2015 Weekly Update 6A

08 May 14 May 2015

The pulse of communication excellence in the Free State Government Free State Provincial Government Weekly Update

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The Department of Human Settlements successfully hosted the 2015 Govan Mbeki Awards on 7 May 2015. The awards, an annual event that seeks to

honour and celebrate the life of Govan Mbeki, the struggle icon and his commitment to the liberation, also acknowledged excellence in the provision of

human settlements in the Free State Province. Eight categories were contested and entries from over 50 companies were received.

Categories included; Best Priority Project, Best Informal Settlement Upgraded Project, Best Community Residential Unit, Best Rural Project, Best Social

Housing, Best Woman, Contractor, Best Contractor in the Non-Subsidy Market and Premiers Merit Award for a best performing contractor (Contractor of

the Year). For the first time this year, the event hosted some exhibitions from companies in the housing value chain. The exhibition opened from 3pm till

the start of the event.

THE 2015 GOVAN MBEKI AWARDS BUILDING THE FUTURE TODAY, TOGETHER

NO TO XENOPHOBIA

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FREE STATE YOUNG PEOPLE TO RECEIVE TRAINING FROM INDIA

The commitment by the Free State Provincial Government to expand the information technology knowledge base through training has yet again put the

provinces skills development drive on a higher level. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Free State Provincial Government and

Tech Mahindra Limited to train 100 young people for a period of 6 months on information technology. The training will be provided by one of Indias big-

gest and well-renowned digital transformation companies which employ more approximately 200 000 professionals across 51 countries.

Representing Tech Mahindra, Mr Sudarshan Chakrapani expressed his excitement to be associated with this skills development project which came as a

result of Premier Ace Magashules visit to India last year. This is one of the initiatives that the provincial government undertakes to provide the young

people with skills and opportunities to empower them. The 100 identified young people will leave for India sometime this year. Upon their return, they

will be equipped with skills ranging from software development to IT infrastructure development.

PRAYER SERVICE AGAINST XENOPHOBIA

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The dispossession of the land rights of the majority of black people in South Africa remains a dark spot in the history of our country. Through the 1913 Natives

Land Act and other racially discriminatory laws and practices, a large number of individuals and communities were dispossessed of their land rights after 1913.

In 1994 the democratic Government of South Africa identified the need for land and agrarian reform as part of nation building and reconciliation; and the Resti-

tution programme was introduced to provide redress to persons and communities dispossessed of their land rights by the apartheid Government. The process

for the lodgement of land claims was re-opened with effect from 01 July 2014 for a further period of five years, until 30 June 2019. All individuals and commu-

nities who were dispossessed of their right to land as a result of racially discriminatory laws and practices after June 1913, and who missed the initial cut-off

date of 31 December 1998, now have an opportunity to lodge their land claims until 30 June 2019. Minister for Rural Development and Land Reform Mr Gugile

Nkwinti led the Free State Provincial Executive Council during the launch of mobile lodgement offices in Charles Mopeli Stadium, Qwaqwa. To ensure that a

maximum number of potential claimant communities are reached, the Government rolled out mobile lodgement offices to travel around the country to receive

claims, in addition to the 14 Lodgement offices situated in all 9 Provinces. This is a campaign where communities can register their claims at ease without travel-

ling long distances.

MOBILE LODGEMENT OFFICES LAUNCHED IN QWAQWA

On 29 April 2015, at an event held at Welkom Club stadium in Welkom, the Free State Provincial Government and the people of the Free State resound-ingly added their voice against the xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals that occurred recently in some parts of our country. Over 5000 citizens, mainly from the Matjhabeng Local Municipality, joined the Free State Government in a sombre and dignified occasion to pray against the recent violent attacks on our brothers and sisters from the African continent and elsewhere. This anti-xenophobia prayer service was characterised by interfaith prayers and rendition of hymns led by church leaders from different denominations. Representatives of foreign nationals attended the event and also participated in leading prayers to show solidarity with them as foreign nationals who are in our country. In her message to people gathered at the prayer service, the MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Mrs Mathabo Leeto, spoke firmly against those perpetrating the acts of violence against foreign nationals. She pointed out that the triple challenge of unemployment, inequality and poverty cannot be a reason for unleashing acts of violence against fellow human beings. She also emphasised that government is on course to address these challenges which are a result of over 300 years of apartheid-colonial oppression. All present at this prayer service were in one spirit and one voice in condemning the attacks against foreign nationals and proved yet again that South Africans are not xenophobic.

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