Gauteng Premier David Makhura says the creation of jobs and growing the economy are the top two priorities for the Gauteng Provincial Government.

Makhura was delivering the State of the Province Address during a sitting of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature on Monday.

The Premier said the economy of the province – much like the rest of the country – is reeling because of the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Makhura said this has spurred the provincial government into action to change the lives of those living in the province.

“[We] are boldly shifting our main focus and energies to tackle unemployment through economic recovery and reconstruction. The economy has been devastated and the democratic gains in the quality of lives of the people have substantially been eroded.

“After so much death and destruction of lives and livelihoods, it is time to rebuild and do so with the greatest sense of urgency, single-mindedness and coordination demonstrated during our emergency response to COVID-19,” he said.

The Premier told the provincial legislature that the province’s unemployment “emergency” is being addressed through means of a provincial war room comprising of both government and the private sector.

“Through the war room, we are working with the captains of industry on programmes that will unleash growth by matching public policy support and government action with consolidated commitments by sector leaders on investments and jobs.

“We are doing so with a strong and deliberate emphasis on creating jobs and economic opportunities for the people of Gauteng, especially the youth and women. We are opening up value chains, building competitive local content production, promoting commercially meaningful enterprises, supplier development, SMMEs and township enterprises,” he said.

Makhura said the work of the war room is already starting to bear fruit including:

• Gauteng provincial government partnering with the University of Johannesburg to turn the province’s mounting e-Waste problem into an economic opportunity and protecting the environment where the youth will be inspired and trained to recycle and create something meaningful from discarded devices and appliances.
• A Gauteng Air Access partnership to attract more passenger and cargo airlines to operate from OR Tambo International and Lanseria Airports being built with the aviation industry and the tourism and hospitality sector.

Supporting small business

Premier Makhura reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to assisting the growth of Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) in townships despite the extreme challenges brought on by the pandemic.

“We know that many township businesses collapsed under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this will not shake our determination to fundamentally change the township economic landscape.

“In response to the immediate challenges faced by businesses, the Gauteng Provincial government and partners [have] set up a fund which already raised R500 million, R100 million of which is earmarked for supporting the recovery and rebuilding of township businesses affected by both COVID-19 and the July unrest,” he said.

The Premier highlighted that the Township Economic Development Bill tabled in the provincial legislature will also be key in assisting these SMMEs.

The bill seeks to:

• Create new developmental regulations and by-laws that will make it simpler, easier and cheaper to formalise more than 90% of informal businesses, thus enabling these businesses to access financial and non-financial support from the government and the private sector.
• Set up an institutional and legal mandate for the creation of the Township Economy Partnership Fund which will pull both public and private sector resources to fund township-based businesses.
• Create a legal framework for provincial government and municipalities to support the development of township real estate, turning taxi ranks into business hubs and providing infrastructure in township high streets or commercial nodes.

“Our ongoing work of supporting township businesses is borne out by the inspiring stories of township entrepreneurs that have triumphed over the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In the past year alone, 56 township businesses were incubated successfully at the provincial government eKasiLabs,” Makhura said.

Youth

Premier Makhura said the provincial government’s flagship youth development initiative – the Tshepo programme – will be undergoing change.

According to the Premier, over the past five years the programme has created “learning, earning and entrepreneurial” opportunities to at least 718 000 youth in the province.

“We are repackaging the Tshepo flagship programme into a bigger and wider integrated youth development intervention that brings all youth civil initiatives into one youth development focal point.

“In preparation for this new phase of a rebooted Tshepo programme and integrated initiatives, I will soon appoint a civil-society led Youth Advisory Panel which will be supported by the Youth Directorate in the Office of the Premier. Young people must be at the centre of helping government to respond to the current youth unemployment emergency,” he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency