Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle said his government has set clear principles to guide the implementation of the province’s developmental goals.
He was delivering his State of the Province address in the Bhisho Legislature on Friday morning.
In a wide-ranging speech, Premier Masualle said his government has committed itself to strengthen levels of accountability, partnerships and a sense of urgency to take this commitment forward.
He says he’s signed delivery agreements for the year and reviewed performance agreements of Heads of Departments in order to instill a culture of execution and discipline in getting things done.
Masualle also said that a new provincial HOD will be appointed by the 1 April after his previous HOD was charged with rape.
Premier Masualle also committed his Executive to improving Education and Health care, while saying the the province, through its agriculture and agri-based industries has the potential to be the country’s food basket.
“Not far from here at the Coega IDZ, an R86m agro processing, multi-user facility is booming. This facility will enable small, medium and micro enterprises to expand their value addition activities in the Eastern Cape,” he said.
He said “these winds of change sweeping across the province will ensure that famine and hunger are banished. “
Masualle said his government has an abiding objective to transform the economy of the Eastern Cape so as to create jobs and sustainable livelihoods.
He said the province’s economic outlook is characterised by, among other things, an economy that records one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.
“We are rising to the task of creating sustainable jobs for our people. A total of 24 737 jobs, against a target of 13 234, have been created through economic agencies such as the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, the East London IDZ and the Coega Development Corporation,” he said.
Premier Masualle said job creation targets of more than 20 000 had been set for the East Cape Development Corporation and the Coega and East London Industrial Development Zones.
“The following job creation targets have been set for the 2015/2016 financial year; ECDC 7 000, Coega 8 797 and ELIDZ 5 500. In the coming year jobs will be created in manufacturing, logistics, alternative energy, agro processing and services,” he added.
On the issue of health, Premier Masualle said “we are going to complete the 530 bed flagship project at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital at a cost of R935m. The Frontier Hospital’s casualty unit , paediatrics and outpatients departments, costing R245m, will also be finalised. A further 17 clinics will be completed at a cost of R322.2m, most of which are in the National Health Insurance pilot district of OR Tambo District,” Masualle said.
With respect to education, Premier Masualle said 97 schools have been completed as part of the programme to eradicate mud structure schools in the Eastern Cape.
He said 134 new schools have been planned for the Medium Term Economic Framework, with 20 schools planned for the 2015/2016 financial year. “Over 5 500 schools now have access to ICT connectivity and are linked to the South African School Administration Management System.”
Speaking to the media ahead of official address Masualle said he’s concerned that residents of Nelson Mandela Bay should be receiving good quality water.
He said provincial officials will be sitting down with the Metro to look at specifics and the exact nature of any intervention.
He said Bhisho’s working with the Department of Water Affairs to come up with solutions to the Metro’s water woes.
This week municipal officials said that ongoing load-shedding had led to problems at water treatment plants as electricity is need in the treatment process.
This week water outages were experienced in several areas of the Metro and when supply was restored brownish water emerged from the taps.
