messages of developmental growth
14 March 2006
On Friday, 17 March 2006, the streets of Mafikeng will be buzzing with
excitement as the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Honourable
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, visits the capital city of the North West Province. The
Deputy President is being hosted by the North West Provincial Legislature and
will address the House on this auspicious day.
The Deputy President will address the members of the Provincial Legislature
at 10h00 on this exceptional Friday morning. In the honourable Deputy
Presidentâs speech, she will touch on issues such as Accelerated and Shared
Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) and its uses as one of the
responses to the Second Economy challenges faced by South Africa. The address
will also look at AsgiSA goal of halving unemployment and poverty by 2014, one
of the other major challenges faced by the North West Province. The Deputy
President will discuss the involvement of women and youth in achieving AsgiSAâs
goals, which will include focal points such as human resource training, fast
tracking out of the second economy and improvement of their access to basic
services amongst others.
Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka will also deal with a few components of
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) tackling in brief concerns such
as funding commitments for housing and small loans, skills development
commitments and social responsibility commitments. Deputy President
Mlambo-Ngcuka will briefly look at the very significant yet excluded part of
the population in relation mainstream economy. Barriers to entry, limits to
competition and limited new investment opportunities are amongst the âbinding
constraintsâ, which leave out and keep out a large part of the South African
and by translation North West Province inhabitants.
Later in the day, the Deputy President will talk to businesswomen and other
members of the public at the Mmabatho Convention Centre where she will continue
focusing on how AsgiSA can benefit women by ensuring that access to finance,
significant participation in agriculture and creative industries and increased
participation in the Expanded Public Works Programme are addressed.
Mlambo-Ngcuka will further discuss how women can benefit from linking their
small business to opportunities deriving from the 2010 Federation
Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. ASGISA initiatives
such the planned fund for women entrepreneursâ collaboration between Department
of Trade and Industry, Eskom, Umsobomvu and the Womenâs Development Bank, will
also get a mention.
âWe are delighted and honoured that provinces such as the North West are not
overlooked when it comes to dealing with growth and development. The visit by
the Deputy President is proof of that. We are privileged that the North West
Provincial Legislature was given an opportunity to host her. Her address, which
is expected to deal with development, will also touch on women issues which are
very close to us here in the province and for that, we are especially pleased.â
said speaker of the legislature, honourable Thandi Modise.
âThe Deputy Presidentâs address to businesswomen in the Convention Centre is
also exactly what the women in this province want. There is nothing like a
woman, an ordinary women like so many of us, in the highest office in the land
coming to talk to you and give guidance on how to achieve your dreams and what
mechanisms to use to get there. The women in the North West, all women, not
just businesswomen are energised about her visit because it is a reminder that
anything can be achieved with support, leadership and direction,â concluded
Modise.
Contact:
Roberta Makhambeni
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: (018) 392 7158
Fax: (018) 392 7158
Cell: 082 779 4641
E-mail: roberta@nwpl.org.za
Issued by: North West Provincial Legislature
14 March 2006
