Speech delivered by the MEC for Health and Welfare Mr. Seaparo Sekoati on the occasion of Service Excellence Awards Aboo Tayob Hall - Mokopane

06 September 2004

Programme director
Executive Mayor of Waterberg District municipality
Mayor of Mokopane Local Municipality
Councillors
Government officials
Ladies and Gentlemen.

The constitution of the republic dictates a mandate to us that we take reasonable legislature and other measures within the constraints of scarce resources to achieve the progressive realisation of the right of the people of our country to have access to health care and welfare services.

We are also mandated by the same constitution to ensure the provision of comprehensive social security services against vulnerability and poverty and create an enabling environment for sustainable development in partnership with all those committed to building a caring society.

The year 2004 has been and remains a historic year for all of us, but for the department of health and welfare in particular.

It has been so because we celebrate the ten years of freedom, ushered in 1994. It has been so for us as the department because during this year we have witnessed the passing by parliament of two pieces, yet important, of legislations - the South African Social Security Agency Act of 2004 and the National Health Act of 2004.

The critical element of the first years of democracy was the introduction of the new constitution and the legislative framework. Part of these has been the introduction of new legislature aimed at re-tooling the South Africa society.

While this process has sought of scaled down because currently the work of government is shifting towards a greater focus on implementation as opposed to policy formulation, the adoption of the two pieces of legislation is a course for celebration and joy, even in this conjecture.

The National Health Act was adopted and passed by parliament in order to regulate national health and provide uniformity in respect of health services across the country by establishing a one national health system encompassing public and private providers of health, providing the best possible health services available within the constraint of scarce resources, setting out the rights of and duties of health care providers, health workers, health establishments and users and finally protecting, respecting, promoting and fulfilling the rights of our people to health care services, to an environment not harmful to their health and to ensuring the protection and development of the vulnerable groups such as women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

Similarly the South African Social Security Act within the framework of the constitution seeks to improve the quality of life of all our people ensuring that social grants- government’s most sustainable poverty alleviation programme- reach as many intended beneficiaries as possible at the right time and in a dignified manner.

Through these two pieces of legislation, we are embarking on a new journey full of uncertainties and many unknowns. Change that accompanies this journey will test our strength, commitment and zeal to go forward.

However with all of you and others not present here, we are certain of the future.

We are made so because of the path that we have already traversed together in order to bring a better life to all.

As a result of those achievements that we have made in the past ten years, we are gathered here today.

It is during occasions of this nature that the values and professional ethics that form and shape our being are looked into, where the achievements and challenges of the department are narrated in order to inspire, where great moments are retold and memories of sacrifice relived, and where heroes and heroines find their place in the scroll of honour.

The ceremony of today is a testimony on our part of the fact that we recognise the contributions that all of you are making in pursuance of quality and improved health and welfare services to our people.

While we celebrate and rejoice we must be mindful of the many challenges that we still face. For example almost 30% of our primary health care facilities are without linen and patient clothing. This obviously affects the quality of services that we are rendering to our people.

At least in some of our clinics we have succeeded to ensure that there is a doctor at least once a week. This is happening of course within the constrain of shortage of doctors within our province. We are however elated at the fact that the few that are there are able to go an extra mile and service our people in the low-lying areas like Dwaarboom. Our view is that a smooth integration and cooperation between our hospitals and primary health care facilities will reduce the number of referrals from the PHC facilities to hospitals, thereby reducing the long ques at hospitals and relieving the pressure on limited resources at these institutions.

This will also make it possible for us to offer integrated chronic health services at pension points, thereby reducing the cases related to chronic illnesses at pay points during social grants paydays. Currently we are unable to offer these services because of shortage of doctors. We however urge the district to explore the possibility of offering primary health care services at these points in the meantime.

Together with other social cluster departments like the department of home affairs you have the opportunity to take PHC and welfare services to the people and raise the vital registration campaign to higher levels.

A portion of our district is mainly a farm area. This suggests that many of our people are rural and therefore have limited access to state health and welfare services. Particularly in the areas of Northam and Warmbaths, a lot of work still needs to be done to ensure that farm dwellers are brought into the mainstream of government services. Many of them still lack such vital documents such as IDs, birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates. These documents are necessary for our people to access government services such as social security grants and community development projects, all of them the core of government’s poverty alleviation programmes. They also assist in planning for development, as the most reliable data will be available to the development agencies. So we are therefore challenged to ensure that we reorientate our resources and target these marginalised sections of our communities.

The depiction and appreciation of these challenges, and others, in no way suggest that we have not made progress in addressing them. If it were so we would not be here, honouring and celebrating the outstanding achievements of some of you, individually and collectively.

As we celebrate and engage in the best of the festive moods, we should do so with conscious of the fact that the story of this department will always be told by how we are perceived by the community we serve. To the extent that you will remain focussed and committed, you will always represent victory of hope over despair and a victory of accomplishment over pessimism.

Aided by the new dispensation in the provision of health and welfare services in the form of the health Act and SASSA Act respectively, we are confident that we will emerge victorious.

I thank you.

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