Premier David Makhura: Gauteng State of the Province Address

State of the Province Address by Premier David Makhura Building the Gauteng City Region of our Dreams

Madame Speaker, Honourable Ntombi Mekgwe;
Deputy Speaker, Honourable Nomvuyo Manamela;
Chief Whip of the Governing Party;
Members of the Executive Council;
Leaders of Opposition Parties;Members of the Gauteng Legislature and National Parliament;
Executive Mayors and Speakers of Local Government;
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners;
Leaders of Business, Trade Unions and the Faith-Based Sector;
Traditional Leaders, the Sport Fraternity, Women and Youth Organisations;
The Director General and Heads of Department;
Heads of Law Enforcement Agencies;
Badudi ba Gauteng:

Welcome to the 2020 State of the Province Address (SOPA).

As we meet at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (previously known as MEDUNSA), it is appropriate to acknowledge the contribution of this university to the transformation of the political and health sciences professional landscape of our country and continent.

To the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lekan Ayo-Yusuf and the entire university community, we want you to know that you occupy a special place in our history and our future development trajectory. I will speak more about the role of this institution when dealing with the public healthcare system.

This year’s State of the Province Address is more than a speech. Today we are unveiling a Plan of Action to galvanise the energy and creativity of all sectors of the population to take specific actions towards realisation of the Gauteng of our dreams.

We are outlining the trajectory of radical socioeconomic change, pathways from poverty to prosperity and signposts to a society based on social solidarity.

Growing Gauteng Together (GGT2030) is about building a sustainable future for all.

It is about:

• Realising a truly non-racial and non-sexist society that embraces substantive equality for all regardless of race, class, gender, religion or origin.
• Building a society based on human solidarity, where no one is left out and no-one is left behind.
• Building a society that protects and cares for the poor and most vulnerable.
• Ending crime, including gender-based violence, and creating a safe and secure environment for all.
• Building a growing and inclusive economy that creates more jobs and offers opportunities to all South Africans.
• Delivering quality education and providing relevant skills to all citizens so that they can play a productive and active role in a rapidly changing society and economy.
• Promoting healthy lifestyles while providing access to quality healthcare and universal health coverage to all.
• Changing apartheid spatial settlement patterns by connecting housing to economic opportunities so that people can live closer to where they work, in integrated, safer and more cohesive communities.
• Ending hunger and disease.
• Empowering millions of people to take charge of their own destinies by taking action in raising their own living standards.
• Promoting climate justice and taking action to protect the environment, for the sake of future generations.
• Ensuring that all the people have access to internet connectivity, water, energy and food security.
• Building a province in which women, youth and persons with disabilities are empowered.

We are building the Gauteng-City-Region of our dreams.

Madame Speaker, we are conscious that as we embark on this journey towards the Gauteng of our dreams, the world is undergoing multiple transitions due to mega trends that will fundamentally alter the way we live.

The global dominant mega trends include the following:

• Major demographic shifts are taking place in the world. The world population reached 7.7 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion by 2050. Half of the additional 2 billion people will come from Sub-Saharan African countries.
• Inequality is increasing, posing a serious moral hazard and security risk to global peace and stability.
• Urbanisation will reach a point at which 70% of humanity will live in cities by the year 2030. Proper urban planning is needed to provide adequate infrastructure and sustainable ecosystems that will offer a better quality of life to the new citizens.
• Rapid technological change and digital transformation is reshaping the way human beings live and work, with major opportunities that must be enjoyed by all, instead of being the preserve of elites.
• Climate change poses an existential threat to all of humanity and it must be confronted with urgency and consistency.

Honourable members, we will all be affected by these trends.

In addition, South Africa faces major social and economic challenges that arise from the stubborn colonial and apartheid legacy as well the faltering project of national democratic transformation.

We are now at a crossroads, where we can either find pathways to inclusive growth and shared prosperity or descend further into the abyss of extreme poverty, unparalleled inequality and consequent social unrest.

The future of our country and our province is in our hands.

Madame Speaker, in 2019 a group of researchers and experts from universities and NGOs, under the auspices of the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA), published a report on scenarios, titled Indlulamithi Scenarios 2030. 

Let me summarise what the research says about where South Africa could be in 2030, depending on what we do as different role players in managing the destiny of our nation:

• Gwara Gwara: this is the worst-case scenario where things get worse on every development indicator, leading to a total breakdown of public order fuelled by anger at a dysfunctional and self-serving state, rising poverty, increasing inequality, rampant corruption and an unrelenting climate crisis.
• Isbhujwa: this scenario represents where we are right now. There are flickers of hope and moments of despair as the country zigzags forward and backwards. Change is happening but not fast and deep enough. People can get exhausted, lose hope and retreat into their own enclaves of either privilege or poverty. Unless something drastic and urgent is done, this scenario can lead to Gwara Gwara.
• Nayi le Walk: this is the best-case scenario where South Africa recovers from the current socio-economic, political and moral crises. Drastic and far-reaching interventions are made in all sectors. A better life for all becomes more tangible. Unemployment, poverty and crime are reduced drastically. The state implements the NDP vigorously and regains credibility through upholding high ethical standards and the ability to deliver.

We believe that most of the policy measures and institutional interventions being driven by President Cyril Ramaphosa can lead our nation closer to the best-case scenario if they are implemented with urgency, consistency and discipline.

Growing Gauteng Together is inspired by the need and desire to realise the country and province of our dreams through urgent, consistent and disciplined action.

Accordingly, we have identified seven priorities and specific interventions in strategic sectors and corridors to achieve optimal outcomes during this decade.

The following are our seven priorities:

• Economy, Jobs and Infrastructure
• Education, Skills and Healthcare
• Sustainable Human Settlements, New Cities and land Release
• Safety, Social Cohesion and Food Security
• Sustainable Future For All
• Building a Capable, Ethical and Developmental State
• Building a Better Africa and Better World
   

Economy, Jobs and Infrastructure

Our first and foremost economic goal is to grow the economy in order to massively increase the number of new jobs, while sustaining existing jobs in Gauteng. Our number one goal is to create jobs.

We will achieve this by focusing on high growth sectors and new industries that have a greater potential to create new jobs.

