrastructure to stimulate and support social and economic development in the Province.

The SIP, as with other lead strategies of iKapa, is expected to be presented to the Provincial Cabinet in June of this year. Some of its key elements are already being consulted on with affected stakeholders, and next month my Department, in partnership with WESGRO, will host an infrastructure investment seminar. Key figures in government and private sector, who are involved in infrastructure investment are expected to attend the seminar.

In order to ensure that my Department delivers and maintains critical economic infrastructure, the Provincial Government has given us a total budget of R1.712 billion this financial year. A further R297 million is budgeted for in the Departments of Health and Education for health and education infrastructure, which my Department will be delivering in support of Provincial social and human capital formation strategies.

With the welcome shift by the Department of Local Government and Housing from providing houses to developing sustainable human settlements, my Department has already prioritised critical road and public transport infrastructure to support this kind of integrated development, which was envisaged by our forebearers, the drafters of the Freedom Charter, who stated that:

Slums shall be demolished, and new suburbs built where all have transport, roads, lighting, playing fields, crèches and social centers.

Detailed design of the Klipfontein Corridor Project is proceeding at pace as part of our public transport improvement program. Symphony Way, Hindle Road and the extension of Bhunga Drive to link up with Klipfontein Road have been approved for design this financial year. This infrastructure will support the N2 Gateway Project, which is a collaborative effort between National and Provincial Departments of Housing and the City of Cape Town to "demolish the slums" along the N2 and establish sustainable human settlements to accommodate people currently living in informal settlements and backyards. Bhunga Drive extension will also bridge the physical and racial divide between communities of Langa, Bokmakierie, Kewtown, and Athlone.

Honourable Speaker and Members, it is quite clear to us that:

• If we are to deliver on IKapa Elihlumayo, the vision of creating a "Home for All" in the Province, and other mandates given to us by the Provincial government,
• If we are to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, and implement the resolutions taken a week ago at the National Transport Lekgotla, and

• If we are to ensure that the President can give a positive report to the Nation next year,

We, as a Department, have to ensure that we have the necessary human capacity to perform. We have to give more attention to the welfare of our staff, and create an environment in which they can develop, grow and achieve their own ambitions, while helping us as an organisation to deliver to the people of this Province, as well as to the Nation.

The work we have done to develop the SIP has shown us that there are gaps in the organisation we need to fill, and a different skills set we need to bring in. As a result, our effort to recruit and/or develop people with engineering and other technical qualifications has to be extended to include transport economists, urban planners, financiers, and social scientists. We support the stated intention by the Premier and my colleague the Minister of Education to make mathematics a compulsory subject as part of general education. I have also taken every opportunity in my meetings with communities in Langa, Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, and in rural areas like Beaufort West, Worcester and Touws River, to encourage them to take advantage of our bursary and scholarship schemes, if they have kids who are good in mathematics and science, and want to pursue careers in the technical and other fields relevant for the work we do. My Human Resource Management team has recently completed its submission to facilitate the recruitment and retention of persons possessing scarce skills.

The people we already have in our Department continue to do stellar work. I believe the successes we have accomplished, are because we have a dedicated team of professionals at all levels, committed to the ethos of IKapa Elihlumayo. At this point I wish to acknowledge one such exemplary member of our Department, Mr Terence Arendse, who has for years worked tirelessly as our Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to ensure that our books were kept in order. Since the beginning of this month he has been appointed as Provincial Accountant General in the Provincial Treasury, and Mr Cedric Ismay has taken over in our Department as CFO. We wish Mr Arendse God-speed. The recognition is richly deserved. We welcome Mr Ismay to our family, and hope that he will soon feel at home.

In addition to Mr Ismay, we have made seven new appointments at senior management level to further strengthen our team. Four out of the seven are women, and six out of the seven are black. These appointments will go a long way in helping us address the gender balance and representivity at senior management level, as well as inject new energy, innovation and excitement into our organization. My Department has taken to heart the call made by the Premier for all departments to comply with Employment Equity targets. We have redesigned the advertising procedure to bring it in line with the Employment Equity Act, and the numbers tell the story. Of all appointments made in the last fourteen months in my Department, only six positions have been filled by white males. My Department is becoming a true Home for All, rooted in a culture of respect, inclusiveness and compassion for each other.

