Plans to boost province outlined

“LET’S partake in developing our own province and our country,” urged ANC MP Joan Fubbs yesterday.

She was speaking at a breakfast hosted by the party’s Eli Weinberg branch.

MEC for Finance Barbara Creecy told members of the private and public sectors that the provincial government had put plans in place to boost the province’s economy.

“Gauteng’s economic growth on the development front averages about 4 to 4.5 percent. It’s what most people are worried about,” she said, adding that the province faced poverty, unemployment – especially among the youth – and inequality, among others.

Creecy said Gauteng’s economy made up 34 percent of the national economy and 10 percent of Africa’s gross domestic product.

She said the provincial government had created a project that split Gauteng into five development corridors.

“This will help to address issues of unemployment, poverty and inequality.” The five corridors are: The Central Development Corridor, anchored around the City of Joburg, which will be the hub of finance, the pharmaceutical industry, ICT and services.

The Eastern Development Corridor will be centred on the Ekurhuleni economy and focus on manufacturing, transport industries and logistics.

The Northern Development Corridor, which is anchored around Tshwane, will be the hub of the automotive sector, research and development, innovation and the knowledgebased economy.

The Western Corridor, which encompasses the economy of the West Rand district, will be the centre of new industries including tourism, agricultural growth, and exports to external markets through Lanseria Airport.

The Southern Corridor will focus on the creation of new industries, economic nodes and cities. It includes the Sedibeng district,

Creecy said projects to convert waste products to help generate power and energy in Gauteng were also in the works.

“We all know that there are power constraints but we are planning to revitalise the power stations in Gauteng.”

Creecy said it was crucial for everyone to work together.

“The corridors in Gauteng are a small space and we need to work in synergy with the local government, provincial government, the public sector and the private sector.”

‘These will help address poverty and inequality’