(Debate in Gauteng Legislature on the annual report of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development)
In the FF Plus's view, the Gauteng Department of Economic Development fulfils a significant role in creating a healthy environment for economic growth, job creation and social development. Thus, the FF Plus finds it disappointing that the Department is failing to achieve these objectives and lays the blame for the Department’s poor performance at the door of the ANC.
One of the reasons for its poor performance in growing the Gauteng economy in 2019/2020 is that the Department failed to offer adequate support to small and medium enterprises. It is general knowledge that small enterprises create the most job opportunities and, thus, the lack of support is a slap in the face of all unemployed persons.
In addition, the Department did not do enough to attract more local and foreign investments to the province.
The economy, which had already been damaged by the ANC even before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the province, will not be able to recover fully without external investments.
On top of that, the Department underspent its budget with R79 million – money that could have been used to address the problem of unemployment.
The FF Plus considers the Department's poor performance as characteristic of the ANC's poor governing style and has very little hope that things will change.
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