Gauteng’s unemployment rate increased and the opposition party is asking for detailed plans.
Much is being demanded from Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s address to the people of the province on 15 August.
The premier will be giving a State of the Province Address (Sopa) at the opening of the seventh provincial legislature on Thursday, 15 August.
Political parties have been lining up to list their provincial grievances, with the official opposition in the province leading charge.
‘Not expecting much’
Fresh off of not being included in Lesufi’s provincial executive, Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Solly Msimanga called for Lesufi to detail a department-specific plan for South Africa’s economic hub.
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Listing all that he feels is wrong with the province, Msimanga urged the premier to talk straight with the people.
“Premier Lesufi cannot expect to fix this province if he does not admit that there is a problem,” stated the DA’s former provincial candidate.
“If the election results are anything to go by, then it is clear that the majority of Gauteng residents have lost faith in Premier Lesufi,” he added.
Msimanga doubled down on claims the Nasi iSpani programme was an “electioneering campaign”, championing the causes of the teaching assistants and crime prevention wardens.
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Additionally, he questioned Lesufi’s commitment to lifestyle audits, holding his coalition partners to account and fighting corruption.
Gauteng unemployment up
In line with the rest of South Africa, employment increased fractional from the previous quarter and last year’s figures.
Gauteng, a province much of the country gravitates toward for economic opportunity, had it’s unemployment increase by 0.9% from the previous quarter to 35.1%.
This is fractionally higher than the national average, and 12.9% that the Western Cape which currently sits at 22.2%.
“It is not the government’s responsibility to create jobs, but to create a conducive environment for the economy to grow,” said Msimanga.
“For investor confidence to be boosted, crime should be curbed, and corruption must be rooted out. Furthermore, the water and electricity infrastructure should be fixed,” he added.
