ANC FREE STATE LEKGOTLA MEDIA STATEMENT Introduction The ANC annual Lekgotla convened to review progress and impact in the transformation of society. This was a special Lekgotla looking into ANC achievements 20yrs under democracy and entry in its fifth year of democratic elections as government. Since 2009, the ANC in the Free State has proven to be the champion of democracy by ensuring that millions of more people have access to clean water and electricity, quality education and better health care. The ANC has created more jobs, provided social grants to the poor, and created new opportunities Key Issues: Education This is a key priority in terms of our 2009 Elections Manifesto. We have identified and treated education as a key pillar that will determine our ability to transform our society and emancipate our people. • We have improved the pass rate of our Matriculants from a mere 69% in 2009 to 81% in 2013 • We have allocated more than 7000 Bursaries for students to study at their own preferred universities throughout the country and have created overseas study opportunities for our learners in various countries including Cuba Health Our commitment remains that of providing our people with good quality health care. This is in a quest to reduce the burden of diseases. Proudly so, we have achieved to •Reduce Maternal and Child Mortality from 50% to 43% •We have surpassed the National set target of Male Medical Circumcisions from 40 000 to 50 000 •We have embarked on an aggressive campaign to stop TB by targeting areas of high human movement and interact that could escalate the spread of TB such as Taxi Ranks, public transport and amongst public servants. Throughout the province, we have screened more that 649 000 people. •We are addressing the issue of scarcity of Doctors hence we are implementing a programme of deployment of Cuban Doctors Economic Transformation As a result of the decline in mining and agriculture, the province has had to shift its focus to industrialisation. We are deriving economic spin-offs from many economic development projects that we implement such as: •Reitz Grainfield Chicken Poultry Project •Insourcing of Security Services and Catering Services as part of sustainable and decent job creation •The province is enhancing its tourism attraction capacity by investing in the Planetarium Centre in Bloemfontein (Naval Hill) which will house top astronomers. •As part of implementing green economy, we have established a Solar Power Generation Plant Social Transformation The Lekgotla has identified the slow movement in the area of building social cohesion. In that regard, we have resolved to convene a Broad Based Front (similar to Freedom Charter). As a province, we have engaged with all communities with respect to the development of their lives, in each and every town – so as to develop them through Operation Hlasela interventions. We are now left with Farmers and Business and will be engaging constantly with them from now throughout. Operation Hlasela will from now onwards be reporting on its achievement in each and every town. We Print shall be establishing a Specialised Unit to deal with housing discrepancies. This Special Unit, whose number will be unveiled to the media in the coming two months will be used to timely report discrepancies and enable us to deal and resolve queries faster. Communications We have focussed on Communications to ensure that the ANC as a brand is at the heart of what is happening as the leader of society. Our efforts will be at consolidating Brand ANC as a preferred Brand in society. Ours, is to ensure that our people believe in us, they see and know what we do, that they walk, talk, sleep, wear and eat ANC! We will be developing a booklet that showcases the Achievements of our Freedom and Democracy as part of the lasting memory and legacy of our 19 years of Democracy, whose 20 years will co-incide with the National General Elections of 2014. Provincial Secretary William Bulwane Enquires : Thabo Meeko(Spokesperson) 082 414 9484
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 16:07:24 +0000