By Akani Nkuna
Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba has applauded the province’s steady economic growth, which increased to 0.9% in 2024, the best among all provinces, even besting Gauteng, which came in at 0.8%.
“This progress is not a mere statistic; it is a window to the potential we hold within our communities, especially at the local government level, where you – our mayors and councillors – hold the reins of power,” she said.
Ramathuba was speaking during the Premier’s Intergovernmental Relations Forum in Bolivia Lodge, Polokwane, on Thursday, where she appealed to delegates, including executive mayors from across the province, provincial government officials, traditional leaders, and councillors, to be active participants in the implementation of strategies and plans to ensure rural development takes effect.
The forum also seeks to consolidate national, provincial, and local government efforts to address service delivery deficiencies and accelerate development. The premier’s office outlined that the forum further contributes towards Limpopo’s mission of innovative service excellence.
A report by Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) earlier this month found that Limpopo, Gauteng and the Western Cape registered the strongest growth rates among provinces in 2024. “Limpopo expanded by 0,9%, driven mainly by two industries: finance, which includes real estate and business services, and personal services,” said the StatsSA report.
“Other industries in Limpopo that recorded gains include utilities (i.e. electricity & water); transport & communication; general government; manufacturing and trade. Agriculture, construction and mining performed poorly, but not enough to derail Limpopo’s positive showing,” said the report.
Ramathuba warned that the positive outlook in terms of economic growth should not distract officials from the myriad challenges affecting the province that were negatively influencing residents’ quality of life — including an “unsettling state of lawlessness”.
She said the war rooms established across the province, aiming to address service delivery issues ranging from potholes, sewage issues, and access to water, continued to play a crucial role in maintain pressure on leadership and ensuring sustained effort and accountability.
“We must also address the disheartening reports regarding our audit outcomes. Our local governments are not doing enough to improve their standings, and many who achieve clean audits struggle to sustain them. We must collectively work to reverse this trend and strive for excellence,” said Ramathuba.
Additionally, the premier said that most senior vacancies have been filled. However, she was displeased at the delayed and minimal impact such had had on delivering services, saying there was still “languishing without effective engagement”.
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