We have learnt from the partnerships we have forged through action labs with various firms in the past five years.

We are now ready to establish social compacts with each of the following 10 high growth sectors: 

• Energy, with a focus on new technologies and a diverse energy mix
• Transportation and Logistics
• ICT, Media and Digital Services – the digital economy
• Tourism and Hospitality
• Agri-food and Agribusiness, focusing on value chains
• Construction and Infrastructure
• Automotive, Aerospace and Defence
• Financial Services
• Cultural and Creative Industries
• Industrialisation of Cannabis

We are working with relevant national departments, State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), development finance institutions and business leaders to develop detailed implementation plans for each of these 10 high-growth sectors.

We will improve the ease of doing business in each sector, develop the skilled workforce for each industry and build enabling infrastructure, including special economic zones and industrial parks.

All this work will translate into social compacts with industry leaders and organised labour to implement sector growth strategies.

By 2025, the Gauteng-City-Region will have three fully operating Special Economic Zones in Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and Sedibeng, and a Special Agro-Processing Zone in the West Rand. In addition, there will be fifteen (15) revitalised industrial parks, twelve (12) agri-parks and five (5) agro-processing facilities across the five corridors.

This will be a single industrial ecosystem that supports the 10 high-growth sectors and township SMMEs.

By 2030, Gauteng will have the biggest inland logistics hub and dry port in Africa – the Transnet Tambo-Springs Logistics Gateway. This adds to our network of globally competitive infrastructure will give us a major competitive advantage in the continent.

Globally competitive infrastructure and logistics capabilities will also unleash the potential of the 10 high-growth sectors, create massive job opportunities and facilitate the entry of new SMMEs, township businesses and black industrialists into the mainstream of our economy.

In the next five years, the Gauteng Provincial Government will spend R60 billion on building and maintaining infrastructure, and this will contribute to the creation of an additional 100 000 jobs and facilitate the development of fifty black industrialists.

We will upscale our Welfare-to-Work programme to enable 100 000 unemployed young women who currently depend on state grants, to graduate to self-employment in the township economy.

Having learnt from the impact that Tshepo 1 Million in improving the skills, employability and entrepreneurship potential of more than half a million young people, we are mainstreaming youth employment interventions into all 10 high-growth sectors. Every company in every sector that requires our support must create opportunities for the youth.

We are using the lever of public procurement policy decisively to promote youth employment, women empowerment and the growth of black businesses and township-based enterprises.

Over the next five years, we will step up economic empowerment programmes in Gauteng by:

• Spending R4 billion per annum in buying goods and services from 2000 township enterprises;
• Using our infrastructure programme to support 50 black industrialists, enabling them to participate in the 10 high-growth sectors of the Gauteng economy;
• Supporting 50 emerging black farmers and 20 black agro-processors to help them turn their businesses into full-scale commercial agri-food enterprises; 
• Supporting 500 cooperatives in the care economy through an enabling policy framework that will enable government to buy uniforms, dignity packs and food packs for vulnerable households directly from cooperatives, instead of going through established businesses.
• The creation of 250 000 sustainable and decent jobs for young people.

People of Gauteng, we will use the provincial government’s infrastructure programme to promote industrialisation by buying building and construction materials made by transformed South African manufacturers, especially those located in Gauteng.

Yes, the materials for building new houses, schools, hospitals, clinics, roads and government buildings must come from South African firms.

From May this year, the installations, repairs and maintenance on our public facilities will be done by artisans from townships.  We are extending this programme to willing private sector partners. I am happy to report that the German Chamber of Business is very keen to bring in German companies to support this initiative.

As per the commitment we made in July 2019, the provincial government will introduce Township Economic Development Bill in the Provincial Legislature in June this year.

This new law will nullify all bylaws that inhibit, frustrate and suppress the operations of SMMEs and informal businesses in our province. This new law will create new conditions for SMMEs and township businesses to create wealth and employment as they grow and prosper.

Significant work is being done with the Taxi Industry and municipalities to rezone and develop taxi ranks into retail and commercial hubs that will create markets for local mechanics, panel-beaters, retailers, food sellers and manufacturers.

Another important goal in our efforts to grow the economy is increasing Gauteng’s exports and trade within our continent. The 10 high-growth sectors we have identified will produce manufactured goods and services that must be destined for the entire Africa Continental Free Trade Area.

Through the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, we intend to increase exports to the continent by 15% by 2025. In 2030, intra-Africa Trade should contribute to the creation and maintenance of 150 000 jobs, up from the current 50 000 jobs. We also want to increase exports to major regions of the world by 10% by 2025.

A critical success factor in achieving the goals we have for our economy – jobs, empowerment and exports – is the creation of an innovation ecosystem and world-class infrastructure that will attract both domestic and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into our special economic zones, industrial parks and agri-parks.

At the same time, we are strengthening our work with universities, research institutes and private sector innovation centres to build an integrated system of innovation, research and development in all the 10 high-growth sectors.

The provincial government is also supporting Research Chairs in various universities to promote innovation, research and development in areas of priority for the Gauteng- City-Region such as Economic Development, the Township Economy, Urban Innovation, Quality of Life and Climate Change.

A state-of-the art infrastructure network is central to the growth of the economy and well-being of citizens – this includes security of supply of clean water and modern energy, efficient and reliable public transport and logistics infrastructure and a high-speed broadband network. 

Fellow Gauteng residents, water security is fast becoming an issue of grave concern in our country and our province.

Gauteng faces serious risks.

Our water usage is too high and therefore unsustainable. We use 300 litres per person per day, which is way above both the world average (173 litres per person per day) and the national average (235 litres per person per day).

We must take urgent steps to drastically reduce water demand and water losses.

We also need to urgently ensure that we secure a sufficient supply of water for our City Region.  We will increase investment in bulk water infrastructure in order to diversify the water mix.  We will deploy new and smart technologies to capture groundwater, re-use of waste water for other purposes, treatment of acid mine drainage and rainwater harvesting.

In 2019, we commissioned the Gauteng-City-Region Observatory to develop the Water Security Plan for the province and neighbouring regions. The Plan is in the final stages of consultation and will be unveiled in May this year.

We have established a GCR-wide War Room on Water Security composed of national departments and agencies, specialists from water research institutes and municipalities. Its mandate is to implement the Gauteng Water Security Plan.