In order to promote Human Capital formation, both in and outside the organisation, we have been at the forefront of driving the learnership program, and have facilitated several interventions in partnership with the Construction and Transport SETAs, national Department of Public Works, and officials within the City to ensure a unified approach to the challenge of learnership implementation. We are confident that during this financial year we will have instituted at least 1100 learnerships within our Department alone. This program will continue to give hope to the unemployed and marginalised. In addition to learnerships, Departmental programs on ABET, part-time bursaries, management development and skills development being aggressively pursued.

The Department is also spearheading interventions in partnership with the Higher Education Institutions around Workplace Integrated Learning, where 50 students are currently engaged in training. The training of our own staff around the management of labour intensive construction projects in support of the Expanded Public Works Programme will resume shortly in partnership with Stellenbosch University. This will ensure that all relevant staff posses a detailed understanding of what is required to manage an EPWP type project. A Junior Management Programme is also being spearheaded with Stellenbosch University in order to develop persons within the Department at junior and middle management.

In the last few weeks, Cape Town has witnessed scenes which we thought were a thing of the past in our public transport system. Minibus-taxi drivers and operators being gunned down in broad daylight. Commuters running for cover as bullets flew past their ears. Lives lost needlessly as operators vie for routes servicing the new shopping complex at Cape Gate. In order to ensure the safety of commuters, prevent any more lives from being lost, and create a climate for stability in the industry to be re-established, I had:

• The area of Bellville/Kraaifontein/Modderdam Road announced as a declared area for which extraordinary measure regulations may be made,
• All routes and ranks in the declared area closed for the operation of minibus taxi services from April 12 to May 11, 2005,

• All operating licences/permits authorising minibus taxi services in the declared area suspended for the duration of the extraordinary measure regulations,

• An impoundment depot designated at Ndabeni in Cape Town, and impoundment fees determined. This facility is owned and managed by the City of Cape Town and we as provincial government have entered into partnership and signed service level agreements in this regard.

Since these measures were put in place, one hundred twenty two vehicles have been impounded, and there has been a relative calm in the area. There has been strong support of these measures from communities, business and organised labour, despite the inconvenience experienced by especially the commuters who had limited readily available alternatives. We appreciate this support. We also want to thank all agencies, which have worked tirelessly to ensure that the extraordinary measures stick, and that stability is restored.

While the measures are in place, we did not cease to broker a peace agreement between the parties involved in the dispute. We also took this opportunity to make it crystal clear to all operators that illegal acts and unlawful behaviour will be dealt with in a decisive manner. We made it clear that the routes and public transport facilities belong to no operator but to the government. It is a privilege for operators to be granted the right to operate on given routes and transport commuters. I am happy to report to this House that a breakthrough was made, and I was able to declare ranks open as from today. We will be monitoring this situation.

In order to ensure that we do not see another flare up like the one which has been occasioned by the opening of the Cape Gate shopping center, I have instructed my Department to liase closely with municipalities around planned developments to ensure that public transport is factored into all development plans. They will be developing guidelines for undertaking public transport impact assessments as required by the National Land Transport Transition Act. I will also be reviewing the issue of the operation of interchanges with a view of formulating a new policy position if necessary.

My Department is in the process of identifying and developing a pilot project which will test the manner in which the minibus taxi industry and other historically marginalised operators will be included in the scheduled public transport system. An empowerment model will be tested in terms of economic viability and sustainability so as to maximize the benefits for operators and commuters. I anticipate that this will be completed within a six month period. We are determined not to be distracted from our objectives of seeing the minibus taxi industry formalized and integrated into the formal public transport environment.

