North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety & Liaison, Ms Desbo Mohono, says the North West province have intensified its efforts to improve and speed up pace to delivery much needed infrastructure with the sole purpose of growing the economy and reducing poverty and unemployment in the province.
Speaking on behalf of the North West Premier, Mme Thandi Modise at the Gala Dinner, a night before the start of Social Sector Conference on Tuesday, MEC Mohono said, the province will continue to broaden access to constitutional rights through public works, rural development and the Expanded Public Works Programme. She said all the efforts will be done in a way that builds safe, secure and sustainable communities.
"The challenge of drawing significant numbers of the unemployed into productive work remains with us today, not only in the North West, but throughout our country. The difficulties that we are facing are not insurmountable, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is pointing the way in the right direction,” the MEC said.
The MEC said the social sector conference will also direct the province to the right direction of creating more jobs.
The three-day Expanded Public Works Programme Social Sector Conference which ends on Friday will focus on reviewing implementation of the programme launched to combat poverty, promote economic growth and create sustainable development, deliberating on strategic policy initiatives, identifying new areas of expansion for the sector to achieve set targets and planning for the financial year beginning in April.
The conference is hosted by the national Department of Social Department in partnership with other social sector departments which includes the Department of Health, Departments of Basic Education, Department of Public Works, Community Safety and Liaison and the Independent Development Trust.
The Minister for Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini is expected to address the opening of the conference on Wednesday. The Expanded Public Works Programme seeks to contribute to skills development, thus increasing job opportunities and enterprise development.
MEC Mohono said that the EPWP projects target youth, women and people with disabilities who are provided with relevant training and productive employment opportunities.
"Care givers produced by this sector of EPWP are also playing a critical role in caring for those living with HIV and AIDS in the province.In order to increase the scale of the sector as desired and planned, a number of key issues had to be resolved," she added.
MEC Mohono called upon municipalities in the province to play an important role in creating long lasting job opportunities for the people. We must work together in partnership with our communities and business to fight poverty, hunger, and to create decent jobs to "Build a Better life for all".
"We are confident that the decisions that you will arrive at in this conference will serve as a catalyst for enormous labour intensive work opportunities and development for the people of South Africa," MEC Mohono said.
Enquiries:Lesiba Moses Kgwele (Acting Spokesperson)
Cell: 083 388 3025
Fax: 086 620 4802
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
