Hundreds of KwaZulu-Natal business people attending the post-budget breakfast pledged their support to further develop the economy of the province.
The breakfast, a brainchild of KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Treasury, held at the Golden Horse Casino today, was sponsored by First National Bank and Wesbank.
Explaining the purpose of the breakfast session, Head of Department, Simiso Magagula, said it is to break down the budget presented and see where the province is going in terms of economic development through special focus on government priorities of job creation, improvement of health and education, agrarian reform and the fighting against crime and corruption.
“As we prepare the budget for the next circle, we expect you to give us your tips so we ensure that we present the best budget that will take the economy of the province to another level,” said Magagula.
FNB’s KwaZulu-Natal Regional Director, Pearl Bhengu, said the theme for the Provincial Budget, “Making People’s Lives better” is also the basis upon which they serve the provincial market.
“We believe that it is fundamental that the private sector plays a key role in assisting government achieve its priorities of creating jobs, ensuring food security, improving health and education and fighting crime,” she said.
She said they have recently undertaken some very important partnerships with the provincial government on rural development where Wesbank through its Agricultural Livelihood and food security programme pledged the starter pack veggie garden.
On their involvement in infrastructure development in the province, she said: “At Firstrand, we embark on such initiatives that contribute towards improving the lives of the people. While partnering with Msunduzi Municipality in Pietermaritzburg, we built Wadley Stadium,” said Bhengu.
MEC Cronjé said KwaZulu-Natal must overtake Gauteng in terms of economic development and be an economic hub of the country.
She said this could be achieved through, among other things, attracting more international airlines to fly directly from King Shaka Airport and ensure maximum use of Dube Tradeport and use our existing infrastructure to prompt more economic growth.
“We want the private sector to tell us what it is that they cannot do in Pietermaritzburg and Durban that they can only do in Gauteng. We want to level the ground for the private sector to employ more people and to continue to do its business here (in this province). To improve the economy of this province through being the centre of excellence in financial management and economic development, we want the partnership of the private sector,” she said.
For more information, contact:
Musa Cebisa
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