IDZ a key to KZN growth says MEC
Tender documents will be made more user-friendly and a single procurement bill is being developed to replace the more than 80 different legal instruments, guidelines and instruction notes that govern public procurement.
THE Richards Bay IDZ is showing encouraging progress and is now at a point where they need to acquire more property based on the demand for industrial land in the area.
This was according to KZN MEC for Finance, Ms Belinda Scott, tabling the 2015/16 Adjustment Estimates at the Legislature in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday.
The Minster said electricity constraints, weak business confidence and low household demand has limited the country’s economic growth.
‘It is, therefore, imperative that we look within to find resources to unlock economic development in our province.
‘The other areas we must focus on is the way we procure goods and services.’
The minister said government spends about R20.644-billion on goods and services and a further R7.728-billion on capital.
‘We are a major player in our provincial economy.’
Procurement
National Treasury has introduced reforms to make procurement more efficient and transparent, including an eTender portal which provides a single point of entry to identify business opportunities with government.
Tender documents will be made more user-friendly and a single procurement bill is being developed to replace the more than 80 different legal instruments, guidelines and instruction notes that govern public procurement.
The Minister said government adapted to the low-growth global environment by identifying broad structural reforms to put the economy on a higher growth path and by reducing the country’s vulnerability by implementing fiscal policy measures to maintain the health of public finances.
‘The capacity of ESKOM to supply reliable electricity, which is key to our industrialisation strategy, has been restored.
‘Also, over the past 10 months, progress has been made in stabilising the electricity supply, promoting measures to manage demand and contracting additional supply from the private sector.’
Provincial milestones included reaching one million people in need of ARVs who are now receiving medication from public institutions, while the number of children who receive meals through school nutrition programmes has increased to 2 287 064 million.
Significant additional funding increased the number of housing units being constructed and households with access to electricity.
Backlogs in school sanitation were also addressed.
R150-million was allocated to the Department of Education for sanitation, but will only be available for allocation in 2016/17 (R100-million) and 2017/18 (R50-million).
There is a backlog of 741 schools that do not have adequate toilet facilities and 500 schools that require water supply in the province NGO’s.
NGOs recognised
‘We have recognised the excellent work done by our social partners in the form of NGOs, and have continued to support them through transfers which we have increased by 6% over the Mid Term Expenditure Framework.’
Social Development will be receiving R44.200-million in 2015/16, R46.410-million in 2016/17 and R49.102-million in 2017/18 to provide for a 6% increase in transfers to NGOs.
Also read: Investors sign up to bring industries to Richards Bay
