MPUMALANGA STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS PREVIEW
Mpumalanga Premier Thabang Makwetla will deliver his annual State of the Province Address at the opening of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature on Friday,17 February 2006.
In his speech, the Premier is expected to outline key government service delivery programs and serve as an over-reaching policy directive for the province in areas ranging from economic development, health promotion, culture and heritage, and interventions aimed at making both the provincial and local government to function more efficiently.
The focus of the speech will also center around the provincial government stated objectives of developing the regional economy in line with the national objectives of attaining the 6% economic growth target, creating work opportunities.
Following the successful conclusion of the provincial skills and capacity audit of top and middle managers, the Premier is expected to outline targeted interventions to improve the skills profile of top management in the civil service. These will include accelerating efforts to substantially reduce the vacancy rates.
On the economic front, major infrastructure investment programs, particularly on transport, will be announced. These will form part of efforts aimed at stimulating economic activity at local level and contribute significantly in reducing the input costs of starting, sustaining or growing business enterprises. The Premier will also touch on key private sector and parastatals investments (SASOL & Eskom) and their potential for increasing our Gross Geographic Product to meet some of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa(ASGISA) goals.
The Expanded Public Works Programme, as a key government programme to create work opportunities and skilling the beneficiaries will receive additional boost and set new work generation targets.
Following the announcement of the province's capital city, Nelspruit and the Mbombela Municipality, as one of the host cities for the 2010 World Cup, an announcement on plans to get the necessary capacity to drive the process within government will be made.
The Provincial Government's intervention to deal with household food security through a programme targeting the poor in rural areas and providing seeds and implements will be unpacked.
Water, sanitation including the eradication of the bucket system in the province and housing delivery targets aimed at redressing the historically skewed development patterns of the past will form part of key social investments that are aimed at eradicating poverty and improving the quality of life of our people in the province.
DATE : 17 February 2006
VENUE : Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature
TIME : 09H00AM
Enquiries:
Ntime Skhosana
+27 13 7662055
084 6730415
Office of the Premier – Mpumalanga Provincial Government