Deputy Minister Seiso Mohai: Partnership Conference

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Programme Director, Mr Loyiso Bala,
MEC for Social Development in the Eastern Cape, Honourable Bukiwe Fanta,
Executive Mayor of Blue Crane Route Local Municipality, Councillor Bonisile Manxoweni, Chairperson of the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, Mr Vuyani Jarana, Board Chairperson of the Cookhouse Wind Farm Community Trust, Ms Fezeka Mkile, ​The Board of Trustees and Executive Leadership of the Cookhouse Wind Farm Community Trust, Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,​
Molweni! Good afternoon! Goeie middag!

I was honoured to accept the invite by the Board of the Cookhouse Wind Farm Community to address the 2025 Partnership Conference. This gathering, which has brought together the public sector, the private sector, civil society and other community members, underscores the importance of partnerships.

We have all been brought together by our shared commitment to community development. This is what government is advancing – the importance of partnerships to address the challenges we face in our communities to achieve inclusive growth and development. It is through this collective action that the country can realise its development goals and successfully implement policies and plans that will effectively foster a nation that works for all.

Thirty one years into our nation’s democracy, and 70 years since the adoption of the Freedom Charter, we face local and geopolitical challenges which undermine our hard-earned democratic gains as a socially cohesive nation. I look across the audience gathered here, and have seen countless examples across the nation, that indeed we remain united in our diversity. This shows us that partnerships are not just crucial in developing our community, but continuing interventions to foster nationhood and building our communities.

Programme Director,
Partnerships have brought us to where we are today as a country. Following the 2024 general elections, where no political party achieved an outright majority, ten political parties came together to form the Government of National Unity (GNU). The political parties in the GNU, who come from diverse political persuasions, put aside their differences to unite through a shared commitment to the country by putting South Africa first and building a nation that works for all.

In February this year, Cabinet approved the Medium-Term Development (MTDP) 2024 – 2029 as the five-year programme of action which guides the work of the 7th administration. The MTDP operationalises and translates into an implementable plan the three strategic priorities of the GNU, which are:
1. Driving inclusive growth and job creation
2. Reducing poverty and tackling unemployment
3. Building a capable, ethical and developmental state

The MTDP came about as a result of extensive collaboration between the political parties in the GNU, and between all spheres of government and stakeholders. This collaborative spirit needs to continue in the implementation of the MTDP, which contains actions which must be effectively executed. We need to turn our communities around and address the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment. This can only be achieved by the aggressive implementation of this Government’s strategic priorities.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The MTDP will remain a dream if we do not put building blocks in place to ensure that these goals are realised. The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) is in the process of developing the Budget Prioritisation Framework (BPF) to facilitate the alignment of planning priorities and the national budget process.

In addition, integrated monitoring of the MTDP is being enhanced by a real-time tracking system, while bi-annual and mid-term reports will be produced for the President and Cabinet.

This emphasises the whole-of-government approach that is being undertaken to ensure the effective implementation of the MTDP, and role that can be played by the private sector, civil society, research and academia, and citizens to ensure that we enhance the state’s capacity and bring about development in our communities.

Programme Director,
The Cookhouse Wind Farm Community Trust is a glimmer of how we envision partnerships in action towards the advancement of sustainability and developing our communities. Government views public-private partnerships as being crucial to deepening investment in national infrastructure, especially in relation to strengthening our energy infrastructure. These partnerships are essential in implementing our National Energy Action Plan, which aims to sustain and power the nation and support the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

Having said this, we also need to recognise the essence of wind farms as not just being about megawatts and carbon credits, but as wind farms being about people.

We need to talk about wind farms in a way that makes sense for all of us. These projects aren’t just about putting up turbines – they’re about how government, local communities and private companies can work together to make something that actually benefits everyone.

Firstly, the government’s job is to set clear rules and make sure these projects happen fairly. That means creating policies that encourage clean energy but also protect people’s rights, such as making sure wind farms do not just get dumped in rural areas without local input. Governments should also ensure that some of the savings from renewable energy actually reach everyday people, whether through lower bills or community funds.

Secondly, there is the private sector – the companies with the money. Their role is not just about profits, but about being good neighbours. That means hiring locally, supporting small businesses and sticking around to maintain the turbines long after they are built. This is where collective action becomes relevant, as government, the private sector and communities working as partners can create lasting benefits from these projects.

Finally, communities – those people live near these wind farms – should not be asked to accept these projects, they should be part of shaping them. This means that honest conversations should be had on how locals will see benefits of these projects. When people feel heard and see real benefits such as jobs, cheaper energy, or funding for schools, sport, etc., they are more likely to support these projects.

In conclusion,
Projects such as wind farms succeed when government, the private sector and communities work together. The Cookhouse Wind Farm Community Trust continues to show this in its work to advance a sustainable path, and contributing extensively to developing and building capacity in the community.

As we gather here at the Partnership Conference, let us find ways to deepen this spirit of partnership to advance a whole-of-society approach to building a sustainable future for our nation, and deepening partnerships to develop our communities and building a nation that works for all.

I thank you!

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