By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi of the North West Provincial Government outlined job creation initiatives including expanding the EPWP, community health workers, community works, and labour activation programmes.
Mokgosi delivered his second State of the Province Address (SOPA) for the 7th Administration during the Official Opening of the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL).
His government is aiming to create more than 150,000 job opportunities over the next five years, targeting women, youth, and people with disabilities.
Mokgosi emphasised the government’s commitment to addressing unemployment and enhancing public services despite the constraints. He said more than 3,000 young people have been exposed to various employment opportunities as ambassadors of One Stop Centres, SMME development through the Empowerment Fund and as tourism monitors across the province.
The North West – has more adults out of work and not looking than people who are employed, with an unemployment rate of 53.6%, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QFLS).
Mokgosi added the VT Sifora provincial bursary scheme had allocated R10 million to benefit students from poor and missing middle households, to enrol at various institutions of higher learning across the country. Moreover, 31 unemployed young people from across the North West were recruited into the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro (NMFC) medical programme to pursue their medical studies in Cuba.
Mokgosi further said his government is aiming at driving agricultural development to empower emerging commercial farmers, while contributing to sustainable economic growth to address high poverty levels at rural communities and in district municipalities such as Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati and Ngaka Modiri Molema.
He will be launching a flagship programme of this initiative at the University’s Molelwane Farm in Mahikeng.
Mokgosi added that in the next financial year, they will launch the “Ntime o Mphele Ngwana Poverty Alleviation Programme”, which is centred on addressing hunger and starvation amongst children and youth in economically depressed communities.
“I want to urge various non-governmental organisations and the private sector to partner with us in executing this initiative. Through the ILIMA/Letsema Programme and the Presidential Employment Stimulus, we are supporting over 5000 subsistence farmers in ensuring that no households in the province go to bed hungry.
“More than R60m has been set aside for the successful implementation of these programmes. An additional R80m of conditional grants will support farming communities in increasing food production across the province,” he said.
Mokgosi said the resuscitation of the Taung Irrigation Scheme is in full swing following their ongoing discussions and consultations with Bogosi and other key stakeholders. He said plans are already afoot to also revitalise the Disaneng, Molatedi, Hartebees and Mooibank Irrigation Schemes.
“In giving impetus to these plans, we will host a two-day Irrigation Symposium on the 5 and 6 March 2025, to develop a framework, as well as an implementation plan to drive agricultural production in rural and periphery communities.
“Restoring the dignity of our people remains one of the apex priorities of this government. To date over 6000 hectares of land have been restored to communities and rightful owners,” said Mokgosi.
He said through this programme, R4.5 billion was spent on land acquisition with over R430 million paid as development grants.