Gauteng Economic Indaba Tacles Unemployment
The Gauteng government led by Premier David Makhura hosted a very successful Economic Indaba in June to solicit inputs from various stakeholders on the draft Gauteng City Region’s (GCR) Economic Plan. Over 500 delegates representing business, labour and civil society attended the 2-day event.
The Premier explained that the Provincial Economic Plan provides concrete effect to the Nine Point Plan announced by President Zuma in his 2015 State of the Nation Address, but takes into account the unique features of the provincial economy. The Premier expressed deep concern about the increasing scourge of youth unemployment and the resultant loss of hope among our young people.
The Economic Indaba resolved that youth unemployment has become an emergency around which all social partners and stakeholders require decisive and urgent combined effort in order to restore hope among our youth. The Indaba further resolved that existing partnerships between government and business on Tshepo 500 000 and other skills development and youth entrepreneurship initiatives in municipalities must be up-scaled. The time to act decisively and urgently is now.
Other resolutions adopted at the Economic Indaba included a commitment to cut red tape, pay SMMEs within 15 days, expose and deal with corruption decisively, fast track women women empowerment, and improve business dealings with the provincial government.
The Premier again called on big business to demonstrate enough good by undertaking more Partnerships that will create a bigger momentum for a more sustainable and inclusive economy. The provincial government and municipalities will take steps to strengthen and build build a competent and ethical economic bureaucracy that has intimate knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of every sector of our provincial and city economies, while upholding the principle of “embedded autonomy”.
The Premier also accepted the challenge posed by and call made by both Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and AU Commission Chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, for Gauteng to take a lead in driving Africa’s industrialisation and integration as the industrial, technological and financial hub of Sub-Saharan African.