P Mashatile: Gauteng Economic Youth Faire

9 December 2006

Programme Director,
The Chairperson of the Gauteng Youth Commission, Lebogang Maile
Commissioners,
Ladies and gentlemen,

We meet here today to launch one of Gauteng's most important initiatives to
advance the cause for youth development. This initiative draws significance as
it is launched during the year of the 30th Anniversary of 16 June
uprisings.

In recognition of this important milestone in the history of our liberation
struggle, we have committed ourselves to the objective of further creating
opportunities for the empowerment of our young people.

Among others, we committed ourselves to ensuring that young people share in
the benefits of our economy and that they become meaningful players in the
economic mainstream.

We said in honour of the role played by young people in rebuilding our
country, we will ensure that they become economically active and are mobilised
and organised to participate in the governance processes.

We pledged that through the establishment of the Gauteng Youth Commission,
we will channel resources towards the realisation our vision of building
Gauteng as a beacon of integrated youth development.

The initiative we are launching today is in line with the commitments we
made to our young people. In this regard, we wish to congratulate the Gauteng
Youth Commission for spearheading the launch of this important initiative.

I am told that as we launch this economic faire, we will also be responding
to the call by the National Youth Commission (NYC) to contribute towards the
campaign to recruit 9 000 youth volunteers across the country.

Through this campaign, we will encourage our youth to play a meaningful role
in ensuring prosperity in our communities. Youth will also benefit from this
campaign through acquiring skills that will equip them with both
entrepreneurial and employment skills for sustainable livelihoods. We urge the
youth of Gauteng to register as volunteers in this campaign so that they can be
proud servants of their communities.

Programme Director, through the Gauteng Youth Economic Fair, we will
showcase the many economic opportunities that our young people can take
advantage of in order for them to better their lives and most importantly
participate meaningfully in the mainstream economy.

On this important occasion, we wish to reiterate that our country and in
particular the Gauteng province is alive with possibilities. Ours is a province
of many opportunities.

Gauteng is the economic engine of our country, contributing over a third of
South Africa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is home to most major
international and local companies. It accounts for over 50% of employee
remuneration and in line with the trend nationally, our economy continues to
show signs of positive growth.

Tourism to our province continues to grow at an impressive rate. In fact
tourism has become our "new-gold" as its contribution to the GDP now surpasses
that of the gold mining industry.

It is also one of the strategic levers we will use to accelerate the shared
growth of the provincial economy. Last year, tourists into Gauteng injected
over R8 billion into the provincial economy.

We are also the home of champions and a place where competitive sport
thrives. This is shown by the ever increasing number of major sporting and
entertainment events hosted in our province. Our economic infrastructure
continues to improve, opening the way for the private sector to invest in
targeted sectors and areas of the provincial economy.

Through our infrastructure investment, we have not only improved the quality
of life of our people but also created new nodes of economic activity. Together
with municipalities we will invest no less than R50 billion in the building of
hospitals, roads and schools over the next five years.

Through the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP), we have created
opportunities for employment and skills transfer. Over 15 000 jobs have thus
far been created through the EPWP.

Furthermore, young people stand to benefit from the implementation of the
provincial Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) strategy as the
support we are offering to the small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs).

We have also intensified our learnership and internship programmes as part
of our effort to contribute towards skills development, particularly for young
people.

Programme Director, it is important that we make sure that all these good
things about the Gauteng economy translate into an improvement in the lives of
our people, including the youth.

This means we must make our people aware of the opportunities that are
available in order for them to participate in the economy and derive benefits
from it. That is why we are launching this initiative; we want you to know what
the government has done to create opportunities for you to better your lives.
We are here to empower you with the knowledge that you can use for your benefit
and to the benefit of your communities.

Our agencies namely: the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller, Gauteng Tourism
Authority, Gauteng Film Office, Gauteng Economic Development Agency, Blue IQ
and the Gauteng Gambling Board are doing a lot of work to expand participation
in the provincial economy. Their programmes and interventions maintain a
deliberate bias towards the empowerment of youth, women and people with
disabilities.

I encourage you to take advantage of the services provided by these agencies
so that you too can contribute to the growth and development of the provincial
economy.

I wish you a successful event.

Thank you.

Issued by: Department of Finance and Economic Affairs, Gauteng Provincial
Government
9 December 2006