Walking into one of the so-called "grassroot" offices of the Department recently, in one of South Africa’s provinces I was greeted by a certificate from the "big wig" in that province commending the office for the good work it did in 2002. I may not be part of that office, but as I proceeded towards the certificate I felt like walking tall. There was no way that I could ignore such a novelty.

Something else that made me feel proud is the fact that these people haven’t waited for their good work to be acknowledged by the National Office. That is one of the weaknesses offices have. Believing that things are good only when they are so described by the National Office. It is an open secret that not all offices pull the same. Perhaps by the time our work is reflected at National Office it is encompassed with that of a province as a whole. Then, in that reflection, our work is not as sparkling as it really is.

How I wish I was present when the office received the certificate. Even though I was not there I can see clearly the smiles all over the faces at the receipt of the certificate. I am looking at people arriving at their homes singing merrily to their loved ones. The hugging and kissing after the good news was spilled at home. The mouth-watering food that followed because of the excitement of the certificate. I can even smell it right now.

What has to be borne in mind is that land reform implementers are not confined to their desks all day long, whether they like it or not. They have to travel to meet people and explain issues. It may be raining, hot or cold. The roads they have to travel may be good or bad. In many an instance this includes walking long distances. Because of that, sometimes they are compelled to miss their families. Just imagine when you leave your little "angels" at ungodly hours and return without them knowing that you are back. Sometimes you are even unable to play their little games with them during the weekends.

These travels are not joy rides. In some instances land reform implementers meet hostile crowds. Under such circumstances their lives are in danger. Sometimes they are threatened with prosecution for trespassing in certain areas termed private property. I once heard one of them saying that in the past he never bothered himself about praying. But, now prayer has become part of his way of life whenever travelling.

For me to experience that your blood, sweat and tears make a difference in other people’s lives is fulfilling. The fact that I am doing the job that I am employed for is a fact that I cannot run away from. Be that as it may, hearing the words "thank you" from anyone is an inspiration. That makes one look forward to doing things better than on the previous occasion.

Support services I am sure were not excluded from the acknowledgement. They are the pillars of strength for land reform implementers. Surely land reform implementers cannot survive without them.

Nowadays we are living in a world that really believes "money talks". Perhaps you may be wondering whether some money for that office accompanied the certificate. I do not know. I did not ask. I do not even care. For me, suffice to acknowledge that the people have done a good job and are respected for that.

As time goes by, there are changes that will be happening in our publications. Most probably, the changes may be related to names and their number.

Enjoy your Easter Week-end, Freedom Day and Worker’s Day.

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Exactly ten years ago today, Comrade Chris Hani was assassinated, a year before we attained our liberation. In his memory we have worked tirelessly to change the lives of the rural masses of South African people and the workers. Our programme of land reform and agriculture are an example of how we have impacted on the rural communities, a community which gave birth to this giant. We will continue to ensure that his memory and that of those of who struggled with him is kept alive by what we do to transform South Africa for the better.

Madam Chairperson, today we had a memorial service for Comrade Senorita Nhlabathi, who was also a member of this house. In her memory we want to say the work you have done during your lifetime remains a memory of what all of us as South Africans need to do to change our country for the better. Once a member of the Young Women Christian Association, you touched and changed the lives of so many young women in the Free State region and elsewhere. We will remember you by ensuring that your hopes and dreams are kept alive by what we do.

A decade later, we stand proudly on the shoulders of the giants like Comrade Chris and many of our heroes and heroines of our struggle as we account for the mandate bestowed upon us by our government for agricultural support and land reform in our country.

Only a year ago, Chairperson, we stood here before this very House and declared our resolute and relentless determination to redress the imbalances of the past We once more stand here determined, more than ever before, to push back the frontiers of poverty and landlessness in our country.

In 1994 we inherited an agricultural sector that was not inclusive at all and did not reflect the demography of our society. It was also highly regulated with subsidies and financial concessions available to commercial farmers, often at high costs to government. Protectionist policies and barriers to entry helped distort the potential of the agricultural sector.

Thus at the outset, we were faced with the enormous challenge of the transformation of this sector at all levels, by ensuring that it becomes inclusive and competitive, and that its vision is that of ensuring that all South Africans have access to food at all times. We needed to ensure that the rural communities whose livelihood derives from the land are supported in such a way that they can make an impact on the development of such communities. These are the objectives Madam Chairperson that has led government to come up with the rural development strategy.

Poverty continues to be a challenge that we must address, mindful that it will take a bit of time, given our history. In part within this ministry it will require that we accelerate land reform in order to give people assets that they can put to use for an economic livelihood and social stability. Land reform on the other hand Madam Chair, will ensure that we change the skewed participation of black people in this sector, in particular women and youth. The Land and Agricultural Development Programme known as LRAD is one such mechanism that we have used to attain this objective. To this end we have been able to create a class of new farmers, both young and old, that are a success in our country. The Nkomazi Sugar Project in Mpumalanga where we launched our LRAD programme has had its first harvest and realised an income of R100 000.

Some of the beneficiaries of restitution  have also shown positive results. People who got their land back have been able to produce in such a way that they have impacted positively in their lives. Madam Chairperson, the work done thus far in restitution has yielded good results. A total of 36 000 claims has been settled and our validation campaign is almost complete. The process of validation has enabled us to know exactly which claims are valid and which are not. Of the total number validated now, about 400 are not valid. We will be able to make a presentation to Cabinet on this matter as well as what resources are required to finalise this process within the time frame that our President announced last year.

Madam Chairperson, restitution is not the only programme of government. The other programmes are redistribution and tenure reform. Within these programmes there is an interface between agriculture and land as well as land and housing. The work we have done so far as the two departments has been to ensure that there is an alignment in planning and approval of   projects which includes the provincial agriculture departments and MECs. This has been essential because unless there is some of alignment both in planning and implementation we cannot succeed.

Madam Chairperson, this alignment cannot be expected to occur only in government level alone, it also needs partnerships with various stakeholders both in the private sector and civil society. It is this knowledge that has necessitated a partnership between farmers and government. This has been reflected through the Agriculture Sector Plan. I am happy to report to this house that a majority of Provincial Executive Councils have debated and given their support to the sector plan. I wish to thank all my colleagues, the MECs who have done a wonderful job in ensuring that there is a broader buying at provincial level of this plan.

The challenge that we all face is the implementation. For its part government has ensured that the departmental strategic plans that are presented to parliament annually give effect to this sector plan.

Only last year around this time, Honourable Chairperson, I stood before this very House and declared our resolute and relentless determination to redress the imbalances of the past land dispossession by accelerating the pace of land reform.

The resultant effects of our bold declaration was that the Department of Land Affairs, (DLA) has amassed every ounce of energy within its capacity to push back the frontiers of poverty through the orderly, systematic, sustainable and equitable redistribution of land.

This process has involved engaging with a variety of stakeholders to build on a broader buy-in of the noble vision of land reform in South Africa. For example, engagement with Agri-SA, Business Trust, South African Foundation and the Afrikaanse Handelinstituut, among others, have greatly assisted in bolstering our efforts towards an integrated approach to land reform.

From August 2001 until December last year, particular attention was paid to the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD) sub-progamme. During this period, the DLA transferred a total of 295 024 hectares to 140 227 beneficiaries.

During the first-three quarters of the past financial year alone, the DLA transferred through LRAD 214 farms yielding 185 609 hectares to 6 769 beneficiaries. Of the total hectares, 8 139 were transferred to previously disadvantaged beneficiaries, including labour tenants. These figures are set to increase when those relating to the last quarter are incorporated.

We can also highlight under LRAD delivery the following projects situated in Mpumalanga: a sugar cane growing project in Nkomazi, where the participants have just harvested their first crop of sugar cane after a year of production and have made gross earnings of about R100 000, far more than the R65 000 that they had planned to earn.

Progress is also being made in resolving the labour tenants cases in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, where the majority of labour tenants are to be found. This is not only being achieved in terms of provision of land but also ensuring that the land is used productively to improve the quality of life of the labour tenants. For example, the Glenbella project in Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal  benefits 59 households who have received 800 hectares of land. This land is being utilised for small-scale farming and eco-tourism with the assistance of the farm owner who is serving as a mentor for the emerging farmers.

In Mpumalanga province a number of labour tenants are involved in serious agricultural production. For example, the Inkululeko project in Langverwacht, Wakkerstroom, owned by four families who were previously labour tenants, is involved in intensive maize production and livestock farming. They are not only producing for subsistence purposes but they have been able to produce a surplus which they are selling to a number of secure markets.

In the Piet Retief district, also in Mpumalanga, another labour tenant project called Kubhedu, which boasts of about 58 families, also produce a surplus of maize and beans.

In terms of the broader process of redistribution under LRAD, this financial year we have planned to work on the transfer of 438 farms which will yield approximately 130 810 hectares to 6 179 beneficiaries, among them 133 labour tenants.

Our participation in the Urban Renewal Programme saw us completing projects in various provinces over the previous year. For example, land has been made available for urban renewal in the following areas: Galeshewe in the Northern Cape, Alexandra and Braamfisherville in Gauteng, Ntuzuma in KwaZulu-Natal, as well as Postdam and Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape.

In the past year 21 farms were also transferred to 1 096 beneficiaries, translating into 18 879 hectares and 1096 households for the purposes of commonages and other redistribution programmes. Marginalised beneficiaries had 1 970 hectares of this land transferred to them.

Honourable Chairperson, we have taken very seriously the plight of labour tenants as well as the precarious circumstances under which farm workers generally live. To this end, we have undertaken to transfer 15 308 hectares to this group this year in which a total of 2 960 labour tenants and farm worker households stand to benefit.

