The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) took a strong stance against the constant decline of the province during the debate on the State of the Province Address (SOPA) by the newly elected Premier, Mr Mandla Ndlovu.
The FF Plus believes that the economic plans put forward by the Premier during his SOPA will fall short of turning the province’s struggling economy around.
He merely rehashed previous premiers’ empty promises of, for instance, job creation without detailing a plan of how it will be achieved.
Mpumalanga’s poor economic situation requires a watershed moment where proven economic policy is immediately implemented at grass-roots level.
It appears that Mr Ndlovu is not taking the province’s high unemployment rate – particularly among the youth – seriously. This figure currently stands at 44,6%.
The dilemma starts on grass-roots level with the Department of Education failing to meet learners’ needs. Funds are mismanaged and often disappear.
The local educational system is not equipping students with practical and vocational skills, which results in a discrepancy between job seekers’ abilities and what employers require.
In addition, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is currently investigating the province’s Department of Education for allegations of corruption and irregularities. The SIU is, among other things, looking into contracts for supplying food to schools.
The impact of such suspected corruption includes lower quality education, fewer qualified employees, and increased costs to attract and retain schooled workers.
The province’s high unemployment statistics reflect how the government’s current economic policy is failing to transform the youth’s quality of life.
It is a reflection of a government that has given up on looking for solutions to the challenges faced by the working-class majority. This creates unrest and political instability.
To rectify youth unemployment, the Premier has to start on grass-roots level and improve education, dismiss corrupt officials and support entrepreneurship, especially in the private sector.
Now is the time to improve access to information and resources, address systemic issues and support public-private partnerships.
Providing proper training to the province’s youth is the only way to ensure the economic future of Mpumalanga.
;
