Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe today, 24 February 2012 visited Mogale City local municipality in the Gauteng province to assess the impact of the government Anti-poverty programme in the area.
Deputy President Motlanthe was accompanied by Minister Energy, Dipuo Peters, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Gugile Nkwinti, Minister in the Presidency for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Collins Chabane and the Deputy Minister for Human Settlement, Zou Kota-Frederics. He was joined by Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, members of her executive council and the local mayors and councillors.
During his visit to the Mogale City Local Municipality, Deputy President Motlanthe received a report on programmes and projects initiated at the provincial, district and local level to fight poverty and reduce social and economic infrastructure backlogs in the area.
A number of projects being implemented by the Gauteng Provincial Government and Mogale City with the help of national government are having a positive impact in the lives of the people. The projects include small scale farming, food processing and cooperatives.
The Deputy President visited a food bank project established by the Gauteng Provincial Government to provide relief to households in distress. The food bank currently supplies food and other essentials to 60 000 individuals. As part of the Bana Pele project government provides free school uniform to needy.
Deputy President Motlanthe also visited one of the small scale farms in Dunkod which produces herbs and a range of vegetables and supplies various retailers. The Gauteng Provincial Government officially handed over a pack house to the farm as part of the government's programme to assist emerging and small scale farmers.
The Deputy President indicated that Gauteng has been identified as the hub of economic development in the area of green economy, mining and agriculture development programme thus providing impetus for investment and job creation.
Deputy President Motlanthe further committed government, to provide road infrastructure to ease the movement of goods and people in the area in line with the government's infrastructure development programme.
Deputy President Motlanthe concluded his visit to the Mogale City Local Municipality by attending a public meeting where community members had an opportunity to share their views with government.
The Deputy President stressed that the government's anti-poverty programme is anchored on the idea of change agents. Change agents are people in households who have a potential to lead their households out of poverty but require some assistance from government. Government assists such people with education, skills development and business mentorship.
The Deputy President appealed to people from impoverished households who believe they have the potential to break the cycle of poverty to approach government for assistance.
For more information please contact:
Thabo Masebe
Cell: 082 410 8087
