Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle yesterday appealed to people taking part in service delivery protests across the province not to damage infrastructure.
Speaking at a media conference at the end of a two-day executive committee lekgotla at the Fish River Sun, Masualle said they had “noted with great concern the growing violent protests in the province”.
He also called on law enforcement agencies to “deal decisively” with people who took the law into their own hands. Affected municipalities were urged to tighten-up their bylaws and to enforce them.
Angry residents have blocked main roads and damaged property in Kenton-on-Sea, Walmer in Port Elizabeth and other areas recently.
Masualle said other concerns that needed to be addressed, included included a lack of jobs and economic growth in the province.
“Economic growth and employment rates in the Eastern Cape are much lower than the national average, the province also has the highest unemployment rate in the country.”
High levels of poverty, illiteracy and household income also needed to be tackled along with “uneven” socio-economic development. q
Mining retrenchments could also hit the province hard.
He said the lekgotla had resolved to address the challenges by increasing investment on economic infrastructure and skills to attract more money and stimulate growth to the province and to pay more attention to sectors that have the potential to create more jobs.
Industries with the potential to create more jobs include agricultural development, the oceans economy, green economy and manufacturing.
Industrial parks also needed to be revitalised to help achieve this.
Masualle said although there were still challenges in some municipalities, the majority had adopted action plans to try and better implement the back to basics campaign at local government level.
Electricity was also a priority in more rural areas and Eskom had budgeted R722-million to connect 41000 households.
Human settlements had already built almost half of the 13100 new houses for this financial year. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
Keep our protesters in check – premier
Speaking at a media conference at the end of a two-day executive committee lekgotla at the Fish River Sun, Masualle said they had “noted with great concern the growing violent protests in the province”.
He also called on law enforcement agencies to “deal decisively” with people who took the law into their own hands. Affected municipalities were urged to tighten-up their bylaws and to enforce them.
Angry residents have blocked main roads and damaged property in Kenton-on-Sea, Walmer in Port Elizabeth and other areas recently.
Masualle said other concerns that needed to be addressed, included included a lack of jobs and economic growth in the province.
“Economic growth and employment rates in the Eastern Cape are much lower than the national average, the province also has the highest unemployment rate in the country.”
High levels of poverty, illiteracy and household income also needed to be tackled along with “uneven” socio-economic development. q
Mining retrenchments could also hit the province hard.
He said the lekgotla had resolved to address the challenges by increasing investment on economic infrastructure and skills to attract more money and stimulate growth to the province and to pay more attention to sectors that have the potential to create more jobs.
Industries with the potential to create more jobs include agricultural development, the oceans economy, green economy and manufacturing.
Industrial parks also needed to be revitalised to help achieve this.
Masualle said although there were still challenges in some municipalities, the majority had adopted action plans to try and better implement the back to basics campaign at local government level.
Electricity was also a priority in more rural areas and Eskom had budgeted R722-million to connect 41000 households.
Human settlements had already built almost half of the 13100 new houses for this financial year. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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