SOPA 2015: Denial tops the agenda of Premier’s address

SOPA 2015: Denial tops the agenda of Premier’s address

Mpumalanga Premier, David Mabuza delivered a State of the Province Address (SOPA) that, if anything, demonstrated the extent of ANC government’s disconnection with the real state of the province.

The DA welcomes the Premier’s announcement that the Moloto Rail Corridor Development programme has now been approved and is included as part of the national Strategic Infrastructure Project 1: Unlocking the northern mineral belt.

The DA has for a long time been calling for the implementation of the Moloto Rail Corridor to alleviate the pressure on the ill-fated R537 Moloto Road.

Premier Mabuza has also heeded the DA’s call for the commercialization of parks. This will free Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) to focus fully on its mandate of marketing tourism and conservation of biodiversity. 

We are however disgusted at the Premier’s statement that load shedding is a good problem and is a sign of development. Premier Mabuza sentiments are a clear sign of the ANC’s complete denial of the devastating effects of load shedding on the economy.

Although the Premier mentioned that 86 710 jobs were created between 2008 and 2014, he failed to mention that, in this period, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 162 000, pushing the unemployment rate from 23% to 29.3%.

Also of concern is the fact that so much faith has been put on the controversial Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) to handle massive infrastructure projects such as being the lead implementation agent of executing the development of the 10 hospitals earmarked for development over the next three years. This Agency failed to establish bulk water infrastructure, lost over 750 housing loan agreements and constantly fails to reach over 50% of their set targets.

With the housing backlog standing at 197 156, it is a worrying factor the Premier made no mention of how this issue would be addressed. Instead, he again promised to revitalise distressed mining towns, a promise that by his own admission has yet to be fulfilled.

The SOPA did not provide effective remedies to cure the multiple problems plaguing the province; instead, it was a game of denial self-congratulation of gains that in reality, were not achieved.