“We have engaged in social compacts, through ongoing discussions with mines in the province to ensure that we reach our objective of a modern, growing, successful Province.”
NORTHERN Cape Premier, Dr Zamani Saul, has recommited his administration to turn its back on indulging in executive luxuries.
During his no-frills State of the Province Address at the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre yesterday, Saul dedicated his address to focus “on the practical things that we are doing and what is on our desk as the 6th administration”.
“To build on our vision to build a modern, growing and successful Province, we started with small but very symbolic things. That was to free ourselves from indulging in executive luxuries such as new cars, official residences, blue lights and officials portraits,” Saul said.
“The naysayers thought that this was a political stunt. We did all of these because we knew that the precarious financial position of the Province does not allow for such indulgence by elected leaders.
“As elected leaders we must serve as a force of example in cutting wasteful expenditures and inefficiencies in the system. Not because we want to be seen to be revolutionary in our outlook, but because the levels of poverty and the development challenges in the Province do not allow for such.”
He pointed out that the Northern Cape was the first amongst the provinces to advocate for the revision of the Ministerial Handbook.
“We welcomed the publication of the revised benefits for the Premiers and MECs. We do all of this in the spirit of servant leadership which requires leaders not to be self-centered, but to be people-centred.”
Saul added that the cost benefit analysis of insourcing had also now been completed and the implementation will be done though a “phased-approach which has started with security services”.
“A phased-approach means that this process will unfold over several years so that we do not compromise the fiscal stability of the province,” he stated. “Currently, the contract cost on outsourced security services is R239 million with 1 368 security guards. As a starting point we have by now insourced 116 of the 1 368.”
He stated that since he took office as Premier, he had initiated certain strategic interventions to address the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment.
“We have engaged in social compacts, through ongoing discussions with mines in the province to ensure that we reach our objective of a modern, growing, successful Province.”