We are equally determined not to be distracted from implementation of our Public Transport Improvement Program (PTIP), which we plan to launch in June this year. The PTIP is a bold series of inter-dependent and mutually reinforcing strategies and plans aimed at:

• Making public transport more affordable to users.
• Ensuring that public transport contributes to IKapa Elihlumayo by reducing the cost of doing business, building social capital and supporting sustainable development.
• Paving the way for the transition from interim bus contract with Golden Arrow Bus Service to tendered and/or negotiated contracts.
• Preparing for holding World Cup 2010.

The different elements making up the Public Transport Improvement Programme include the following:

• Restructuring of bus contracts to introduce other operators into the subsidized system (minibus taxis and small bus operators).
• Reform of the subsidy system to target elderly, learners, disabled and unemployed; and allow for subsidisation of rural services.
• Integration of all modes of transport to provide a seamless service, reduce cost to users, and improve efficiency.
• Establishment of a Transport Authority to plan for and manage the public transport system; have a Province-wide responsibility; and be governed by with representation from Department of Transport, Province, City of Cape Town, Municipalities, organised labour, civil society and business.
• Upgrading of public transport infrastructure along key mobility corridors, with increased attention to non-motorised transport and public transport facilities to promote service integration.

The PTIP builds on work already being undertaken by my Department. Mobility strategies for the Klipfontein Corridor, Central Karoo, and George have already been launched. Mobility strategies for Mossel Bay and the West Coast will be considered next.

The designs for the Dignified Urban Spaces and Non-motorised Transport infrastructure for the Klipfontein Road Mobility Strategy have been completed and are in the implementation phase. The design of the road infrastructure and operation system will be finalised and a phased implementation will take place. An amount of R40 million has been allocated for this project in the current financial year. Public transport services for Klipfontein Corridor will be put out to tender before the end of the calendar year.

The Central Karoo Strategy was launched in February this year and R3 million is being spent on pedestrian and cycle paths along both sides of Mandlenkosi Road in Beaufort West. The viability of a multi-purpose brokerage service, as well as the infrastructure to support this initiative is being investigated. A preliminary design and costing of a scheduled subsidised public transport system will be included in this strategy. This will support accessibility and mobility for the outlying communities of, for example, Murraysburg and Merweville, which are far removed from all the basic amenities.

The George Mobility Strategy was launched in August 2004 by Deputy President Zuma, and involves the upgrading of the public transport corridors between the communities of Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp with downtown George. The detailed design of this project has been completed. R7 million has been allocated for project in this financial year.

My department has allocated a total of R58.7 million for mobility strategies and non-motorized transport infrastructure, and R40.9 million in public transport facilities within municipalities. The projects will be implemented through the Expanded Public Works Programme to promote skills development and job creation. Further funding has been made available to assist the six District Municipalities and the City of Cape Town in the development of their public transport and integrated transport plans. Technical support and guidance is also provided when needed. The extreme lack of resources in these municipalities is a cause for concern, and a partnership with our sister Department of Local Government and Housing will assist in addressing this situation.

Improving the running of the Provincial Operating Licence Board (POLB) remains a challenge for my Department. My office receives a lot of submissions from operators complaining about the poor quality of service they receive from the Licencing Board, and my Department is taking the following action to deal with the underlying causes:

• In October last year a special team was appointed to deal with the backlog of applications for operating licences, with an intention that by August 2005 the backlog will be cleared.
• A dedicated tourism office dealing exclusively with the applications for tourism and charter services was established in December 2004. I am happy to report that the backlog of these cases has been cleared.
• 80% of existing permits have been converted to operating licences, which bodes well for the implementation of the taxi recapitalisation project in our Province.
• Regional Offices of the Licencing Board are being established in George and Piketberg to improve service delivery to areas outside of Cape Town. The George Office will open in May 2005.
• A new Operating Licence Board will be appointed by July 1, 2005; and the Provincial Taxi Registrar in May 2005.
• A total of 60% of Minibus Taxi Associations held their Annual General Meetings and 40% submitted financial reports for the 2004 Financial Year. This is a great improvement as compared to previous years.

