Opening address to the strategic planning retreat for Office of the Premier delivered by the Premier of Limpopo Chupu Mathabatha at the Thaba Moshate Casino & Resort, Burgersfort
Programme Facilitators,
Acting Director General, Dr Pheme,
Members of the Executive Management Team, Esteemed participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning!
Let me start-off by welcoming all of you to this important Strategic Planning Session.
Just about a month ago, we were in this beautiful town of Burgersfort, as witnesses to the grand opening of this state-of- the-art Casino and Conference Centre. We said then, that, the provision of the hotel and conference facilities will promote tourism in this part of the Province and thereby serve to create more job opportunities.
I guess that our presence here today, is part of the requisite support that will see this establishment living up to the expectation of empowering local communities.
Our battle cry is always about the creation of sustainable jobs for sustainable livelihoods.
Programme Director,
Usually I would feel the need to use my opening remarks to remind you as participants of the fact that this is not a disguised all-expense paid holiday, but an important planning work that we must do as the Office of the Premier.
However I feel that doing this would be to preach to the most converted in the family of the holies.
I know it as a matter of fact that you all appreciate the strategic significance of this gathering.
I know that you all are alive to the fact that the bold plans we have announced during the State of the Province Address would be difficult to achieve without the Office of the Premier which is able to provide strategic direction on policies and programme of the entire Provincial Administration.
The Office of the Premier is the heartbeat of the entire Provincial Government. It therefore cannot afford to cease to function properly or optimally. I have deliberately and carefully gone through the programme of this meeting and I was pleased to realise that we are not here merely to conduct an annual ritual of mere symbolic significance.
I am particularly pleased that this two-day meeting will amongst others:
- receive performance information presentation,
- presentation on audit findings and necessary interventions that were made,
- presentation on MPAT scores,
- presentation on DPSA compliance matters, and,
- Presentation on the anti-corruption and ethics strategy.
These presentations should make us identify the tactics we need to adopt as we proceed to advance towards our developmental objectives as encapsulated in the Limpopo Development Plan.
In brief, this tactics should assist us to provide innovative and strategic leadership to the rest of the Provincial Government.
In turn, this should result in the government’s increased abilities in the next five years to:
- Achieve economic growth rate of 3%,
- Create 429 000 jobs;
- Increase access to basic water from 83% to 90%;
- Increase access to electricity supply from 83% to 90%;
- Increase access to sanitation from 43% to 50%;
- Increase Matric Pass Rate from 72% to at least 80%; and
- Reduce unemployment rate from 16.9% to 14%;
Programme facilitator,
Out of this meeting, we must be able to appreciate the extent we have gone on important matters of employment equity. This will assist us to look at areas that still require attention and intervention.
I am confident that the presentation that we are to receive will speak to the number of the young people, women and people with disabilities that are within the employ of the Office of the Premier.
Where we are not doing well, we must come up with necessary interventions to improve the situation.
As matters stands, I know that our Office and the rest of the Provincial Government is still lacking behind on the issue of 50% representation of women is senior management positions. We are doing admirable well above the 2% target on the representation of people with disabilities. Related to this should also be the issue of the finalisation of the new office structure which should make it easier for us to achieve our equity targets.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I must as I conclude, commend all of you for your continued efforts, dedication, and commitment to maintaining and advancing our mission to provide innovative and strategic leadership. I am therefore confident that the same measure of effort and commitment will assist to move with much speed in our effort to better the lives of our people.
With these few words, I am pleased to declare this Strategic Planning Retreat to be officially opened.
I am confident that our deliberations will contribute to the necessary efforts of moving South Africa forward.
Thank you.
