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Over 90% of goods and services sourced from previously disadvantaged groups in Gauteng

Goods and services. Image: 123RF Stock Image
Goods and services. Image: 123RF Stock Image

 The Gauteng provincial government has procured 92% of its goods and services from historically disadvantaged individuals since 2014.

This amounts to R53.9-billion over the last three and a half years and over 11‚000 firms owned by historically disadvantaged individuals have benefited. Included in this figure are 3‚484 companies owned by women‚ and 2‚385 companies owned by youth.

This was revealed by Gauteng finance MEC Barbara Creecy when she tabled her Medium Term Budget Policy Statement in the legislature on Thursday.

Creecy said Gauteng remained the primary destination for foreign direct investment.

“According to the FDI Intelligence Report‚ between January 2011 and December 2016‚ a total of 460 investment projects were recorded in Gauteng. These projects represent a total capital investment of R153-billion‚” Creecy said.

“This year the first five mega human settlements‚ namely Leeuport‚ Daggafontein‚ John Dube‚ Chief Albert Luthuli and Montrose‚ have attracted approximately R29-billion in new private sector investment. It is estimated that these new investments will create over 50‚000 new jobs over the next three years.”

Creecy said provincial government spent R12.4-billion in the 2016/17 financial year on infrastructure delivery. This is the third year in a row that the province is able to spend more than 96% of the appropriated budget.

Work in the business process outsourcing sector has already created 6‚000 new jobs this year‚ Creecy said. This is primarily call centre services.

The same sector signed an agreement with premier David Makhura to create a further 24‚000 jobs over the next 36 months. About 20% of these jobs will be exclusively for the youth.

The province will also continue with its Tshepo One Million programme‚ which trains young people in skills and entrepreneurship and also links them to various internships. Since 2014‚ this initiative has helped 400‚000 youth and over 42‚000 new beneficiaries were recorded this year.

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