SPEECH BY THE KWAZULU-NATAL MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, MR S'BU NDEBELE, DURING THE PRESENTATION OF COMPUTERS DONATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT

10 May 2002

Protocol Observed

I feel greatly honored to participate in this presentation of computers to the previously disadvantaged schools. I feel even more honored because today is not just an ordinary day in South African history. Eight years ago today, more than two billion people across the globe were glued to their television screens witnessing one of the biggest events of the twentieth century, the inauguration of South Africa's first Black President. The fact that the presentation of these computers coincides with this very important day is no sheer coincidence. It highlights the Government's commitment to improve, advance and develop our schools so that South Africa attains a world-class education system.

Early this year, President Thabo Mbeki visited schools and joined students on their first day of school to demonstrate the Government's commitment to effective education for South Africa's children. Our President has always maintained that all of South Africa needs to join hands in order to overcome the difficult challenges that we have inherited from Apartheid. Following the President's example, we then paid undivided attention to effective education in January in line with the spirit of voluntarism championed by the President. Thus the month of January saw us visiting schools, painting them, encouraging teachers, parents and learners to work together for the success of our education system. This was not just a publicity stunt but genuine commitment to improve our schools, especially rural schools, which were neglected under Apartheid.

Let me emphasize that this commitment is not just a once off event. It is an ongoing commitment we vowed to make ever since we made a call to adopt schools, especially the previously disadvantaged rural schools. I am happy that the President's call for the spirit of voluntarism never fell on deaf ears since today we see this constructive partnership happening to volunteer our resources where they are desperately needed. Last year we were gathered at Emachunwini HP School in Msinga to open new classrooms donated by Price Waterhouse Coopers as a response to a request I made. More than R250 000 was donated to build 13 classes, 8 toilets, the principal’s office as well as fencing and building the playground.

As part of the Department of Transport's social responsibility program, Minister Dullah Omar launched the "Transporting Technology to Schools" Project, which is aimed at improving the administrative and technological capacity of previously disadvantaged schools in South Africa with a specific focus on rural schools.

Having said that, one must emphasize that while our mandate as the Department of Transport is that of building roads and ensuring the safety of road users but we also recognize the fact that information too needs to be transported not only on the roads we build but also through computers we donate. Computer knowledge and information are so important today that even the age in which we live has been termed the "information age". As the Department of Transport we realize the importance not only of knowledge, which is power, but also resources like computers through which that power is exercised.

Computer technology is not the only domain of science that we are focusing on as part of our partnerships within Government. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, for instance has a Technology Transfer Center (known as the T Square Center) whose responsibility is to deal with matters concerning the transfer of Technology. Through this Center our Department is involved in identifying possible technical and engineering professionals. We have technical training staff who support the following maths and science learner programmes:

• Pro-technical Std 8 to Matric technical subject enhancement programme

• Technical Subject enhancement programme for learners and teachers

• Annual Bridge-building competition which is monitored and adjudicated through the expertise of the South African Institute of Civil Engineers (SAICE)

• Workshops and seminars in which students, and community road safety councils are work shopped on practical research skills that will benefit their respective communities.

We also provide support and mentoring to all undergraduate and post-graduate Engineering and Technical Learner ships in terms of guidelines supplied by the Engineering Council of South Africa. We arrange twinning and exchange programmes with two other technology transfer centers in the USA. Most importantly, we provide assistance and technical advice to the public of KwaZulu-Natal and the SADC Region by means of the help desk. In this way we are not just doing something for teachers, students and parents but we are working together by being actively involved in education with them and through them. How else can we fulfill the Presidents vision of African Renaissance without working together inter-departmentally? The New Partnership for Africa’s Development will only succeed if we work together first within our own country as we are doing right now. Someone said; if you want to change the world, start with yourself first. This is exactly what we are doing to advance the broader vision of NEPAD within South Africa itself.

In the final analysis, I want to congratulate all the schools that have been selected to receive computers. I strongly encourage both teachers and students to look after these computers and use them effectively. I hope you will not only end there but you will further install programmes that will meet your unique and diverse requirements. I must end by appealing to all teachers, students, parents and members of Governing Bodies present here today to devise some means of protecting these computers and indeed all school resources because criminals are never on holiday.

I thank you.

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