The remodelling of the Mandalay and Lentegeur Stations during the past financial year entailed a significant investment in infrastructure with regard to universal accessibility (Special Needs Passengers). A result of these two projects was the initiating of a strategic partnership between my Department and the South African Rail Commuter Corporation to assist them with the onerous task of making certain strategic stations universally accessible. A Memorandum of Understanding will be finalised soon and a further
R10 million has been made available in the current financial year for this purpose.

The 2010 World Cup is an important event and will require an efficient public transport system if it is to be a success. Upgraded minibus taxi, bus and rail services will form the backbone of World Cup spectator transport and will create a lasting legacy of significant public transport improvements. The Department will partner with the City of Cape Town to ensure that such upgrades are undertaken to effect an integrated and efficient system.

The Strategic Infrastructure Plan (SIP) has identified that the provision of infrastructure for World Cup 2010 is of critical importance. One such element is the need to provide a link between the Cape Town CBD and the Airport. In furtherance of this, my Department will be working with the Department of Economic Development, the Airports Company of South Africa, the South African Rail Commuter Corporation and the City of Cape Town to undertake market research of the customer base and their needs as a basis for the detailed planning which will be required to underpin any interventions proposed. The provision of a reliable and efficient public transport service, especially for tourists, will help in cementing Cape Town and the Western Cape as the lead tourist destination in South Africa.

Honourable Speaker, the saying: "The economy does not build roads, but roads build the economy" is very true and evidence of this can be seen in the Western Cape. I can say with pride, that my department: Roads Infrastructure has spent its budget in full - which means that R780 million was virtually "pumped" into our economy. Further good news is that the total budget for Roads Infrastructure and Traffic Management increases to R1.113 billion in this financial year, which represents a sharp rise of 42.7%. This is proof that our President meant what he said when he announced that more money would be made available for infrastructure in our country. I also want to thank the Premier Mr Rasool for his devoted support in this regard.

To keep our roads in a safe and acceptable standard is of course our prime goal and to preserve this asset we make use of three District Engineers Offices as well as the five District Municipalities, who act as agents on our behalf. Speaker, I sincerely want to thank our so-called "padmakers" for a job well done. I don't think I am presumptuous if I say that our roads in the Western Cape are predominantly of a good standard and my Department is geared to keep them that way.

Some of the projects in the Roads Infrastructure Branch are very capital-intensive being in the vicinity of hundreds of millions of Rands and I have decided to announce the following projects as Flagship projects:

• Gansbaai - Elim - Bredasdorp Link
• N1 Rehabilitation - Phases 1 & 2
• N2 Rehabilitation and widening + Airport Interchange. This is also a World Cup 2010 project.
• Potsdam Interchange - The forerunner in a total upgrading of the transport system in the Northern Growth (Atlantis) Corridor.
• Construction of Symphony Way, Hindle Road and Bhunga Drive Extension (Contribution to N2 Gateway Project)

We are also planning to reseal, rehabilitate and reconstruct the following roads in this financial year:

• Rebuilding of MR201 between Paarl and N1
• Rehabilitation of N7 between Piketberg and Citrusdal
• Viljoenshoop Road
• Hemel en Aarde Intersection on the road to Hermanus
• Reconstruction of Pniel to Simondium
• Rehabilitation/Upgrading of Wellington to Hermon
• Rehabilitation of Riebeeck West to Moorreesburg
• Rehabilitation of Riebeeck Kasteel to Hermon
• Rehabilitation of the White Bridge to Knysna Section on the N2
• Rehabilitation of TR1 / Section 1: George-Outeniqua Pass
• Lynedoch I/S
• Repair of slopes and retaining walls in the Huis River Pass
• Rehabilitation and upgrading of Stellenbosch Arterial
• Safety improvements on TR33/01: Mosselbay
• The Granger Bay link in the City of Cape Town

Besides the above-mentioned projects we also envisage regravelling roads in the rural areas with an estimated value of R113 million.

