Makhura told the residents that as part of the Gauteng government’s plan for radical economic transformation, the provincial government would help the townships by helping those people who have formed small enterprises and cooperatives.
He stressed that people needed to be empowered and the only way to do that was to revive the township’s economy.
He urged residents to work together and appealed to them (residents of Reiger Park) to help transform their townships into economic hubs that create jobs.
“We don’t have to wait for big factories to employ people. We are here to support you so you can be self-sufficient,” said Makhura during his visit to Reiger Park.
According to Makhura, funds was not circulating in the township.
“We must ask ourselves where the money is going. We are taking money out of the township and taking it to town.”
“Residents should organise themselves and supply government institutions, such as schools with some of the services they required for daily operations.”
Speaking during the 2014 Women in Industry gala dinner hosted by the Ekurhuleni ANC Women’s League held at The Premier Hotel OR Tambo, Makhura said township entrepreneurs are capable of producing items such as clothes, uniforms, bread and furniture for government institutions.
“The bread the community consumed must be produced in the community and the vegetables used in the school feeding schemes should be bought from the community. The money from this community must remain here,” he said.
Makhura said while the provincial government could make interventions to help township economies, it was up to the township residents to revitalise their local economy by participating in it and supporting local businesses.
“The provincial government and municipalities shall work together to provide training, funding, economic infrastructure and markets for the goods and services produced by township and community enterprises.”
Speaking about poverty, crime and unemployment faced by the Reiger Park community, he said it is up to the community to stick together to bring an end to these social ills of the township.
Makhura urged the residents of Reiger Park not to demean themselves.
“Do not allow yourselves to be marginalised. South Africa is your country too. Don’t allow anyone to marginalise you from this government. See yourself as a South African and not a coloured South African.”
Also during his state of the province address this year, Makhura pledged interventions to revitalise the economies of Gauteng townships, including the renewal of ageing infrastructure, especially in older townships.
Economic development MEC Lebogang Maile echoed these sentiments and said the government had to support small-, micro- and medium-sized enterprises in the townships to ensure job creation.
Most townships in the country had the capacity to produce and manufacture goods that could inject cash flow into the area, he said.
“In most of the communities we went to many of our SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) are operating from yards and garages. People don’t have space to operate their business. It is important to look at infrastructure.
“We need to ask ourselves how do we build economies without infrastructure to house these businesses,” said Maile. – @FanieBoksburg