The War Room is chaired by the Premier and coordinated by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

The current load-shedding by Eskom is destroying the economy and impacting negatively on people’s lives. Instead of waiting and whinging, we must all act decisively to safeguard energy security and enable a just energy transition to a low-carbon economy.

As Gauteng province, we adopted the Energy Security Strategy and established the Gauteng Energy Office in 2016. The key objective was to diversify our energy mix and expand energy generation capacity in the three metropolitan municipalities.

However, the strategy could not be implemented because there was no national policy to support decentralised energy security initiatives. In addition, some of our metros undermined the initiatives by putting politics before the interest of the entire GCR.

We welcome President Cyril Ramaphosa’s pronouncement during the State of the Nation Address, which will allow municipalities, the private sector and individual citizens to bring in additional capacity to the grid from renewable energy, hydro power and battery storage. This is in line with the Gauteng Energy Security Strategy.

In April this year, the provincial government together with SALGA will be requesting a Ministerial determination from Minister Gwede Mantashe to enable us to unlock renewable energy projects, in line with the window of opportunity opened by the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019).

We will also take decisive steps to increase the availability and use of gas, fast-track our shovel-ready solar energy projects, recommission mothballed power stations and promote hydrogen fuel cell technology in new developments across the GCR.

Madame Speaker, in line with the commitment we made in the last SOPA on improving public transport, we have now established the Gauteng Transport Authority. The immediate focus of the Transport Authority is to give life to all the transport plans developed over the last decade. These include introducing a single-ticketing system between buses, taxis and trains and improving intermodal facilities.

We remain committed to achieving an integrated, reliable, affordable, efficient and smart mobility across the Gauteng-City-Region by 2030.

In line with the directive I gave in the July 2019 SOPA, the public transport improvement plan for major transport nodes in the five development corridors has been developed. Major intermodal facilities have been visited and assessed.

Investment in public transport infrastructure - logistics hubs, road network, intermodal facilities, rolling stock, buses and taxis - is a key driver of our economic and spatial transformation, modernisation and re-industrialisation programme.

With respect to the Competition Commission’s provisional report on land-based public passenger transport, I have directed the MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure to engage with the Competition Commission.

There are many areas where the provisional findings amplify the Gauteng Provincial Government’s views on public transport. These include the need to devolve the commuter rail functions and the integration of the Metrorail and Gautrain.

People of Gauteng, over the next five years, the provincial government will rehabilitate, upgrade and construct 18 major arterial roads in the five development corridors, especially in Sedibeng and West Rand.

We would like to make it clear that our road infrastructure projects will catalyse major investments and connect new economic nodes such as the Tambo Springs Logistics Gateway, Vaal River City, Lanseria, the new Special Economic Zones, new cities, new mega human settlements and existing townships.

We have been engaging the private sector, especially ICT companies, on how to collaborate and share resources in the rollout of affordable broadband connectivity and free Wi-Fi to poor households in Gauteng.

The work of creating the Silicon Valley of Africa remains on track. This includes the integration of the Innovation Hub, our network of Ekasi labs, Tshimologong precinct, universities and research institutes as well as the creation of a High-Tech Special Economic Zone.

The work of creating the Gauteng innovation ecosystem in order to build a smart, innovation-driven and knowledge-based economy will be driven by the Premier’s Digital Transformation Advisory Panel will be unveiled in March this year.

This will enable Gauteng to take full advantage of the opportunities in the digital economy and prepare society for the future – schools and universities, the healthcare system, policing and crime prevention, governance, business and civil society operations.

The ground-breaking work we are already doing with ICT companies to expand digital economy skills and link private sector innovation and skills academies with our public education system will build a solid base for a more innovation-driven and knowledge-based economy of the future.

Honourable members, attracting investment into the Gauteng economy is a key priority of this ANC-led administration. This is one of the main focal areas of my job as the Premier of Gauteng, the economic hub of our country.

According to FDI Markets, over the past 5 years, the Gauteng-City-Region has attracted 447 Foreign Direct Investment projects worth R264 billion creating over 69 000 jobs. This was a major contribution to the 469 000 jobs created in Gauteng between 2014 and 2019.

During this decade, we will drive an aggressive investment agenda to unlock major corridors and economic nodes across the five development corridors of the Gauteng City Region, with a far-reaching transformative impact on the spatial morphology and economic structure of Gauteng and neighbouring provinces.

In the Northern Corridor, our goal is to position Tshwane’s economy as the hub of the automotive industry in Gauteng. Other sectors include agriculture and agro-processing, defence, the aerospace and aviation cluster as well as the innovation, research and development cluster anchored around the Gauteng Innovation Hub, universities and research institutes. The Capital City’s inner-city and township economy constitute a major part of our vision for the future City of Tshwane.

In support of this vision, Tshwane’s current pipeline of investment projects includes the expansion of the BMW and Nissan plants and the development of the new Auto City in Rosslyn; the Ford investment in Silverton and the creation of the Automotive Special Economic Zone; Menlyn Maine development; Castle Gateway Precinct as well as the renovation of Babelegi, GaRankuwa and Ekandustria industrial parks.

Collectively, these projects will bring in at least R50 billion investment into the City’s economy during this decade.

In the Eastern Corridor, our goal is to consolidate Ekurhuleni’s position as Africa’s largest Aerotropolis and a major hub for manufacturing, transport and logistics in the SADC region. Other sectors of the City’s economy include rail and bus manufacturing; defence and aerospace; food, beverages and agro-processing.

In support of this vision, the pipeline of investment projects include the work on OR Tambo IDZ/SEZ (focusing on agro-processing, jewellery manufacturing and mineral beneficiation as well as the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology); the development of Tambo Springs Logistics Gateway; PRASA-Gibela rail manufacturing hub in Nigel; building of the cargo terminal at OR Tambo International Airport by the Airports Company SA (ACSA) and other major private sector developments taking place along the R21 Highway.

We welcome the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa about the building of the Oliver Tambo University of Science and Innovation. This university is a great value proposition and a boost to advancing the manufacturing capabilities of the Ekurhuleni Aerotropolis. We have been working with the City to lobby for this university and we are following up to make sure that it becomes a reality during this decade

Collectively, these projects will unlock over R200 billion worth of investment during this decade.

