STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE PREMIER OF LIMPOPO PROVINCE HONOURABLE CHUPU MATHABATHA TO THE SIXTH LIMPOPO PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE AT THE LEBOWAKGOMO LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER ON 24 February 2022

Stimulating the growth of our economy is high on the agenda of this government.

As part of our response to the devastation, our Provincial Socio-Economic Recovery Plan is anchored on the industrialization of the province, through mega projects in the manufacturing, tourism and agricultural sectors.

This Plan will also pay special attention to various Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) support programmes.

The total investment and interventions by this economic recovery plan is projected at around one hundred and seventy billion rand (R170 billion). This investment and intervention is projected to create over forty-eight thousand (48 000) jobs in the next five to ten years.

As a province, we recognise that information and knowledge supported through state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology is critical to support service delivery and the achievement of the developmental goals.

Our approved Five-Year Limpopo e-Government Strategy Implementation Plan lays a solid foundation for digital transformation in the provincial administration to enhance technical capacity.

Our objective is to build a capable and ethical developmental state with the requisite capacity to serve the people diligently.

This will help improve the delivery of government services to the people. Among other projects, the process to digitise

files and records throughout the provincial administration has started.

For instance, we have started in healthcare, e-Learning in education and e-Licencing service in transport.

Another key success is the migration from the analogue to digital television broadcasting signal.

Limpopo is now one of the provinces in which the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting signal has been completed.

The transition will not only make available access to multiple television channels at high audio and video quality, but will also create new job opportunities. Already job opportunities have been created for local installers and technical support teams in the province.

In that context, as Limpopo, we have completed the roll out of a requisite infrastructure, comprising a Data Centre, Network Operating Control Centre and Contact Centre. A total of 52 sites have been connected to the network, using both fibre and satellite technologies.

The establishment of the Limpopo Science and Technology Park, which is a visionary and catalytic project to transform our provincial economy, is well underway. Once completed, it will be a major driver of the Province’s competitiveness.

The implementation of the Limpopo Industrial Master Plan has also received R208 billion in investment pledges from the recently held Limpopo Investment Conference. This will

go a long way in helping to industrialize our province and thus creating the much-needed jobs for our people.

Our approach is to make sure that these pledges or commitments are translated into tangible projects which would create value and impact to the provincial economy.

From these commitments, the Masingita Group had pledged R5.46 billion for the construction of the Nkuna Smart City in the Collins Chabane Local Municipality.

In this regard, I am happy to report that construction of Phase 1 of the Nkuna Smart City has already commenced. This project is anticipated to create 585 construction jobs and 325 permanent jobs.

Through an investment value of R1,2 billion, Sefateng Chrome Mine is rolling underground mining infrastructure in Sekhukhune. This project is anticipated to create 350 construction jobs and 600 permanent jobs during full production.

I am also happy to report that Ivanhoe Mines is also living up to its investment commitments. To date, the company has already spent R7 billion of the R9 billion commitment on mining infrastructure in the Waterberg Region.

The remaining R2 billion will be spent in this calendar year. So far, the investment has created 778 jobs, and this figure is expected to rise to 1 000 jobs by December of this year.

With regard to the investment commitment of R48 billion from Anglo American & De Beers, I am able to report that already R3, 9 billion shall be spent on the Mototolo Mine in Sekhukhune, in the first quarter of 2022. This project has extended the life of the mine, thus helping to sustain the existing jobs.

With an investment value of R250 million, the construction of Amazin Hotel in Capricorn Region is expected to commence in September this year. This project will create a good number of jobs both during and post construction.