All systems go for Sedibeng Presidential Imbizo
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Premier David Makhura will on Friday, 12 August 2022, lead government's engagement with communities during a District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo in Sedibeng.
The Sedibeng District Municipality, located in the southern part of Gauteng, is made up of Emfuleni, Lesedi, and Midvaal local municipalities.
The Presidential Imbizo will assist in highlighting challenges and unblock any blockages to service delivery in line with the DDM methodology which seeks to foster integration within government and social partners, to enable inclusive growth and development.
Ramaphosa launched the DDM in 2019 to facilitate cooperative governance through sound intergovernmental planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring.
The executive will interact with communities on their experience of daily life in the province, service delivery challenges, and initiatives and solutions by communities to improve socio-economic conditions.
The Imbizo will give impetus to the President's commitment that no one will be left behind as government works with all sectors of society to move the country forward.
The municipalities in the area, among others, are struggling with irregular spending and aging infrastructure.
To address these challenges, both the national and provincial governments are intervening through Sections 63 and 139 of the Constitution to fix governance and infrastructure to pave the way for economic development and sustainable investment to take place in this part of the province.
Sedibeng, which accounts for an estimated 33% of the national gross domestic product, has traditionally been South Africa's heavy industrial, manufacturing and engineering hub.
However, owing to an array of reasons, the region is experiencing a decline and de-industrialisation of the steel industry, causing undesired falling output and company closures resulting in serious socio-economic challenges.
Plans are in place for the regeneration of the Vaal into a new, smart, green, and more inclusive economy with the single biggest inter-governmental investment effort and public-private partnership initiative that will make it an investor-friendly, economically, and financially viable as well as environmentally sustainable district.
The provincial government is also forging ahead with plans to develop the area into a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to stimulate local and foreign direct investment, increase exports, develop local industrial capabilities and accelerate development.
The Inaugural Sedibeng Investment Conference held in October 2021 received more than R40 billion in investment pledges and commitments.
Ramaphosa and Makhura will be joined by a delegation of ministers, members of the provincial executive council, and mayors.
