Closing remarks on behalf of Deputy President Paul Mashatile by Deputy Minister of Human settlements, Tandi Mahambehlala, at the community engagement during the outreach visit[...]

Programme Director, MEC for COGHSTA, Lebogang Mothlaping;
Premier of the Northern Cape, Dr Zamani Saul;
Executive Mayor of the Frances Baard District Municipality, Cllr Wende (Patrick) Marekwa;
Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Jane Sithole;
Deputy Minister Masondo Tentative;
SALGA Provincial leadership;
Northern Cape SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Otola;
Deputy Provincial Commissioner, Vispol, Major General Besnaar;
Acting District Commissioner Frances Baard, Brigadier Mtongana;
Acting Provincial Head, Inspectorate Colonel Malgas;
Station Commander, Hartswater, Lt Colonel Ntidi;
Deputy Director Generals present;
Community Representatives, and Community Members;
Ladies and gentlemen;

Good afternoon! Goeie middag! Dumelang!

Let me begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the people of Phokwane for welcoming us into your community. Thank you for your frankness, your honesty, and your willingness to engage Government on matters that affect your daily lives.

Today, we began our programme with visits to several important sites, including the Vaalharts/Taung Irrigation Scheme, the Vala Zonke Project, and the Pecan Nut Processing Plant. These visits provided us with a firsthand understanding of both the enormous potential that exists within this municipality and the challenges that continue to hold back development and service delivery.

This outreach programme forms part of the work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Service Delivery, chaired by Deputy President, Paul Mashatile. It is intended to ensure that Government leaders do not govern from offices in Pretoria alone, but that we come directly to communities, listen to people, assess progress on the ground, identify service delivery blockages, and coordinate speedy, practical solutions.

The Deputy President, who initiated these outreach visits, had hoped to be here with you today. Unfortunately, on the advice of his medical team, he has had to temporarily scale down his public engagements.

However, I want to assure you that the issues raised here today will be reported directly to him, together with the observations we have made during our engagements in the municipality.

As the leader responsible for coordinating the implementation of South Africa's District Development Model (DDM), he continues to drive efforts aimed at improving local government performance and strengthening service delivery across all three spheres of Government. It is for this reason that we have come together today.

Programme Director, the people of Phokwane have spoken clearly.

You have raised concerns about unreliable water supply, ageing infrastructure, potholes and deteriorating roads, sewer spillages, electricity interruptions, housing backlogs, unemployment, youth development, healthcare services, land matters, and the future of your children.

These concerns are legitimate, and they deserve urgent attention.

Government acknowledges that the municipality continues to face significant challenges. With an unemployment rate of approximately 43%, many households remain without sustainable sources of income, particularly young people, women, and persons with disabilities. Yet, this is a municipality blessed with agricultural potential, resilient communities, and hardworking people. The challenge before us therefore is to ensure that economic opportunities benefit local communities.

When we visited the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme today in particular, we saw one of the most important agricultural assets in South Africa. We also heard concerns regarding the condition of infrastructure, the need for investment, land-related matters, and the desire of local communities to participate more meaningfully in the agricultural value chain.

Government understands these concerns and will immediately engage all relevant stakeholders to unlock the full economic potential of this strategic asset.

To the residents of Pampierstad, we have heard your concerns regarding asbestos water pipelines, recurring pipe bursts, sewer blockages, and sanitation challenges. Access to clean water is not a privilege; it is a constitutional right.

Government is already implementing projects aimed at upgrading bulk water and sanitation infrastructure, but we acknowledge that more needs to be done and that communities expect visible progress.

As Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, I fully understand the frustration of families who have been waiting for housing opportunities for many years.

We are aware of the housing backlog, the shortage of serviced sites, and delays associated with bulk infrastructure and land availability. We are also aware of projects that are already underway in Ganspan, Bonita Park, Kingston, Masakeng, Andalusia, and Nkandla.

We wish to acknowledge as Government that the pace of delivery on these and other projects is far from satisfactory. We must improve this. We deeply understand that housing is more than shelter; it is a foundation for dignity, social justice, and an improved quality of life.

To our young people, perhaps the most painful issue raised today is unemployment. Many young people have qualifications but no jobs.

