Hundreds of eThekwini businessmen and women gathered at Suncoast Casino during a Standard Bank sponsored breakfast today to closely look at the Provincial budget presented by MEC, expressed their support for what they called an inspiring budget for the province.
The breakfast held in partnership with Standard Bank was attended by the provincial and national leadership of Standard Bank, Deputy Mayor of eThekwini Municipality, Councillor Logie Naidoo and captains of industry and was the first public private partnership event to be held after the budget speech by the department.
President of the Durban Chamber of Commerce, Clive Manci, said the completion of the Dube trade port and King Shaka Airport as well as a number of other projects will leave a vacuum in the development space.
“There are a number of projects that could be initiated to ensure that there is continuity in the economic development of the province. There is a need for more structured engagement between the private sector and government to ensure that development continues,” he said.
Other comments from business include matters such as affording young people an opportunity to grow in business and give them more time and platform to interact with government on business opportunities and this will help fight the high level of unemployment among the youth.
Pleading with the business fraternity, MEC Cronjé said in spending the budget, government must get value for money.
“One of the things that we must fight as government is shoddy workmanship and the get-rich-quick mentality by some business people. We all have to work together to ensure that our budget is spent wisely,” she said.
She said that as part of the new system of ensuring tighter controls and in the procurement of goods, government is more determined to eliminate fraud and corruption thereby and ensuring that government gets value for money.
Provincial director for Standard Bank, Johan van Wyk said the bank will continue to seek ways of forging partnership with government in a bid to help grow the economy of the province.
For more information, contact:
Musa Cebisa
Cell: 071 687 8777
Raquel Cipriano
Cell: 082 323 1716
Issued by: Provincial Treasury, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
9 March 2010
