15 February 2006
Mpumalanga Premier Thabang Makwetla will deliver his annual State of the
Province Address at the opening of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature on
Friday, 17 February 2006.
In his speech, the Premier is expected to outline key government service
delivery programmes and serve as an over-reaching policy directive for the
province in areas ranging from economic development, health promotion, culture
and heritage, and interventions aimed at making both the provincial and Local
Government to function more efficiently.
The focus of the speech will also centre around the provincial government
stated objectives of developing the regional economy in line with the national
objectives of attaining the 6% economic growth target, creating work
opportunities.
Following the successful conclusion of the provincial skills and capacity
audit of top and middle managers, the Premier is expected to outline targeted
interventions to improve the skills profile of top management in the civil
service. These will include accelerating efforts to substantially reduce the
vacancy rates.
On the economic front, major infrastructure investment programs,
particularly on transport, will be announced. These will form part of efforts
aimed at stimulating economic activity at local level and contribute
significantly in reducing the input costs of starting, sustaining or growing
business enterprises. The Premier will also touch on key private sector and
parastatals investments (SASOL & Eskom) and their potential for increasing
our gross geographic product to meet some of the Accelerated and Shared Growth
Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA) goals.
The Expanded Public Works Programme, as a key Government programme to create
work opportunities and skilling the beneficiaries, will receive additional
boost and set new work generation targets.
Following the announcement of the provinceâs capital city, Nelspruit and the
Mbombela Municipality, as one of the host cities for the 2010 World Cup, an
announcement on plans to get the necessary capacity to drive the process within
government will be made.
The Provincial Governmentâs intervention to deal with household food
security through a programme targeting the poor in rural areas and providing
seeds and implements will be unpacked.
Water, sanitation including the eradication of the bucket system in the
province and housing delivery targets aimed at redressing the historically
skewed development patterns of the past will form part of key social
investments that are aimed at eradicating poverty and improving the quality of
life of our people in the province.
Date: 17 February 2006
Venue: Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature
Time: 09h00 am
Enquiries:
Ntime Skhosana
Tel: (013) 7662055
Cell: 084 6730415
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
15 February 2006
