Gauteng launches job creation drive

The Gauteng province is ready to tackle the scourge of unemployment head-on with the creation of 600 000 jobs by 2019.

This was announced by provincial MEC for economic development, environmental affairs and agriculture Lebogang Maile during a pre-departmental budget vote in Johannesburg yesterday.

He will present the province’s budget vote in the Gauteng provincial legislature on Monday.

Maile said the fact that 2.7 million young people were unemployed in Gauteng represented a “huge crisis” in a province with a population of 12 million.

“That nearly 3 million young people are unemployed is a big concern. That is why we say 600 000 jobs must be created between now and 2019,” he said.

The province planned to focus on the productive side of the economy. It had to ensure the availability of water, space and markets to potential investors.

Maile said he was disturbed by red tape, including permit application, environment impact assessment (EIA) and land acquisition processes.

He said red tape stifled investment and the province was working to cut it down, with EIA completion times reduced from three years to three months, with a final target of two months. Maile said that as part of the Gauteng Economic Development Plan, his department had held discussions with ArcelorMittal SA and Scaw Metals Group on what could be done to save jobs.

Additionally, an amount of R42 billion has been invested in infrastructure development, a move Maile hoped would create jobs.

He also announced a move to integrate the R100 billion township economy into the mainstream economy by bringing big economic players to help small entrepreneurs in the townships. – ericn@citizen.co.za