Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, says the department has set aside R554 million to create jobs through municipal infrastructure projects.<\/p>\n
Dlamini-Zuma said this when she outlined the department\u2019s budget and spending priorities during a virtual mini-plenary of the National Assembly on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026R554million has been allocated to the Department of Cooperative Governance as part of the government-wide R19.6 billion of the Presidential Economic Stimulus and job creation programme.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will use these resources to create 25,000 jobs through building and maintaining infrastructure using labour intensive methods.\u201d<\/p>\n
Addressing members of Parliament, Dlamini-Zuma said for communities and ordinary citizens to be able to participate in the opportunities and in their own development, government must urgently implement the skills revolution.<\/p>\n
She said there was a need for targeted skills development in agriculture, construction, infrastructure, artisans and many other skills in order to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty, whilst building the resilience of communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo complement this, we are also remodeling the Community Works Programme. We intend to use the programme to promote active citizenry through the employ of cooperatives and community based organisations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Covid-19 an opportunity to reset the country\u2019s outlook<\/strong><\/p>\n Dlamini-Zuma said in response to the global Coronavirus pandemic, government has relied on the District Development Model, which has been rolled out with urgency since it is a central feature in the response to Covid-19.<\/p>\n The recently-launched district-based coordination model, dubbed \u2018Khawuleza\u2019 (hurry up), was introduced with an aim of addressing service delivery and economic development challenges through the synchronisation of planning across all spheres of government.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need not fear the pandemic, because it also offers us an opportunity to reset our outlook. Through our responses, we can [see the] possibility of a more equal, sustainable and just society, where leaders are active facilitators in development.\u201d<\/p>\n The Minister said that to this end, the president has deployed ministers and deputy ministers as district champions.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have profiled all 52 District and Metro spaces, so that we can facilitate for the participation of our people in a decentralised economic system, as envisaged by the Reconstruction and Development Programme.<\/p>\n \u201cThe champions will contribute to vertical and horizontal integration of government planning and implementation.\u201d<\/p>\n Dlamini-Zuma also said that the deployment of champions will be complemented by a shared services model at a district level, which will avail Local Economic Development, planning, engineering, planners, ICT, financial and other capacities and capabilities to our municipalities.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough the transparent One Plan and One Budget, every citizen will know of the status of plans, budgets and implementation, thus lessening the potential of corruption and maladministration.\u201d<\/p>\n
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