In the Southern Corridor, where the regional economy suffered significant de-industrialisation due to the collapse of the steel industry, our goal is to build a new economy in the Vaal which is based on a revitalised manufacturing sector, logistics, agriculture and agro-processing located in a Special Economic Zone that covers both sides of the Vaal (Gauteng and Free State).

Sedibeng’s catalytic investment projects include the Savannah City development, Vaal River City development, Cargo airport and logistics hub, AB InBev investment project, Gauteng Highlands, Vaal Marina development and logistics and mining investments in Lesedi. Furthermore, national and provincial government are working together to address the service delivery and governance failures which have led to the disastrous sewer spillage into the Vaal River.

We will also work with the leadership of universities and municipalities in Sedibeng to explore the benefits of a master plan that will consolidate the Vaal University of Technology and North West University into a single, thriving and innovation university village, with a university-based economy.

Collectively, the current pipeline of projects will unlock over R40 billion of investment into the economy of the Vaal.

In the Western Corridor, we are making progress in diversifying the West Rand economy from reliance on mining to include bus manufacturing, agri-business and agro-processing, renewable energy and tourism. The release of 30 000 hectares of land by Sibanye Gold has unlocked major investment projects in the West Rand.

The development of the new Smart City in Lanseria, the building of a mega Special Agro-processing Park and Logistics Hub, the expansion of the Busmark plant for manufacturing buses on the N12 Highway, solar farm and urban agricultural projects on the 30 000 hectares as well as the mega human settlements constitute a concrete pipeline of projects that will fundamentally change the western corridor.

Collectively, the projects will bring in more than R60 billion into this corridor.

In the Central Corridor, our efforts have centred on consolidating Johannesburg’s position as Africa’s financial and technological nerve centre, with globally competitive capabilities in business services, pharmaceuticals, innovation, research and development.

Already, major developments have been taking place around Rosebank, Sandton, Midrand and Fourways. New investments are earmarked for the Joburg Inner-City and the South, from Soweto, N12 which includes Masingita City, Southern Farms to Orange Farm.

Collectively, these investment projects will inject more than R200 billion over the next 5-10 years.

Honourable members, most of the projects we are referring to, are either shovel-ready or they are in the final stages of development require pending approval or bulk infrastructure support from government.

The Gauteng Provincial Government and municipalities will collectively invest no less than R100 billion in bulk infrastructure in the five corridors.

In addition, state owned enterprises and national departments will spend another R100 billion on infrastructure projects in the various corridors of our province over the next 5-10 years.

Taken together, the private sector, state-owned enterprises, provincial government and municipal infrastructure projects will bring in at least R760 billion into the Gauteng economy over the next 5-10 years.

These investment projects are not happening on their own. There is a conscious ongoing drive effort to direct and influence where investment should take place and how the investment must help to radically reconfigure the spatial and economic landscape of our province to create the new Gauteng City Region.

In order to drive these investments towards desirable socioeconomic impact and spatial outcomes, we have established the Gauteng City Region Investment Council chaired by the Premier.

The focus of the Council is to accelerate existing investment initiatives and attract new investment into Gauteng by unblocking regulatory approvals, ensuring the rollout of supportive infrastructure and streamlining government decision making to support private sector investment initiatives.

The work of the Council is supported by a dedicated investment facilitation team in the Office of the Premier, composed of specialists from various departments, agencies and municipalities.

Honourable Members, the investment drive will not only unlock significant domestic and foreign direct investment, it will also contribute to decisive spatial transformation.

BUILDING INTEGRATED HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AND NEW CITIES

Madame Speaker, there is no doubt that the past 25 years have seen an unprecedented levels of housing delivery in Gauteng.

More than 1.2 million public government-subsidised houses have been built in Gauteng alone, benefitting close to 4 million people.

During this decade, we will ensure that there are no incomplete housing projects or completed houses that are not allocated.

However, the deep scars of apartheid remain evident in the spatial settlement patterns of our cities. Most of the houses built under the new democratic dispensation are located in the periphery, far away from economic nodes and centres of production.

In order to address this legacy, we have introduced four major interventions.

The rollout of integrated mega human settlements developments will deliver larger numbers of houses that are co-funded by both government and business is progressing well in the different corridors. Some of the projects are moving very fast, while others were delayed by lack of bulk funding.

As part of our commitment to provide 100 000 service stands to qualifying Gauteng residents who want to and are able build their own homes, we will release 10 000 serviced stands spread across the different corridors between April and June this year. This gives impetus to the Rapid Land Release programme.

Working together with the national and local spheres of government, we have finalised plans to complete all incomplete human settlements projects including the Urban Renewal Projects in Alexandra, Evaton, Kliptown, Bekkersdal and Winterveldt. This work is led by the MEC for Human Settlements, Urban Planning and COGTA.

Madame Speaker, I would like to make it loud and clear that we have adopted the Land Invasion Prevention Strategy to deal decisively with the criminal syndicates and political entrepreneurs who are behind the illegal occupation of land across Gauteng.

We are also setting aside specific resources to deal with the formalisation of informal settlements and upgrading of hostels into family units, two longstanding policy commitments of successive ANC-led administrations.

We are working with the National Housing Finance Corporation, Indlu and Umastandi social capital entrepreneurs to enable township property owners to develop formal backrooms from which sustainable incomes can be generated. This will provide an additional 250 000 people with affordable rental and decent accommodation over the next 5-10 years.

Madame Speaker, the development of new post-apartheid cities is a critical part of our programme for radical transformation, modernisation and re-industrialisation, which is embedded in GGT2030.

In my 2015 State of the Province Address, I outlined a vision of new cities and new economic nodes in the five corridors of our province.

Today I can confidently assert that the vision we articulated in the 2015 SOPA is taking shape.  Any sceptic needs to look at the new investments and developments in Midrand, Fourways, Lanseria Airport, Rosslyn, Silverton, the R21 corridor towards the airport and the revitalisation of manufacturing in different areas of Ekurheleni.

