Latest news with #MediumTermDevelopmentPlan
The Citizen
18 hours ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development and Tourism plans to create 60 000 jobs
The Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT) said the Medium Term Development Plan's job creation target is 60 000 new and sustainable jobs per annum, and a reduced unemployment rate of 25% by 2030. In May, Stats SA released the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2025. The report states that about 43 000 Mpumalanga residents lost their jobs in the first three months of this year. It also shows that the country's total number of unemployed youth (15 to 34 years) increased by 151 000 to 4.8 million, while employed youth recorded a decrease of 153 000 to 5.7 million. As a result, the youth unemployment rate increased from 44.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024, to 46.1% in the first quarter of 2025. Currently, youth unemployment in Mpumalanga is at 46.4%, one of the highest in the country. ALSO READ: 43 000 Mpumalanga residents lose jobs in first quarter of 2025 Silence Mhlaba of the DEDT said it should be noted that Mpumalanga also recorded job losses in both the first and second quarters of 2024, but recovered very well in the last six months of the year with net job gains of more than 62 000. 'It is important to put this in perspective, because the first quarter is normally exposed to several challenges such as seasonal factors and new entrants to the labour market. This is especially people who completed their secondary or tertiary qualifications. This results in some job losses and an increase in the unemployment rate.' He said the provincial government, through DEDT and its entities, will continue with its catalytic economic projects and plans to stimulate the economy and contribute to the much needed jobs. 'All our economic plans should promote inclusive economic growth and job creation, which will have a positive impact on Mpumalanga's the high poverty and inequality rates.' ALSO READ: Nzimande calls for investment in research and development during G20 meeting in Mbombela Mhlaba said addressing the high youth unemployment remains a top priority of government and business. 'We will continue to assist our young people to have the right qualifications and skills, in line with the province's economic needs.' He said almost 28% of the employed in Mpumalanga are people in the informal economy. Mhlaba said the DEDT has developed a provincial informal sector policy and is busy finalising it for implementation. 'Job creation is a co-responsibility between the public and private sectors. Infrastructure investment, for example, is crucial to stimulate the economy and create jobs on a large scale,' Mhlaba said. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
State measures in place to cushion poor amid rising living costs — Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa said his government is pro-poor. Image: GCIS President Cyril Ramaphosa says his government, the Government of National Unity (GNU), has implemented adequate measures to protect low-income South Africans from the rising cost of necessities. This comes as the average household food basket has increased by nearly 40% relative to inflation. Ramaphosa emphasised that the government was fully aware of the financial pressures facing citizens and remains committed to supporting the most vulnerable through targeted relief measures. He was responding to oral questions in Parliament, Cape Town on Tuesday. 'Government recognises the high cost of living facing South Africans. 'Tackling poverty and the cost of living is one of the three strategic priorities of the GNU and forms a central pillar of the Medium TermDevelopment Plan. 'South Africa's macroeconomic policy framework has been a key lever for shielding the poor from the high cost of living,' he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Ramaphosa mentioned that the framework included an inflation target, which has helped to keep prices low and stable and has been important in reducing average prices. 'Food price inflation has fallen quite significantly from 12.7 percent at the end of 2022 to 2.2 percent in March 2025. 'Headline inflation, which is a measure of the general cost of living, has also declined, averaging 4.4 percent in 2024 and inflation has even moderated further to 2.7 percent in March 2025,' he said. 'Food staples, such as maize meal, brown bread, rice, samp, milk, eggs, and other basic foodstuffs remain exempt from VAT, to help to cushion lower-income households in our country. 'Our fiscal policy has been redistributive, prioritising poor and low-income households. The government spends around 60 percent of its revenue on the social wage, which includes spending on social grants on education and health.' Last week, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, presented his 2025 national budget, without Value-Added-Tax (VAT) but social grants were increased at a rate higher than inflation. The provision of free basic services, such as water and electricity, for indigent households is an essential measure in reducing the high cost of living. 'This package of free municipal services continues to be a key tool for reducing poverty and inequality, and raising living standards and facilitating access to greater economic opportunities for many of our people. 'It is essential that municipalities ensure that this support reaches all the households that need it,' Ramaphosa said. IOL Politics
