Krismisbox - Round Three of Delivery

The Western Cape Government is continuing with the style of work that has made it stand out as committed to delivery since the 2004 elections. After that election, we announced a Hundred Day Delivery Programme, and following the successful conclusion to that, we announced further concrete targets to be delivered by Easter 2005.

Both of these delivery campaigns have made definite positive changes in the lives of the people in the Western Cape. They have shown that government can continue to reshape society over the long term (through the vision of a Home for All, and creating shared growth through iKapa Elihlumayo) but also bring relief in the short term to people.

What makes our next delivery campaign - the delivery of the Krismis Box - different is that it seeks more directly to respond to people's needs expressed in different ways over the last 15 months:

• We are responding to numerous izImbizo where thousands of people gathered to raise their needs and concerns directly with government;
  
• We are mindful of the types of queries raised on the single access telephone number to government (0860 142 142);
• Our response also covers the issues at the center of the social protests in various parts of the Province, which we followed up with delivery audits without condoning illegal activities;
• Last week's survey of people's perceptions of government delivery and quality of services must also be borne in mind;
• This weekend's marches in the South Cape against invasive and unsustainable development is considered; and
• The tragic headlines dominating our news reports about the deaths, abductions, abuse and vulnerability of our children and the impact of drugs on our children and youth must be responded to by government.

These are some of the issues that the Krismisbox Campaign is responding to. Government does not make promises; it is setting a delivery deadline to be reached by Christmas 2005. All departments have been consulted and they are pulling out all stops to deliver.

As Christmas approaches, you will see members of Cabinet, government officials and community partners actively delivering the contents of the Krismisbox. Again we must stress that these deliveries are concrete and meaningful, but they do not solve all our problems. They are yet another installment as we create the better life for all.

List of Krismisbox deliverables:

1. Children:

• Parenting Skills Workshops
• Summer Camps at 32 sites for 10 000 children over January and December. Government will fund this programme in the amount of R5 million; training 192 facilitators and 3200 older people to engage with the youth. The programmes which will run on a daily basis will include Children's Rights, Life skills, Community Service, Substance Abuse, Drama and Sports.
• A reward of R100 000 [increased from R50 000] for information leading to the recovery of missing children
• The Deployment of School Safety Officers at 40 priority schools
• Minister Ramatlakane meeting with SAPS and NGO sector this afternoon to discuss additional measures

Youth:

• Substance abuse programme in ten priority areas [including: Tafelsig, Khayelitsha, Manenberg, Guguletu, Worcester, Belhar] to achieve:
• Reduce demand through greater awareness
• Reduce supply through SAPS interventions and community partnerships
• Rehabilitation with a community based approach
• 15 new schools and 35 new classrooms
• Launch of 50 Dinaledi Schools focussing on Maths and science
• Overhaul of the FET Curriculum to focus on:
• Arts and Culture stream
• Business, Commerce and Management stream
• Engineering and Technology stream

Disabled:

• Access ramps at 17 schools as part of overall intention to create a liveable environment for disabled citizens

Culture:

• Kaapse Karnaval - R1.5 million
• Slavery Week of Reflection from 16 December
• Books to children: Botrivier Library, Wheelie Wagons
• Cultural and Language Festivals and evenings

Safety:

• Overall crime reduction target of 7 - 10%
• Road safety
• Neighbourhood watches: 450 volunteers at shebeens, 750 volunteers at 42 stations
• Beach safety

Women:

• 16 Days of Actisvism: ensure awareness and use of Trauma Rooms, Rape Courts and Special Procedures
• Office on the Status of Women: no longer a forgotten desk - upgrade to ensure proper policy development and monitoring and evaluation

Social Delivery Audit:

• Basic services: De Doorns [750 families], Clanwilliam [400 households], Elands Bay [8 households], Phola Park Vredendal [200]
• Housing: PHP interventions in Mbekweni Paarl; write off of Rental Arreas in Lentegeur and Gatesville; 214 serviced sites in Nduli Witzenberg, service 110 ha in Barrydale; revise Calitzdorp waiting list; complete phases 1 and 2 of N2 Gateway

Environment:

• Golf, Polo and Resort Policies and Development Guidelines

Health:

• Home Based Care for 9000 patients with trained volunteer Health workers
• 12 600 HIV + people [estimated 42% of Provincial total] on ARVs by Christmas
• 280 people receive cataract surgery
• 5000 patients will receive their chronic medicines by delivery instead of at health facilities
• ENT services
• Anti-diarrhoeal services
• New medical equipment at various hospitals
• Two new ambulances in the Karoo
• Construction on three General Health facilities in Khayelitsha [District Hospital], Mitchell's Plain [expand Lentegeur] and Phillippi [Clinic]

Agriculture:

• 1000 carthorses will receive identity chips and vaccinated against Equine influenza, 600 will be dewormed
• 50 000 Cape flats dogs vaccinated against rabies, 20 000 dewormed
• Mini-experimental farm in Phillippi urban agricultural hub for R&D into Phillippi's role as a food basket for the Province

Economy:

• Success of Red Door has created greater demand, a mobile Red Door service will be established by Christmas to cover every District without a Red Door at least twice a month
• Implementation of Cape Flats Tourism Promotion Plan with the aim of opening up the Cape Flats to tourism opportunities
• 24/7 Tourists in Distress Help Centre running by 1 November

Full Krismisbox list available here.