I would like to thank President Cyril Ramaphosa for his full endorsement of our work in the development of a smart city in Lanseria. This generated unparalleled private sector support. We will build a new city stretching from Lanseria (Gauteng) to Haartebeespoort Dam (Madibeng, North West), and this will take shape during this decade.

The financial and regulatory impediments that had delayed the start of the Vaal River development have been removed. The construction of the Vaal River City will begin during this term and a new city stretching from Vereeniging (Gauteng) to Sasolburg (Free State) will take shape during this decade. 

Working with the Presidency and the DBSA, we have now found an innovative project implementation mechanism that brings together the development finance institutions, the various local governments, relevant provinces and investors.

Our new smart cities will not only be designed to be 5G ready and a city smart in every way but will also set new standards in green infrastructure – converting waste to energy and setting up electricity micro-grids that we expect to draw at least half its power from renewable sources.

In pursuit of our social cohesion agenda, these will be cities where people of different classes and income levels will call home. These will not be enclaves of privilege and social exclusion.

Education, Skills and Health

Madame Speaker, the centrepiece of our human development paradigm is about building a healthy, skilled and productive nation.

For this to be realised we need an education system that can unleash the full potential of all citizens and prepare them for the demands of a rapidly changing society.

Accordingly, investing in people should be the number one priority of every progressive government. It is therefore not a mistake that more than 80% of our budget is spent on education and health.

With regard to education, our goal has always been to provide quality education and invest in relevant skills for all learners in our province, especially those from working class, poor and vulnerable households.

In the last decade, we have significantly changed the face of public education in our province by improving educational outcomes in township and rural schools. The achievement gap between middle class suburban schools and schools in the townships has been reduced from 24.1% in 2008 to 2.7% in 2019.

The throughput rate has also improved from 71% in 2008 to 77% in 2019. The Grade 12 pass rate has increased from 76% in 2008 to 87% in 2019.

Honourable members, our goal is to ensure Gauteng increases the throughput rate and Grade 12 pass rate to 95% during this decade.

We have also set our eyes on more impactful and transformative outcomes – to enhance the performance of learners in the foundation phases.

Most of the problems of our basic education system derive from the weaknesses of the foundation phases and primary schools. Poor performance in the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, as well as Accounting and Economics should be addressed through interventions from ECD to Grade 7.

It is for this reason that we made a pronounced that over the next decade more attention will also be given to the strengthening of the foundation phases and improving the overall performance of all primary schools in Gauteng.

We have completed the assessment of all the primary schools in the public education system and are ready to publicly release the report in keeping with the commitment we made.

Comprehensive and customised performance improvement plans have been developed for all primary schools in our province, focusing primarily on improving literacy, numeracy, languages and mathematics.

Madame Speaker, the provincial government will support 700,000 children aged 0-4 years in early childhood development centres across the province. We will do this by providing funding, curriculum development and training of teachers.

We want all crèches operating in Gauteng to comply with the ECD norms and standards and follow the approved curriculum so that they can offer our children a proper foundation, including numeracy, digital literacy and inclusionary education.

Universal access to Grade R for all children aged 4-6 remains our goal during this decade.  Over the next five years, we will increase enrolment in Grade R from 149 000 in 2019 to 216 000 by 2025. By 2030, the provincial government will support 300 000 learners in Grade R.

Taking together the number of children aged 0-4 and with those in Grade R, the total number of children in Early Childhood Development supported by the Provincial Government will reach one (1) million in 2025. This constitutes a major step in giving our children a strong foundation.

In response to the rising demand for new schools, we will build 100 new schools in the next 10 years, 50% of which will be built in the next five years.

We will also re-open the 70 schools that had to be closed during the years when township schools were avoided by parents and were not attracting enrolment numbers.

In light of changes in the economy and the demands for new skills, we are expanding the offerings in technical skills through investment in technical schools and schools of specialisation. By 2025, every district will have at least two schools of specialisation that are linked to the 10 high-growth sectors.

We will also be partnering with our state-owned enterprises to revive their training capabilities and facilities in Gauteng as part of a comprehensive workforce development programme which is linked to the 10 high-growth sectors.

In order to increase the uptake of artisan skills and digital skills among young people, we will make it easier for public libraries and community centres to offer low-cost mass-scale online courses in artisan and digital skills.

People of Gauteng, since the beginning of the 2020 academic year our education system has been hit by various incidents that have led to the death of eighteen learners and four educators. We convey our condolences to the bereaved families.

We are taking urgent steps to strengthen school safety, working together with School Governing Bodies and law enforcement agencies. These include reviewing rules governing school trips, conducting regular searches to remove dangerous weapons and tackle the scourge of drugs.

We are safeguarding the future of our nation by protecting our children.

Madame Speaker, access to healthcare is an important measure of human development.

We continue to make headways on life expectancy, the most important measurement of the health of any nation. In 2009, Gauteng life expectancy was at 57.2 years for women and 53.5 years for men. This has now increased to 67.7 years for women and 61.5 years for men in 2019.  This is significant progress.

We are also making remarkable progress towards realising the UNAIDS goal of ending AIDS by the year 2030. Gauteng has reduced Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV from 9.3% in 2009 to 0,7% in 2019. We will achieve 0% by 2030, before 2025.

We are also working hard to achieve the 90-90-90 goal of ensuring that 90% of the population know their HIV status, 90% of those who are infected are on treatment and 90% of those receiving treatment improve to the point where the virus can no longer be detected. Gauteng is currently at 90-66-84.

In the last State of the Province Address, we identified the filling of vacancies of CEOs in hospitals and community health centres as a priority. We have appointed new CEOs for 12 hospitals.  The remaining three hospitals will have new CEOs in May this year.

We have delivered on our commitment to provide 24-hour services in all 32 community health centres that operate in the five corridors of the Gauteng City Region.

We are focusing on improving patient experience and enhancing the safety of our professionals and health workers in all facilities.

The service delivery improvement plans for all hospitals and all health facilities are being implemented, in keeping with the commitment we made in July 2019.

We are rolling the implementation of lean management principles in order to improve patient experience and this has already delivered impressive results in Leratong and Charlotte Maxeke hospitals.

We are fast-tracking the rollout of ICT in our healthcare facilities. By 2025, all patient records will be digitised in Gauteng and paper files will be history.

