BOKSBURG (Gauteng, South Africa), Sept 29 (NNN-SANEWS) — President Cyril Ramaphosa says local economic development is one of the key drivers to lowering the rate of poverty, unemployment and inequality in South Africa.

“When there is more investment and business expansion, jobs are created, livelihoods are supported, and the benefits circulate in local areas.

“That is why accelerating economic growth, attracting investment and creating jobs must be at the centre of the efforts of all spheres of government,” the President said on the second and final day of the National Local Government Summit.

Hosted by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, the two-day summit held in Boksburg, Gauteng, brought together close to 2,000 senior officials and leaders across all spheres of government, legislature, business, academia, traditional leaders, civil society, women, youth and people with disabilities to deliberate on a collective programme of action for an ideal municipality.

The President told delegates that as the country works to recover economically after the pandemic, there is fiscal room to “expand the provision of services that improve people’s lives”.

The President has over the past two months attended a number of launches of  business expansion projects, which are being built in towns and metros, where people live and where they are needed most.

The President said investors look at the quality of the provision of water, electricity, sewage and refuse removal – all aspects that are in line with the theme of the summit, ‘DDM in Action – Towards an Ideal Municipality’.

The District Development Model (DDM) calls for an ‘all of government and all of society approach’, which advocates for integrated and responsive planning to fast-track development.

The President stressed that municipalities must focus on revenue collection to ensure that there are sufficient funds available to fulfil their functions.

“In addition to the jobs it creates and the community development it enables, vibrant local economic activity strengthens the financial position of municipalities.

“It makes these municipalities less dependent on grants from the national fiscus and empowers them to pursue the interests of residents with greater focus.”

In order for the country to build ideal municipalities, the President emphasised the need to address the instability within governance structures and processes.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK