The Gauteng Provincial Government would, in addition to spending R34-billion on infrastructure development in the next three years, seek additional funding for new projects, as the budgeted funds would “not be sufficient to fund Gauteng’s infrastructure needs”, Premier Nomvula Mokonyane said in a State of the Province address on Monday.

“We have decided to seek alternative funding to cater for new infrastructure projects including hospitals, schools, roads, bulk services and human settlements. In this regard, we have mandated the Department of Finance to raise R20-billion from the private sector to meet the demands,” the premier said.

Further, while the continued investment in infrastructure was expected to boost job creation in the province, more would have to be done as Gauteng’s unemployment rate reached 25,7% in the fourth quarter of 2009.

To provide some relief for those who were unemployed, the province planned to launch a community works programme in the 50 poorest wards.

“This will provide a critical employment safety net for our people. Through these programmes, we will provide each household in the poorest communities with a job for 100 days,” stated Mokonyane.

Meanwhile, the premier highlighted that the province would continue to pursue the expanded public works programme (EPWP) and that 56 new projects would be implemented during the 2010/11 financial year, as part of the second phase of the EPWP.

The projects would include new roads, schools, hospitals, clinics and community centres, waste management and craft hubs.

About 4 000 young people would also be given the opportunity to receive training in the engineering services and project management areas, under the second phase of the EPWP.

A further 4 000 young people would be enrolled in training in information technology, electrical work, plumbing and life skills through the provincial government as it aims to expand its learnership and internship programmes.

Further, the provincial government planned to provide more than 3 000 bursaries for young people to study in critical skills areas, such as engineering and medical sciences.

“These direct interventions to create job opportunities will be complemented by actions to place our province on a new growth path. Our focus will be on industrial policy, strategic economic infrastructure and the green economy. These interventions will create more long-term and sustainable jobs,” added Mokonyane.

She said that the provincial government would work with labour and other spheres of government to revitalise the province’s manufacturing sector, with a focus on the automotive, transport, capital equipment, furniture, tourism, construction and business process outsourcing sectors, as well as the clothing, textile, leather and footwear sector.

The provincial government would also work with the private sector to rehabilitate the Babelegi industrial park, which it expected to become a hub for energy-related industries and contribute to the creation of green jobs.

Plans for the revitalisation of Ekandustria have also been completed, said the premier, adding that the provincial government would interact with the national government and the Mpumalanga provincial government to complete the transfer of ownership to the Gauteng province.

SMME DEVELOPMENT

Meanwhile, the provincial government would also aim to support small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) and cooperatives through the provision of business development, mentoring and loan financing, among others.

The provincial government would, during the 2010/11 financial year, aim to assist 300 cooperatives in terms of business development and the marketing of products.

TRANSPORTATION

Mokonyane on Monday reported that the province would spend R5,5-billion on the construction and upgrading of roads over the coming five years, which would result in the construction and maintenance of 1 500 km of roads.

The Intelligent Number Plate project would be rolled out later this year, with the publication of enabling legislation and regulations to be completed by April.

The system would then be implemented by October this year.

“The new system will make it possible to identify vehicles and their owners, and will put to an end the duplication of number plates frequently used in motor vehicle theft. We will undertake a roll call of all vehicles in Gauteng to ensure that all cars are properly registered and licensed,” said Mokonyane.