This is according to Chairperson for the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development in the Free State Legislature, Thabo Meeko. Meeko was speaking in relation to the issues raised by Mangaung Metro residents during the National Council of Provinces public engagement in the area, today. 

Meeko says the provincial government cannot turn a blind eye on statistics revealing that more than half of the South African population is still living in dire poverty and that the province is among those with the highest unemployment rate.

Meeko says there also remains a need to focus on the economic development of women and the youth in the province.

“Today, the focus is on the economy. People have raised issues they are experiencing on the ground with relation to issues of the economy. Among many issues that have been raised is the question of when and how the new spirit of the economy - radical economic transformation - is going to find expression on the ground."

He says in as much as radical economic transformation is not a new policy. It is, however, regarded as a measure of how the government should start doing things differently.

“The focus and the content is that we must start to attend to the issues of the structure, of the management and of the institutions, including the laws around the economy because we have appreciated that 20 years into democracy our movement and the development have been at a very slow pace. Now, we have to up the gear and ensure that we finally integrate those who have been excluded from economic participation and beneficiation”.

Meeko says this includes looking at measures that the government needs to take to ensure support for SMME’s, how to locate the NYDA to be more accessible to people in rural areas.

“As much as we are dealing with the grassroots, bread and butter issues on the economy, we also need to realise that more still needs to be done.”

He says the province is currently looking into investing more in small and medium enterprises as a one way to assist to create the much-needed employment in the province.

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