LIMPOPO Premier Stan Mathabatha says his administration is moving quickly to put measures in place to create jobs in the next financial year.
Mathabatha delivered the State-Of-The-Provincial-Address (SOPA) at Lebowakgomo Legislature Chamber on Thursday morning.
The premier said that measures to boost the province’s economic growth are already in full motion.
Mathabatha’s speech was primarily concerned with rebuilding of the local economy and the development of new employment opportunities across the province.
He said a total investments and interventions by the economic recovery plan is estimated at about R170bn.
Mathabatha said the investments and intervention is projected to create about 48 000 jobs in the next five-10 years.
“In addition, the implementation of the Limpopo industrial master plan has also received R208bn in investment pledges from the recently held Limpopo investment conference. This will go a long way in helping to industrialise our province and thus creating the much-needed jobs for our people,” he said.
“In this regard, I am happy to report that construction of phase 1 of the Nkuna smart city has already commenced. This project is anticipated to create 585 construction jobs and 325 permanent jobs,” the premier said.
“Through an investment value of R1.2bn, Sefateng chrome mine is rolling underground mining infrastructure in Sekhukhune. This project is anticipated to create 350 construction jobs and 600 permanent jobs during full production.”
Still on job creation, the premier said he is happy to report that Ivanhoe mine is living up to its investment commitments.
“To date, the company has already spent R7bn of the R9 billion commitment on mining infrastructure in the Waterberg region,” said Mathabatha.
“ZZ2 had pledged R128m for the construction of a pack-house in the Mopani region,” the premier said.
“The pack-house is expected to be fully operational in April or May this year and the project is expected to create 250 jobs,” Mathabatha said.
He stated that the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone’s environmental impact assessment would be completed soon.
To combat the spread of COVID-19 within the province, Mathabatha said: “One of the major investments we have had to make as a provincial government is setting aside 3.5 billion rand to mitigate against the impact of COVID-19 on the economy.”
Mathabatha said that the province will continue to fight against maladministration and corruption.
“We are committing to the full implementation of the recommendation made in the Special Investigating Unit Report. In this regard, we will work with the National Prosecuting Authority to support all envisaged prosecutions of wrongdoers,” he said.
– Inside Politics
