R41bn corridor to boost Limpopo
Project set to create jobs and better prospects
Limpopo’s director-general, Nape Nchabeleng, has announced an ambitious plan to grow the economy in the province and create thousands of jobs.
Nchabeleng said the province would commence with the Musina-Makhado corridor special economic zone in the next financial year and that investors have committed to injecting R41-billion into the project.
“The planning stage has already been concluded,” Nchabeleng told delegates last week at the provincial government mid-term performance review at Meropa Casino in Polokwane.
Limpopo has identified Polokwane, Musina, Makhado, Greater Tubatse and Lephalale as the key nodes that would help the province achieve its industrial agenda.
Nchabel eng said: “The industrial agenda is critical for economic growth, poverty reduction and integrated youth development.”
He admitted that the province has been backsliding in its plan to achieve economic growth goals.
“As far as the growth trajectory is concerned, in 2013 the average growth in the province was around 2.4%. However, since then we have been regressing. But when you do a provincial comparative analysis, we are doing relatively well even though we can’t really celebrate that because we are not achieving our strategic objectives.”
The recent Quarterly Labour Force survey released by Stats SA, shows that Limpopo is the best performing province, followed by the Western Cape, in terms of job creation.
Limpopo is one of the poorest provinces in the country.
However, Limpopo governance leadership and financial management has improved under the leadership of Stan Mathabatha.
When the current administration took over during 2013/14, the province had been experiencing financial woes. They have since turned things around.
According to auditor-general Kimi Makwetu, the report on national and provincial audit outcomes for the 2016/17 financial year shows that Limpopo has improved its audit outcomes when compared to the previous financial year.
“Improvement can be attributed to the political leadership taking accountability and discharging oversight responsibility,” Makwetu said.
Economic development, environment and tourism MEC Seaparo Sekoati said that good governance makes it easier for the province to gain the confidence of people and, crucially, investors.
“If we lack this principle we might not be able to attract foreign direct investment and our own local investment,” Sekoati said.
Percy Mongalo, from the Polokwane Chamber of Business, also commended the provincial government for good governance.
Political analyst Lesiba Teffo agreed with Mongalo.
Teffo said that the past five years have been encouraging in Limpopo.
Treasury MEC Rob Tooley said the province is working on a turnaround strategy to address the challenges facing it.
“We want to make sure there is lot of money in the purse,” Tooley said.
‘ ‘ The industrial agenda is critical for growth