Still some work to be done, says Premier Refilwe Mtshweni
The provincial government has only achieved roughly 40 per cent of its job creation target over the past five years.
MBOMBELA – Premier Refilwe Mtshweni delivered her State of the Province Address (Sopa) last Friday.
She said the province recorded a net job creation of 107 350 between 2014 and 2018, an average of 26 837 jobs per annum.
Mtshweni used her speech to give a synopsis of the province’s achievements over the past five years since the government was elected in 2014. She said the term was characterised by mixed socio-economic performance.
She added that Mpumalanga was fortunate as its economy remained in “marginal positive territory” while the country was experiencing consecutive negative growth.
Skills development
Recent statistics provided by the Department of Higher Education and Training show that 6 413 students in the province have qualified as artisans in the past five years.
The province enrolled 232 students in Cuba and 281 in Russia in order to increase the number of graduates in fields such as medicine, veterinary science, information technology, aviation, mathematics, science and engineering.
Agriculture
The construction of the Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market is gaining momentum, since the province has invested approximately R500 million.
Conerning basic infrastructure, which includes bulk water and electricity supply to the site, waste water, roads and storm water networks, approximately 300 jobs were created. Mtshweni said they anticipate that the infrastructure will be completed in the second quarter of 2021.
Tourism
Along with the 2,4 per cent growth in foreign tourist arrivals nationally, the province recorded an increase of 10,2 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals, increasing from 1 427 795 in 2016 to 1 573 635 in 2017. Domestically there has been a sharp decline of visitor numbers in the last three years, as many South Africans cut back on travelling due to tough economic conditions.
Strategic infrastructure
Six boarding schools, 47 ordinary schools and two new special schools were constructed. More than R2,7 billion has been spent since 2014 on upgrading and construction of Sabie and Mmametlhake hospitals and six primary health-care facilities. There were also renovations and rehabilitation in at least 94 health facilities.
School safety
Violence in schools seems to be on the increase and includes other social issues such as vandalism, substance abuse, gangsterism and bullying.
To curb any form of violence in schools, the provincial government will boost the implementation of the Integrated School Safety Programme in collaboration with social partners.
Health
Mtshweni said the Department of Health has recovered and the process of turning around the situation saw a budget increase of R55,2 billion over the five-year period. In the 32 hospitals, 26 have a full complement of executive management teams, with functional hospital boards, including filling of critical positions.
HIV prevalence declined from 36,7 per cent in 2014 to 22,8 per cent in 2018. New infections among the adolescent girls and young women, who were identified as vulnerable, dropped from an estimated 10 015 in 2014 to 7 293 in 2018.
Social protection
The province has developed a comprehensive Drug Master Plan which affords them an opportunity to collaborate with civil society and the private sector to tackle social ills affecting the youth. They have managed to reach 120 819 children 18 years and below through drug prevention programmes.The premier said there is work that still needs to be done.