We have also identified additional land for the Urban Renewal Programme in terms of which we intend to transfer 3 776 hectares to 14 026 households.

Since April 2000, 235 626 hectares of State land have been disposed of under the Powers of Attorney issued to Provincial MECs for Agriculture. Out of this total 191 653 hectares is the extent of land under leases with an option to purchase and 43 973 hectares have been sold to previously disadvantaged individuals.

The purpose of Restitution is, among others, restoration of dignity to all those who lost it as a result of racial laws and practices of the past regime. It is a statement by this new government to condemn the unjust dispossessions and offer equitable redress. Over the past year we have pushed the total number of claims settled to date to 36 488. This has involved 22 760 households over the past financial year, 25 % of which are female-headed. Our focus has now shifted decisively towards settling rural claims. To this end in KwaZulu-Natal we are proud to say that the protracted and contentious claim of Mangethe, involving 199 households, has been finally settled out of court.

With the Khumalo land claim in KwaZulu-Natal we have restored more than 7 292 hectares to 250 households. They shall now be using the land for producing their own food, grazing and housing. About 5000 hectares of this land will be used for game farming where the claimants are key stake holders.

In Gauteng and the North-West provinces rural claims that have been settled include Koppieskraal, Byl, Concordia, Holgat, Khaukwe, Walmanstal, Mooiland, Zamenskomst, Kleincwain and Rama.

In the Eastern Cape the rural claims settled included nine in Keiskammahoek, as well as Luswazi and Mankanku near Kokstad. The ten communities in Kieskammahoek were victims of the apartheid’s "betterment spatial planning", which sought to push the increasing black population to fit into the Bantustan land. This government has restored the dignity of these people by restoring their land rights. The claimants have decided to use the Restitution award towards development projects including agriculture, forestry, infrastructure and rural livelihood projects. The municipalities of Amathole and Amahlati are playing a central role in the implementation of these projects.

In the Northern Cape and Free State the rural claims settled included Komani San, Palmietfontein, Herschel, Andriesfontein and Dakpoort. The settlement of the Komani San community land claim was a highlight and a breakthrough after protracted negotiations between SANParks, the San community and other state departments. The claim was settled and we transferred some 30 000 ha of the Kalahari Heritage Park to the community. SANParks have embraced the principle of the involvement of the new landowners (San community) in the sustainable management of the park. This is the manner in which we would like to settle all claims that involve conservation land.

In Mpumalanga this includes Bakoni baPetla, Botshabelo, and in Limpopo Dzwerani in Giyani.

Some of the challenges we face in processing rural claims include the difficulty we face in getting relevant documentation and information, the construction of family trees, resolution of disputes, unregistered and unsurveyed land rights and poor infrastructure which often hampers accessibility.

We are, however, determined to process more rural claims in the new financial year. Most of the rural claims have a development component and this requires that we work closely with district and local municipalities and thus integrate the Restitution programme into their IDPs. The major challenge, though, has been that some of the municipalities were found not to be financially prepared to bring their required contribution to the agreed development plans. This has resulted in delays in the implementation of those plans, such in the case of Dwesa-Cwebe in the Eastern Cape.

Honourable Chairperson, I am pleased to announce that all the claims settled to date resonate very well with the main objective of our government of a better life for all South Africans. The Restitution process has benefited 104 902 people who share a total of 85 575 hectares of very good agricultural land.

Over the last year we set ourselves a target to validate all claims that are in the books of the Commission. I am pleased to announce that by the end of January this year no less than 95% of claims have been validated. We can now speak with confidence about the remaining number of claims that are being processed by the Commission. We are now left with about 43 199 claims which will be processed and settled over the next two years. Of these 10 040 are rural.

Our experience on Restitution has demonstrated the importance of partnerships in supporting those who have gone back to the land.

Our post-settlement support programme for Restitution projects continues to aid our people in their pursuit of a better life. There are 150 projects that have been earmarked in the following development areas: housing, agricultural and settlement, forestry, mining, conservation and tourism.

Restitution challenges

Honourable Chairperson, it is important for us also to highlight the fact that new challenges have emerged as we proceed with the implementation of the Restitution Programme.

One of these challenges is a lack of capacity among the beneficiary communities to effectively manage the projects that they have taken over, where some of the legal entities that have been established - such as the Communal Property Associations (CPA’s) - are finding it difficult to maintain the projects as viable going concerns.

In our quest to ensure sustainability of these projects, we have intervened in a number of cases, such as Mamatola in Limpopo and Bethany in the Free State, by taking steps to reinforce the management capacity of the CPAs.

These efforts form part of a broader strategy that we are in the process of implementing for a much stronger co-ordination and more effective implementation of post-settlement support, not only in Restitution, but also in all our land reform projects.

Claims settled by the Land Claims Court

The Land Claims Court has passed a number of important judgements this year and this includes the TAU judgement where those who are opposing the restitution process have been disappointed.

The Majeng judgement gave land back to the people of Majeng near Kimberly and more importantly was that this restored to them the mineral rights.

Support for NEPAD

Honourable Chairperson, our support for Nepad has been on a sound footing. For example during the past year our Surveys and Mapping Chief Directorate has successfully converted dozens of topographical maps of Swaziland from paper format to digital computer-compatible format.

Swaziland is now able to more effectively use the information on the maps for developmental planning and improved decision-making.

We have also been participating in the Global Map Project, which is an international project with the objective of collecting various spatial data-sets such as road and rail networks, rivers, land cover, settlement and administrative boundaries in a uniform manner. The fundamental aim here is to address the glaring lack of such database identified in Agenda 21 of the Rio Earth Summit and reaffirmed at the Johannesburg WSSD.

The spatial data are required by planners, scientists and decision-makers in addressing environmental and developmental issues at regional, continental and international levels. In preparing the data for our own country, South Africa we included our neighbours Lesotho and Swaziland.

We have also participated in a noble project initiated to harmonise the spatial reference systems across Africa and which will link Africa very solidly with the rest of the world. This project is called AFREF– the African Reference Framework, and I am proud to announce that South Africa is taking a lead role in this project.

The DLA continues to support the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, which I believe is well known to most of you. It is a bi-lateral project serving the needs of Lesotho and South Africa. This project is located is a mountainous area presenting some challenging tasks. The Chief Directorate of Surveys and Mapping was called upon to provide expertise in working with precise location determination and from time to time it has been providing advice on the scientific computations that are required.

The excellent national mapping organisation that we do have is recognised in Africa and from time to time our neighbours in SADC and further afield call on us for advice. This often takes the form of technical visits both from and to African countries. Recently this assistance has been rendered to Rwanda, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Land planning and information

Honourable Chairperson, it is worthwhile to note that as we prepare to mark the first decade of a free and democratic South Africa the challenge of restructuring our human settlement patterns to ensure greater equity and efficiency remains. In order to achieve this critical objective the Department of Land Affairs has created a range of policy, legislative and institutional tools. The Land Use Management Bill will be submitted to Cabinet next month and in due course will be introduced to Parliament for your consideration. Importantly, we have had numerous productive consultations with all the provinces on this Bill in order to ensure a satisfactory product.

In our efforts to bring the fruits of democracy closer to our communities, I am happy to note that services of the Department are now increasingly decentralised to more provinces. Plans are at advanced stages to establish the offices of the Surveyor-General and a Deeds Registry in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga and other provinces without such offices. These offices offer invaluable support services to our efforts in Land Reform and Restitution.

While we note the advantage of a wiser use of land offered by sectional title units, we deal with numerous challenges including failure of owners to adhere to management rules and the non-payment of levies required to maintain those properties. In view of these consumer-related and management issues in the operation of the Sectional Titles Act, which sometimes extend beyond the Department’s mandate, there is constant need for wide ranging consultations. We are considering the establishment of the office of a Sectional Titles Ombudsperson to deal with disputes arising out of sectional schemes.

Madam Chairpeson, given this progress that has been made, it is clear that we are on the path towards transformation of our society. Indeed we have kept the promise of delivering land  to its rightful owners. In areas where we have not yet concluded our delivery, we can say with confidence that we will be able to do so in the near future.

I wish to thank all my colleagues, the staff and partners who have made us to be a winning team. Thank you.

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Taking land delivery to greater heights

This article is a presentation made by Dr Gilingwe Mayende to Senior managers at strategic session of the Department in Mpumalanga in March 2003.

 Introduction

The planning process of the Department of Land Affairs has reached the stage of what one would call refinement of implementation strategies and procedures. Generally speaking, we have achieved commendable successes in our efforts to speed up delivery, as attested to by the vastly improved performance of the land redistribution programme. It is not an exaggeration to say that delivery in terms of the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development Sub-Programme (LRAD) has exceeded all our expectations. The positive trend has also been witnessed in programmes and processes being implemented through other Branches of our Department such as Land Planning and Information, as well as Financial Management and Corporate Services.

Needless to say, the Restitution Programme began its turnaround process from the 2000/2001 financial year and has since then set an unassailable track record of ever-increasing and continuous delivery, which in recent months has also seen meaningful improvements in quality. This positive trend has been recognised by the President who in his State of the Nation Address delivered on 14 February 2003, observed, inter alia, " the acceleration of the land restitution and redistribution programme(s)".

In the introduction to the DLA Strategic Plan for the 2002/2003 financial year and the 2002 – 2006 MTEF period, I noted that the main focus of our planning process was beginning to shift from the macro to the micro level. This shift is characterised by a strategic focus on operational issues and key outputs, as well as the alignment of resources to facilitate more effective programme implementation. What this means in practice is that we have moved decisively away from planning for macro change processes towards planning for actual realisation of agreed outcomes and targets. As I will demonstrate below, a number of problem areas still remain, however.

