February 22, 2005

By Thomas Thale

GAUTENG municipalities are working on measures to turn the province into "an integrated, globally competitive city region" that would encourage investment, tourism and business.

Speaking at the opening of the Gauteng Legislature on Monday, 21 February, Premier Mbhazima Shilowa disclosed that mayors and municipal managers from across the province met last week to position and develop the province as a "successful global city region within the global economy".

"Rather than continue to act separately within the global arena, we committed ourselves to improve urban management and governance as well as significantly enhance co-operation and co-ordination across spheres of government and between government and other sectors of our society," Shilowa said.

The idea of a global city region is drawn from the experiences of successful regions such as Greater London and Sao Paulo. "Like Gauteng, they have large urban populations, a clustering of cities and are dynamic economic engines driving not only national and regional growth but they are also key drivers of the global economy."

The process, Shilowa said, will unfold in the next few months as the province consults with key stakeholders to explore the economic profile and growth potential of the various municipalities.

"Our challenge will be to 'think regionally' as we decide which parts of the province should constitute growth nodes and development corridors, reduce duplication between spheres of government and seek improved ways of integrating or co-coordinating service delivery."

Building a good skills base is critical to the success of the global city region and, said Shilowa, the province will take steps to increase the number of learners doing maths and science on higher grade.

The province will also take steps to improve the efficiency of municipalities, including Johannesburg, under Project Consolidate.

"This will require a concerted focus on revenue enhancement programmes, improving the efficiency of billing and metering administrative systems, disaster management, performance management, human resource capacity and financial management and the strengthening of ward committees," the premier said.

In a business-like address that set targets and strict timeframes for delivery, Shilowa unveiled a number of programmes to stimulate the economy and reduce poverty.

The Gauteng Development Strategy (GDS) was endorsed by various stakeholders, including government, business organisations, organised labour and community based organisations at a summit held in November last year.

The strategy, said Shilowa, will increase provincial economic growth to eight percent by 2014.

Noting the robustness of the provincial economy, Shilowa said the economic growth trajectory of Gauteng would now be based on the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy, to be launched in March.

Other steps to stimulate the economy are:

• The launch in April of the Innovation Hub, which will stimulate the growth of knowledge intensive industries;
• The setting up of the Automotive Industry Development Centre, which has already attracted investments from two major industry players, Rietex Feltex and Fleetguard;
• The Gauteng Films Office, which has already encouraged and facilitated R308-million worth of investments in film productions in the province;
• Growing the tourism sector, which already receives over 40 percent of the country's business tourism;
• The launch of the Gauteng SMME Agency dedicated to the development of the small business sector. "An amount of R200-million will be allocated to the agency over the next three years."
• Finalising, by the middle of the year, the provincial Broad Based Black Empowerment Programme to accelerate the province's BEE initiatives, ensuring that by 2009 over 60 percent of government procurement will be done through empowered companies;
• Upgrading the transport network in the province, particularly through the Gautrain, partly in preparation of the 2010 Fifa World Cup;
• To continue spending on infrastructural development through Blue IQ and other government programmes;
• To fix the minimum labour content of all public works programmes at 15 percent by April next year, and to increase the rate to 40 percent by 2009;
• To work with various sporting bodies to attract more competitive sport to the province; and
• To finalise the province's agricultural development strategy by July.

In August 2005, the premier said, the province will complete a Provincial Safety Plan, which establishes "a clear set of goals for provincial an local government, as well as the law enforcement in the province".

Shilowa also outlined measures to address perennial social ills such as housing, poverty relief and health.

On HIV, the premier said the sero-prevalence of the disease shows signs of decline, having come down from 31,6 percent in 2002 to 29,6 percent in 2003.

Shilowa also had good news for scholars in impoverished areas.

"Children who attend schools in the poorest communities will also be exempted from paying school fees and will receive free meals at school," he said.

"Those going into Grade 1 will receive free school uniforms. Local entrepreneurs will become the preferred suppliers of school uniforms and feeding, thereby providing further income to poor communities."

As part of efforts to improve the link between the provincial government and the community, the government will set up a provincial government portal in April, which will provide quarterly updates of government programmes.
Source: Jonews

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