SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, MR SICELO SHICEKA PRESENTED AT THE BUDGET VOTE, OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT,

CAPE TOWN

22 APRIL 2010

Honourable Chairperson, Cabinet Ministers, Distinguished Members of the House, Honourable Premiers, MEC’s, Executive Mayors, Mayors and Councilors, Traditional Leaders present, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is indeed a great honour for me to be afforded an opportunity to present to this august House the second Budget Vote for the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) for the financial year 2010/2011.  This occasion is significant for me in many ways than one.

In this budget vote, we want to present an assessment of what we have done in the previous year and outline programmes and projects that will be undertaken in the coming year.  These are aimed at contributing in the improvement of the quality of lives of our people. Their nature and character is different as it is based on government’s new outcome based approach, wherein, a performance contract is to be signed between the President and the Minister by June this year.  Each Minister will then  sign agreements with their National Government counterparts, provincial governments and all municipalities across the country.  These are exciting times in the history of an ANC-led government.