TimesLIVE
26-05-2025
- General
- TimesLIVE
‘Finish what we started': Simelane urges provinces to complete upgrades to informal settlements
Human settlements minister Thembi Simelane has urged all provinces to prioritise housing projects that have not been completed. Simelane made the remarks after six family members died when their shack caught fire in Marikana Informal settlement in Kwa-Thema, east of Johannesburg. She said the department has been inundated after several disasters over the past few weeks, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. 'The unfortunate incidents in our informal settlements are a clear sign that we should accelerate and invest in the upgrading of informal settlements and commit to finishing all the stalled projects around the country. This will enable qualifying beneficiaries to have access to decent shelter, prevent loss of life and improve the quality of household life', said Simelane. She said the department plans to upgrade just over 4,000 informal settlements during the course of the 2024-29 Medium Term Development Plan. Simelane underscored the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders in dealing with informal settlements around the country. This includes the government, the private sector, NGOs and communities. In response to the incident in Ekurhuleni, Simelane has tasked the Emergency Housing Unit, a team responsible for disasters within the department of human settlements, to work with the Gauteng department of human settlements and the City of Ekurhuleni to assist the affected household.
IOL News
26-04-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Proposed Local Government Bill aims to stabilise coalitions by 2028
Cogta aims to have the amendment bill that will limit the number of votes of no confidence against mayor and speaker considered in 2028 Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) is setting the stage for significant changes in local government with the proposed Local Government General Laws Amendment Bill. Briefing the Cooperative and Traditional Affairs Portfolio Committee on the 2025/26 budget, the department's Xolani Xundu said the Local Government General Laws Amendment Bill will be finalised in this current financial year. 'We are aiming to make sure that by the end of this current financial year, at least the minister endorses that bill by March 2026, and then take it to Parliament in 2027,' Xundu said. He said Cogta's target on the amendment bill was linked to the Medium Term Development Plan. 'It's not new, though. It's something that we've been doing,' Xundu said. The department's presentation showed that the amendment bill was submitted to the Cabinet in March 2024. It was then submitted to the technical working group of the Cabinet in March 2025. The department plans to submit to Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa in March 2027 and support Parliament in the processing of the bill after March 2028. The MK Party has since raised its concerns about the bills that sit before the portfolio committees. The party's MP Visvin Reddy took aim at the Local Government Amendment Bill, which aims to restrict how often no-confidence motions can be tabled. 'This is an anti-democratic attempt to protect corrupt mayors and speakers from legitimate accountability. We will oppose this vigorously and certainly see this as some kind of a power-shielding tactic,' he said. EFF MP Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi noted that Cogta presented the process of amending the bill as far back as 2024 and according to their plan, it is going to take until 2028. 'We can't be taking forever to implement such important laws that are going to intervene in the state of local government in South Africa,' Mkhaliphi said. She expressed her frustration that Cogta first introduced the draft law in 2024 and then took it to the Cabinet, only a year later, the technical working group from the Cabinet was to respond. 'What madness is that? I think we must have a way as Parliament, because Cabinet and executive committee are accountable here in this Parliament. We must have a way of telling them that this forever taking to deal with such amendments to laws is not acceptable,' Mkhaliphi added. Meanwhile, Cogta said the draft white paper on local government will be submitted to Hlabisa by March 2026. It said the recommendations emanating from the white paper will be implemented by March 2027. Xundu said the draft white paper was submitted to the minister for endorsement. 'It is out for public comment as we speak and what we are aiming to do in 2025/2026 is to make sure that at least by the end of March, that document is endorsed by the minister. 'And then in 2026/2027, taking all the recommendations, then they are included in the document itself, and then we will have a reviewed white paper on local government afterwards,' he said. DA MP Cathy Labuschagne said she was glad that the white paper was part of the annual performance plan. 'I assume that the changes in the white paper will definitely influence all this legislation, or is supposed to influence, because if it's not going to influence, it means that the white paper is just a revision without any changes,' she said.
