The Free State province’s strategic location has the potential to catapult the province into South Africa’s natural logistics and distribution hub.
This, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who delivered the opening remarks at a meeting between the National and Provincial Executive Councils.
The President is today convening the eighth engagement in a series between national and provincial governments.
“The Free State is uniquely positioned to be at the heart of our country’s economic growth story. It is strategically located, making it a natural logistics and distribution hub, linking major economic centres,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President added that the province should share the practices it is using to successfully address certain challenges, so they can be replicated elsewhere in the country.
“For example, the Free State is leading the way in providing comprehensive agricultural support to emerging farmers and in implementing food security initiatives in vulnerable communities.
“During the last financial year, the province also exceeded its work opportunities targets through the Expanded Public Works Programme, reaching more than 46 000 beneficiaries. The Free State also continues to register successes in the provision of health services, notably around HIV/Aids and TB. There has also been notable progress in fighting crime.
“As you build on the progress made over the past year, be assured of our full support as the National Executive,” he said.
The province’s other strategic advantages include strong agricultural capacity, established mining industry and potential in renewable energy and battery storage.
“These endowments and advantages must be leveraged to drive inclusive growth and create jobs.
“With the necessary support, focus and direction, guided by the provincial One Plan developed under the DDM [District Development Model], the Free State’s full potential must be unleashed,” President Ramaphosa said.
Reflecting on the State of the Province Address delivered by Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae earlier this year, President Ramaphosa commended the “ambitious, future-facing and outcomes-oriented” plans for the province.
“I was particularly struck by the attention to detail given to the initiatives planned for the year ahead, particularly around youth job creation, vocational training for young people, support for the agricultural sector, township economy revitalisation and others.
“This is what the District Development Model we initiated in 2019 is all about – namely the finer, granular details of not just what is being done to localise development, but also the ‘how’ and the ‘when’.
“Timeous implementation is the yardstick by which we are measured, and also by which we will be judged. We look forward to the presentation from the Premier on the priorities, challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the Free State,” he said.
Resolving local government challenges
A central theme to the President’s remarks was the need to restore municipalities that face severe challenges.
Some 35 of South Africa’s 257 municipalities are in distress with a further 63% at risk.
“When there are weaknesses or failings at local government, it isn’t just service delivery that suffers, but the trust between government and citizens becomes frayed. To put it quite bluntly, across much if not most of the country, local government is in crisis,” he said.
President Ramaphosa noted that municipalities – including seven in the Free State – are being placed under administration, adding that government is “alive to the realities and to the magnitude of this problem”.
“In this year’s State of the Nation Address, I outlined the steps we will be taking to strengthen local government, including reviewing the funding model for municipalities and establishing ring-fenced utilities for water and electricity services.
“We will also be undertaking extensive consultations around the updated White Paper on Local Government during the course of this year. Restoring the fortunes of local government must be at the centre of our efforts if we are to attract investment that creates jobs and boosts the provincial economy,” he said.
Working together
The President urged the provincial government to ensure that as solutions are presented, implementation follows suit.
“Inasmuch as we need to drill down on what the challenges, obstacles and bottlenecks are, this must be matched by solutions, and timelines for implementing them. This would be time well and effectively spent today,” he urged.
The President emphasised that the engagement with the Free State government serves as an additional channel of communication.
This supplements the existing intergovernmental relations frameworks such as the President’s Coordinating Council.
“With the State of the Nation address having given the line of march, as it were, we are here to offer our support, and also our counsel. Being agile and responsive is a hallmark of the capable, ethical and developmental state we are striving to build, and we are also here to listen.
“We are one government, united by One Constitution for One People, and it is in this spirit of cooperation that I would like our deliberations today to proceed,” President Ramaphosa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
