Executive Council Meeting Considers Reports For Approval And Implementation 

By Kopano Dibakwane

Mpumalanga premier, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, held a meeting with members of the executive council(MEC’s) to outline and intensify measures in support of the just energy transition(JET), implementation of the provincial programme of action(POA), Blyde River Canyon Skywalk project, the drug master plan, amongst other issues.

The meeting is said to be aligned to the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the provincial government and TVET colleges to train students for technical skills as part of the 90 000 job massification plan by the end of 2023/2024 financial year. Also in discussion was the plan to intensify service delivery measures and infrastructure development.

The office of the premier(OTP) said in a statement that the following resolutions were reached:

An economic summit will be coordinated to attract investments, in support of programmes such as skilling and re-skikki g of employees, who will be adversely affected by the process. The participation of mines is identified as very important to determine the course of action once the power stations are decommissioned. The training of students, based on the MOU was also viewed as part of the measures to contribute towards energy transition.

The project will fortify Mpumalanga’s position as a premier choice of destination for international and domestic tourists. It’s geographic location, brings closer key stakeholders such as the Blyde CPA’s(Communal Property Association), to participate meaningfully in the economic development of the area. EXCO revealed its satisfaction that all necessary steps have been undertaken to resume the construction project in January 2024, with the completion deadline of January 2026.

EXCO stated that substance abuse, identified in various communities and local municipalities in the province such as Nkomazi, City of Mbombela, Emalahleni, Thembisile Hani, Govan Mbeki, Chief Albert Luthuli and Msukaligwa, is highly prevalent.

A multi-disciplinary approach will be implemented in order to locate the role of the education sector, local government and traditional leaders.

Infrastructure projects, in the health, education, housing and roads sectors, will be implemented and handed over to the communities. The projects are designed to improve access to health and improve life expectancy, access to education and offer citizens their dignity of living in decent houses. The implementation of the POA(programme of action) is premised on the 2030 NDP(national development plan), 2019-24 medium term strategic framework(MTSF), state of the nation address(SONA), as well as the state of the province address(SOPA) and the nine-point plan.

Several key appointments to improve the capacity of the administration were made, these include, but not limited to the following:

(a) Hekzin Vilakazi – chief executive officer(CEO)of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency(MTPA).

(b) Vusi Mtsweni – chief executive officer (CEO) of the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator(MER)