One major problem, as observed by our Minister, is that we are running the risk of establishing a new trend of delivery in land reform where greater emphasis is placed on its economic aspects, through a disproportionate focus on LRAD, while the social aspects, such as the needs of vulnerable groups like labour tenants and farm workers, are systematically ignored. This unacceptable situation is also reflected in our current pattern of expenditure. Whilst the current expenditure trend is commendable in so far as it shows that we are on course towards spending our entire budget, some red flags are beginning to flash around the pattern of expenditure vis-à-vis comprehensive coverage of the full range of land reform beneficiary groups. In other words, whilst it is a good thing that LRAD is receiving the larger part of the budget for land redistribution, we must also show equal commitment to allocating and expending resources on the other redistribution products. Quite obviously, there is a need to strike an equitable balance between the two, and the Minister has instructed our Department to make adequate provision in this regard in our Strategic Plan.

There are also some traces in some components of having a propensity for endless analysis and circular arguments and debates. The threat of analysis paralysis, which was beginning to recede only six months ago, is now once again looming very large. As I have said on many previous occasions, my tenure as Director General will continue to be characterised by total intolerance of a management style that emphasises the questioning and analysis of management decisions that have been arrived at through proper due processes in properly established management forums. I believe that this view dovetails with the President’s own emphasis on this very point in his State of the Nation Address, when he stated: " .. [W]e must pay the closest attention to issues of implementation and as practical an approach as possible to the work we face as South Africans".

Another critical issue that needs to be placed in its proper context within the Department is the all-important matter of how we approach the setting of Departmental priorities. As you are all aware, towards the end of last year I began an internal consultative process starting with the presentation that I gave to Top Management on seventeen key issues that I believe are of key strategic importance to the Department. Following a comprehensive process of interaction between myself and all four Branches, these priorities, as well as additional ones which emerged through this interactive process, have been streamlined and consolidated into thematic clusters of six broad priority areas.

Needless to say, issues of implementation of the Land Reform Programme remain the central priority for the obvious reason that this programme is the core business of the Department. However, one must also emphasise that Spatial Planning and Information, which is a national function servicing all three spheres of government, is another major priority which management of the Department must promote and support. The CD: SPI is expected to take on its co-ordinating and standards-setting role with greater vigour in the light of the adoption by Cabinet of the National Spatial Development Perspective (NSDP), which is an over-arching indicative national policy framework.

Ensuring that we have in place efficient management systems and processes is also a major priority of our Department, and indeed of any serious organisation. It goes without saying that implementation of processes associated with the core business of an organisation cannot happen effectively if there are no proper and functional systems that support it. That is why it is sine qua non of a properly functioning organisation to have effective human resources management and development, efficient information systems, effective communications, properly configured structures aligned to policy imperatives, as well as monitoring and evaluation and performance management systems. These systems are the bedrock of any serious strategy for turning an organisation around and for realising optimum levels of performance. In short, a winning organisation is the one that succeeds in ensuring alignment and synergy between management systems on the one hand, and a well-oiled system for delivery of the core business on the other. It is like the proverbial two sides of the same coin.

In other words, our prioritisation processes must be informed not by our location within different Branches, but by the fact that we are part of a single logical and increasingly coherent structure. It is therefore patently wrong to conceptualise the prioritisation process to mean prioritising the work of some Branches and not others. Hence, we must discourage Branch-oriented statements that imply that prioritisation in the Department must recognise certain programmes as being more important than others. Rather than this silo approach, our prioritisation must be guided by policy imperatives and the central importance of ensuring that the delivery systems for the realisation of those policy imperatives are put effectively in place, and all our functional components play a meaningful role in this regard.

During my address at the start of our strategic planning process last year I also spent some time on the issue of capacity, and indeed this issue was discussed at some length during the workshop. It gives me pleasure to report that generally speaking managers responded positively to my call to take it upon themselves to initiate efforts to build capacity within their respective components. I am also pleased with the fact that the Department is now seized with the challenge of building capacity across its key functions and that efforts are currently underway to address this issue at various levels, such as training and development of existing staff. However, it has become clear that the administrative machinery of the Department, particularly our Directorates: Human Resource Management and Management Advisory Services, are not coping with the avalanche of requests from the various components. I believe it is unfair to place blame on these units, which themselves lack the capacity to deal effectively with an increased workload. I have therefore proposed to Top Management that we should seriously explore the possibility of embarking upon a special project to set up temporarily beefed-up structures for the purpose of speeding up the processing of appointments. This decision would have to be provided for in the Strategic Plan.

All in all, our greatest challenge is how to maintain the high trend of delivery whilst at the same time improving its quality. It is primarily in this context that we must now place more emphasis upon issues of detail in programme implementation. The DG’s office will accordingly strengthen its management of the implementation of the Strategic Plan.

Gaps in our planning system

As I observed at the start of our strategic planning session last year, our planning system complies fully with the provisions of the Public Service Act, 1984, as amended, as well as with the Public Finance Management Act, 1 of 2000. The Strategic Plan for the previous financial year and the 2002 – 2006 MTEF period indeed has measurable key outputs with clear delivery targets and activities linked to available budgets.

 However, we are all agreed as senior managers that the single most serious gap in our planning system is lack of qualitative indicators of our performance. I am quite pleased that our colleagues in the Land Reform Branch have taken this issue up and articulated it strongly and persistently during the meetings I have had with them over the past few weeks. The management of the Branch has highlighted the point that indicators should be equitably balanced between quantity and quality, and that the latter should measure the impact of our respective programmes. I will keenly await the input of this Branch in this regard.

 Reporting system and performance management

It is probably an understatement to say that our reporting system has greatly improved. The Department is now in a position to cross-reference issues being reported upon by the respective Branches with the relevant sections of the Strategic Plan. This is no mean feat and is probably the greatest challenge that any organisation faces; and we have got this one right. One is also gradually getting a sense that we are on track towards the multi-layered and synchronised performance management system that cascades from the Strategic Plan to the performance agreements of all senior managers and the PPMS Work Plans of all the other staff. However, we are at the same time running the risk of turning our reporting sessions at the Senior Management Committee (SMC) meetings into occasions for the Branches to simply enumerate areas of success and failure, without having a mechanism for dealing effectively with the shortcomings.

In other words, management of the dynamic link between reporting and performance management has not yet been mastered within the Department. Put in the form of a question, the point being made is: what needs to be done in order to ensure that the performance of the various components is effectively managed and problem areas are effectively addressed on an on-going basis? What must we do in order to ensure that the quarterly reporting system links up in a meaningful way with a quarterly system for managing performance? We must ensure that this time around this issue is effectively addressed.

 Policy framework

In more or less similar fashion as the previous two years, the planning process of the Department, must be informed by the following policy documents and statements:

• Policy direction from the Minister as articulated in the document entitled: Policy Statement by the Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs for Strategic Directions on Land Issues, issued in February 2000.

• State of the Nation Address by the President on the occasion of the opening of Parliament on 14 February 2003.

• Action Plan of the January 2003 Cabinet: Lekgotla for the Social Sector Cluster.

• Medium Term Budget: Policy Statement of 2002 which covers the period 2003/2004.

• Policy implementation priorities as set out by the Minister in her opening address to the Strategic Planning Workshop of 19 – 22 February 2003.

• Statement by the Director General on key strategic management and programme implementation priorities for 2003/2004 based on the interaction of the DG with the Minister and the various Branches.

 Relevant issues in the State of the Nation Address

In his State of the Nation Address, which he delivered on 14 February 2003, the President highlighted the following issues that are relevant to the work of our Department:

• He announced that the government will "find safe and secure land for settlement and upgrade community infrastructure both to improve social services and provide some employment" for the people of Bekkersdal. This is clearly an Urban Renewal project that will require our participation.

• With regard to the issue of gender equality, the President stated: "Within government, we will continue to insist on the implementation of the National Framework on Gender Equality. Concretely, we will soon introduce a system through which gender representation targets and content of programmes become part of the core performance criteria of every government institution and manager".

• A major audit of public service personnel is to be undertaken in the national and provincial spheres of government to determine their personnel needs in terms of the tasks that confront government. This will enable the government "to effect the necessary adjustments to ensure that the public service has the people with the right skills, at the right places, in the right numbers".

• "The government will create a public service echelon of multi-skilled community development workers who will maintain direct contact with the people where the masses live… These development workers must truly be inspired by the letter and spirit of Batho Pele". We will have to adapt our District Land Delivery (DLD) planning process to accommodate this directive.

• The President also issued a specific and unequivocal institution to our Department with regard to the CLRB, in the following terms: "With regard to the rural areas, this year we will complete the processing of the Communal Land Rights Bill, not only to ensure certainty in the ownership of assets by families in rural areas, including women, but also to encourage small-scale and co-operative agricultural production and thus improved food security. As the Bill indicates, this will be done in such a way that common relations and elements of culture consistent with democracy and human rights are not undermined. In this context, certainly government has no intention to marginalise the traditional system of government".

Relevant Cabinet Lekgotla decisions

In broad terms, the January 2003 Cabinet Lekgotla decided, inter alia, on the following issues, some of which are also captured in the State of the Nation Address by the President:

• The Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Strategy should emphasise a broad-based approach to empowerment.

• A Growth and Development Summit (GDS) is to be held in May this year and will be organised through an Inter-Ministerial Committee and a Steering Committee of DGs from specific Departments. The main focus on the GDS will be to agree on practical measures to be taken to increase the rate of investment and employment creation within an atmosphere of confidence, stability and certainty in South Africa.

• Stabilisation of Inter-Governmental Relations and Consolidation of the National Planning Framework.

