The North West provincial government said work is in progress to address the triple challenges of poverty, inequality, and unemployment bedevilling the province.
These remarks come as Premier Lazarus Mokgosi hosted a two-day roundtable discussion with ‘Captains of Industries’ to discuss areas for collaboration towards the successful and comprehensive implementation of key 2025 State of the Province Address (SOPA) pronouncements.
The Premier’ spokesperson Sello Tatai told You FM Newshour that this engagement will afford the provincial government and business sector the opportunity to also explore strategic enablers and barriers to economic growth in the province.
Tatai said this will focus on sectors that are dominant in the economy of the province including Mining, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Tourism, ICT, Engineering and Construction.
“This engagement is held at the backdrop of several challenges confronting the province.
The province is inundated by high levels of unemployment and poverty, you would know that the country’s economy is predicted to grow by 1.6% and this will have spillovers effects in the province.
But critically this meeting is a culmination of several efforts by the premier to try and lure private investment in the province to address these challenges facing the province,” said Tatai.
In addition, Tatai said the previous meeting between the former acting Premier Nono Maloyi, and captains of industry has yielded positive results with over 10 000 jobs created.
“You would remember that earlier this year the premier attended Mining Investment Indaba in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal where he held a series of meetings with captains of industry on the sidelines of the Indaba.
This culminated into investments worth R10 billion between China Africa Precious Resources and Harmony Gold at the Matlosana Local Municipality and that investment preserved 10 000 jobs,” explained Tatai.
The Sun City engagement will be followed by the Premier’s maiden Charity Golf Tournament which will be attended by prominent golfers from business fraternity and professional organisations on Thursday.
“The proceeds from Premier’s Charity Golf Tournament will be awarded to a school in Moretele Local Municipality, Kgomo-Kgomo, and another in Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, where Premier Mokgosi together with MTN and Metropolitan will donate laptops, sanitary towels, and Wi-Fi for the Grade 12 learners,” remarked the spokesperson.
