W Cape Government intensifies focus on job creation, alleviating poverty

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Western Cape Premier Helen Zille Western Cape Premier Helen Zille

Pretoria - In the on-going fight against poverty, Western Cape Premier Helen Zille says the province will continue to prioritise job creation and creating conditions needed for an inclusive economic growth in 2012.

Delivering her State of the Province Address today, the premier said that government, citizens, civil society and business each had a role to play to tackling what she described as the "primary obstacle in living a full life".

She said her vision for the Western Cape was of an "Open, Opportunity Society in which every person has the means, resources and the power to live a life he or she values". 

"... The only sustainable way to beat poverty is by creating opportunities for growth and jobs. This insight informs our strategy, which is this: to shift resources and energy into the creation of growth and job opportunities without compromising our ability to deliver better outcomes in health, education, and social development, and while refocusing our efforts to promote social inclusion with a more pragmatic, more measurable and less ideological approach," she said.

Zille said that her first priority was to create the conditions needed for inclusive economic growth and job creation. "This is by far the most important way in which our economy can create job opportunities for our citizens and, more importantly, redress the legacy of poverty and underdevelopment."

To this end, an Economic Development Partnership (EDP) has been established, where all stakeholders in the economy will come together to develop and help implement a shared agenda for economic growth, development and inclusion. 

"The EDP will focus on facilitating the development of a shared economic vision, strategy and brand for the province. It will work to move us from a 'culture of disaggregation and fragmentation' towards one of collaboration. 

"Over time, its work will result in an improved investment climate, a more competitive and resilient economy and, ultimately, higher levels of growth and employment. That is the only sustainable way to fight poverty," said the premier.

The official launch of the EDP will take place in April. 

Zille said she looked forward to participating in the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission, as alluded to by President Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation Address last week.

The commission has been tasked with identifying and developing projects and infrastructure initiatives across the three spheres of government. 

Zuma said last week that billions of rands would be spent over the coming years on new infrastructure, with the government to focus on building rail, road, and economic links in five regions in the country and building new universities and refurbishing hospitals.

"In his State of the Nation Address, the President focused specifically on the Industrial Development Zone in Saldanha and the required railway links. We will do everything possible to make this partnership with the national government a success, in the interest of all the people of this province," said the premier.

The President had also announced that he would convene a presidential infrastructure summit to discuss the implementation of the government's plan with potential investors and social partners.

Zille said that the Western Cape had put together a game-changing infrastructure agenda that included three city regeneration projects, the doubling of the capacity of the Cape Town Convention Centre, the development of new and upgraded roads that offer a demonstrable impact on economic growth as well as the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle or Public Private Partnership to bring broadband access to every school, every provincial and municipal government facility in the Western Cape, and ultimately to every citizen, while driving down the cost of broadband access for business. 

"This is a huge new development that will position the Western Cape as a broadband access leader in South Africa, and support the existing Information Technology Centres in every school in the province," said Zille.


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