• No extension would be granted to Departments with regard to the implementation of the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSCBC) Resolution 7 of 2002, and Departments must finalise the process by the end of June 2003.

• With regard to the creation of a food garden campaign as part of the strategy for food and nutrition, an inter-Ministerial Team which includes our Minister has been set up.

• The issue of additional ISRDP nodes is to be considered by the Policy Co-ordination and Advisory Services (PACS) unit in the Presidency.

• With regard to the Ten-Year Review of the performance of the democratic government, the various Cabinet and FOSAD Clusters will consolidate priorities into a Medium Term Planning Framework (MSTF) to be presented to the next Cabinet Lekgotla scheduled to be held in July 2003.

• The National Spatial Development Perspective (NSDP) was endorsed as an indicative planning framework for policy alignment for National departments and Provinces. National Departments and Provinces must report in their annual reports for 2003 on how their development planning strategies are informed by the NSDP principles.

• Departments are to continue contributing towards processes around NEPAD and SADC.

 Social sector cluster priorities

 The priorities identified by the Social Sector Cluster are to be set out in action plan for implementation that is in the process of being formulated by the Cluster. They are encapsulated in four themes, as follows:

• Theme 1: Poverty alleviation, which has the following sub-themes that are relevant to DLA:

• ISRDP
• URP
• Food Security and nutrition

• Theme 2: Emerging and re-emerging diseases
• Theme 3: Promotion of Social Justice, Cohesion and Moral Regeneration
• Theme 4: Cluster Contribution to NEPAD, the African Union (AU) and SADC

 The 2002 Medium Term Budget Policy Statetement

Government priorities for the medium term as indicated in the 2002 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, which applies to the 2003/2004 financial year, are as follows (those relevant to the Department are in bold):

• Poverty eradication and development, addressing the needs of vulnerable groups through extending social assistance, health and education
• Enhanced investment in municipal infrastructure, rural development and urban renewal.
• Expanded capacity in the safety and the security sector
• Higher education restructuring
• Accelerated land reform and restitution
• Re-engineering of services to citizens
• Increase support for research and development
• South Africa’s growing responsibilities in Africa and international relations

 Key strategic focus areas for the DLA

 The key strategic focus areas for our strategic planning exercise are guided by the policy framework outlined above. The key policy implementation priorities outlined by our Minister, which are captured in the Director General’s articulation of key management and programme implementation priorities, constitute the core of issues to be operationalised into our Strategic Plan. The Department’s key strategic focus areas for the current planning cycle are set out as follows according to six major priority themes (under which a number of key priority outputs are indicated):

 Theme 1: Accelerating delivery and improving the quality of Departmental products and services:

• Meet the three-year time frame set by the President;
• Reduce the project cycle of rural claims in order to ensure accelerated and increased processing of these claims;
• Speed up the processing of land claims within the ISRDP nodal areas;
• Ensure expenditure of the increased budget allocation;
• Build the necessary capacity to meet the increased delivery imperatives, including post-settlement support; and
• Stem the tide of high staff turnover.

• Redistribution Programme:

• Continue to prioritise LRAD and to allocate a greater proportion of resources to this sub-programme, as the flagship of the Land Reform Programme, but not at the expense of other redistribution products and targeted beneficiary groups: consolidate gains already made in LRAD implementation;
• Prioritise and provide adequate resources for the speedy processing of Labour Tenant cases both in terms of securing land tenure rights and redistributing land for settlement under LRAD;
• Resolve problems that have been identified in the context of managing the Agency agreement between our Department and the Land Bank;
• Reduce the LRAD Planning Grant in order to eliminate the disproportionate payment of fees to consultants; introduce a system of accreditation of business design agents as well as a phased payment system to ensure that final payment only comes once the viability of a project is guaranteed;
• Implement the pro-active land acquisition strategy;
• Implement land reform within the ISRDP Nodes through both redistribution and tenure reform;
• Increase land acquisition activities as a contribution towards the Urban Renewal Programme; identify new nodal areas for this purpose in conjunction with the Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG); include Bekkersdal as one of the target areas;
• Make adequate provision for the implementation of the Land for Housing Programme;
• Clear outstanding operational bottlenecks around the disposal of State agricultural land and fast-track delivery;
• Clarify the issue of the status and location of the Land Administration function;
• Allocate resources and implement a programme of restructuring failed or failing legacy projects;
• Contribute meaningfully towards the Food Garden Campaign;
• Develop and implement and effective system for the management of CPAs; and
• Build capacity for post-settlement support co-ordination and implementation.

• Tenure Reform Programme

• Finalise the drafting of the Communal Land Rights Bill;
• Finalise the drafting of the Consolidated ESTA and LTA Bills;
• Map out the financial and resource implications of the two Bills; and
• Ensure the accelerated validation and settlement of Labour Tenant claims.

• Land Planning and Information

• Establish effective systems for land use management and spatial planning;
• Monitor the progress of the Land Use Management Bill and the Spatial Information Bill through the Parliamentary processes and continuously refine its content, with the aim of having them promulgated during the course of 2003;
• Implementation of Environmental Guidelines to increase in sustainable land use in support Land Reform projects and introduce a Departmental Environmental Implementation and Management Plan (EIMP) in accordance with environmental legislation;
• Provide support to Provinces for the formulation of Provincial Spatial Development Frameworks (SDFs) as a platform towards consolidating Municipal SDFs;
• Provide ISRDP and URP Nodal Points with spatial information;
• Review the Professional and Technical Survey’s Act 40 of 1984 to transform the profession;
• Fast-track amendment of legislation pertaining to the Deeds Registration system and incorporate issues relating to new tenure legislation; and
• Fast track implementation of the e-DRS.

• Ensure effective management of land reform financial transfers;
• Consolidate, refine and develop the Department’s management information systems such as the MISP, LandBase, etc in line with the provisions of Regulation E of Part III of Chapter 1 of the Public Service Regulations that calls for Departments to establish Information Plans;
• Ensure information security in terms of Regulation A of Part II of Chapter 1 of the Public Service Regulations and in that regard ensure compliance with the Minimum Information Security Standards (MISS);
• Ensure effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for programme implementation;
• Ensure effective risk management in all functional components; and
• Provide effective support to the process of establishing a competent and effective Chief Directorate: SPI.

 Theme 3: Establishing efficient organisational development that effectively supports line function work

• Implement Project Mutingati and ensure adherence to roll out time frames;
• Implement Project Tsoseletso, including skills development, productivity audit and restructuring processes;
• Ensure mainstreaming of Gender, Disability and HIV/AIDS in all Departmental programmes;
• Accelerate the filling of vacant funded posts, consistent with PSCBC Resolution 7 of 2002, with the Commission, Land and Tenure Reform Branch and CD: SPI being priorities;
• Implement a capacity building strategy; and
• Provide support for CD: SPI.

Theme 4: Ensuring effective internal and external communication

• Establish and implement a clear communications programme covering various aspects of the work of the Department;
• Ensure effective use of the media to publicise land reform and other Departmental products and services;
• Redesign the internal communication strategy to ensure that management decisions and Departmental activities are communicated effectively and timeously;
• Implement a programme of the corporate branding of the Department; and
• Ensure, in conjunction with the management of the various Branches of the Department, that MPCCs are effectively utilised as conduits for the distribution of information on the products and activities of the Department.

Theme 5: Increasing and improving the DLA’s role in inter-governmental and international forums

• Strengthen DLA’s role in FOSAD Clusters, with particular focus on the Social Sector and Governance and Administration Clusters;
• Participate effectively in the forthcoming Growth and Development Summit;
• Establish and/or firm up existing bilateral and multi-lateral relationships with other government departments around specific programme implementation activities;
• Support the Minister in her inter-governmental functions and activities;
• Clarify and increase DLA’s role in NEPAD;
• Increase DLA’s role in SADC; and
• Contribute effectively towards implementation of relevant WSSD decisions.

Theme 6: Cross-cutting management responsibilities

• Project Mutingati;
• Project Tsoseletso;
• Post-settlement support co-ordination and implementation;
• Communication of management decisions and key Departmental processes;
• Mainstreaming of Gender, HIV-AIDS and Disability;
• Performance management;
• Capacity building;
• Effective risk management;
• Effective participation in inter-governmental forums;
• Effective participation in NEPAD, SADC and WSSD implementation processes.

Many of the priorities set out above are already known to all managers participating in the strategic planning workshop, as they were discussed during the workshop sessions between the various Branches and the DG. Notwithstanding this observation, however, it will be important that the presenters indicate that they have accounted for all the issues relevant to the work of their components, as well as demonstrate how these issues are to be addressed.

The strategic planning process

As on the previous two occasions, our strategic planning exercise will focus largely on the articulation of key Departmental outcomes and outputs drawn from the policy framework highlighted above, the key policy implementation priorities articulated by our Minister, the key programme implementation priorities outlined by the DG, as well as generic and on-going management processes. Again, as with the previous sessions, all Chief Directorates will take the lead in making inputs in terms of identified key outputs, activities, targets, measures, time frames and budgets on the basis of the work they have done in preparation for this session. For the first time, they will also introduce qualitative measures, which, as indicated in the guidelines circulated by my office, should be set out under the Activity Perspective.

The final consolidation of the draft Strategic Plan document will, once again, be conducted by Top Management. This will be done at the next TOM meeting scheduled for 28 February. Thereafter, the Director General will submit the Strategic Plan document to the Minister for her approval. As soon as Ministerial approval is obtained, the detailed Departmental Strategic Plan will be distributed via e-mail (and in the form of hard copies in the case of those without access) to all members of staff. A specially printed version will be submitted to Parliament and distributed to key stakeholders by the Minister before the end of March 2003. Performance Agreements and PPMS Work Plans must also be finalised before the end of March 2003. The Strategic Plan will come into operation on 1 April 2003.

