SOPA 2024: North West's acting premier Nono Maloyi hails province for jobs created, promises more

Despite the pressing issue of unemployment, particularly its disproportionate impact on women and children, North West Acting Premier Nono Maloyi has highlighted encouraging signs of progress in job creation and economic growth. Speaking at the sixth administration's final State of the Province Address (SOPA) in Mahikeng on Tuesday, Maloyi acknowledged the persistent challenges faced by the province, despite its abundance of mineral resources. He noted that economic growth has been sluggish, hampering efforts to address unemployment effectively. Maloyi, who assumed the role of acting premier due to Premier Bushy Maape's ongoing recovery from surgery, commended the province for generating approximately 69,528 work opportunities through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) between 2019 and October 2023. These opportunities, benefiting women, youth, and people with disabilities, increased to 84,528 by 2024, with an additional 15,000 jobs created. Highlighting the province's achievements, Maloyi pointed out that North West was among the three provinces that recorded the largest employment growth in the third quarter of 2023, generating over 61,000 jobs. He also mentioned two significant investment promotion events aimed at addressing unemployment: the North-West BRICS Investment Conference held during the BRICS Summit in August 2023 and the Premier's Dinner with Investors in September 2023. These initiatives resulted in 34 investment pledges worth over R104.1 billion, with 14 confirmed investment projects valued at R13.5 billion in the pipeline for the Bojanala Special Economic Zone, expected to create an additional 10,000 jobs. Maloyi highlighted the resilience of the province's tourism industry amid the Covid-19 pandemic, noting that it generated R6.9 billion in revenue and sustained 24,000 jobs. He emphasized the implementation of the Tourism Recovery Plan, which has led to growth in domestic and international visitor numbers. In closing, Maloyi urged the public to respect Premier Maape's privacy as he continues his recovery. He emphasized the importance of balancing accountability with respect for Maape's human dignity and privacy regarding his health information.