31 October 2007
The Gauteng Executive Council at its regular meeting today, 31 October 2007,
condemned recent taxi violence and warned that the affected taxi ranks would be
closed down should the conflict not be resolved forthwith. The Executive noted
that government has a responsibility to ensure the safety of commuters and
urged the police to ensure that the perpetrators responsible for the shooting
of commuters are brought to book.
The Executive also expressed concern over reports that a pregnant woman had
to wait for days at the Edenvale Hospital to be operated upon to remove her
dead foetus, as well as a report on delays in the allocation of funds to
certain schools. The MECs for Health and Education were tasked with ensuring
that these problems are urgently addressed.
The meeting welcomed the fact that the Gauteng Provincial Government had
significantly improved its financial management performance and had received 14
out of 15 unqualified audits for the 2006/07 financial year. It was also noted
that the province had been praised by the auditor general for its performance
in this regard. However, it was agreed that departments should ensure that this
performance is sustained and further improved upon in an effort to ensure not
just unqualified audits, but clean audits across the provincial government.
The Executive noted that the provincial government had signed a cooperation
of agreement with Katanga province, Democratic Republic of Congo, during a
visit by a delegation lead by Premier Mbhazima Shilowa earlier in the week. A
key aspect of the agreement will be the promotion of trade and investment
between the two provinces, as well as co-operation in the areas of economic
development, science, technology, sport, culture, education and health.
Exchanges to build capacity in Katanga and training for government officials
are also envisaged.
It was noted that South Africa had played an important role in the peace
process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Gauteng is keen to support
economic development, governance and social delivery in Katanga and ensure that
the people of the province and the DRC in general are able to reap the benefits
of their hard-won peace. The Executive agreed in principal that the mandate of
the Gauteng Economic Development Agency (GEDA) should be broadened so that it
becomes the economic development agency for the whole of the Gauteng city
region.
GEDA has in the past focused primarily on investment promotion. Its new role
will include targeted economic research, planning on strategic economic
infrastructure, unlocking new business opportunities in the province and as an
implementing agency to implement key economic infrastructure projects. The
Executive also approved a new Gauteng Tourism Development Strategy which will
aim to maximise the tourism sector's potential for economic growth and job
creation in the province. The tourism sector was identified as a key growth
sector in the provinceâs Growth and Development Strategy.
The new provincial tourism strategy identifies key interventions to further
boost the sector's growth and positive employment impact and develop Gauteng as
a globally competitive tourism destination. Key areas of focus will include
infrastructure, the 2010 Federation International Football Association (Fifa)
World Cup, product development, investment, branding and marketing and ensuring
transformation within the sector to benefit small, medium and micro enterprises
(SMMEs) and implement broad-based black economic empowerment.
Enquiries:
Annette Griessel
Cell: 082 563 3614
Issued by: the Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
31 October 2007
