According to the Speaker of the Provincial Legislature, Newrene Klaaste, more needs to be done to change the status quo. Klaaste and several Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) are on a week-long oversight visit to different regions. Following her visit to the Upington Industrial Park, she told OFM News more needs to be done to ensure economic development of communities in the area. Klaaste says the province remains rural with high unemployment rates and she is concerned about that.

She says the Upington Industrial Park and all the other key projects in the province must benefit communities. According to Stats SA’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey, the province’s unemployment rate currently stands at 23,4%.

After her visit to the Upington Industrial Park, Namakwa Special Economic Zone, Boegoebaai Harbour, and several municipalities, Klaaste said that they are expecting to continue with their oversight visits, which are expected to end on Friday at the Kalahari Kid Corporation in Upington.

OFM News/Kekeletso Motsebetsi