Gauteng SOPA: What you need to know
Gauteng Premier David Makhura admitted during his State of the Province Address (SOPA) that the provincial economy is facing enormous challenges.
He spoke at the Gauteng Legislature on Monday.
Here is a list of measures Makhura's government plans to implement to improve lives of Gauteng residents:
1. The Gauteng government plans to establish a provincial state bank that will help fund SMME's, township enterprises, women and youth business as well as infrastructure.
2. In 2018, Makhura and his team will visit townships and inner cities to conduct inspections and shutdown illegally operating businesses.
3. A team of health experts has been appointed to turn around the performance of the Gauteng health department by tackling the structural and fiscal problems faced by the department.
4. Makhura will convene a cultural and creative industries Indaba in June to develop a roadmap on how government can ensure this sector continues to contribute to the provinces economy.
5. The provincial government will introduce a Bill on the Open Tender System.
6. Makhura has appointed a civil society-led Ethics and Anti-corruption Advisory Council to act as a watchdog on clean governance.
7. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is expected to ensure that all outstanding cases involving officials in the Gauteng government are speedily concluded so that where necessary criminal prosecutions can start.
8. Makhura says he will also initiate lifestyle audits for members of the Executive Council and Heads of Departments.
9. The Provincial government has set targets to reduce crime by 50% in 40 high priority police stations and 12 clusters.
10. Makhura says government will work on releasing land in state hands for productive use.
11. The BRT system and the Gautrain will be expanded while the taxi industry is expected to be integrated into the mainstream of a modernised transport system, Makhura says this will be operated under a single transport authority.
12. Makhura says he will engage President Cyril Ramaphosa in order to find a new and more equitable funding model to support the continued expansion of Gauteng's road network and public transport system in an effort to scrap e-tolls.
Read Makhura's full speech here:
Gauteng SOPA: What you need to know by Jacaranda FM News on Scribd