IPAP in action in Free State

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Bloemfontein - The Free State is to increase labour intensive industries as part of their efforts of creating decent jobs for the unemployed in line with government's Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) for job creation.

MEC for Finance Seiso Mohai during his provincial budget speech said: "As Free State we will step up our efforts for industrial development and diversification and promoting the expansion of the productive sectors of the provincial economy."

He explained that the work being done in mining, manufacturing and agricultural industries will have to go beyond just saving these industries to increasing their productive capacity and value chain.

"This will be done in our work to promoting labour intensive industries as part of our efforts for creating decent jobs for the unemployed," Mohai said.

The MEC stated that the economic strategy of the province will therefore have to integrate three main pillars: industrial development, rural development and SMME development.

He said the infrastructure programme will also be central in driving the expansion and diversification of productive industries in the province. "This includes the construction industry and supplier industries," he said.

Mohai also said the procurement in the construction industry should contribute to the development of local economies as well as that of the Free State.

He said even though there were many jobs lost during 2009 as the country's economy was affected, the province managed to create 32 000 jobs and recover during the last quarter of the year.