Honourable members, the Gauteng public health system was also crippled by, amongst other things, astronomical medico-legal claims and litigation. Lots of money was being redirected from service delivery in order to fund settlements.

We are happy to report that the Provincial Government, through the Premier’s special litigation unit, is now cracking down on the syndicates that have been making fraudulent claims.

In the current financial year, we have reduced contingent liabilities by more than R2 billion through the meticulous management of the litigation process.

Furthermore, we are now resolving more claims through mediation, which has led to the improved management of cases and fostering higher levels of trust between the state and the citizenry.

Between October and November 2019, the initial implementation of mediation saved the provincial government R10 million.

I am confident that the partnership between the Provincial Government and the Special Investigation Unit will bring to justice the unethical lawyers and rogue health professionals who have stolen public funds through fraudulent claims.

Improving healthcare infrastructure is one of the priorities of this administration.

In the next 24 months, 10 priority hospitals will undergo major renovations.

We will also complete the construction of five new clinics and new community health centres in the various corridors so that they can provide much-needed health services during this year.

Madame Speaker, Gauteng’s migration pressures require that we build new hospital and re-open those that were decommissioned. We are happy to report that, through public-private partnership projects, approved and supported by the national Department of Health, six new Hospitals will be built during this decade.

We are working with the University of Johannesburg to fast-track the building of a new Medical School during this decade so that we can expand the capacity to train more doctors and other health professionals.

Honourable members, As I mentioned earlier, SMU has played a seminal role in advancing the transformation agenda of our country and has produced outstanding leaders in the political, academic and health sciences profession for our country and continent.

Amongst the first generation of the activists and political leaders produced by this university are Dr Molefi Sefularo, our late Deputy Minister of Health and Dr Confidence Moloko. Dr Gwen Ramokgopa (former Gauteng health MEC and former Deputy Minister of Health), Dr Phophi Ramathuba (current Limpopo Health MEC) and our very own Dr Bandile Masuku (current Gauteng Health MEC) were also produced by this university.

This institution has also produced pioneering academics - Professor ET Mokgokong (first black gynaecologist and former VC), Professor S Mokgokong (the Neuro Surgeon who separated Mpho and Mphonyane, the conjoined twins), Professor Tshifularo (who did the first 3D-printed inner ear transplant) as well as prominent professionals like Dr Thula Ngcobo (the first black female Surgeon in SA) and Dr Pholile Mpofu (the first black female dermatologist in our country).

Despite all major challenges our public health system faces, it is evident it is on the right course towards full recovery.  Whilst we are not yet out of the woods, we are on the road to swift recovery.

Safety, Social Cohesion and Food Security

Madame Speaker, Crime remains one of the top three concerns of residents of Gauteng, together with unemployment and poverty.

Crime undermines our efforts to foster both economic development and social stability because it robs families and communities of well-deserved peace and harmony.

We made a commitment to release bi-annual audits of the performance on the reduction of priority crimes for each of our 142 police stations. The report is ready and will be released to the public in April this year as the new financial year commences.

Community mobilisation is an important pillar of our Safety Strategy. This is done through community policing forums and community patrollers.

Currently, we have registered 7 000 patrollers, way above the 5 000 target we set in July 2019. All patrollers will have uniforms provided by the Gauteng Provincial Government.

Under the leadership of the Provincial Commissioner, Lt. General Elias Mawela, the South African Police Service has been reorganising itself to pay focused attention to major crimes.

Over the past twelve months, O Kae Molao has conducted forty-eight operations out of the 40 priority police stations focusing on major crimes. In these operations, 14 643 arrests have been made of which 7 265 are people involved in serious crimes that include gender-based violence. Of these, a total of 74 % have been placed on the court roll to ensure successful convictions. 

Over the past 12 months, the police have also increased operations to crack down on the smuggling and sale of counterfeit goods in Gauteng. Goods worth R5 billion have been confiscated.  This illicit trade in dumped goods undermines honest local manufacturing and job creation, and further robs our country of much needed tax revenue.

The police are clamping down on illicit business forums that are disrupting and delaying infrastructure projects including the building of new schools, clinics, libraries, hospitals and roads. The establishment of a dedicated unit focusing on illicit business forums, under the supervision of the SAPS Deputy Provincial Commissioner has led to one hundred arrests and the opening of more than two hundred dockets.

Honourable members, over the last 6 months, the police have increased the number of operations directed at drug-related crimes. Ten (10) clandestine drug laboratories have been closed and drug kingpins arrested. The disruption of drug manufacturing operations and distribution networks is crucial for winning the war against drugs.

We are not only cracking down on drug lords, we are also focusing on diversion, treatment and rehabilitating those who have fallen victim to the scourge of drugs.

Our programme - Ke Moja - includes dedicated peer educator initiatives in drug impacted communities and rehabilitation centres as well as after-school diversion and recreation programmes. Ke Moja has reached over one million people across the province.

Honourable members, I have no doubt that more needs to be done to make Gauteng safer and ensure that criminals have nowhere to hide in our province.

Accordingly, we have identified four major interventions to boost the war against crime.

Firstly, we will employ 400 additional traffic police officers over the next three years, to increase visibility and enhance road safety.

Secondly, we will provide the police with 100 high-performance vehicles fitted with cutting-edge crime-fighting technology, 50 additional patrol cars and 12 mobile police stations for public events in order to enhance police visibility in crime hotspots, highways and in public spaces on a 24-hour basis.

Thirdly, we will increase levels of collaboration between government and business in crime prevention, drawing on the recent successes of the Eyes and Ears Project. We will set up a state-of-the-art Provincial Integrated Command Centre where public law enforcement agencies and private security companies will share resources and crime-fighting technological capabilities.  This centre will, amongst other initiatives, integrate all cameras installed in malls, CBDs and on the roads to track down criminals. This will integrate the use of drones and other cutting-edge technologies.

Lastly, we are directing additional resources to support social mobilisation against criminal activities, including our community policing forums, school governing bodies and local drug action committees, as well as organised social movements. This will improve safety in schools, institutions of higher learning, health facilities and other public spaces.

Madam Speaker, discrimination against women continues to manifest itself across various institutions in society such as homes, churches, workplaces and institutions of learning. This escalates into the scourge of gender-based violence, brutality and murder.  This scourge is a manifestation of structural and systemic domination by men over women.

