By OBAKENG MAJE
27 February 2025- The North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi said the State of the Province Address (SOPA) sets the tone for the implementation of the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP-2025-2030) in the next five years. Mokgosi said the MTDP is anchored on three strategic priorities such as driving inclusive growth and creating jobs.
He further said this includes, reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living as well as building a cable, ethical and developmental state. Mokgosi added that to achieve these objectives, a government that works for the people is needed.
“We need a state that is capable and competent, underpinned by a professional public service. South Africans want a state that treats all people with dignity, humility and respect.
“A state with leaders who are prepared to serve our people with complete dedication, and public servants who are ethical, skilled and properly qualified. The 2025 SOPA is a culmination of a broader consultative process with various stakeholders to find consensus on matters of socio-economic concern confronting the province,” he said.
Mokgosi said they are concerned about the high levels of unemployment and poverty confronting the communities. He said they are a province endowed with natural resources such as minerals and weather conditions that permit a conducive environment for agriculture to thrive, as well as majestic tourist attraction sites that they must exploit to create economic opportunities for the people.
“The recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey, where our province shed 20 000 jobs, putting the expanded unemployment rate at 52%, must galvanize and unite all of us to tackle these issues, head on.
“Therefore, aggressive measures are needed to find solutions to these challenges. The provincial treasury will be seized with the responsibility to develop a framework and regulations that speaks to localization through Supply Chain Management Policies related to the new Public Procurement Act without obstructing the country’s Constitutional imperatives,” said Mokgosi.
He said his government has so far garnered investments of R9 billion by Harmony Gold and China Africa Precious Metals in the City of Matlosana Local Municipality. Mokgosi said these investments have collectively created and preserved 10 000 jobs.
“The Mekgareng Smart City project, which is a collaborative development initiative between the North West and Gauteng, coordinated by the national Department of Human Settlements, will create 20 000 jobs for the people of Madibeng Local Municipality.
“The project is estimated to attract investments of between R10 billion and R25 billion rands. We have allocated R24 million to establish a Development Fund to accelerate development initiatives across the province,” he said.
Mokgosi said this will be done with a special focus to stimulate economic growth and create sustainable job opportunities. He said the work of the Economic and Investment Advisory Council is beginning to yield desired results.
“The Council is responsible for assisting the province to drive its industrialization programme, lure investments and see to the full implementation of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS).
“We envisage to establish a Regional Research, Innovation and Development Office, which will be in, and coordinated by, the Office of the Premier with a specific focus on Science, Technology and Engineering,” said Mokgosi.
He said they have also partnered with the South African Defense Force (SANDF) and Phila Jordan Academy (Pty) Ltd to provide training opportunities to 3000 beneficiaries in artisanal and tooling programmes, through the South African National Service Institute (SANSI) Pilot Programme, which is a SANDF-led National Youth Service (NYS) programme. Mokgosi said this initiative is aimed at providing training skills programmes, through refurbishment of government buildings by young people, as well as providing incubation, mentorship, and market access support to youth-led enterprises.
“Furthermore, more than 1200 young people are participating in a National Youth Service Programme at the Departments of Public Works and Roads, Human Settlements, Social Development, and Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation.
“In addition to the aforementioned figure, a further 7000 young people were provided with skills to enter the job market and placed in various job opportunities. Moreover, more than 5000 youth owned enterprises were supported with financial and non-financial business development interventions by supporting their entrepreneurial skills through the NYDA Grant Programme,” he said.
Mokgosi said more than 3000 young people have been exposed to various employment opportunities as ambassadors of One Stop Centres, SMME development through the Empowerment Fund and as tourism monitors across the province. He said the province will collaborate with the Department of Small Business Development to accelerate government programs to revitalise village and township economies.
“As a province, we will drive this partnership through the North West Development Corporation (NWDC) and relevant national entities to realize this objective,”SAID Mokgosi.
The Guardian 