Premier promises big things for Bay

THE growth of the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) is crucial in providing further incentives to attract much-needed investment in the province.

This was the word from KZN Premier Senzo Mchunu during his State of the Province address at the Royal Showground in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday.

Mchunu said linking the industrial hubs identified in each district to the RBIDZ as well as to the Dube Trade Port would extend impact throughout the province.

Prioritising infrastructure investment, he said government also intended setting up a future freight route between Limpopo and the Port of Richards Bay.

Associated projects included the development of a new dedicated freight corridor between the industrial heartland of Gauteng and the Port of Durban.

‘Durban Port together with Richards Bay currently handles almost 75% of the country’s total imports and exports. Much of this is transported along the Durban-Gauteng or Richards Bay-Mpumalanga corridors.

‘Approximately R100-billion will be invested in this development, and the acquisition of land involving the transfer of approximately 641 hectares valued at R1, 85-billion is in progress,’ said Mchunu.

With a national target of creating 11 million jobs by 2030, Mchunu said they had committed to creating 2.1 million jobs in this province.

‘This can be achieved through a firm focus on investing in strategic infrastructure that unlocks economic opportunities and creates jobs

‘Having a vision to be a gateway province, linking Africa to the rest of the world, implies a specific focus on the expansion and maintenance of infrastructure.

‘Investment in infrastructure development is a key enabler for further economic growth and for job creation. It is for this reason, we have a target that at least 20% of GDP is spent on infrastructure.’

Hospitals

Moving on to health, the Premier hinted that Pongola Hospital had made a proposal for financial assistance.

This after Mchunu confirmed that the Department of Health had taken over McCord in Durban with negotiations underway to absorb St Mary’s and St Aidan’s hospitals.

Pongola Hospital was first notified in January 2013 that its subsidy would be withdrawn by the department due to ‘budget cuts’.

Built in the 1960s, the 21-bed hospital has been receiving funding for the past 40 years.

With no funding guarantee available, there has been uncertainty over the future of Pongola Hospital.

‘There is more, similar work that we need to do to improve health provision in our province including in the Zululand District,’ said Mchunu.

Voting plea

With elections on the doorstep, Mchunu also called for a safe, peaceful, free and fair vote with the cooperation of all political parties and citizens.

This comes after Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini slammed political intolerance in KZN and the re-emergence of no-go areas during the official opening of the KZN Legislature on Tuesday.

‘Corpses cannot vote. If people want to be elected at this year’s elections, they should ensure levels of tolerance; we do not want to revisit unpleasant episodes,’ said Zwelithini.

The King called on voters to protect these gains made 20 years ago by refusing to be used in political violence.

He also urged the Independent Electoral Commission not to exclude traditional leaders from its preparations for the elections.

The king warned that if political violence continued in KZN, the situation could escalate to genocide similar to Rwanda. ‘I urge you to protect the agreement that was reached in 1994 by refusing to be used in fighting political battles because, in the end, it is not your leaders who lose their loved ones, but it is you as the public,’ he said.