25 February 2010
The South African Communist Party (SACP) has welcomed KwaZulu-Natal premier Dr Zweli Mkhize`s state of the province address saying the speech generally sought to address the province`s long standing issues of poverty and underdevelopment.
However the SACP in KwaZulu-Natal feels that the issues of rural economic development should not have been outsourced but should directly fall under public accountability and therefore answerable to parliament. The SACP is particularly concerned about the lack of consultation in this regard and would have wished for a broader engagement in this regard given the fact that rural economic development is one of the major resolutions taken at the ANC`s 52nd national conference in Polokwane.
The SACP applauds the premier`s support for the lifestyle audits, however, it regrets that these should only apply to supply chain management executives and not Members of the Executive Committees (MECs). The SACP believes that the lifestyle audits should begin with the politicians before they extend to senior management.
The party has expressed concern that the speech was shallow on corruption especially on what the government intends to do to deal with issues of mismanagement and fraud in the departments of agriculture, social development and health.
"The speech was also shallow on economic development especially, the over emphasis on Dube Trade Port, especially because such projects are not going to assist people in the remote rural villages of the province. We are looking for concrete plans for rural economic development," said SACP provincial secretary Themba Mthembu.
Issued by the SACP KZN Province
Contact:
Themba Mthembu
SACP KZN Provincial Secretary – 083 303 6988