MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza says Government must intervene in military vets' poverty
Whilst it is changing the dependency mind set amongst the poor, the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG), believes that poverty levels especially amongst former combatants who helped to free South Africa, warrants a focused state intervention, Gauteng Infrastructure Development MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza said today.
Speaking at the faith based developmental NGO, Woman of Value South Africa (WOSA) launch at the Avianto Hotel in Mogale City west of Johannesburg the MEC told guests that economic opportunities were being opened by GPG’s growth strategy, the Transformation, Modernisation and Reindustrialisation (TMR). She however said government had to intervene to assist the poor.
“The doors of economic development are being opened. The Gauteng Provincial Government aims at ensuring that the economic landscape I s changed to reflect the demographics of the country. All South Africans must be able to contribute to and benefit from the economy. Government must, must however ensure that military veterans who fought for this country are not trapped in poverty. It is sad that many of those who fought for this country have poverty written on their fore heads this must change,” said Mayathula-Khoza
She said more also needed to be done with regards to gender equality in the economic development.
“More women must be involved in business. It is not correct that in this province there is only one black woman owed company with the CIDB Grade 9 and thus can participate in major construction. It is through the advancement women that we can be able to cascade economic development through the society. We must remember that empowerment of women could easily be transcended to youth empowerment. With over three million young people unemployed in South Africa, the situation is dire. Many of these young people are faced with economic hardships; and in desperation, many of them turn to drugs,” she said.
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