Thank you, Program Director,
All MECs Present Today,
Members of the Provincial Legislature Present,
Traditional Leaders led by Chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders and Khoisan, and President of CONTRALESA, Kgosi Mokoena,
All Executive Mayors of Districts and Local Municipalities,
Municipal Managers,
All Councillors,
DG of our Province Ms. Maggie Skosana,
The Executive Leadership of our Entities,
All HODs Present,
SALGA Representatives,
Distinguished Guests,
And our honoured citizens,
Good morning. It is an honour and privilege to be here with you today for the official launch of the Livi Lemphakatsi Citizen Engagement App.
As we all know, engagement is the cornerstone of democracy, further enhanced by the principles of Batho-Pele. In our rapidly evolving world, it is vital that we empower our citizens to have their voices heard and to participate actively in the governance processes that affect their lives.
We are gathered here two days after the commemoration of Freedom Day that was held in Msukalikwa Local Municipality, Ermelo at The AJ Swanepoel Stadium. Hon Mantashe, on behalf of His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa reminded us about the monumental democratic breakthrough of 1994, that we sometimes take for granted. It is not a coincidence that April is regarded as Freedom month in our beloved country.
The successful National Freedom Day celebration held in our beautiful province was an opportunity to understand the strides we have made, including some current challenges.
In these 31 years of democracy, our constitution still remains the best document able to unite all of us. It is often referred to as the supreme law of South Africa which we are all expected to adhere to.
At the celebration, our beautiful leaners reminded us about the preamble of our constitution. It was an item well-presented and made us proud as a province to have diverse learners coming together from different schools, of different races, and who speak different languages. It was touching to see how unified they were, and I was moved by this.
We are here today gathered in this fashion because of the valuable contribution by different people, sadly some never lived to witness the very same democracy and freedom they fought hard for.
It is out of that understanding that we are grateful to be among those witnessing the importance of democracy.
The national elections of 2024 brought us to the current Government of National Unity.
The National Government was able to adopt the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) as a blueprint for building a society that works. This plan signifies a decisive move towards a governance approach that prioritizes impact, building on the ANC’s manifesto commitments.
At the heart of the agenda of The MTDP lies the drive for inclusive growth and job creation, poverty reduction and tackling high cost of living and to build a capable, ethical and developmental state.
Today we are here to take forward the agenda of making sure that the voters are the real beneficiaries of the Democracy we celebrate. Our people must also be able to follow up on what was promised and be able to make us accountable.
At the beginning of the Official Opening of The Provincial Legislature, we made an undertaking to visit all our municipalities in our province.
Program Director, I am happy to report that we were able to do the visit of the 7th administration as per the commitment. As MEC of COGHSTA I can attest to this, as I was part of all the visits.
Today we have a better understanding of both the good work and the challenges facing our municipalities. We have valuable lessons to share moving forward, one thing is for sure, it can’t be business as usual when we still have serious challenges facing our people.
Nothing can be said to justify the possibility of a municipality, department or entity that functions at optimum level, when serious vacancies of key positions still exist. All funded posts must be filled as a matter of urgency.
These positions must be filled by relevant, suitably qualified candidates and we will all see the positive results. There is a proverb that goes, when a clown moves into a palace he doesn’t become a sultan, the palace becomes a circus.
We do not always have to look to others to learn lessons. Within our own province there are pockets of excellence in our municipalities, entities and departments. This is a really positive sign that when we are determined, we can turn a corner.
Today, we are launching the Livi Lemphakatsi application. This is an important tool to enhance citizen engagement, transparency, and service delivery within our municipalities.
It is a user-friendly and innovative mobile application designed specifically to facilitate communication between citizens and their government. The name "Livi Lemphakatsi" embodies the spirit of our community, indicating a gathering of voices and ideas. This app is not just a technological innovation; it is a bridge that connects you with your local government.
The application will allow our people to submit and track service delivery complaints in real - time, ensuring accountability from local government structures.
The app will provide several features to enhance citizen engagement. These include a feedback submission option allowing citizens to report issues, provide suggestions, and share concerns directly from their mobile devices. Additionally, it will serve as an information hub, offering access to important news, updates, and resources related to local governance and services. Through community polls, you will be able to engage in decision-making processes by sharing your opinions on various issues. Lastly, an event calendar will keep you informed about local events, meetings, and initiatives that encourage community participation.
It is very important to understand that what we are doing today is in line with our commitment as provincial government of Mpumalanga to improving service delivery and fostering inclusive governance.
We will be happy when we have Municipalities that are capable and financially sound. Our people expect our municipalities to be able to deliver on their objectives.
We have to make sure that the benefits of the champions of the District Development Model (DDM) are maximised, as they are now deployed as per the guidelines.
What is good is that the app will assist our municipalities in monitoring service – related concerns efficiently, thus improving both response times and public trust in government services.
The app, however, will not work without the correct leadership and an effective and efficient workforce, in line with the agenda of government. It is entirely up to us to make it work as we can’t allow our people to be subjected to poor service delivery.
We know that quality service is more profitable, provided we master the art of managing resources and obtaining maximum efficiency from our costs.
We understand that our municipalities largely operate on the basis of five instruments;
- The passing of a budget
- The adoption of the IDP
- The adoption of technical reports presented by senior officials that require further action
- The appointment of senior officials
- The adoption of motions or resolutions
In today’s fast paced and rapidly changing world, as Mpumalanga Government, we have taken some serious decisions in line with making sure that we are going to produce learners that can face the 4th Industrial Revolution.
It is out of that commitment by Government that we felt we should provide iPads for all the grade 12 leaners, and for the grade 10 learners next year. This will ensure learners are not left behind.
We can never expect our leaners to be competitive in this century, without giving them the necessary support to their education.
Even our young citizens, our leaners, can use this app and they are the most precious asset of this very beautiful province and the country.
Program Director, for us to agree that today’s launch of our beautiful app LIVI LEMPHAKATSI to be regarded as a real success, we must agree that we are not in this position to serve ourselves, but to serve our people.
With Livi Lemphakatsi, we are empowering our citizens. We are creating an inclusive platform where every voice matters, and every opinion can contribute to the betterment of our community. This app empowers you to take charge of your civic responsibilities and engage with local leaders in a meaningful way.
We are very excited about this important launch as it brings us closer to our original national election mantra of 1994: A better life for all. Today we are responding to that, by ensuring the voices of our people are heard through the app. We strive to make our motto “a better life for all’” not just a slogan, but our daily motivation.
Because we are grounded and stay connected to our people, we are aware that we still have a long way to go but we must not lose sight of the bigger picture and make sure that we are not side tracked by minor issues.
This is my call to action:
I urge each one of you to download the Livi Lemphakatsi app and share it with your family, friends, and neighbours. Let us harness the power of technology to build a stronger, more connected community. Your feedback and active participation are crucial to ensuring that this app meets your needs and expectations.I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in the development and launch. This includes the dedicated team of developers and community members who provided valuable insights, and our government partners who championed this initiative.
In conclusion, I believe that with Livi Lemphakatsi, we are not just launching an app; we are igniting a movement for greater civic engagement, transparency, and community empowerment. According to a Matshona Dhliwayo, a Zimbabwean-born and Canadian-based philosopher and author, “The goal of teamwork is not to think alike, but to think together”. With that said, let's embark on a journey toward a more engaged, informed, and connected community. Together, let’s make our voices heard through Livi Lemphakatsi!