POLICY AND BUDGET SPEECH

The Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism’s budget of R647 million, 896 thousand for the 2011/2012 financial year was approved by Legislature on Friday June 3 2011 in Nelspruit. MEC Norman Mokoena set the tone for the year by promising to improve the quality of life of people through an agenda that focuses on the proposed New Growth Path: Mpumalanga Economic Growth and Development Plan (MEGDP) and the Departments Re-focused mandate. Highlights, achievements and plans for 2011/2012 include;

HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

The New Growth Path: Mpumalanga Economic Growth and Development Plan (MEGDP)

• Focuses on the following six (6) job drivers
  • Infrastructure development
  • Agriculture sector
  • Manufacturing and beneficiation (agro-processing, mining and chemicals value chains)
  • Rural development, agriculture and forestry
  • Tourism, creative industries and culture sector
  • Green economy and knowledge sector

The Departments re-focused mandate:
To champion the delivery of two Outcomes, namely:

• Outcome 4: Decent employment through inclusive growth. The creation of sustainable jobs, industrial and sector development with high labour absorbency; manufacturing and industrial development to increase competiveness and ensuring the appropriate investment environment.
   
• Outcome 10: Environmental assets and natural resources that are well protected. Ensure water quality, reduction of gas emissions and climate change, sustainable environment management and the protection of biodiversity.

PLANS FOR 2011/2012

Integrated Economic Development

• Increase demand for small enterprise products
• Facilitate SMMEs integration into the mainstream value chain (through the implementation of the targeted procurement for small enterprises)
• Plans to establish five (5) SMME One-Stop Service Centres: One in each of the three (3) districts and two additional Centres located in Bushbuckridge and Piet Retief.
• The establishment of the Entrepreneurship School of Excellence

Trade and Industry Development

• The establishment of a food technology centre;
• Facilitation of the development of a fresh produce market;
• Resuscitation of the a saw-mill as well as charcoal production and a soya bean crushing plant
• The manufacturing sector will focus on the tooling initiative in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality and;
• The development of an Industrial Park in Secunda that focuses on the plastics and chemicals industries.

Our projects in driving sector development are:

• Fish farming
• Shoe making and Footwear manufacturing
• Pallet Making
• Agriculture ( Green Houses and Nurseries)
• Food processing (dried fruit, cereals, nutritional snack bar , pet food, organic fertilizers)

Pollution and Waste Management

• In relation to waste management, plans to complete technical designs, site construction plans, and approve waste disposal for the Centralised Waste Management Facilities for Gert Sibande and Nkangala districts.

Environmental Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement

• Environmental Inspectors will be enforced to comply in terms of the National Waste Management Act and Air Quality Act.

Regional and International Co-operation

• Improving our relationship with Mozambique and Swaziland as part of improving our regional economic co-operation.
• An implementation plan will be developed with bankable projects for this tri-land cooperation agreement.

Environmental Impact Management

• The Department will facilitate the hosting of the Provincial Climate Change Summit in October this year.
• In contributing towards mitigating the effects of climate change, it is our intention to plant 5000 trees during the 2011-2012 financial year.

Business Regulation

• The establishment of the Mpumalanga Liquor Authority

Consumer Services

• The Consumer Court managed to resolve 2200 reported consumer cases