By Kopano Dibakwane
Different departments joined the Mpumalanga Provincial Government to celebrate Africa Public Service Day recently held at Embalenhle, near Secunda, in the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality.
The spokesperson in the OTP(Office of the Premier), Zibonele Mncwango, said departments such as DEDT(Economic Development and Tourism), DARDLEA(Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs), and entities such as MEGA(Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency), brought their services directly to the local community, to unpack their roles in bolstering economic growth in the local municipality.
Mncwango said the event was held under the theme;” Enhancing the agility and resilience of public institutions to achieve equitable governance and rapidly address historic service delivery”.
He said the DARDLEA expressed concern about the low participation of young people in agriculture, and called upon the youth to develop skills and improve their participation in the agribusiness value chain and the sector in general, by taking advantage of available opportunities.
“ DARDLEA highlighted its impressive progress in the region, that includes the establishment of 45 backyard gardens, and 782 gardens dedicated to supporting vulnerable households; the renovation of the Mpumalanga Afri Mall, and 560 hectares of land cultivated for smallholder farmers, thereby advancing food security,” said Mncwango.
DEDT reportedly affirmed its commitment to driving entrepreneurship and economic growth.
“ The MEGA(Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency) continues to support small businesses through funding programmes that must be taken advantage of by community members, if they were to build sustainable enterprises and play a part in job creation,” said Mncwango.
