Free State residents should benefit from Economic Opportunities Rural Development Policy Avails, Committee Chair
The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Economic and Business Development, Mr Mandla Rayi, said government rural development policy should benefit people of the Free State and present them with sustainable economic development opportunities.
“People sometimes easily assume the Free State as among developed provinces, while the province is home to a number of people who are dependent on seasonal job opportunities presented by the agricultural industry and government’s social security. This province is no different from other rural provinces like the Eastern Cape and Limpopo,” Mr Rayi said.
“When we talk rural development this administration will not leave behind the Free State, and we want to see meaningful infrastructural projects that government is undertaking that are aimed at benefiting the down-trodden and the poorest people. The Free State’s location should make it the centre of SA’s infrastructure networks, and should be the heartbeat on economic activity.”
Mr Rayi will this week lead the Select Committees on Economic and Business Development and Trade and International Relations on an oversight visit to the Free State province where the Committees will inspect government led development projects. The oversight visit comes hot in the heels of the National Council of Provinces that descended to the Free State province last month, to do a follow up on commitments the fifth administration had made to the people.
“We are committed to see all our people being developed and benefit in government projects. These are the people who should be able to speak possessively about their government. As Parliamentarians we cannot afford not to police these programmes,” he said.
The Committees will on Monday kick-start their programme at the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality where they will receive a briefing from the Free State Department of Economic Development on provincial growth and development strategy.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON, MR MANDLA RAYI
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