The Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED) has recorded major strides in creating decent jobs and fostering inclusive economic growth in the province.
Tabling the Annual Report for the financial year 2011/12, the MEC for Economic Development, Mxolisi Xayiya said despite some challenges, the department’s record of delivery was impressive.
Under an uncertain and hostile global economic environment, the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) facilitated a total of seventeen (17) foreign and domestic investments in sectors as varied as steel beneficiation, auto components manufacturing, and food processing, ICT and pulp and paper manufacturing.
These investments created a total of 3 209 jobs, with 2 441 of these jobs being permanent. “This supports our position to focus on local prospects to drive economic growth and development,” said MEC Xayiya.
He added that small business and cooperatives are the bedrock of Gauteng’s drive to create jobs and reduce poverty and inequality. The department has exceeded its targets for supporting, nurturing and incubating small businesses and cooperatives in the province.
A total of 33 437 small businesses and cooperatives have benefited from the department’s various development interventions and funding. This number is above the five-year target of 30 000 that we set at the beginning of the term of office in 2009.
While youth unemployment still remains a pressing matter, the department has made headway in supporting a range of youth businesses, directly creating and sustaining jobs in the economy.
In the past year alone, initiatives targeting small businesses and cooperatives yielded 1 344 permanent job and sustained a total of 3 392 jobs. Young people in the province also benefited from several programmes aimed at training young artisans to play a key role in the manufacturing sector, especially in the automotive, furniture, jewellery, tooling and metal fabrication industries.
“These achievements are in line with our electoral mandate to foster economic inclusion, support labour intensive sectors of the economy and create jobs.” said MEC Xayiya.
In the current financial year, the department is placing more emphasis on increasing efforts to support local manufacturing, informal traders and strengthening interventions to empower young people at a massive scale.
For more details and media enquiries please contact:
Ms Phindile Kunene
Cell: 082 494 2409
Tel: 011 355 8443
E-mail: Phindile.Kunene@gauteng.gov.za
