22 March 2007
The Executive Council met at Nelspruit for its fortnightly meeting on
Tuesday, 20 March 2007. The Executive Council approved the attendance by MECs
for Finance and Agriculture and Land Administration, namely Mathulare Coleman
and Dinah Pule, respectively, of the fourth World Congress of Rural Women to be
held in Durban, Monday, 23 to Thursday, 26 April 2007. The Congress aims to
discuss universal and wide-ranging issues confronting rural women.
The Cabinet discussed and noted the report back on the 11th International
Craft Selling Exhibition in Milan, Italy, which took place on 2 to 10 December
2006. Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal provinces also participated at the Trade Fair.
The participants gained a better insight into the manner of participating in
international trade fairs. Products which sold successfully, were wooden birds,
telephone wire bowls and handcrafted handbags and necklaces made of kiaat seeds
and beads. Another important observation is that products from recyclable
material were very popular.
The MEC for Roads and Transport presented a report from the Transport
Minister and MECs (MINMEC) meeting held on 8 March 2007. According to the
report, 1 826 applications for the scrapping of taxies have been received
nationally of which 178 have been approved in Mpumalanga. Out of the 178
applications approved in the province, 148 operators were paid the R50 000
scrapping allowance and 96 old taxi vehicle were physically scrapped.
The Cabinet approved the participation of ten gymnasts, seven marimba
players and three departmental officials from the Department of Culture, Sport
and Recreation at the 2007 World Gymnaestrada to be held in Dornbirn, Austria
from 5 to 16 July. Similarly, Cabinet approved the attendance of five officials
from the province in the 2007 Afura Games and International Conference in
Darwin, Australia from 10 to 20 May. This is in preparation for the games to be
held in 2009.
The Executive Council agreed to leave Bushbuckridge as the fourth region for
three years within the Department of Education. The new municipal boundary
demarcation process has resulted in Bushbuckridge municipality being part of
the Ehlanzeni District Municipality. However, the total number of schools in
this region will make Ehlanzeni unmanageable if Bushbuckridge is incorporated
without rationalisation. It has to be treated as a separate education region to
do justice to the education system and effective delivery.
A presentation was made to the Executive Council on the feasibility study of
the Moloto Development Corridor, which is one of the five flagship projects
that have been identified as the economic drivers of the province. The detailed
final report will be presented to Executive Council in April 2007.
Other presentations on the flagship programmes were made to the Executive
Council. These included the Maputo Development Corridor. It has identified
several economic projects that can have positive effects of creating jobs and
business opportunities along the corridor. The last presentation of flagships
was Water for All, which is addressing the serious backlog of the supply of
clean drinking water in the province.
The Executive Council approved the appointment of Mr Nivard Bruno Lubisi as
Senior Manager (director): Consumer Protection Services in the Department of
Economic Development and Planning. He is currently Manager: Consumer Protection
Services in the same department.
Enquiries:
Lebona Mosia
Cell: 082 561 6465
Tel: (013) 766 2244
E-mail: lmosia@nel.mpu.gov.za
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
22 March 2007
