REMARKS BY MR MANDLA NKOMFE, GAUTENG MEC FOR FINANCE ON THE OCCASION OF THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ROADSHOW, ZAKARIYYA PARK, 08 FEBRUARY 2013.
Members of the Mayoral Council present here today;
Councillor for Ward 122;
The People of Gauteng
INTRODUCTION
To the entire leadership of this community, my sincere thanks for the warmth with which you received us, and the time you have taken to brief us about various issues that affect the living conditions of people in this part of our province.
Let me also extend my gratitude to the community of Ward 122, which is located in Region G. This is an area that comprises of Zakariyya Park, Vlakfontein, Lenasia extention 9, Eikenhof and Lehae.
We are here today as the provincial government to discuss issues that affect you as an individual and your community as a collective. This community engagement takes place under the banner of Economic Opportunities Roadshow, which is one of our major public participation programmes.
Through this initiative, our aim is to provide the People of Gauteng with information on economic opportunities offered by government and equally important, guide them on how to access these. We believe that this intervention has enabled many peopleover the past six years of its existenceto access employment opportunities in the public services. With regards to small business owners it enabled them to expand their companies and this in turn ensured that they become activeparticipants in the mainstream economy.
The desire to own Small business is more prevalent is this area, this is because of the entrepreneurship spirit that is evident whenever you look. From a woman selling food from the gazebo in a taxi rank in Vlakfontein, a fruit and vegetable vendor next to the filling station right here in Zakariyya Park and a man who has turned a veranda of his house in Lehae to a Spaza Shop, earning a much needed income for his family.
REGION 9 SPECIFIC ISSUES
Let me point out from the onset that the provincial government is fully aware of the challenges facing this area. To ensure that our interventions are targeted, we conducted a thorough research on the socio-economic dynamics of this region.
Amongst other things, we found that the total population of this area is estimated at 270000. The population is extremely young, with 40 percent of the people being under 18 years of age. Unemployment is estimated at 70 percent; this is far higher than the national average.
Income levels are also very low in this area because most people are employed in elementary occupations or as craft and related trade workers. More than 60 percent of the population earns less than R1500 a month.
GPG INTERVENTIONS
As the provincial government, we are committed to develop sustainable local economies and create job opportunities. This in turn will reduce unemployment and improve the living conditions of our people.In terms of our spatial development framework, Region 5 has been earmarked for farming and industrial purposes.
The provincial government is currently engaged in a process to turn unused agricultural land in Lehae into productive enterprises in order to boost the local economy. A total of 60 hectares of land is available for this purpose in Lehae. It is for this reason that we would like to encourage you to consider farming and agriculture because this is a growing sector in this area.
It is encouraging to see that this area already has registered non-profit organisations and cooperatives focusing on the sector that we have identified for the future.These include, amongst other things, the organic gardening project run by a cooperative at a farm in Eikenhof. Initially this project was registered as a non-profit organisation but has recently converted to farming cooperative. Another one is a sewing and manufacturing project in Vlakfontein, which has also been converted to a cooperative.
As a result of the registration of these and other similar projects, the provincial government has determined that there is a need for a workshop on cooperatives. The aim will be to educate members of these structures and others who want to be involved in this type of business on how to manage cooperatives efficiently, making them self-sufficient and profitable so that shareholders could generate a living income. In addition, working together with the City of Johannesburg, we will assist cooperatives with database registration so that they could access opportunities in both spheres of government.
Cooperatives are important for local economic development. That is why the provincial government is using the preferential procurement policy framework to prioritise, amongst others, cooperatives when it awards tenders to supply a range of services. In this way, the award of these tenders is localised. This promotes local economic development, create jobs and reduce unemployment. So my advice to you today is that organise yourselves into strong cooperatives in order to take advantage of the opportunities that are offered by government. If you are determined to succeed, government will help you realise your dreams.
We are not here alone today; we are accompanied by the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller. GEP’s main objective is to facilitate development of small medium and micro enterprises participation in the mainstream economy. GEP will help you to get funding to start your businesses or to grow your existing company. This agency also provides training so that small business owners could improve the management of their companies, expand and create employment and generate wealth.
To those small business owners who would like to access opportunities offered by the provincial government, the Gauteng Department of Finance is here for you today. Amongst other things, this department provides strategic advice on procurement issues to the provincial government. Through our Weekly Tender Workshops, small business owners receive information on available tenders.
In addition to this business owners are provided with training on how to fill in tender documents and structure their bids to be successful when tendering for government work. Our officials are mobile, so if you want them to come to Zakariyya Park or anywhere in Region 5, let us know and they will be at that place on specific dates to provide this valuable training programme and information to you.
As you might have heard, the provincial government recently launched launched the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GDDA). The GDDA is the product of the merger between the Blue IQ and the Gauteng Economic Development Agency.
Through the GDDA, the provincial government is working towards creating employment opportunities, reducing poverty and tackle inequality. We also hope that this agency will help bring the much-needed investment to the province and stimulate job creation.
CONCLUSION
The Economic Opportunities Roadshow is one of our crucial programmes as government to address the legacy of inequality and under-development in Gauteng. We therefore urge all you to make maximum use of these opportunities that are being provided to ensure that you, too, share in the economic growth of Gauteng. Because when you prosper, the economy of the province prospers, so help us to help you.
Let me again express my gratitude for your presence here today. All over the world, it has been proven that the best way to communicate with public representatives is to meet them face to face.
Let us discuss these issues that affect us and our communities because to borrow from our former President Nelson Mandela, “a leader...is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realising that all along they are being directed from behind”.
You as the community are leading us. As public representatives we will always be ahead, but the direction comes from you.
Thank you
1