Film producers in the Eastern Cape will receive a major boost after finance MEC Oscar Mabuyane announced he would inject R10m into the industry.
He made the announcement while tabling his mid-term budget at the Bhisho legislature on Thursday.
Mabuyane said the proposal came from Mthobeli Mali, one of the residents who responded to his call for input from ordinary citizens.
“We heeded your call Mthobeli Mali as you have advised us to allocate resources for the film industry,” said Mabuyane.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Alicia, an Eastern Cape artist at last week’s Dispatch Dialogues. She called on premier Phumulo Masualle to build recording studios and facilities for film producers.
“We do not have to go to Gauteng to make names for ourselves as Eastern Cape artists. We need your support,” said Alicia.
Mabuyane said: “Our province has undeniable talent and world-class sites that should be utilised by the film industry.”
An additional amount of R10.4m was given to the premier’s office “to continue the youth skills programme in infrastructure maintenance that is being rolled out with the assistance of the SANDF”.
“Through the stimulus we also aim to incentivise innovation, employment and training of young people by private sector companies,” said Mabuyane.
His budget saw small, micro, medium enterprises (SMMEs) also receiving a major shot in the arm as a sum of R50m was set aside to support them.
The funds, which Mabuyane said would be channelled through the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, are earmarked for SMMEs who operate in the agriculture, oceans economy, manufacturing and tourism sectors.
“These SMMEs must include youth-owned enterprises and must guarantee jobs for the youth. “Furthermore, our stimulus will enable us to invest in livestock production, grain farming, horticultural commodities and agro-processing with a particular bias towards smallholder farmers,” added Mabuyane.
He also praised South African Breweries for injecting R438m in their Nelson Mandela Bay plant, as well as the R10bn investment by Mercedes-Benz SA in their East London plant.
This year also saw Aspen Pharmacare investing R3.4bn in its Port Elizabeth plant.“These investments must create new and sustainable jobs in particular for the youth and black-owned SMMEs,” said Mabuyane...