By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Freddy Mavundla.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced that in the next 100 days, he will be signing delivery agreements with each MEC to spell out the commitments they are making to improve the lives of all Gauteng residents over the next five years.
“These delivery agreements will be made public and I will hold routine sessions with MECs to assess progress and identify blockages that impact our ability to deliver,” said Lesufi.
Lesufi was speaking during the SOPA in Katlehong on Thursday evening.
This marks his second SOPA of the year, delivered under the new Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) within the 7th administration.
Ahead of his address, scores of Gauteng youth brigades protested outside the venue singing songs saying: “Panyaza we are suffering.”
Lesufi said they will introduce innovative technologies to enhance e-services and platforms which include digital payment and application solutions for state transactions to create a cashless, paperless environment and reduce queue-based services.
“These developments must ensure strong and coordinated governance across the province and ensure robust cybersecurity and data protection,” said Lesufi.
Lesufi said a number of promises he made at the end of the sixth administration had come to fruition.
“Last time when we met like this, we committed to doing away with e-tolls. Today, e-tolls are gone,” Lesufi said.
“Last time we met like this, load shedding was a headache, but that headache is now gone. Thanks to our President, our Minister, and the Eskom team for their remarkable work.
“Last time we met like this, we committed to conducting lifestyle audits on all heads of departments and CEOs of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) Agencies. This work has been completed. We have just received a report from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU),” he added.
Lesufi stated that he will meet with the SIU in the coming weeks to receive a full briefing, allowing the matter to be finalised and appropriate actions taken where necessary.
The Premier highlighted the government’s efforts to deliver on promises under his leadership and stressed that rebuilding Gauteng’s economy demands a new strategy, diverging from traditional models of provincial economic growth and development.
He expressed confidence in the GPU’s ability to deliver better outcomes for the people of Gauteng.
Lesufi reiterated his commitment to job creation, addressing corruption and crime, maintaining electricity and water supplies, and enhancing security measures.
“We have signed a groundbreaking agreement to reskill the unemployed people of Gauteng at the value of R1.1 billion that we have received from the National Skills Fund.
“This will be added to the R8 billion we have already received from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) where we are reskilling almost 500 000 unemployed residents.
Lesufi said unemployed citizens had been invited to identify skills they want to be trained in, with over 600 000 people responding.
“We have now categorised them and are ready to reskill them.
The contracts of 32 000 Gauteng Youth Brigade (GYB) beneficiaries hired as teaching assistants ended on 31 July, despite Lesufi promising in February that it would be extended to 2025.
He used his address to apologise to those who lost their jobs, while stating the province had paid out of its “own pocket” to keep it going for two years.
We want to apologise to them for the abrupt termination but assure them that with new investment opportunities, we will open new opportunities, so they do not rely on temporary jobs.”
Lesufi said the Gauteng government has made 250 new vehicles available to the South African Police Service for police stations to respond quickly to crime scenes.
“We have deployed over 400 visible policing cars…today we’ve got three helicopters that are ready to combat crime in our province.”
He added that an e-panic button has been launched.
“A physical button has bow been distributed to 30,000 citizens,” he said adding that it could grab the attention of law enforcement officers within minutes.
Gauteng will invest R120 billion to expand the Gautrain to reach Soweto, Fourways, Mamelodi, Attridgeville, Vaal, Lanseria, and Springs.
“The expansion of Gautrain is expected to create over 125 000 jobs during construction over five years. The bid to construct these lines closes next month.”
Lesufi also paid tribute to the women who have played significant role in South Africa’s struggle for freedom, as August is celebrated as Women’s Month.
Among those honoured were former cabinet minister and chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Lesufi highlighted her role as a pioneer for the liberation of oppressed people and women in South Africa and across the continent.
“She defied the odds at a time when it was largely unheard of for young African women to launch themselves into revolutionary politics,” he said.
“Her courageous activism inevitably attracted the perilous attention of the authorities, leading her to flee the country into exile.
“There, she completed her medical education in the United Kingdom and temporarily settled in Swaziland, where she continued to practice medicine as an ANC activist,” Lesufi said.
He noted that Dlamini-Zuma was appointed to the cabinet by former president Nelson Mandela, and that she had served under all subsequent presidents.
She also made history as the first woman to lead the African Union.
Lesufi also lauded former international relations minister Naledi Pandor, describing her as a “gallant woman” in the nation’s political history.
“Her educational accomplishments remain inspirational to all of us. After serving in various positions in the nation’s legislative arm of government, she joined the executive branch in 2004.”
Lesufi praised Pandor for her unwavering stance on international issues, including her outspoken criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
“She championed South Africa’s push for the International Court of Justice to act against Israelis with conviction,” he said.
Lesufi announced a special legislature sitting in August to bestow special awards on these two women.
He also paid tribute to four athletes, including Bayanda Walaza, who won silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics as part of South Africa’s 4x100m relay team.
Meanwhile the Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga, in response to Lesufi’s state of the province address, said investors are hesitant to put their money into a province where crime is rampant and the government’s economic policies lack clarity. Without a stable, secure environment, no amount of job-creation programmes will succeed.
Msimanga said Lesufi’s government of provincial unity was failing to grow the economy because of its inability to clamp down on rising crime and corruption and fix the poor roads in the province.
The provincial government comprises the ANC and several smaller parties, including the Inkatha Freedom Party, Rise Mzansi and the Patriotic Alliance.
The ANC holds seven crucial portfolios, while the minority partners have each been allocated one portfolio. Together, they hold 33 out of 80 seats in the provincial legislature. The provincial unity government excludes the DA, which holds 22 seats and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) which has 11.
EFF Gauteng leader Nkululeko Dunga said Lesufi’s promise to deliver solutions to the province remains a “slogan rather than a substantive strategy”.
“Gauteng continues to record the highest crime levels in the country … The province also has the highest rates of violent crimes (1 787 in the last quarter), including sexual crimes (over 20% of the national total),” he said, adding that the Nasi Ispani initiative was a publicity stunt aimed at garnering votes.
“We call on the Gauteng government to avoid leaving these young people in limbo and instead find solutions to return them to work and place them in other skill-building and employment programmes across the province, “Dunga said.