Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s State of the Province Address Promises Residents a ‘Better Living’
- Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi delivered the State of the Province Address (SOPA) in Johannesburg on Thursday, 15 August
- Lesufi provided an outline of the sixth administration's outcomes and challenges amid the new administration's aims
- He said crime and corruption were at the top of the provincial unity government's agenda to stimulate a resurgence
- Briefly News obtained a detailed copy of Lesufi's 30-page SOPA address, which delved into an array of pertinent issues
Don't miss out! Join Briefly News Sports channel on WhatsApp now!
Source: Getty Images
JOHANNESBURG — Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi delivered the State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Thursday at Change Bible Church in Katlehong, Johannesburg, promising improvement amid tough economic and social conditions.
The address was the first of the seventh administration after Lesufi set out the previous administration's ongoing and upcoming development programmes during a final address in February.
State of the Province Address promises 'better living'
This saw Lesufi provide key deliverables, noting, among other things, that the commitment to eliminate the e-tolling system had come to fruition.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
He said another priority area had been conducting lifestyle audits of all department heads and chief executives of provincial government agencies.
“I will meet with the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) in the coming weeks to get the full brief so the matter can be finalised and appropriate actions taken where required,” Lesufi said.
He outlined that some of the province's energy and electricity infrastructure shortcomings had received attention.
“We have installed 485 transformers across Ekurhuleni, the Vaal, Johannesburg, the Westrand and Tshwane.
“Twenty-eight of our health facilities, including clinics, hospitals, community health care centres and five schools, have an alternative energy supply.
“Our commitment to securing and enhancing Gauteng's energy infrastructure remains steadfast, aiming to safeguard our essential services and communities from the impacts of load shedding.
“We recognise that the state's primary aim is to create conducive conditions for economic investment, growth and development as a prerequisite for employment creation.”
He said that private-public partnerships (PPPs) were in the pipeline to address the nagging issue of unemployment.
“We will partner with the private sector to bring new innovative solutions to the fore to execute high-impact job creation initiatives across priority sectors and programmes.
“[Similarly], the province previously committed to attracting new investments. To date, we can proudly declare [several].”
He said the investments included:
- Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) — R6 billion over the next four years to position the OR Tambo International Airport as a gateway for regional economic development;
- Vodacom — R3 billion in ICT network infrastructure in Gauteng to advance digital connectivity across the economy;
- Heineken Beverages — R3 billion over the next three years into a malting plant, mega plant (sorting and packaging), as well as Enterprise and Supplier Development; and
- Transnet Pipelines — R800 million over the next four years for the construction of the PL6 Pipeline, extending from Jameson Park in Heidelberg to OR Tambo International Airport, to address the anticipated Jet Fuel shortages by 2028.
However, with crime ever-present in the metro, Lesufi said these and other growth development aims would not be without disruption unless the provincial unity government (GPU) worked to combat the scourge.
He said that crime and corruption remained a blight on society, spurring the need to develop the necessary mechanisms to combat it.
“We can embark on ambitious programmes to create jobs and fight unemployment, but if we do not defeat the scourge of crime, all these will remain a pipedream.
“It is for this reason that fighting crime is our main priority and commands our urgent attention as the provincial government.
“We’re working hard to arrest the proliferation of land invasion and illegal mining, to stamp out drug dealing and drug use, to eliminate the culture of hired killings and eradicate the possession of illegal firearms."
He highlighted rife highjacking and emphatically declared protecting women and children from gender-based violence, kidnappers, and human traffickers.
“We’ll continue implementing the six pillars of the National Strategic Plan on GBV. We have invited municipalities and private security firms to join our law enforcement agencies and provincial government in this epic battle for the soul of our province.
“We’re confident that victory is certain, and law-abiding residents will reclaim their peaceful existence.
“This GPU has been charged with driving the transformation agenda while igniting our economic growth to lift the people of our province from poverty and destitution.”
He said eight of the 11 political GPU parties supported the province's 2024/25 financial year budget, while one party abstained and two parties opposed it.
“Let me express my sincere gratitude to all the parties which set aside ideological differences and came together in response to the electoral mandate of the people of Gauteng.
“I’m confident that, under the rubric of the GPU, all the parties will spare neither effort nor strength in our determination to translate the next five years into a qualitatively better living experience for the residents of our province.
“I remain committed to the ethos of a clean, ethical, capable and developmental provincial government focused on making a palpable difference in the lives of the people of Gauteng.”
Gayton McKenzie calls out DA Federal chair Helen Zille
In a related news story, Briefly News reported that Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille caused quite a stir with her punctuated remarks at a public gathering.
Zille was speaking at a community dialogue hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Sub-Saharan Africa in Parkview, Johannesburg, on Wednesday, 31 July.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU - click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!
Source: Briefly News