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While parliamentarians were at each other’s throats about some or other issues in the building next to the Deeds Registry and the Office of the Surveyor-General in Cape Town, it was encouraging to hear conveyancers and surveyors commending the work done by these two offices. This happened when Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Dirk Du Toit visited the two offices during the Autumn Imbizo Focus Week.

Deputy Minister Du Toit described the opportunity of interacting with the clients of the two offices as a wonderful opportunity. He agreed that his audience on the day was not necessarily the public as such, but a group of professionals.

"You are also custodians of public interest. That means we are one and have a common direction even though your field is a technical one", he said.

Deputy Minister Du Toit told them that at age 19 he started working as a cross writer in the Deeds Registry in Bloemfontein. While he was there he had encounters with surveyors who were on the third floor of the same building as the deeds.

"Those were the days when rank and file were everything and everyone froze in front of the Registrar of Deeds, including conveyancers". As he finished the sentence there was a burst of laughter.

Deputy Minister Du Toit described conveyancing and surveying as professions that are at the heart of civilization. He alluded to the fact that the Iraqi War was destroying ancient civilisation.

"Places like Mesopotamia are where surveying and beacons were developed. Deeds and bureaucracy were developed there too", he said.

Coming back to the South African scene, he said Permissions To Occupy certificates (PTOs) in the Eastern Cape were a problem. He said 23 million hectares of land there is unsurveyed. Unsurveyed land is a hindrance to development and development has to happen now, not after 20 years.

In his walk-around at the survey offices he was shown the archives of those offices which are believed to be of significance to land reform in South Africa. In another office, through modern technology, the spatial data of the Umtata district in the Eastern Cape was displayed to him and this revealed that a greater part of Umtata was still unsurveyed.

Referring to the Deeds Registry, he said security in their work is always the basic requirement. There also has to be transformation in keeping standards and asked conveyancers to be transformed.

During the question time Mr Charl Theron representing Cape Town conveyancers described the Cape Town Deeds Office as the best-run government office. He conceded that they have had their problems, but because of very efficient channels of communication these were sorted out.

He made reference to the fact that the Cape Town Deeds Office is now 175 years old and the conveyancers and the Deeds Registry ran a supplement in local newspapers. Then, he asked what was the National Office doing.

Mr Theron further raised a concern about South African Revenue Services (SARS) offices relocating from the Deeds and Surveys building to another one. He said if conveyancers have to visit another building, to pay almost a billion rands a year in stamp duty to the SARS offices, that is going to be an inconvenience to them.

Mr John Gomes representing the Law Society of South Africa on Properties mentioned that there is a proposal that was submitted to the Chief Registrar of Deeds in Pretoria regarding cutting down of procedures for mortgage loans. He said there has been no indication on the side of the Chief Registrar whether the proposal is receiving favourable attention or not.

Mr Gomes also raised his concern regarding the electronic lodgement of deeds. He said there are some questions that have to be asked from SITA.

Mr Peter Parkin from the Cape Law Society’s Property Law Committee said the level of co-operation has improved tremendously at the Cape Town Deeds office. He said there are always attempts to find solutions for problem areas.

Mr Franklin Williams from the Legal Employees’ Association commended the Cape Town Deeds Registry for its transformation. He said in the past clerks were not recognised at the office, but now that the office has been transformed their voice is listened to.

He raised his concern on the fact that their work is being computerised. He said this means that their work will be jeopardised by the internet.

Mr Stan Lelrun, a private surveyor, said in their profession they cannot complain. He said the Surveyor-General, Mr John Obree with his innovations had improved his public image and the profession.

He also enquired about a R 50 million tender for the Eastern Cape approved by Public Works.

From his side Mr Obree commended the idea of Imbizo and described it as a fantastic idea. He said all land surveyors are part of the cadastral surveys environment.

In reference to the Deputy Minister’s earlier remarks, he said it is always nice to hear people that they think know nothing about their profession, telling them about its history. About developments in his office he said, "We will be opening a fully fledged office in East London in the Eastern Cape in 2005. We have handed over our responsibilities for the Northern Cape to the Bloemfontein office.

In his reply, Deputy-Minister Du Toit said he would be enquiring from the Commissioner of SARS about the relocation of SARS offices to another building. He said he would be in contact with the Chief Registrar of Deeds in Pretoria to find the position regarding short-circuiting of mortgage bonds and the electronic lodgement of deeds.

He also added that because of the electronic lodgement of deeds, if it means that there would be no work for clerks at the deeds, they will have to be retrained. He said the work done by clerks is a support service and the skills they have cannot just be discarded but redirected.

"The technology we have is basic but compares internationally. That makes us stay abreast of events", he said.

Deputy Minister Du Toit said enquiries about the tender approved by the Department of Public Works have to be made at the office of Mr Chris Schalkwyk at National Office. He recommended that regular consultation for some of the issues raised be made and he promised that would result in problems being solved.

The Registrar of Deeds in Cape Town Mr Kessy Pillay said people must be prepared for EDRS that is coming.

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At his farewell function, the former Chief Land Claims Commissioner, Dr Wallace Mgoqi, described the success of restitution in the DLA as a collective effort. This happened at the end of February and Dr Mgoqi has since joined the Cape Town City as its Chief Executive Officer.

Many of the Commissioners and the staff of the Chief Land Claims Commission attended the event. Dr Mgoqi has been with the Commission for 8 years – 4 years as the Regional Land Claims Commissioner (RLCC) for the Western and Northern Cape provinces, and 4 years as the Chief Land Claims Commissioner.

Dr Mgoqi said he had enjoyed himself in achieving his ambition of making restitution work. He said because of the success of restitution donars identify themselves with it.

Dr Mgoqi added that in one of his last meetings of the DLA he had learned that the DLA has now reworked its slogan and is talking about "Taking land delivery to greater heights". He said in his new environment he will be introducing "Taking services to greater heights".

"My pride rests on restitution being taken further. I owe acquiring the new post to all of you. I acknowledge the roles you played in making restitution work", he told his staff.

Because his staff has good leadership, he encouraged them to keep up the good work they have been doing. He told them that the gift they have given him will occupy a special place in his home.

The Regional Land Claims Commissioner in the Eastern Cape, Mr Tozie Gwanya, reminded those present that Dr Mgoqi was one of the pioneers that established restitution offices in the country. He said at that time, there were many problems and there was a low rate of delivery.

Mr Gwanya said when things started to change in 1999, it was not only the arrival of Minister Thoko Didiza that set the ball rolling, but also people like Dr Mgoqi who were focussed. He said sometimes when there was no one to perform the work, he would roll up his sleeves and do it himself.

"In doing his work, he goes for the zero defect approach. This ensures quality during production", he said.

"Being left by you is a loss. But what is wonderful is that you still want the work to be done and we wish you good luck in your new sphere", he added.

Mr Gwanya went on and said he believes the Commission or the DLA is respected because of delivery in the restitution programme. He said now that Dr Mgoqi will be working closely with SALGA, the Commission will strengthen its ties with SALGA and hoped that Dr Mgoqi will be the Commission’s ambassador there.

The RLCC for KwaZulu-Natal, Ms Thabi Shange echoing Mr Gwanya’s words said, "We will miss you and we wish you the best. But out there it’s tough, even tougher than here".

"The commitment that was in the Commission could never be sabotaged. You had a strong team supporting you and that support was your pillar of strength. Please keep on marketing us", she concluded.

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Hearing that former Chief Land Claims Commissioner, Dr Wallace Amos Mgoqi has left the Commission after successfully leading the Restitution Programme for the past four years, was a surprise. At the same time it was good to hear that he has returned to his hometown, Cape Town, to contribute to its development. At the same time I think there is another side about him that has not been told.

I hope saying accolades have been pouring in from right, centre, left, below and above for Dr Mgoqi will not sound like an exaggeration. I first met the guy, as "DeWicks" at Healdtown High School at Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape in 1969.

I was staying at Dormitory One in the Junior Block and he was at 22 in the Senior Block. He was one of the students studying Latin and History, who were held in high esteem. More so than those studying Science and Mathematics. They were good at expressing themselves in the Queen’s language and because of the information they gathered from history, politically, they were steps ahead of their peers.

Wrongly or rightly, there was a perception that the majority of the Science and Mathematics guys was restricted only as far as "A’s" and "B’s" in classes and their results in the examinations. We may recall that Healdtown was a Methodist Church institution, which has its origin in England, and to a certain extent the past had an element of regarding highly those good at using the English language.

Like "DeWicks", many of the Latin and History students were ardent readers and would disarm you in a political debate by lecturing you about the Treaty of Versailles, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the Nine Frontier Wars, the Battle of iSandlwane, the Great Trek, the Freedom Charter, about Sharpeville, or the Rivonia Trial. In that era, novels by James Hadley Chase, Allister McLaine and Peter Cheney were very popular. But you would hear them quoting from "Naught for your Comfort", "The Struggle is my Life", "Cry the Beloved Country", "Reluctant Neighbours" (all banned at that time) and many, many more. They could also tell you something about Bismarck, Trotsky, Stalin, Lenin, Mao Tse Tung, Lembede, Nkrumah, Nyerere, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Robert and John Kennedy.

In 1969 and in 1970 the Wallabies and the All Blacks toured South Africa respectively. Many of us when picking up the Daily Dispatch, the first page to look at, was the sports page. Thereafter, you would hear us talking about how good Percy Owen was at explaining the previous day’s game. Or talk about Charles Fortune’s commentary the previous day. Our idols were Stephen Knight in the Wallabies and Brian Williams, Sid Going and Collin Meads in the All Blacks. Stephen Knight, a centre, could easily bulldose himself through guys like Mannetjies Roux, Tony Roux or Eben Olivier.

