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SA is today a better country

YOUR correspondent Mpototi Zwane (Letters, "Zuma a Colossal Failure", Sowetan July 13) claims that President Jacob Zuma is indecisive and that government is failing in service delivery, a sweeping statement definitely not based on fact.

The president makes decisions every day in line with the powers vested in him by the Constitution and legislation, performing the functions of head of state and head of the national executive. Allegations of indecision are either mischievous or based on ignorance.

With regard to criticisms of governance, the facts speak for themselves.

Government performance is viewed collectively, starting from the period of democratisation in 1994. More than two million houses have been built for the poor, giving shelter to over 10million people.

Six million households have gained access to clean water since 1994 and electricity has been connected to nearly five million homes. In 1994, only 62percent of households had access to clean drinking water, today 93percent do.

In 1994, only 50percent of households had access to decent sanitation, today 77percent do. In 1994, only 36percent of South Africans had access to electricity, today 84percent do.

Today the majority of people are provided free basic services in water and electricity.

By 2010, close to 15million people were receiving social grants. Of those, 9,5million are children aged under 14 years, compared with just 2,4million in 1996.

This year the child support grant has been extended to children up to the age of 18 years, an additional two million children, in order to alleviate poverty.

More than 400000 children receive government subsidies to attend early childhood development centres. More than 8million children at primary and secondary schools benefit from school feeding schemes.

This year government announced expanded access to tertiary education. Student loans are now being converted into bursaries for qualifying final-year students.

Students in further education and training colleges who qualify for financial aid are now exempted from paying fees.

Crime is declining. The murder rate, for example, declined by 8,6percent in 2010.

Economically, government has adopted the New Growth Path, with a central focus on promoting economic growth and job creation.

To improve the way government works, the performance monitoring and evaluation function was established in the Presidency.

This innovation includes the signing of performance agreements between the president and ministers, a first for the country. This enables every department to know exactly what is expected of them, to enable improved monitoring.

The administration has also introduced a national planning function, through the National Planning Commission (NPC).

The NPC, led by Minister Trevor Manuel with Cyril Ramaphosa as deputy chairperson, will produce reports on a range of issues that impact on our long-term development, such as water security, climate change, food security, energy security, infrastructure planning, human resource development, defence and security matters, spatial planning, demographic trends and so forth.

They have already produced a diagnostic report which South Africans have been invited to comment on.

Another key feature of the administration is the decision to focus on five priorities for the next five years. These are education, health, rural development and land reform, the fight against crime and job creation.

The president is currently personally undertaking monitoring visits around the country to assess performance.

He visited Eastern Cape on June 7 to monitor education and Limpopo on July 7 to assess health facilities. All nine provinces will be visited to inculcate the culture of accountability and delivery.

Current key presidential projects include the revitalisation of education in Eastern Cape, where government has invoked a Section 100 intervention.

Also important for that province is an intensive presidential project boosting development in the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality in the OR Tambo district, to improve infrastructure such as roads, the airport, water, sanitation and other key services in the Mthatha area.

This forms part of government's stated commitment to provide hands-on support to municipalities.

A high-level task team of ministers and a technical team led by directors-general are working with the province to ensure that these services are delivered.

The president will conduct a site visit in September to check progress. These are just two examples of hands-on monitoring and leadership by the president.

The country is playing a key role in peacemaking and peacekeeping in the continent, including Libya. We have also prioritised economic diplomacy as part of efforts of creating jobs through stronger ties with both the developing and developed world.

Our membership of the Brics, G20 and other key institutions are designed to help further boost interactions to the benefit of the country's growth and development.

President Zuma has said continuously that while we have achieved a lot, much more still needs to be done, and that working together with communities, we can achieve more.

Those commenting on the delivery record of government or the leadership style of the president would do well to look at the facts closely before making false pronouncements.

  • Mngadi is the chief director for communications in the Office of the President, in the Presidency.

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