It is our intention to incorporate all possible elements of the EPWP into all our road infrastructure. projects. During the past financial year 97% of all our maintenance contracts were executed by Previously Disadvantaged Individuals and 47% of all capital projects were administered by same. I want to thank all my officials for their devoted inputs in this regard.

To ensure that our efforts to reduce the number and severity of road traffic accidents focuses on the real problems, it is essential to gather data and produce accurate accident statistics. Our Accident Data Centre is fully operational and captures the details of some 18 000 accidents per annum. The quality of the data recorded remains a challenge. In this regard we are concentrating on the training of SAPS officers to complete the accident forms and on regular communication with other recording authorities. The Department is presently developing a computer programme, which will enable us to statistically analyse traffic accident data to identify high frequency accident locations and the probable causes for these.

About three weeks ago I decided to visit the much-discussed Potsdam Intersection and I am proud to announce that I gave instruction to my Engineers to immediately solve the problem once and for all. The public will bear discomfort during the construction period but the final product will be worth it. Planning and design is already on the go to build an Interchange, which will be completed in 2007, and to further install traffic lights as an interim solution. This interchange will open up development and concomitant job creation and Black Economic Empowerment in the North Western Sector of the Metropole and will also strategically link the N7 via the M12, Giel Basson past the Airport with the Stellenbosch Arterial.

Another intersection which will be receiving attention is the intersection on the N7 at Piketberg, where we will be looking at providing sufficient street lighting and traffic signals.

Speaker, unfortunately the current levels of overloading of heavy vehicles are still too high and result in serious damage to the National, Provincial and Local road network in the province. The number of vehicles weighed in 2004 increased by 30% to more than 300 000. Of these 22% were found to be overloaded compared to the 24% of 2003. The percentage outside the 5% tolerance mark, those that get fined, decreased from 6 to 5% and fines to the value of R 8.5 m illion were issued.

Efforts in this year will be focused on installing more electronic surveillance equipment to allow for targeting of the real transgressors and to ensure that the law-abiding operators are not unnecessarily inconvenienced. The training of prosecutors to specialise in overload control cases will be pursued together with the Department of Community Safety and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Further infrastructure improvements to the value of more than R6 m illion will be effected at 4 weighbridge stations in this financial year.

Mr Speaker, my department had an extremely successful year as far as infrastructure delivery in the Public Works branch was concerned. Not only did we succeed in spending our entire original budget of R647 million, but also we spent an additional R139 million which was allocated to us in the Adjustments Estimates during the year. In total the Public Works branch therefore spent R785 million during the year under review, which is 122% of the original budget.

Speaker I am particularly proud of this achievement as it not only illustrates my department's ability to deliver, but more importantly it enabled us to accelerate infrastructure delivery and maintenance. In the process we were able to assist our client departments with improved service delivery, but we were also able to accelerate job creation.

With effect from 1 April 2005, the funding for infrastructure for the departments of Education and Health will no longer be reflected on the budget of this department but on the budgets of the two respective departments. My department will continue to be responsible for the construction and maintenance of provincial building infrastructure. Whilst I am concerned about the possible adverse impact that the new budgetary arrangements may have on service delivery in the short term, I am working closely with my colleagues in Education and Health to ensure that it is kept to the absolute minimum.

Honourable Speaker, during the past the year my Department, specifically Branch Public Works, successfully executed construction and maintenance projects at health care facilities throughout the Western Cape Province, construction and upgrading at 18 healthcare facilities at a cost of R218 million and maintenance at 113 healthcare facilities at a cost of R68 million.

