Mpumalanga reviews growth path
5 September 2008
More than 1 000 delegates representing business, civil society and the Mpumalanga Provincial Government met to review the Provincial Growth and Development Summit (PGDS) that was adopted at the 1st Summit, held in Badplaas in 2005.
The PGDS is an overarching developmental blue print that binds all role players in the provincial socio economic and political landscape to a broadly common vision of provincial challenges and developmental trajectory.
Speaking during the opening, Mpumalanga Premier Thabang Makwetla described
the two-day dialogue as a platform for “government to engage with our social
parties to agree on innovative and bold steps to address socio-economic
challenges the province currently confronts”.
“In Mpumalanga, 61, 6% of households live below the poverty line of R800 per
month and inequality has grown in racial character” said Makwetla.
“Mpumalanga growth prospect is that we have a growing economy that has been undergoing a structural change that will place it on higher growth path, by more forcefully ensuring that more jobs are created in all sectors for every additional rand of output” he said.
The drivers of provincial growth have been transport and communication, finance, real estate and manufacturing. Construction is the fastest growing sector averaging a growth of 9, 8%
The current initiatives to combat poverty rely heavily on government sponsored and administered programmes and projects. It is imperative that the PGDS recognises that the struggle against poverty requires support, not only from the state, but also from business, non-governmental organisations ( NGOs) , students and others who are not poor. This support can take several forms, such as mentoring new businesses or community organisations, volunteering in poor communities, assisting organisations representing the poor or providing funds through, for example, corporate social investment programmes. “It is my sincere hope that we can mobilise human and financial resources to jointly wage a war against poverty” uttered Makwetla
Speaking on behalf of organized labour, Provincial Cosatu President said labour wanted to focus more on creating sustainable jobs in order to defeat poverty by 2015.
The Summit adopted a declaration of commitment which focuses developmental efforts on job creation, skills development, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.
The conference also agreed to establish the Provincial Development Council (PDC) which will be responsible for implementation oversight and monitoring of the agreed resolutions. The council will be chaired by premier and have representatives from organised labour, civil society and private sector.
The council is expected to facilitate a platform through which government can
give effect to its policies of cooperative governance by seeking agreement with
partners on the way forward regarding a reviewed PGDS.
Enquiries:
Ntime Skhosana
Cell: 082 496 6875
Tel: 013 766 2055
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