We have seen many young men and women from different communities who completed their studies years ago and are still searching for employment. Like countless other young people in Phokwane, they wake up each morning with hope and determination, only to go to bed feeling disappointed and discouraged.

Some of you here know exactly what that feels like. You have sent out countless CVs, travelled long distances for interviews, and taken whatever work you could find just to put food on the table and support your loved ones.

The truth is that our young people are not asking for favours. They are not asking for handouts. They simply want a fair chance, a chance to work, to earn an honest living, and to build a better future for themselves and their families.

We therefore have a responsibility, both as Government and as the private sector, to do more. We must work together to open doors for young people across Hartswater, Jan Kempdorp, Pampierstad, and the surrounding areas.

Whether through employment opportunities, skills development, or support for small businesses, we must ensure that our young people can turn their ambitions into reality.

That is why we must ensure that every infrastructure project, every agricultural investment, every housing development, and every Government programme becomes a vehicle for local job creation, skills development, and enterprise opportunities for the people of Phokwane.

I therefore call upon the Phokwane Local Municipality, major employers, agricultural enterprises, local businesses, and investors operating in this area to strengthen local recruitment, local procurement, skills development initiatives, internships, apprenticeships, and learnership programmes.

Government cannot solve unemployment through the public sector alone. However, we are committed to strengthening programmes that promote skills development, entrepreneurship, Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) opportunities, Community Work Programmes, agricultural development, and partnerships with the private sector.

We have also heard the call for a TVET College or expanded post-school opportunities in this municipality so that young people do not have to leave their communities to access education and training.

I was particularly encouraged to learn about the work being undertaken by organisations such as the Thabang Community Development Centre and House of Thabang NPC, which are equipping young people and community members with practical skills and supporting local enterprise development. Such initiatives demonstrate that communities themselves are important partners in development.

Programme Director,

Some community members asked, why does Government keep coming to meetings while our lives remain unchanged?

That is a fair question.

The answer is that while progress has been made in some areas, implementation has often not happened at the speed communities deserve.

Today's visit is therefore not merely an exercise in listening. It forms part of a broader process of identifying blockages and holding all spheres of Government accountable for delivery.

When it comes to roads, Government is implementing interventions such as the Kolong Road Project and the Vala Zonke Programme. However, we acknowledge that the infrastructure backlog remains significant and requires additional resources, investment, and improved maintenance.

Another issue of concern repeatedly raised by community members relates to ageing infrastructure, network constraints, vandalism, and electricity theft. Investment is being directed towards electrification and network upgrades, including the electrification of households that currently do not have access to electricity.

However, infrastructure protection is equally important. Communities and Government must work together to stop the vandalism and theft of public infrastructure.

As Government, we do not claim to have all the answers. But what we can promise is that we have listened. We have taken note of your concerns. We have seen your challenges. Most importantly, we have witnessed your determination and resilience.

The District Development Model teaches us that no sphere of Government can work in isolation. National, provincial, and local government must work together, plan together, budget together, and deliver together. The people of Phokwane do not care which sphere of Government is responsible for a particular function. They simply want services, dignity, and opportunity, and rightly so.

Let me conclude by reaffirming that today's engagement is not the end of the conversation. It is the beginning of a renewed commitment between Government and the people of Phokwane.

We leave this municipality with a clearer understanding of your challenges, but also with confidence in your potential.

The future of Phokwane is not defined by its challenges. It is defined by the agricultural potential of Vaalharts, the entrepreneurship of local businesses, the aspirations of young people, the commitment of community organisations, and the collective determination of Government and society to build a better future.

Together, we must build a municipality where every household has access to reliable basic services, where every young person has a pathway to opportunity, where every family can live in dignity, and where economic growth translates into jobs, hope, and improved livelihoods.

Let me conclude by encourage every eligible resident to make their voice heard in the upcoming Local Government Elections. Democracy is strongest when citizens actively participate in shaping the future of their communities. Voting may seem like a small act, but it is one of the most powerful ways we can shape the direction of our communities.

Let us all play our part by exercising our democratic right and helping to build communities that work for everyone. Together, we can create the future we want to see.

On behalf of Government, I thank you for your participation, your constructive inputs, and your commitment to building a stronger Phokwane.

Let us continue working together to turn today's commitments into tomorrow's results.

I thank you. Ke a leboga. Baaie Dankie!