Following President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nations Address (SONA), the Mpumalanga provincial government will convene a three day Lekgotla scheduled to start tomorrow 9 to 12 June 2009, to be held at the Floreat Lodge in Sabie.
The Lekgotla is a periodic government’s planning session that is attended by all MEC’s, their Heads of Department (HODs), Chief Financial Officer (CFOs), and Departmental Planners in order to translate the governing party’s priorities into a program of concrete deliverables.
Amongst others, the forum is expected to develop a medium term guideline that highlights the new administration’s priorities for the financial year ahead. All departments will present their annual budgets and plans and thereafter an overall provincial government annual plan will be developed and form the basis of the Premier’s State of the Province Address (SOPA) scheduled for next week Friday (19 June 2009) in the Mpumalanga Legislature building.
The Lekgotla will align all departments’ priorities to be in line with the National Government Priorities as stipulated in the 2009 SONA. More importantly, the forum will also develop the provincial response to the economic recession and also refine the provincial anti-poverty strategy. The roll out of the provincial big five flagships and the progress or outstanding preparatory work for hosting the 2010 soccer games will be evaluated.
In addition, the provincial government has already publicly identified the following as part of the priority areas viz, better municipal government performance, reduce crime and corruption, improved health administration and quality of service, rural social and economic infrastructure development, creating work opportunities through the expanded public works programme and investment promotion, accelerated provision of clean running water.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
8 June 2009
