Economic transformation should extend benefits to locals in Mpumalanga

The Select Committee on Economic and Business Development has said radical economic transformation should be about extending economic benefits to local people and that this should be possible in the Enkangala District in Mpumalanga.

The Committee, together with counterparts in Trade and International Relations, are conducting an oversight visit to Mpumalanga, to see the extent to which local economic development as per government policy is being realised in the province.

The Co-Chairperson of the Committee, Mr Mandla Rayi, said implementation of economic policies ought not to be a responsibility of national government.

We want to see the provincial and local spheres of government champion the cause of extending economic benefits to the local people. Government has policy programmes that, if implemented, will benefit our people, including the National Development Plan, the New Growth Path, and so on, Mr Rayi said.

During the oversight visit, the delegation will visit various important projects, including the Kusile power plant, Moloto Rail Development Corridor, Ekandustria Industrial Park, and Evraz Highveld Steel. The Committees will also receive briefings on what local municipalities are doing to realise radical economic transformation.

The Committees are keen to see how ordinary men and women benefit from all the projects around them, including the mining of coal. Economic growth has to be inclusive and has to address the employment creation challenge in Mpumalanga, Mr Rayi said.

He said the Committees were also interested to see if small businesses can acquire business opportunities in mining and if there are innovative ways to impart skills to empower locals in coal mining.

Source: Government of South Africa