The Gauteng Provincial Government has developed a response plan in order to give effect to the President’s Emergency Response Action Plan (ERAP).

Our interventions include:

• Providing comprehensive and coordinated support for survivors in the Criminal Justice System through a network of 23 safety houses and victim empowerment centres in all 5 corridors. We will link this network to those that are run by NGOs and NPOs.
• Tracking and monitoring of GBV cases in the Criminal Justice System.
• Roll-out of victim friendly facilities in public healthcare institutions.
• Setting up a focal point panel of gender activists located in the Office of the Premier to coordinate government, civil society and private sector interventions against gender-based violence

In dealing with Gender Based Violence we must confront this social construct in all its forms and manifestations.

Having made a commitment to support 2,000 township-based businesses, 50 black industrialists, 50 black commercial farmers and 20 black agro-processors, we will ensure that 50 % of all these are women-owned enterprises.

We are already supporting the economic development of young women through the welfare-to-work initiative.

We are pleased to report that 60% of the beneficiaries of the Tshepo 1Million programme are young women, and young women make up 51% of recipients of bursaries awarded by our Provincial Government.

Madame speaker, we must also deal decisively with poverty and hunger as one of the top three concerns cited by most residents of Gauteng.

We are implementing a single window programme to support poor households and vulnerable groups. It comprises the following basket of services that constitute a social wage: food relief for those who are food insecure, access to social grants, dignity packs, school uniforms, school nutrition, scholar transport, subsidies for the indigent, and community food gardens linked to sustainable urban agriculture.

Henceforth, we will insist all NGO’s and NPOs receiving government support partner with us on our single window approach.  We want to end hunger during this decade and ensure that no family goes to bed hungry.

We also need to pay attention to matters of soul and spirit as well as identity and culture.

We pride ourselves on being the most diverse province, the creative pulse of our nation, the home of sporting champions.

Honourable members, we have honoured our commitment to convene the Gauteng Sport Indaba in November 2019.

Going forward, the Gauteng Sport agenda will be made up of the following programmes:

• School Sport Wednesday (or Thursday) leagues will be back in full force in all public schools as of March this year. We will ensure that all the leagues are predictable, sustainable and well-organised, including in no-fee schools.
• In order to deepen our work in promoting social cohesion, the Premier’s Social Cohesion Games is being localised to 11 areas across the 5 corridors. 
• The #Hanyani Wellness campaign has been launched to promote active and healthy lifestyles for the 52% of Gauteng residents who don’t get enough exercise through walks, mass aerobics and yoga classes etc.
• We will continue to invest in community games during festive periods.
• We are expanding sporting infrastructure in schools and communities by building 40 multi-purpose sport courts over the next 5 years.
• We will Intensify women participation in sport, including through the launch of women’s football leagues and providing girl learners with sports bras.
• We will vigorously promote and transform sport tourism

Madame Speaker, we had also made a commitment to develop a cultural and creative industries implementation plan to unlock the full potential of this sector.

We are happy to report about the following interventions that are currently underway and will be up scaled in the next five years:

• Hosting major festivals that create a platform for our local creative entrepreneurs to showcase their talent - Moshito International Music conference, DSTV Delicious Festival, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz and Afro-Punk Festival and the inaugural South African Music week during Heritage Month this year.
• Training 221 emerging film-makers and supporting 7 community arts events as well as implementing mentorship programme for fashion designers. 
• Working with the sector and business to establish creative hubs, clusters and academies in the five development corridors and in communities.

We continue to invest in transforming our public libraries into information, knowledge and cultural hubs in communities. We are augmenting this with connectivity as part of building libraries of the future, 15 of which will be completed by 2025.

Honourable members, Gauteng is the Home of Champions. We pride ourselves on being the Home of Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, the three national and continental champions.

We join Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns in celebrating their 50th anniversaries this year and look forward to the 90th Birthday of Orlando Pirates in 2027.

South Africa is a sporting nation and Gauteng is the hub of competitive sport. We must never forget that sport played a key role in the anti-apartheid resistance and in our country.

I must also acknowledge that Football is a major contributor in the Gauteng economy.

As part of GGT2030, we will work with the Football Fraternity on the establishment of a museum of football in South Africa, like the ones in Brazil (Sao Paolo) and Spain (Barcelona and Madrid), two other football-loving nations.

The museum of football is part of our ongoing efforts to transform the heritage landscape of our Province and promote cultural and sport tourism.

Sustainable Development for Future Generations

Honourable members, we have pointed out that climate change is one of the issues that pose a major risk to the survival of human species.

Every nation and every individual must act decisively to reduce the carbon footprint. We must demonstrate that a low-carbon economy is not only necessary but it is also possible in our lifetime.

We remain committed to the national goal of reducing Greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions by 42% in 2030.

We will promote sustainable development as an overriding imperative of the Gauteng City Region by protecting environmentally fragile zones, critical biodiversity ecosystems, wetlands and flood-prone areas from development.

We are working with municipalities, the private sector and civil society in developing climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.

We will ensure that 100% of municipalities have Early Warning Systems in place to prevent floods and other climate-induced disasters.

We are rolling out 33 air quality monitoring stations to ensure that the air is healthy and breathable across all corners of our province and intervene where there is pollution.

The plans we have outlined earlier about water, energy and food security are part of sustainable management and use of our environmental resources.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are integrated into all sections of GGT2030.

We have a responsibility to lead in the area of sustainable development so that we can secure a sustainable future for current and future generations.

A Capable, Ethical and Developmental State

Madame Speaker, the success of our Plan of Action depends on the productive partnership between the state and various sectors of society.

The state must have the requisite capabilities to act purposefully and ethically in the national interest and in pursuance of the Sustainable Development Goals agreed to by global and continental multilateral bodies.

We must also instil a culture of disciplined execution of priorities and programmes agreed in national policy-making structures.

As we vigorously implement GGT2030, we are giving concrete expression to the National Development Plan in the unique conditions of our province.

We will intensify inter-governmental collaboration on the District Development Model. We have drawn lessons from Ntirhisano during the past five years and we are taking further action to enhance rapid response, community participation and sectoral engagements in building the Gauteng of our dreams.

