By Phenyo Selinda
Northern Cape Premier, Dr Zamani Saul, reaffirmed his commitment to modernising the province, stimulating economic growth, and ensuring the success of the seventh administration during his inauguration speech on Monday.
“This will be done with much greater speed and underpinned by the six priority areas of the 2024 ANC election manifesto,” Saul emphasized.
Six Priority Areas for Transformation
Saul highlighted that the administration’s approach to transforming the Northern Cape would focus on six key areas: creating jobs, building industries for an inclusive economy, tackling the high cost of living, investing in people, defending democracy and advancing freedom, and building a better Africa.
The Premier was speaking at the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature in Kimberley following the first sitting of the Provincial Legislature on 14 June 2024, where he was sworn in as the seventh democratically elected Premier of the Northern Cape.
Progress and Achievements
Dr Saul lauded the province’s substantial progress in providing basic services to the poor since the advent of democracy in 1994.
“Before 1994, many communities were deprived of essential services such as clean running water, electricity, housing, and education. Since the dawn of our democracy, we have reduced the backlog of basic services and improved living conditions for many citizens.”
He further indicated that the proportion of households in the Northern Cape with access to flush toilets rose to 73% in 2022, showcasing a significant improvement in service delivery.
“We have indeed improved the quality of public education,” Saul added, noting that the percentage of individuals aged 5 to 24 attending educational institutions escalated from 64.2% to 70.3% in 2022. Additionally, the number of people aged 20 years and older without any schooling decreased from 22.7% to 6.7%.
Saul also expressed his relief over the country having surpassed three months of zero load shedding, which he believes signals the end of frequent power outages.
Unity and Collaboration
Addressing the challenges faced by the previous administration, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of State Capture, Saul assured citizens of a renewed commitment to closing the trust deficit and doing things differently.
“The next five years will require intensive engagement with political parties, civil society, the private sector, academia, and all spheres of government,” he stated.
He emphasised the importance of unity and collaboration towards achieving the Northern Cape Provincial Growth and Development Plan Vision 2040.
Focus on Youth Empowerment
Recognising the crucial role of the youth, who constitute approximately 60% of the province’s population, Dr Saul stressed the necessity of involving young people in development initiatives as active co-creators.
Last month saw the introduction of the Labour Activation Programme through the Unemployment Insurance Fund of the Department of Labour. This initiative, with a budget exceeding R545 million, aims to benefit 23,000 unemployed young people by providing them with skills development opportunities.
Government of National Unity
Premier Saul believes that the Government of National Unity (GNU) signifies a new era of cooperation among diverse political parties, aimed at improving the citizens’ lives and fostering national solidarity.
“We are entering uncharted waters, with a capable captain, His Excellency President Ramaphosa, to steer the country through this murky situation,” he noted.
In closing, the Premier committed to leading with honesty, empathy, and diligence, and effectively addressing economic growth, job creation, social welfare, infrastructure development, and good governance.
“Let us continuously collaborate, motivated by the spirit of progress and solidarity that characterises our country at this crucial moment,” he concluded.
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