SOPA 2020: KZN shows employment growth, says Zikalala
Premier Sihle Zikalala says KwaZulu-Natal is among the provinces creating jobs.
Zikalala delivered his State of the Province Address at the Royal Show Grounds in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday.
He says the province is not exempt from the national and international economic hardships.
"Unemployment figures paint a grim picture of our economy, whereby 29.1% of working-age people remain jobless. Despite this, we are encouraged that we are one of four provinces in our country that shows the employment growth with a net gain of 39 000 jobs created in the last quarter."
Zikalala has also promised a skills audit for all government officials.
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He says the Cooperative Governance Department has already done assessments on over 4 000 officials in nine municipalities.
"The assessment will continue to cover all outstanding municipalities. The skills audit at a provincial level will commence within the next six months and will cover all departments and entities."
Zikalala also touched on the recent student protests at some of KZN's universities.
He says the destruction of property during protests is unacceptable.
He says the Education MEC has been tasked with leading a team that will intervene where necessary - and help find lasting solutions.
"There is no reason that should lead students to destroy infrastructure, be it police vans or any infrastructure. As government, we are promising to listen and intervene on time, but equally, we are not going to tolerate the destruction of infrastructure."
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On Ugu's water woes, Zikalala says R20 million has been set aside to sort out it's water supply problems.
The premier says it's part of the KZN government's Water Intervention Plan that will also help other areas that are struggling with supply - including uThukela, uMzinyathi, Amajuba, Zululand, uMkhanyakude and Harry Gwala.
He said R84 million has already been transferred to municipalities to implement what he termed “quick-win” interventions.
In Ugu district - Zikalala says 92 static tanks have already been delivered while R1.3 million will be spent on upgrade water pumps in Ifafa.
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