We will use multi-channel digital technology to improve direct interaction between residents and the government in our City Region. We are determined to ensure that by 2025, all government services are available on digital platforms.

In the various sections of this speech, I have pointed out the actions that we have taken to enhance the capacity of the Office of the Premier to drive the implementation of GGT2030.

Madame Speaker, we introduced the Open Tender system to make public procurement more transparent in order to eliminate corruption from the awarding of tenders. It is clear that the Open Tender system is not enough. I still receive many complaints from residents about corruption in our province.

We need the lifestyle audits of public office bearers and government officials. This process is being spearheaded by the Office of the Presidency.

Team Gauteng – the Executive Council – is ready for the nationally-driven process of lifestyle audits. We want our colleagues in local government to also join us in this process.

We are also tightening the ethical screws in government.

In August 2019, all HODs were vetted by the relevant state security organs and only those who obtained a security clearance have been re-appointed and will be appointed in future. The rest of the senior management service will also be vetted this year.

In addition, all officials who are part of the Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Human Resource (HR) processes must be vetted with effect from April this year.  Most of tender corruption happens through SCM and HR processes.

The Gauteng Ethics Advisory Council will undertake major anti-corruption drive focusing on fraud and corruption in law enforcement agencies, Health, Education, Licensing and Human Settlements.

We want to make it clear that there will be serious consequences for public officials working for the Gauteng Government, who do business with the state.

We want to eliminate the tendency for over-pricing when businesses provide goods and services to government – “the government price”. This is another form of corruption that cripples the public sector.

We will continue the drive for clean audits in all agencies and departments of the province, including acting firmly on the recommendations of the Auditor General to improve financial management and hold officials accountable.

In the current financial year, Gauteng departments, are paying 92% of their invoices within 30 days and more than 60% within 15 days.  The problem remains in Health, DID and Human Settlements, due to accruals. This are three departments are the centre of focus of our interventions to improve and modernise the administration.

Honourable members, I would like to report that I am currently conducting a comprehensive review of all Gauteng Provincial Government agencies and entities to ensure that they focus on the implementation of GGT2030. Decisive action will be taken in agencies that have degenerated into the playground of rogue and corrupt officials.

In line with the commitment I made in July 2019, we have also been taking a more active role in supporting local government and in intervening to ensure that municipalities fulfil their constitutional obligations.

We will not relent or renege on this commitment to turn around local government because we know that without strong and viable municipalities, GGT2030 will not succeed.

As the Executive Council, we made a strong and persuasive case to national government on the e-tolls.  I have been assured by President Cyril Ramaphosa that a lasting solution has been found and an announcement by the President is imminent.

A Better Africa and a Better World

People of Gauteng, allow me to congratulate President Cyril Ramaphosa on his assumption of the Chair of the African Union at this critical moment. This is a critical responsibility for South Africa and all patriots must rally behind our President.

At the turn of this millennium, our former President Thabo Mbeki proclaimed that we had entered the African Century.

It is indeed true that Africa’s time is now. Africa’s developmental rise is unstoppable.

While the world economy is experiencing weaknesses that are directly related to major economies closing their borders, Africa faces enormous prospects.

The African Continental Free Trade Area is indeed a game changer that makes the African Century possible. As President Ramaphosa argues, it will ‘reignite industrialization, boost intra-African trade and benefit from the largest common market in the world’.

Our province has been preparing for this moment. We are ready.

Building on the work we have done in the past five years, we will expand subnational economic diplomacy and intensify collaboration with various provinces and city regions in the continent.

We will also actively promote trade investment between sub-national governments in the BRICS nations in order to create open access to markets for Gauteng-based companies.

All our trade and investment initiatives will be based on the 10 high-growth sectors and enhancing the attractiveness and competitiveness of our five development corridors.

The Gauteng City Region’s participation in continental local and regional government bodies will be heightened as part of our commitment to a better Africa, and a just and equitable World Order.

GGT2030 is about locating our current and future prospects within the context of a rising Africa.

During this decade, we must make overall progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

During this decade, we must break the back of patriarchy and racism and make meaningful progress towards a non-sexist and non-racial society.

We must also make practical progress in creating an inclusive, deracialised, deconcentrated and globally competitive economy that creates more jobs and unlocks the full potential and talents of black people, women, youth and persons with disabilities.

This is the decade to build a public health system which promotes healthy lifestyles while being able to provide access to quality healthcare and universal health coverage to all.

We will make this the decade to change apartheid spatial settlement patterns by connecting housing and other public infrastructure development to economic opportunities so that people can live closer to where they work.

This is the decade to end corruption and entrench clean governance.

This is decade to take serious action to protect the environment for the sake of future generations.

This is the decade to take practical steps to secure the supply of clean water, energy and food to all.

Based on the disciplined execution of our Plan of Action, we can achieve impressive results in the next decade.

Within this decade, the size of the Gauteng economy reaches R2 trillion by 2010 prices.

The Gauteng economy can create 3.1 million jobs through specific sectoral and spatial interventions outlined in our Plan of Action.

Unemployment can be reduced from 29% to 15%.

Poverty can be reduced by 40% from 25.3% to 16%.

Inequality can be slashed from 0.70 to 0.62.

Crime can be reduced by 50%.

All these things will only be possible if we work together – all spheres of government, business and organised labour, civil society and communities - to pay detailed attention to the job that needs to be done.

We must refuse to be side-tracked.

We must collaborate, cooperate and coordinate our actions towards the same vision and the same goal of Growing Gauteng Together.

Let me conclude by taking you back to Indlulamithi Scenarios.

We will not allow our country and province to descend into the self-consuming public disorder and social conflict of the Gwara Gwara scenario.

Nor can we remain in the iSbhujwa scenario where significant progress exists side by side with morally reprehensible structural inequities and persistent institutional failure.

We must decisively and urgently move our country and our province to Nayi le Walk – a nation and a province in step with itself, where no one is left behind.

All the seven priorities and major programmatic interventions we have outlined today are aimed at bringing us closer to the Gauteng City Region of our dreams.

I am ready to lead you. Team Gauteng is ready. The Gauteng City Region leadership is ready.

Let us get down to work.

I thank you all.