P Mashatile to host Provincial Growth and Development Strategy, 23
Aug

23 August 2006

Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Affairs, Paul Mashatile, will host a
Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) forum for faith-based
organisations (FBOs) and women’s organisations on 29 August at the Pyramid
Conference Centre in Johannesburg.

The forum will give women and FBOs in Gauteng an opportunity to review
progress and make recommendations on accelerating the implementation of the
Growth and Development Strategy (GDS). It forms part of preparations for the
launch later this year of the PGDS forum which will include all
stakeholders.

“As part of the broader civil society, faith based and women’s organisations
have a critical role to play in assisting us to achieve the goals of the PGDS,”
said Mashatile.

Among the key objectives of the GDS is to grow the Gauteng economy at a rate
of eight percent by 2014. The strategy provides a framework for stimulating
certain sectors identified as critical to accelerating the growth of the
provincial economy and creating jobs. It also identifies interventions that all
stakeholders in Gauteng will make to contribute to the national goal of halving
poverty and unemployment by 2014.

Mashatile said all stakeholders in Gauteng will be consulted before the
Premier convenes an all-inclusive GDS forum in October this year.

Women and FBOs are requested to send three delegates each to a meeting that
will take place as follows:

Venue: Pyramid Conference Centre; Eloff Extension, Johannesburg
Date: Tuesday, 29 August 2006
Time: 09h00 to 12h00

For more information contact:
Percy Mthimkhulu
Cell: 082 379 1913

Issued by: Department of Economic Development, Gauteng Provincial
Government
23 August 2006