Economic development is crucial for Eersterust, and the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) welcomes the public meeting recently hosted by the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Economic Development Committee to discuss the matter.
The new chairperson of the Economic Development Committee and Freedom Front Plus MPL, Adv Anton Alberts, organised the meeting as part of the Committee’s oversight function.
It followed appeals from members of the coloured community to have their problems addressed as well.
During the meeting, the Department of Economic Development had the opportunity to present financial and employment reports to the public, with a particular focus on economic development projects in Eersterust and Mamelodi East.
The Eersterust community stated that the provincial government is doing very little to promote economic development in the area. Their frustration is nothing new and reinforces the perception that they are not receiving support because they are not “black enough”.
Adv Alberts undertook to ensure – as part of the Committee’s role of overseeing the Department – that tangible development projects are launched to create job opportunities in Eersterust.
The focus will be on training and financial support for entrepreneurs as well as establishing innovation laboratories for the development of new products.
The Department of Economic Development made several commitments to the community regarding the rollout of economic development assistance programmes, including training and financial support.
The Freedom Front Plus advocates for community self-governance, where residents are actively involved in decision-making processes that affect their lives. So, this public meeting was a positive step towards empowering the Eersterust community.
The Tshwane Metro’s poor service delivery, including power and water supply, should be addressed, though. The positive impact of government programmes will also depend on how fairly and transparently they are implemented.
The Freedom Front Plus in the Tshwane Metro will, therefore, exercise oversight to ensure that the Department of Economic Development delivers on its promises.
The Freedom Front Plus does more than criticise, it rolls up its sleeves and steps in to uplift communities.
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