JOBS FOR YOUTH BUT E-TOLLS REMAIN FOR GAUTENG
ALTHOUGH we can proudly state that we have registered political, economic and social gains in the last 20 years of democracy, we continue to suffer high levels of unemployment, inequality and poverty.
We have put job creation at the centre of all our programmes, which has resulted in the creation of close to 800 000 jobs.
In addition, when the provincial government was restructured to improve service delivery and efficiency, no one was retrenched.
Gauteng is a youthful province and our endeavours are especially directed towards the creation of job opportunities for the thousands of young people.
We have placed particular emphasis on reducing youth unemployment and improving young people’s access to productive economic activity.
Together with our partners we are implementing the National Youth Employment Accord, through youth placements, youth cooperatives and small micro-medium enterprises, youth work opportunities and youth skills development.
We call on the private sector to partner with us in further boosting youth opportunities in our province.
We have also instituted the Gauteng youth employment strategy to direct our efforts with regard to youth employment.
A total of more than 102 000 job opportunities for youth have been created since 2009.
As we have shifted gears and accelerated the pace of delivery, we take cognisance of the fact that a lot still has to be done to move South Africa forward.
On the creation of jobs and access to the social safety net, we will improve access for targeted groups, especially young people, to the expanded public works programme.
We will apply preferential procurement in all infrastructure development projects and ensure the effective implementation of local content in government expenditure.
We will invite the private sector to partner with us in accessing more resources from the jobs fund.
Transport infrastructure remains the key driver for inclusive growth and social integration. It is an integral part of this caring government. As we are all aware, transport is among the main contributors towards a functioning province – hence our drive in integrated, intermodal, safe and reliable transport.
The upgrading to world class standards of 200km of the Gauteng freeway system through the South African National Roads Agency Limited is an achievement.
The Gauteng freeway improvement project offers improved driving quality and has shortened travelling times between Tshwane, Johannesburg and OR Tambo Interna- tional Airport so as to promote productivity and ease of movement of travellers, goods and services in Gauteng. In fact, the project has substantially reduced traffic congestion, particularly at the Gillooly’s and Allandale interchanges.
We wish to thank the more than one million people who have registered for e-tolls and bought their etags. It’s the right thing to do.
We welcome the recent announcement by the Department of Transport that conscious efforts are being made to eliminate the initial technical glitches to the e-toll billing system. That is the right thing to do as our people deserve a system that is efficient, fair and transparent.
However, in the event that these identified systemic challenges on the e-toll billing system persist, as a caring government, Gauteng will make further representation to the Minister of Transport to ensure that the matter is resolved.
The maintenance of 5 000km of tarred road and 1 500km of the gravel road network as well as the upgrading of key arterial routes such as Beyers Naude Drive, Malibongwe Drive, the R55 and portions of the Old Vereeniging Road, including the rehabilitation of the M1 and N14 freeways between Johannesburg and Pretoria, has provided functional key routes that provide alternatives to the Gauteng freeway system.
This is an excerpt from premier Nomvula Mokonyane s state of the province address