Makhura reiterates plans to boost Gauteng economy, as cannabis and renewable energy make an appearance

Contained in an 85-page document, Gauteng’s plan of action prioritises economic growth, unemployment, increasing the province’s per capita gross domestic product and infrastructure, to name a few. 

The plan was announced during Premier David Makhura’s State of the Province Address (SOPA) held in Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria on Tuesday 25 February. 

“Our first and foremost economic goal is to grow the economy in order to massively increase the number of new jobs while sustaining existing jobs in Gauteng,” Makhura said. 

According to the premier, this will be made possible by focusing on high growth sectors and new industries that have the potential to create new jobs. These industries include, but are not limited to, energy, transportation and logistics, ICT, tourism and agribusiness. 

Makhura singled out the cannabis industry as one such budding sector of the province’s economy with enormous potential to create jobs.

“Any country that forgets about it will be left behind,” he said. 

“We in Gauteng will focus on the industrialisation and agro-processing of the cannabis industry. Especially for use for medicinal purposes,” Makhura said, a statement that drew a round of applause. 

Makhura announced that the province would spend R60-billion in the next five years on building and maintaining infrastructure. Detail on this was scant — this sent EFF members of the Gauteng provincial legislature into a frenzy, with many shouting: “Where and how?”

The premier provided a vague update on his previous SOPA. 

“As per the commitment we made in July 2019, the provincial government will introduce a Township Economic Development Bill in the provincial legislature in June this year,” he said. 

He had previously announced that the yet-to-be promulgated act would help reduce victimisation suffered by small township business through the enforcement of by-laws. In addition to the act, Makhura said the province would now spend R4-billion annually buying goods and services from 2000 township enterprises. 

Makhura said the province would request a ministerial determination from minerals and energy minister, Gwede Mantashe by April 2020 to allow the Gauteng government to unlock renewable energy projects. 

“We will take decisive steps to increase the availability and use of gas, fast-track our shovel-ready solar energy projects, recommission mothballed power stations and promote hydrogen fuel cell technology in new developments across the Gauteng city region,” he said.

More than two years after announcing his Rapid Land Release programme, Makhura said the province will, between April and June, release 10,000 serviced stands. These will be given to qualifying residents “who want to and are able to build their own homes”. 

In response to the province’s housing challenges, in 2018 the provincial government committed to providing 100,000 serviced sites. Land occupations have been a major stumbling block in the province. 

As a result, the premier proclaimed that Gauteng had adopted a land invasion prevention strategy “to deal decisively with the criminal syndicates and political entrepreneurs who are behind the illegal occupation of land across Gauteng”.

Makhura did not, however, provide details on what the strategy would entail and which areas would be targeted for implementation. 

Lenasia, in the south of Johannesburg, was a target of land occupations in 2019 and MEC for Human Settlements Lebohang Maile told community members that a land occupation plan had been devised, but somehow never implemented. 

Unlike his 2019 SOPA, e-tolls were mentioned last in Makhura’s address, this time, announcing only that “a decision is imminent”. 

“We have now made a strong and persuasive case to national government on the e-tolls. I know a decision has been made and an announcement will be made by the president about a lasting solution,” Makhura said. DM