By Nangamso Mabindla

Accelerated growth and attracting more investors are just some of the areas of focus for the provincial government and its partners in 2006.

Delivering her State of the Province Address at the legislature in Bhisho on Friday, 10 February, Premier Nosimo Balindlela said it was important that the government turned its attention to developing the province and its people.

"The challenge in our province is to initiate projects to attract investors. To this end we have put forward a number of mega projects to boost growth and massify jobs in the second economy," she said.

However, for these initiatives to be successful the province would have to align its plans with the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (Asgisa) announced by President Thabo Mbeki in his State of the Nation address earlier this month.

"This initiative seeks to improve barriers to economic growth and fundamentally to ensure that this growth produces more jobs. This will, in turn, result in more balanced development. We are very excited about Asgisa and its prospects for raising levels of growth and investment in the province," Balindlela said.

Some of the initiatives aimed at accelerating growth and bringing investment to the province included the Expanded Public Works Programme and the province's Industrial Development Zones in Coega and East London.

"We will be combining efforts with our national departments to contribute to the Asgisa growth target of 6 percent by 2009."

Asgisa, like the Provincial Growth and Development Plan, was aimed at improving the lives of the poor. "Our provincial industrial strategy, which will be launched this year, will provide a clear package of support measures for growing the job-creating sectors of our economy," Balindlela added.

Turning her attention to housing, the premier said that through the provincial housing programme, 25 000 low cost houses would be delivered this financial year. One of the targeted areas was Dimbaza in Buffalo City.

"I am glad to announce that the Dimbaza wooden houses will be demolished as from April this year and beneficiaries [will be] re-settled. This project is managed by Thubelitsha Homes and is inclusive of 10 physically challenged beneficiaries."

The provision of free basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation to indigent people was another service the provincial government, with the aid of municipalities, aimed to improve. In response to the premier's call, Buffalo City was already training community representatives to teach communities about free basic electricity.

Balindlela committed her government to the poor people of the province. "The most powerful tool that we hold to deliver life for all is through robust and outcome-oriented inter-governmental relations. We are indeed a province alive with possibilities and a province at work," she said.

Source: Buffalo City