Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, delivered his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Monday 1 July at the University of Johannesburg in Soweto.
This is the sixth provincial administration following the sixth democratic national and provincial elections in South Africa.
“The ANC has a democratic mandate to lead the process of Growing Gauteng Together,” was the message from Makhura.
The Premier has indicated the aspects that need to be considered when the mandate of the government is being put into practice and pleaded with the members to work together to achieve the goal of building a Gauteng where:
• No one goes to bed hungry;
• The economy reflects the full diversity of our population and harnesses the full potential of all the people;
• Everyone has a job and earns a living wage;
• Businesses, big and small, thrive and prosper;
• Every household has access to basic shelter, a piece of land and a decent income;
• Everyone has access to quality healthcare;
• Everyone, young and old, has access to the kind of education that unleashes their full potential;
• All residents have access to basic services and quality infrastructure;
• Everyone feels safe and can walk the streets at any time;
• Women enjoy their rights, free from all forms of patriarchy;
• The environment is protected and cared for;
• All human settlements promote social cohesion and integration;
• Citizens take initiatives to improve their own lives, supported by an activist, capable and developmental state;
• There is affordable and reliable high-speed internet connectivity;
• There is efficient, reliable, safe and affordable public transport;
• Government functions as one, to serve the people in a seamlessly integrated City Region;
• Science, technology and innovation support the expansion of frontiers of human fulfilment, freedom and environmental sustainability;
• There is no racism, sexism, xenophobia and homophobia;
• There is no corruption.
Makhura has also shared the following priorities that the ANC provincial administration will focus on:
• Economy, Jobs and Infrastructure
• Education, Skills Revolution and Health
• Integrated Human Settlements and Land Release
• Safety, Social Cohesion and Food Security
• Building a Capable, Ethical and Developmental State
“Under each set of priorities, we will take bold initiatives to deepen the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP) and the programme for Transformation, Modernisation and Re-industrialisation,” Makhura said.
The Premier highlighted the economic areas that Gauteng will focus on, with huge employment potential in the province, namely:
• Automotive, capital equipment and rolling stock manufacturing;
• Agro-processing, Food and Beverages;
• BPO/ BPS and ICT;
• Finance and Retail;
• Tourism and Hospitality;
• Creative and Cultural Industries;
• Logistics and Warehousing; and
• Green Economy
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