Ramaphosa Calls For Unity In Governance To Drive Inclusive Growth In Mpumalanga

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday underlined that inclusive economic growth and job creation should be the main focus of the government and its partners.

During a meeting between the National Executive and the Mpumalanga Provincial Executive Council in the Nkangala District Council Chambers, the president highlighted that cooperative governance was a constitutional requirement and called for better collaboration among all levels of government to tackle shared challenges, SA News reported.

Ramaphosa underscored Mpumalanga's potential, noting that the province played a key role as South Africa's energy hub due to its large coal reserves, in addition to being a center for agriculture and tourism.

He also acknowledged the serious challenges the province faced, including a higher-than-average unemployment rate and widespread poverty.

"For Mpumalanga, inclusive economic growth and job creation must therefore be at the forefront of the efforts of government and all social partners. Like other provinces, Mpumalanga needs to grow faster, and the benefits of growth need to reach more of its people," the president said, SA News reported. "Fortunately, this province has many advantages that it can use to drive growth and development. Mpumalanga is literally South Africa's powerhouse."

The president stressed the importance of balancing environmental goals with job protection and called for investment in new technologies, industries and skills to create growth and opportunities.

Ramaphosa said the province's infrastructure development was crucial for economic growth and improving residents' quality of life, before praising Mpumalanga for its fertile land and natural beauty.

He encouraged the province to invest in infrastructure and strengthen partnerships with national bodies like Infrastructure South Africa and the Infrastructure Fund.

The meeting, which included key officials like Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu and Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, aimed to align national and provincial priorities.

The president stressed the importance of using each province's unique resources to support national development goals and promote sustainable growth. This was part of his ongoing efforts to improve cooperation between national and provincial governments.

Earlier this week, police rescued at least 153 illegal miners during an operation at the abandoned South Mine in Sabie, Mpumalanga.