Some of the facilities where construction and renovations occurred during the past financial year are the following:

1. Lentegeur Hospital Phases 1 - 3
2. Gugulethu AIDS clinic
3. Worcester Regional Hospital Trauma unit
4. Clanwilliam Place of Safety
5. Brewelskloof Hospital Upgrade kitchen & office blocks
6. Bishop Lavis CHC - Renovations
7. Groote Schuur Hospital Repair various roofs
8. Mowbray Maternity Hospital Electrical installation
9. Swartland Hospital Repairs & Renovate B/rm, Admin

Honourable Speaker, I am pleased to inform this House that the construction and upgrading of the following hospitals under the hospital Revitalisation programme is progressing very well:

• George Regional Hospital Revitalisation worth R50.8 m illion and scheduled to be completed in July 2005.
• Worcester Regional Hospital Revitalisation worth R124.4 m illion and scheduled to be completed in August 2005. This project is approaching 50% completion and my Department recently handed over the new Trauma Unit of the hospital to the Department of Health.
• Vredenburg Regional Hospital Revitalisation worth R43.233 million and scheduled to be completed during August 2006.

My Department has commenced with construction of Mowbray Maternity Hospital upgrade worth R28 million which is scheduled for completion by September 2006. The tender for the upgrading of Paarl hospital will proceed as soon as funding confirmation is received from the Department of Health, as this hospital could not be built in the past year due to non-availability of funds.

The planning for the Khayelitsha District Hospital is underway between my Department and the Department of Health, including the identification of a suitable site, compilation of a business plan, etc.

The Freedom Charter declares that: "Free medical care and hospitalisation shall be provided for all, with special care for mothers and young children ".

We are certainly doing our best to ensure that the mothers, children and all the citizens of this Province receive medical care and attention in state-of-the-art facilities.

The Freedom Charter states that "the doors of learning and Culture shall be opened" !

In the past year we promised to commence with the construction of ten new schools but I am pleased to announce that we have commenced with the construction of 20 new schools comprising of ten primary schools, nine secondary schools and one-school hostel. This clearly illustrates my commitment to accelerate infrastructure delivery and to reduce the ever-increasing classroom backlogs in the province.

In the 2005/6 my department intends delivery of the following 20 new schools, which will be ready for use by the Department of Education for schooling purposes on or before the end of this financial year:

1. Tafelsig Primary School
2. Paarl: Groenheuwel Primary School
3. York Hostel
4. Delft Primary School No 1
5. Philippi East Secondary School
6. Delft Primary School.
7. Delft Secondary school No 2
8. Mfuleni Primary School
9. Pacaltsdorp primary school
10. Bluedowns Secondary School
11. Mfuleni secondary school
12. Nomzamo secondary school
13. Table view secondary school
14. Masiphumelele secondary school
15. Highbury Secondary School in Kuilsriver
16. Philippi West Secondary school
17. Kalkfontein Primary in Kuilsriver
18. Bloekombos Primary School
19. Du Noon Secondary School
20. Wallacedene Primary School
    

To attend to the demand for urgent classroom accommodation in the past year we delivered 210 mobile structures for temporary classroom purposes to 30 different schools throughout the province and currently have 135 mobile structures in construction to be delivered to 12 different schools in the 2005/6 financial year.

My Department maintained 658 schools through 898 different contracts thus improving the current physical infrastructure of our schools and reducing the maintenance backlog as well as benefiting a large number of communities throughout the Western Cape Province.

My Department has approximately 40 projects in planning for construction works, which includes 10 additional new schools, forums for 20 schools, and 15 additional classrooms.

Once again, "The doors of learning shall be opened"!

Through Public Works we are continuously implementing the broad based black economic empowerment strategy through its adherence to the Department's Preferential Procurement Implementation Plan in the awarding of tenders and in the appointment of professional service providers in the built sector, hence in this financial year as at February 2005:

• 63% of all professional services procured have been from PDI professional service providers to a total amount of R47.8 million.
• 81% of all tenders awarded to contractors were awarded to PDI Contractor enterprises to the value of R256.1 million.
• 47% of all tenders awarded to contractors were awarded to enterprises with Women Equity to the total value of R148.4 million.

Thus through Public Works I have implemented national and provincial government policy with regard to black economic empowerment to the fullest and have yielded positive results with regard to the transformation of the built sector within the Western Cape Province.