Whenever, the paper reached these esteemed gentlemen, they would start by looking at Donald Kenyon’s cartoon and then read the editorial. Thereafter they would analyse and debate about what Donald Woods was saying. I also remember that they would mention Percy Qoboza whenever they had the Weekend World with them.

At that time in Healdtown, anyone who did not play rugby was a nobody. "DeWicks" enjoyed rugby like any "Cape Townian" but did not play it. He was always in the crowd but he could not be compared to his homeboy "Mbongolo" or "Section" from Rustenburg. That does not mean he did not command any respect at the institution. Many of the guys he had schooled with at Fezeka Secondary like Joe, a wing and Ridza a flyhalf, were stars in the first team.

There was this story circulating in the high school then that some people were boasting against him about Joe and Ridza being rugby stars while he was a "home-destroyer". The story goes on and says in his defence, his friend mentioned his greatness on the dance floor. That is true, I saw him with my own eyes and he did not get any competition in that trade. Nowadays, I am told that even though he carries a lot of weight he is still as good as he was then. His rhythm is super perfect and when the need arises, he can be acrobatic.

"DeWicks" was not just good at jiving, he also had an ear for good music. This I picked up when I joined them at 22 in the Senior Block. He had passion for the so-called African Jazz Music. He would go crazy whenever the Kwela Kids led by Robert Sithole on flute or the Transistors were played on the radio. I believe the Kwela Kids were from Cape Town and the Transistors from East London.

During the long week-ends there were many activities that kept students busy at Healdtown. I remember well. It was a Saturday evening at the Boy’s Dining hall where things used to happen. "Smasher" and the late "Ficks" from East London, the late "Taylor" from Fort Beaufort and "Mazembe" from Cape Town, as an a cappella quartet, singing the classic, "Bye-Bye Black Bird", stole the show. Later, I heard that, while sitting down "DeWicks’ " head and feet were moving rhythmically with the song.

One Saturday night after a film show we assembled in the Sick Room to study. It was very close to exam time. We did not study but talked the whole night and returned to our dormitories the following morning. I am not sure whether he still smokes, but at that time all of us were enjoying Lexington. As we talked, we puffed it throughout the night. Master, "Lixo", Lindela, Siphiwo, Phikolomzi and, unfortunately, some faces I am unable to place names on, were present. I do not remember whether Ndedeba, Clay or Lunga were part of the group, but I am sure it was a small one. This was an informal meeting and it had no chairperson. I do not know how he did it, but he was always giving direction as to how proceedings should go. There are a number of lessons that he was bringing to the fore for all of us. He had all the answers to our questions. Personally, I always respected him for a number of things, and that night, I saw my respect for him rising  higher and higher. Politics was the order of the "night".

In his greys and khakis, "DeWicks" was always neat. He knew how to dress himself and had a good taste for quality clothes even at that stage. His unmarked black Crockett and Jones were always shining. His gait had a pinch of what the townships used to call a "bump".

I have heard people talking about him being humble. From my brief encounters with him in matters related to Restitution I can vouch and say in the first years of the 21^st millennium, he is as humble as he was in 1969. While commanding great respect at high school, there were those who attempted to take advantage of his humbleness, but he would gently tell them where to lay off. But I remember well, that once "Mnyango" at 22 went beyond his limits. Cool as a cucumber "DeWicks" stopped him in his tracks. I do not know what later made him angry and angrier and he ended up reading the "riot act" to Mnyango. All of us had to intervene and begged him to forgive Mnyango. To cut a long story short, Mnyango did not sleep at 22 that evening.

In later years, while hitchhiking from King William’s Town to Queenstown I was joined by the late Phikolomzi and he is the one who told me that he was together with "DeWicks" at Fort Hare. Later on I was told by Steve "Gwarube" that "DeWicks" was working for the South African Council of Churches in Cape Town. I am not exactly sure whether it was at the end of the eighties or the beginning of the nineties, when the late Gquma told me that "DeWicks" is an advocate. I was not surprised because even at high school he was passionate about justice. Now that his story after high school is available everywhere, I do not think I have to repeat it here, but suffice to say your department has surely lost.

(As the story says, the writer was at Healdtown High School, when Dr Mgoqi was there).

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Tears flow down for Mandla

After the announcement of the death of Mandla Dube here at National Office, tears were common. It was the same at his memorial service when some of his former colleagues and family members cried uncontrollably.

Fortunately, at the memorial service, Ms Jenny Jacobs and others were there to ably console and counsel those deeply hurt. "Amazing Grace" sung by Nompumelelo Gongotha and poetry rendered by Mduduzi Ntuli were a soothing sensation to the whole atmosphere.

The lapa, most probably for the first time in its existence was overflowing with the presence of DLA officials. Senior and top management came in their numbers to pay their last respects to Mandla.

The DLA HIV/AIDS Co-ordinator, Ms Colly Carey described Mandla as her right hand man and one of the champions of the DLA’s HIV/AIDS programme. She said he was involved with the Gauteng AIDS Committee from its inception.

"His commitment, dedication and diligence were very evident and as a result he was elected the chairperson of the Gauteng AIDS Committee. He was passionate about his work and always strived in his quiet way to help others", she said.

She said other people’s suffering touched him and he was instrumental in establishing the Gauteng Aids Outreach programme. On the basis of Mandla's report the Gauteng Aids Committee decided to support the Bambanani Care Centre based in Kagiso.

"It was during his visits to the Aids Service Organisations that Mandla was the victim of a hijacking incident where he was held at gunpoint – but this did not deter him from doing his work at Bambanani", she said.

She said Mandla had left a gap that would not be easy to fill. She added that Mandla’s loyalty, dedication and warmth will be missed by all those who worked with him.

Ms Pinkie Phala from the Gender Unit said while Mandla was working in their unit over and above his normal activities, he also did the work of planners.

"Mandla was my daughter’s age but he was my friend, my son and my confidante. Mandla and I shared a lot despite his age", she said.

"We shared our respective happiness and pains from our homes and at work. He supported me when I was ill in 1998 and when my husband passed away last year", she added.

Mandla’s supervisor at the time of his death, Ms Carmen van der Merwe said Mandla started to work for the Department in 1996 with the Gender Unit while it was still attached to Redistribution. She said he left Redistribution when the Gender Unit was relocated to the Transformation Programme Office.

She said in November 2002, Mandla joined them at Redistribution Implementation Systems. She said Mandla was always friendly and she had never seen him angry or upset.

"The DLA lost a valuable asset, but we are left with precious memories", she said.

Mandla’s sister, Nomthandazo Dube, acknowledged the Department’s support during their time of bereavement. She was thankful of the support provided to Mandla at his workplace during times of hardship.

"I would tell him that at the workplace there are those who would appreciate what he was doing and those who would not like what he was doing", she said.

Ms Dube said even before Mandla joined the DLA, he was an HIV/AIDS activist. Therefore, she was not surprised that he took an active role in DLA HIV/AIDS activities.

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TK: Now that you have been appointed the Director of the KZN SSC, I presume that it is now no longer a pilot project. Would you perhaps say that is the correct official position with your office?

DG: The legal position is that it is still a pilot project as you have one operational SSC office in the department. Practically, yes, it is no longer a pilot project as the office is fully functional and realizing the Mutingati objectives.

TK: Since starting the office, what would you say are the problems that you have encountered?

DG: I would be hesitant to label them problems but rather challenges. When one assumed duty one of the tasks was to build a team that had members coming from diverse backgrounds even though they were from the same department. You will remember that the DLA has been a department that has been characterised by operating in silos and in fragmentation. One therefore had to standardize operations within the SSC context.

As the SSC is customer-driven, one had to prove to the client office that the SSC would bring more benefits than disadvantages to them and at the same time allay their fears.

TK: Do you have any success stories that you can share with us?

DG: The SSC now boasts a fully functional operational procurement and provisioning center. The IT is well co-ordinated in terms of provision of services. The Human Resources division is able to provide a full range of services within the province. There is no need to go to National Office.

TK: Would you say the SSC is a viable and a sustainable approach for support services in our Department?

DG: Yes, I would say so immediately as it has resulted in the standardization of our operations with specific reference to support services. Line managers are freed from the tedious tasks that used to occupy them for lengthy periods distracting them from their core functions. I believe this is a sound approach, as you cannot expect the Regional Land Claims Commission, for example, to spend much time on the performance of non-core functions because the time frame attached to the completion of their work.

TK: Are there any advantages or disadvantages that you can mention?

DG: I think I have alluded to the advantages above. Chief among these is the fact that SSCs are there to take up all corporate functions and free line functionaries, thereby affording them time to concentrate on the line functions.

Economies of scale are realized in the sense that procurement is done from one central point. In the past suppliers would give different quotations to different DLA offices for the same item. This resulted in rip-offs. Now that can be controlled with the creation of SSCs.

For the first time in the history of the Department there are service level agreements which will ensure that service delivery is fast and efficient and in terms of the needs of clients.

Turning to the disadvantages one must agree that when you embark on a programme of this magnitude in any organization there is bound to be disruption of the prevailing systems, but the disruption is necessary for long term gains. One is also bound to encounter resistance especially from those who benefited from the status quo. There are always fears, genuine fears, in the sense that some people may interpret the change as leading to job losses. This lowers the morale of staff members.

TK: Have you been able to sell your services to other institutions outside the DLA?

DG: We have not yet reached that stage in the Mutingati project but it is another step to follow immediately after we have consolidated the pilot.

