The Premier of the Eastern Cape , Ms Noxolo Kiviet,

The Minister of Mineral Resources, Ms Susan Shabangu, 

Acting Executive Mayor of OR Tambo,

Executive Mayor of Mbizana local municipality,

The CEO of Anglo Platinum Mr Griffiths and all representatives of Anglo American Platinum,

Fellow citizens,

 

Molweni, Sanibonani,

 

We have gathered together to celebrate the opening of Ethridge Junior Secondary School on an important day, World Teachers Day.

The 5th of October is celebrated globally as World Teacher's Day, and this year’s theme is A Call for Teachers. 

 

Let me begin therefore by acknowledging and thanking all hard working teachers. We urge you to rededicate and recommit yourselves to quality learning and teaching as you hold the future of our country in your hands. The children you mould should be able to lead this country forward to prosperity.

We are also marking the beginning of Oliver Tambo Month, celebrating former ANC President Oliver Tambo, a man produced by this area of Mbizana. He went on to become one of the most legendary, inspiring, innovative, exceptional and hardworking leaders of the ANC and of our country.  

 

Incidentally he was also a teacher, so we are able to celebrate him in that capacity as well.

In fact, OR Tambo District is renowned for producing a number of struggle heroes and heroines. 

This is, over and above, the various wars including the famous Pondoland battles that were fought between the people of this area and the invading British colonisers. 

 

It was this area too that experienced the famous Pondoland revolts of 1946 and 1962, during which the people revolted against the introduction of measures that were aimed at undermining their cultural way of life and stock limits including their land and agricultural activities. 

We all know that this led to the very foundation of the migrant labour system through which employment agencies such as TEBA recruited employees from these parts of the world to work in the gold and platinum mines primarily in Gauteng and the North West. 

 

In this case the majority of the workers were bussed to far flung areas such as Rustenburg to work at the mines. 

These workers eventually return home without skills that would enable them to eke out a living beyond mining.  That invariably meant, in most instances, that they were to return home to die and in a life mirrored by poverty, and often serious disease.

 

It is with this in mind that the democratic ANC government introduced ground breaking legislation, the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act with the mining charter and associated social and labour plans.

The legislation was designed to correct the wrongs of a system that was founded on the evil of migrant labour.

 

As you most probably know, mining continues to be the cornerstone of our economy. The mining industry has manifold benefits for the country.  We can count the following benefits of mining to the economy;

 

• It creates in excess of a million decent jobs.

• It accounts for about 18% of GDP, including multipliers,

• It contributes approximately 50% to foreign exchange earnings, It accounts for 18% of total fixed investment,

• It accounts for more than 30% of the JSE’s  value, which is in excess of R2 trillion,

• It accounts for 18.5% of corporate tax receipts,

• It creates demand for 50% of volume of Transnet’s rail and ports,

• It contributes 93% of electricity generation via coal power plants and consumes approximately 15% of national electricity demand.

 

The mining sector is also responsible for 37% of the country’s liquid fuels through coal, which is essence worth R30 billion.

 

Given the pivotal role of mining in the economy, we continue to work with the sector to promote social development in the mining towns and labour sending areas.

On October 17 last year, as government we met with business and labour and we agreed on the need for accelerated investments in mining towns and labour sending areas, and the outcome was known as the Presidential Package. 

 

Although this Ethridge school project was part of the Social and Labour Plan commitments of Anglo American Platinum and was commissioned in November 2011, it has been fast-tracked as part of the efforts to implement the commitments entered into by government and social partners in that October High Level Dialogue on the Economy. 

The provision of a quality school in this community directly responds to commitments in the Presidential Package for the development of a new partnership between social partners for the development of sustainable human settlements in mining towns, labour sending areas and all communities.

 

In this specific case Anglo American Platinum has, as part of its Social and Labour Plan commitments, invested in infrastructure in the form of the construction of this modern quality school in this labour sending area, as defined in the Mining Charter.

The building of this school is an important step towards achieving the imperatives as defined in our education policy, to have children being taught in a conducive environment. 

 

This newly constructed school replaces the old Ethridge which was dilapidated and not suitable for teaching and learning.

The confidence of children and the quality of learning and teaching can only improve in a quality school like this one.

We applaud the collaboration between the three spheres of government to make this project a success, which will improve the lives of children from Grade R to Grade 9.

 

The contribution of about R45 million including facilities such as a computer and science laboratory by Anglo American Platinum ensures that the associated opportunities that have arisen out of this project benefit the locals. 

It cannot be that it is children in urban areas only who are taught in top of the range quality schools with all infrastructure. Children in rural areas are also entitled to such attention.

 

I trust that this contribution will encourage other companies sourcing labour from the Eastern Cape similarly to invest in the province as well as in other labour sending areas. It is only by working together that we can produce education fit for the demands of the 21st century and beyond.

The school is a sound investment in the youth of Mbizana, so that we can be able to produce other Oliver Tambos – young people who will become leaders of society in various fields.

 

Heavy responsibility rests directly on the shoulders of this community as well. The community must protect the school and ensure that it stays in the condition in which we hand it over today.

In addition, teachers and learners must ensure that this investment in education yields returns through  outstanding academic results in all grades and also through iron discipline on the school grounds and beyond.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, I have directed government departments to take measures to improve the living conditions of mineworkers and promote sustainable human settlements for other communities as well.

Funds for many projects, including the improvement of rental stock in the priority sites, have been approved. 

 

For the current financial year, an amount of 1.1 billion rand and a further 1.6 billion rand have been allocated under the human settlements development grant for the 2014-15 financial year.

The roll-out of the programme has begun in Rustenburg, and other mining towns in the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality; Madibeng and Moses Kotane.  This will be eventually extended to include the remaining priority sites including Klerksdorp, Emalahleni, Sekhukhune, Lephalale, West Rand and Welkom.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

Boys and girls,

 

Let me remind you that tomorrow, Sunday the 6th is Grandparents Day as designated by the United Nations. We urge all the children and the youth to honour their grandparents and ensure that they receive utmost love and care tomorrow on their special day.

 

Let me wish all Grandparents a happy Grandparents Day tomorrow.

I also wish all Teachers a successful World Teachers Day.

 

Honoured guests

 

It is my honour and pleasure to hand over Ethridge Junior Secondary School to the provincial government and to the community of Mbizana.

 

I thank you.