Cabinet held its ordinary meeting in Nelspruit today, Wednesday 30 October 2013 and it deliberated on a number of issues as it noted progress and approved certain plans for the provincial government.
Donkerhoek water bottling plant
Cabinet noted progress on the establishment of a spring water bottling plant in Donkerhoek. The Donkerhoek area has an abundance of naturally occurring springs. The area was identified by the Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism for the establishment of a spring water bottling plant in an effort to create much needed jobs and improve the lives of the rural people.
The construction phase of the project has been completed. The plant has not yet been commissioned due to outstanding delivery of the production machinery.
Progress report on Masorini and Steel Project
Cabinet noted progress on the establishment of a Masorini and Steel Project. The project was conceptualised based on research studies conducted by the Industrial Development Corporation [IDC]. The project seeks to enhance the manufacturing of iron and steel to reduce domestic prices.
Cabinet was briefed that the IDC has indicated that they have invested more than R1 billion in securing access to raw material for the Masorini project and they have acquired an existing manufacturing plant in Germiston [SCAW] to ensure market penetration and access to distribution networks.
The project is earmarked to be located in Gemsbokfontein 411 farm in Middelburg, Steve Tshwete Local Municipality.
Establishment of Nkangala International Airport
Cabinet noted progress with regards to the establishment of the Nkangala International Airport which is an initiative by the private sector. The Executive Council supports the project as a strategic intervention for economic growth and development in the province.
Cabinet was briefed that the application for rezoning of land was submitted to Victor Khanye Local Municipality in July this year by the Nkangala International Airport Development Company and the notice was published in the Gazette in August.
Further the application for “port of entry” status was submitted to the national Department of Transport in July 2013 and was gazetted in April this year for public comments. The construction of the airport would be funded through private sector investment while other costs would be provided for by government.
Mpumalanga Policy Framework on Reasonable Accommodation for People with Disabilities.
Cabinet approved a Mpumalanga Policy Framework on Reasonable Accommodation for People with Disabilities in an effort to enforce compliance and ensuring that the target of 2 percent is met.
Statistics South Africa Survey on how departments are doing in meeting the employment equity targets of 2 percent for people with disability in the employment revealed that the Mpumalanga Provincial Government was not doing well.
Furthermore, the regular quarterly monitoring of departments’ compliance to meet the 2 percent by the Office of the Premier through the Transversal HR Services revealed disappointing performance in this regard.
The policy has been developed in response to non-compliance challenge and to guide and describe measures and processes to be followed when providing reasonable accommodation for people with disability and retention of the employees who develop disability while employed.
Policy on ICT Governance Framework
Cabinet considered and adopted a framework and implementation of ICT Framework and Implementation Guide. The Framework provides a set of principles and practices with which all departments should comply with.
The framework will have a definite effect on how, where and what IT services are provided by whom, where and when. The framework also provides the political and executive leadership with a set of principles and practices that must be complied with, together with an implementation approach.
Project Mikondzo: Improvement of Social Development Services Project
Cabinet further supported a ministerial project initiated by the national Department of Social Development and its entities [SASSA and NDA] aimed at social development sector service delivery improvement at municipal level.
The service delivery improvement project is an approach that was agreed upon after several ministerial visits to 25 communities in all nine provinces since 2011. The project involves the deployment of senior managers from national, provinces and entities to municipalities for the purposes of improving social development sector services.
It focuses on the entire spectrum of services offered by the social development sector. These sectors include amongst others services to children, youth, women, and people with disabilities, gender-based violence, substance abuse, older persons, poverty alleviation and issues of unemployment.
Household profiling project: baseline information of households in Mpumalanga. Cabinet noted progress report on household profiling, a project mandated to the provincial Department of Social Services to undertake the profiling of all the wards in the province in order to develop single and reliable baseline information of households.
Since the provincial government is committed to the vision of creating vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities, the executive council believes this can only be achieved if government knows where and what communities and in particular the households are in need of throughout the province.
The information is intended to be shared among the stakeholders to inform relevant interventions and services that would improve the lives of individuals and communities, especially in the most deprived municipalities.
Cabinet has noted with disappointment that the experience of the data capturers in “high walls” has proved to be a challenge as some households are not cooperating and thus not willing to be profiled. Some of the field workers are reportedly been bitten by dogs, as eight cases had been reported in the three districts. Cabinet has urged citizens to cooperate in this regard.
Progress report on the disposal of surplus state-owned houses
Cabinet approved the disposal of surplus state-owned houses strictly and through market-related processes. The disposal is expected to generate revenue for the provincial government as it is losing out in keeping them.
Cabinet is not in favour of auctioning of the houses and disapproves the preference of current tenants in purchasing the houses. It has called on the department of Public Works Roads and Transport to sell the houses in open market.
Communication, branding and marketing
Cabinet approved the new provincial logo as designed by a communication, branding and marketing company, Blueflame, after conducting school competition on it. The new provincial logo boasts with iconic symbols of the province such as the big 5, power stations and agriculture and tourism. The new logo will be launched soon.
Appointments:
1. Mr Angelo Sebastian – appointed Acting Chief Executive Officer for the Mpumalanga Liquor Authority [Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism]
2. Dr Thokozani Mhlongo – horizontally transferred from KwaZulu-Natal Health Department: Specialised Services and Clinical Support to the post of Deputy Director-General: District Health Services [Department of Health]
3. Ms Dimakatso Ndinisa – appointed Principal of a Maths, Science and Technology Academy [Department of Education]
Enquiries:
Zibonele Mncwango, Spokesperson: Mpumalanga Premier
Cell: 079 491 0163
Tel: 013 766 2453
E-mail: zmncwango@mpg.gov.za