TK: I understand that there is a report that was commissioned to De Loitte and Touche¢ about the KZN SSC Pilot Project. Is there any information that you can share with our readers in this regard?

DG: One should hasten to point out that De Loitte and Touché¢ s commissioning was about how to excel at creating SSC and not about whether to establish them or not. They pointed out among others, that it would be advisable to appoint the head of an SSC before the staff migrates as he or she would play a critical role in that regard.

They also highlighted the need to staff the SSC properly. Staffing an SSC appropriately is critical as a failure to do so could undermine the whole exercise.

TK: Are there any lessons that you perhaps may say came up with the establishment of your office for the whole of the SSC concept?

DG: There are many lessons to learn and this is confirmed by the De Loitte and Touché report, which we commissioned to check whether we were on the right track. The SSC has produced a guideline report for guidance in the establishment of SSCs.

What has been learned amongst others is that there should be consistent communication of the concept continuously. This is because the whole Mutingati project is about change and as you know change is painful especially when people’s comfort zones are tampered with.

The Provincial Co-ordinating Committee should be in place and work together with the co-ordinators and the convenors of the projects.

Delegations should be in place before going live at any SSC.

Regarding staff migrations, it should not be the prerogative of managers in relinquishing offices or National Office to decide who goes to the SSC but job competence and skills required at the SSC should inform the process.

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The current and future public service environment is being shaped by a number of interrelated changes. It is not a question of whether or not a public service organisation should change the manner in which it delivers its products and services, the question becomes how and when. Organisations that sit still will become victims of the new environment, slowly losing their relevance and effectiveness, whilst those that are proactive will be the shapers of their destiny. The Department of Land Affairs (DLA) has decided to proactively take on all the challenges that characterise its operating environment.

• District Level Delivery, to ensure that land reform and other DLA services are done within the framework of Integrated Development Planning and contribute to local economic development. This is primarily recognition of the fact that the ultimate beneficiaries of DLA services and programmes are the people living at district level. A secondary realisation is that of the constitutionally enshrined principle of co-operative governance.

• Shared Services. This private sector phenomenon of the 1980s is making its impact on the public service, with the Gauteng Provincial Government already establishing a Shared Service Centre (SSC). Shared Services involves the clustering of common corporate and financial services into one or more business units, at strategic points. By so doing, core operating components of the DLA are released from time consuming administrative work to concentrate on their line function responsibilities.

Objective

The DLA Strategic Management Plan of 10 April 2000 defines the purpose of Decentralisation as being that of locating "the point of service delivery within District Councils." Working closely with District Councils and other stakeholders at points closest to beneficiaries will provide "the strongest prospect for the acceleration of service delivery, as well as a meaningful framework for bringing about integrated and sustainable land reform within the context of the Integrated Rural Development Strategy.

In essence, Decentralisation, which entails the two key complementary and synergistic components of District Level Delivery and Shared Services, refers to the systematic localisation of DLA activities, functions and services to ensure that the DLA operates and provides services at points physically and geographically closest to programme beneficiaries.

DLD Benefits

Putting a decentralised delivery system in place will entail locating the point of service delivery within District Councils. The Decentralisation process will result in the deployment or re-deployment of DLA staff currently based in DLA Provincial Offices and at national Office to form part of Land Reform Delivery Units. This arrangement will provide the greatest prospect for the acceleration of service delivery, as well as a meaningful framework for bringing about integrated and sustainable land reform within the context of an Integrated Rural Development Strategy.

• Relieves line functions of the burden and distraction associated with the simultaneous performance of line functions and provision of support services.
• Enhances integration throughout the organisation.
• Saves costs through the realisation of economies of scale.
• Standardises processes.
• Enhances customer focus throughout the organisation.
• Fosters the development of focussed experts at the line functional and support services levels.
• Improves the speed and accuracy of management reporting.
• Improves the speed and effectiveness of service delivery.

Project Methodology

The process to date has involved:

• Developing a Decentralisation Implementation Framework Document to guide the process.
• The creation of seven Workstreams which are largely responsible for the rollout of the implementation of the Project. The Workstreams are dealing with Business Processes, Human Resources, Finance and Budget, Stakeholder Liaison, Information Systems and Technology, Location and Infrastructure and Communication. The Workstreams are responsible for performing the functions as outlined in the Implementation Framework Document.

• Promoting the name of the Project internally and developing communication products with the name and logo to ensure effective information sharing.
• Piloting the concept of an SSC in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The decision to run a pilot was taken so that the Department could draw attention to issues that may have been overlooked in broader planning and to ensure careful and most optimal resource planning and allocation. Lessons from the Pilot will afford the department an opportunity to gain experience and analyse processes as it gears up to set-up SSCs in other Provinces.
• The establishment of Provincial Co-ordinating Committees (PCCs) initially in KwaZulu-Natal and then in the Free State, Western Cape and Eastern Cape. These committees serve as co-ordinating structures that provide the overall direction in their respective Provinces to ensure the success of the Project. A Committee is comprised of all the Heads of Offices and the Strategic Co-ordinators for each of the legs of the Decentralisation Framework.
• Holding Configuration Workshops in each of the targeted Provinces with representatives from the Land Reform component, Deeds component, Surveyor-General component and Regional Land Claims Offices. These Workshops focused on practical issues in each province in order to effect Decentralisation. It also formed part of the consultative process to obtain buy-in and to ensure common understanding of the process. The outcome of each Workshop was an Action Plan to implement the Project in each Province.

National Action Plan

To co-ordinate, manage and facilitate the roll-out of decentralised line and support services, the Project Management Team has developed an annual Action Plan.

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It is common knowledge that, not so long ago, the deeds office was, especially within the ranks of senior managers, lily white. That this is, indeed, no longer the case can be gleaned from an inspiring article by Advocate Audrey Gwangwa of the Johannesburg Deeds Office. The said article appeared in the Johannesburg Deeds Office Newsletter, dated February 2003.

The learned Advocate commences her article with her illustrious and mouth-watering resume' and proceeds as follows:

"I take this opportunity to thank everyone for the warm welcome that they have given me. All I can say is that we are reaping the fruits of our labour, together with other colleagues from other deeds offices, (who) fought for transformation in the Deeds Offices since 1996. Despite all odds we grew closer and closer.

I take this opportunity to worship these unsung heroes at the Deeds Offices:

Unita [Cape Town]

Simphiwe [Cape Town]

Nathaniel [Johannesburg]

Chris [Johannesburg]

Francis [ Johannesburg]

Sfiso [Pietermaritzburg]

Maphuti [Pretoria]

Lawrence [Pretoria]

Mpho [Pretoria]

Mpho [Bloemfontein]

Ntshadi [Vryburg]

Dorothy [Chief Registrar's Office]

I would also specifically thank Mr Sechele, who mentored us all the way..."

It is with a great sense of appreciation to observe that the learned Advocate's article raises some interesting issues, which it, unfortunately, does not clarify. These issues are as follows:

1. To whom does the word "we" refers to?

2. What is the nature of the "fruits" referred to in the article?

3. What constitutes the "labour" referred to in the article?

As regards the first issue there are two possibilities. The first possibility is that the said word might be referring to the staffers of the Johannesburg Deeds office, who gave her a warm welcome to the said office. The second possibility, and the most probable one, is that the said word refers to the heroes listed in the article. It must be noted that it is common knowledge that the said heroes have or had something to do with a structure that is popularly known in the Department as the "Transformation Task Team" (TTT).

As regards the second issue, if the second possibility in relation to the first issue is, indeed, the correct one, then one can legitimately deduce that the word "fruits" refers to nothing else other than the "senior" positions in which some of the persons mentioned in the list have recently been appointed to. If this is not the case; then the question is: What else does the said word refer to?

As regards the third issue, the words (who) "fought for transformation in the Deeds Offices since 1996" shed some light on the nature of the "labour" whose fruits are being reaped. If the word labour does not refer to "activism" within the TTT, one would wonder as to what else could it then refer to.

It is, however, important to note that the TTT was not in existence in 1996 and the fact of the matter is that those who were engaged in "labour" battles, including transformation, by then, did so through their unions such as MESHAWU and others. It must further be noted that, though perhaps not by design, the emergence of the TTT has effectively overshadowed the unions in relation to transformation issues.

It is, indeed, encouraging to learn that the learned Advocate (and others) went through the hands of a mentor. It is, however, unfortunate that the nature of the guidance received from the mentor is not disclosed in the article. This non-disclosure renders an intelligible assessment of the relationship between the said guidance and the "fruits" impossible.

Lastly, the article indeed fills me with tons of elation, for it has taught me, contrary to my expectations, that I am possessed of heroes on whose shoulders I might, in times of need, lean on and it is also illustrative of the interesting times that the deeds office is passing through.

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AIDS Day commemorated differently

The DLA HIV/AIDS Day in 2002 was commemorated differently in that goods collected from the staff were handed over to the Bambanani Volunteers from Kagiso, Krugersdorp. The now traditional entertainment in occasions of this nature like poetry, music and traditional dancing, to the delight of all, was part of the proceedings.

In his keynote address Dr W Mgoqi, representing the Director-General, Dr G.Mayende, said if a poor family is affected by HIV/AIDS, it can break apart the family and the dignity of family members can be lost. He referred the congregants to the South African theme for the World AIDS Day which states that, "I care enough to give…do you?" indicating that the theme is focusing people’s attention on the plight of the poor.

Dr Mgoqi said coping with HIV/AIDS is not easy for anyone. Even the most privileged and rich person will suffer loss, will be afraid of dying, will worry about what whould happen to the loved ones, will fear or experience stigma and discrimination. "However, the more wealthy people can afford the medication that keeps them healthy and alive for longer. People in employment with insurance policies can pull together resources to cope with the effects of HIV/AIDS", he said.

