Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Agriculture and Environment Dr Ramokgopa shared some of his plans in his newly appointed portfolio. Not at all overwhelmed with the work ahead, Ramokgopa says the portfolio of Economic, Agriculture and Environment is a work of hand in glove, “they all boost each other and complements one other.”
The MEC’s plans are deeply rooted in the townships of Gauteng. Talking about the historical disadvantage of townships being labour Reserves. His plan is to turn them around into centres of economic production. His plan is to call upon the big businesses to come to the townships with the promise of tax incentives and tax holiday. The MEC’s Gauteng budget for 2019 is set at R130 billion, half of which is already allocated to new infrastructure.
Dr Kgosientso believes that “waste is gold” more especially in the Gauteng province with so much waste, being wet waste, dry waste or glass. His mantra is to work with waste pickers. To ensure that they have safe protective clothing, and necessary equipment. He added saying: “they are working with gold,” and so the government is coming in to help waste pickers to turning this “nuisance” into a sustainable income and business in the townships and cities. The plan is to have the recycling depot in townships, big companies like SAPPI and Consol. To build an offtake market that will so that they can participate in the mainstream economy. “To have people working were they live”
In the agricultural sector he encourages communities and individuals into smart farming. Gauteng doesn’t have hectors of land for farming, but we can all use precision farming or vertical farming like the Chinese. The Government plans to capture the entire value chain. Placing transformation throughout the value chain. Transformation through the collation point, grading, packaging and logistics.
The Premier is to deliver a more detailed account of what is to be achieved in the first 100 days in office, 24 months plan and the rest of the duration. During the state of the province address.