He dwelt on the plight of the poorest of the poor, the unemployed, single parents, and the minimum breadwinner with large numbers of dependants. He said that when one of these people become infected, there are no resources available to be mobilised.

Dr Mgoqi said with 12 % of all South Africans infected and one in five carrying the AIDS-causing virus, people are called upon to ensure that no person living with HIV is discriminated against or stigmatised. He said people must ensure that AIDS does not threaten the basic human rights and the dignity of anyone.

"Unfortunately, this is not easy to do. Many of us here today may already be infected. Some of us may not carry the virus, but our behaviour or that of our only partner may put us at risk. Life is not fair. One of the unfair, harder aspects of life is that those who are already most disadvantaged, the weakest and the poorest members of society feel the impact of AIDS most", he said.

Ms Colly Carey, the DLA’s HIV/AIDS Co-ordinator reminded the audience that South Africa’s first AIDS case came to light in 1982. She said at that stage not much was known about HIV/AIDS, but the attitude and blame was placed on homosexuals.

"We are now 20 years into this disease and still people feel that certain groups of people are at risk and not themselves. We say this disease affects prostitutes – I’m not a prostitute, therefore I’m safe", she said.

Ms Carey said by such an attitude people give themselves a false sense of security. She was emphatic that HIV cannot spread on its own.

"If a person engages in unprotected sex without knowing a person’s HIV status, that person is putting himself/herself at risk", she added.

She said to enlighten people about HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns and AIDS Education were started. Now, 20 years later, many people have family members, neighbours and colleagues who are infected, and therefore people can no longer sit back and do nothing.

"We need to ensure that those of us who are not infected remain uninfected and those of us who are already infected are cared for and supported", she said.

Ms Charlene Wilson who is HIV/AIDS positive told the audience that she was diagnosed about six years ago. At that time the doctor had given her six months to live.

She said at that time she was schooling at a school for Coloureds and Indians. She said they were taught that HIV/AIDS only infects African people.

Ms Smith also stated that after her diagnosis she went for counselling and thereafter lived positively. In August of that year she said she was told that she has fully blown AIDS and her family had accepted that she was dying.

She said the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and her friends motivated her. At that time she had pneumonia and following the doctor’s instructions and her condition the improved instead of worsening, to the doctor’s surprise.

Ms Smith told the audience that she uses R 2 500 a month for medication. She mentioned that it is only because she has a sponsor that she can afford the medication.

"In six years I have learned that I should talk about my status. I would encourage others not to stay in a state of denial", she said.

"Others must not discriminate against those who are HIV/AIDS positive. They may not be infected, but they are affected", she said.

Agnes Molema, a volunteer for Bambanani in Kagiso, Krugersdorp thanked the DLA for adopting and assisting them to help HIV/AIDS infected people in their community. She said she believed that their work in a certain way is helping the nation.

She said the bodies of HIV/AIDS infected people from time to time need to be rubbed and massaged. She said some of them cannot do anything for themselves and require constant care.

In an interview she told Journal that all the volunteers have undergone preliminary training to treat HIV/AIDS infected people. She said one of them has done counselling studies.

Ms Molema said Bambanani was started by five people in their community assisting nurses at a local clinic with healthcare. She said now they have a healthcare centre manned by seven people who have all been trained by the Department of Health.

"We appreciate the role played by the DLA. I hope they will always be there for us. They must also tell us when we go astray", she concluded.

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At the DLA’s Third International Day of the Disabled celebrations Pretoria, the Department’s Director General, Dr Gilingwe Mayende, while giving his respects to the members of the DLA Disability Forum (DDF) described them as the quiet leaders of the Department.

All the offices of the Department throughout the country were represented at the celebrations. Many of the Department’s managers graced the occasion.

Dr Mayende explained that the DDF members are quiet leaders because they have moved patiently, carefully and incrementally to do what is right for the Department and its people. He said he had observed that they have successfully solved important problems in the last year and that had contributed to a better work environment.

"Whilst exalting your success, I remind you that we are still at the beginning of our journey on the road to integration of the disabled into the workplace and society in general. As much as you’ve turned around negative perceptions and raised awareness in the workplace, there still remains certain issues in the internal environment that is not enabling to the disabled person and matters such as assistance devices that we must still get right", he admitted.

He went on and emphasised that the work of the Department is incomplete as extreme levels of inequality and discrimination continue to exist. He said it is still common to find – eight years into democracy – social, economic and political barriers interacting to create conditions of underdevelopment, marginalisation and unequal access to resources enjoyed by the rest of the population.

"The Public Service Charter which Minister Didiza and I signed in, is a pledge by the Department to develop and provide accessible services to all citizens. This commitment is one of the many ways the Department is interpreting and applying the principle of fundamental rights to people with disabilities as contained in the Integrated National Disability Strategy", he said.

He expressed his understanding that like all processes of transformation and change, it will take the Department’s collective effort to remove barriers that prevent persons with disabilities exercising their full rights and freedoms. Then he made a plea that when the DDF puts together their project plan for 2003, they reflect on how they will ensure that the Service Delivery Project Team, led by Mr Mathikhi, is provided with information on the concerns and needs of disabled clients and beneficiaries of the Department’s services.

Dr Mayende reminded all that one of the Batho Pele principles refers to access. He said the findings of the DDF survey conducted in September 2002 indicated that over 85 % of the offices rented or leased by the Department were restrictive to disabled citizens.

"This particular piece of research has enriched my understanding of the particular areas of concern for disabled persons; for example, light switches being too high, lifts that are not wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, and passages being slippery or too narrow. This information has definitely increased our knowledge base in the Department and I again thank the DDF for bringing these to light so that we can spearhead the removal of such barriers", he said.

The Chairperson of the DDF, Mr Chris Williams-Wynn presented his 2002 report at the celebrations. It was well received.

Ms Safoora Sadek from the Africa Regional Consultative Forum on Disability commended the DLA on its work in catering for the disabled stating that the DLA’s work falls within the scope of human rights. She said she was impressed by the fact that representation for the disabled at the DLA forms 1.9 in the staff complement, while basic disability representation is required at 2.5.

The Association for the Blind from Brits displayed some of their products. There was a short drama presented by Pretoria disabled officials with a message discouraging the disabled from begging and encouraged them to be creative, thus becoming self-sufficient.

There was a lot of excitement when people saw Gert Olivier from the Pretoria Surveyor-General’s office demonstrating how he uses his mouth when painting. Some of the pictures he has completed were displayed and there was a keen interest in them.

Kgafela Sebelebele, with his gravelly and authoritative voice read one of his poems, "Trouble about trouble". When he does his poems, he does not follow the common trend of replicating Mzwakhe Mbuli, but uses his voice in another dimension that gives him his own identity and is exciting to the ear.

At the end of the day’s proceedings certificates acknowledging work done for the disabled by different individuals in the Department were handed over. The majority of the recipients of the certificates was the disabled themselves.

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Gert’s painting steals the show

Gert Olivier, a physically disabled DLA employee stole the show in Bloemfontein when he went through his paces painting with his mouth. The event was the handing over of funds raised for institutions for disabled people by DLA offices in the Free State. Gert’s past works were also displayed there as part of the event.

When Gert is painting, one is compelled to admire his technique and abilities. Earlier in the year, Gert had donated one of his pictures to the Free State Provincial Employment Equity Committee (PEEC) to enable it to raise funds by selling the picture through a raffle at R5 – 00 per buyer.

When the writer spoke to him, he said his first painting was done around September/October 1997 and is priceless. He said he does painting as a hobby.

Gert is an associate of mouth painters and attends classes at Bloem’s Art in Pretoria. He is presently working as a Survey Officer at the Surveyor-General’s office in Pretoria.

"Every picture that I do is a new one that I have never done before. I take it as a new challenge and that really inspires me. As an example, the picture with the elephants and monkeys was my biggest challenge, because of its big size. It is more fulfilling when I finish a picture", he said.

"To do a picture from a photo is quite nice, but it is very difficult to do a picture of a person you know. The smile, the glitter in the eyes or the dimples have to be there", he added.

During the funds hand over ceremony, Gert mentioned that before being disabled he had never painted. He said his condition resulted from a car accident in 1990 when he hit a kudu.

The Chaiperson of the Free State PEEC, Mr Mmuso Riba said their efforts include at looking at employment equity, disability and gender issues. He said the picture donated to them by Gert fulfilled their desire to do something for the community.

They chose the Kopano Workshop and the Jean Webber Home. The R1 800 – 00 raised from the raffle was split between the two institutions and the picture was won by Ms Theresa Potgieter of the Bloemfontein Deeds Office.

"This celebration questions us as individuals about what we have done for others to make a difference in their lives. We should be proud of what we are doing because it is exactly similar to what former President Mandela is doing", he added.

Ms Patricia Bonthuys from the Association for People with Disabilities (APD) was grateful to the Free State DLA offices for their gesture, saying their province has about 4 400 registered disabled people. She said there are a lot of things that they need, including wheelchairs.

Ms Bonthuys said Kopano is about 16 years old and employs some 190 disabled people. Kopano manufactures toys.

The Jean Webber Home has been in Bloemfontein for about 60 years. They have about 60 crèches for disabled children. At the home there are 53 disabled people and eight of them are employed by ESKOM to respond to electricity telephone enquiries.

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There will be no "ghost with a disability". I will sleep like a satisfied freedom fighter. I know that I will die like a human being and not like an unwanted disabled. I remember the 13 of March in Pretoria at the Sheraton Hotel when the Minister in the Office of the Presidency, Dr Essop Pa