Sea change on the way‚ Zuma tells Port Elizabeth
Jacob Zuma had only good news for the people of Port Elizabeth on Friday.He made no reference to the mounting calls for him to step down as president of the country in his address on Operation Phakisa’s initiative on the “ocean economy”.Operation Phakisa aims to speed up the implementation of the National Development Plan‚ to boost economic growth‚ create jobs and address inequality. The ocean economy programme focuses on: • Offshore oil and gas‚ led by the Department of Mineral Resources; • Marine protection and governance‚ led by the Department of Environmental Affairs; and • Coastal and marine tourism‚ led by the Department of Tourism. “I have great pleasure to announce that government has unlocked investments amounting to about R17-billion for the oceans programme‚” he said.The Transnet National Ports Authority has allocated about R7-billion to improve ports. Of the nine tugboats being built by South African Shipyards in Durban’s port‚ two are destined for Port Elizabeth - and one is named Mvezo‚ after the birthplace of Nelson Mandela.Durban’s dry dock is now open for business after an investment of R43-million. An amount of R3.6-billion is to be used in boatbuilding and a fuel storage facility in Cape Town’s port.In a bid to develop rural economies‚ coastal and marine tourism‚ small harbours development‚ and aquaculture will be promoted. Twelve new aquaculture projects have also been selected for various provinces‚ including those inland - Mpumalanga and Gauteng.Three new harbours will be built in the Northern Cape‚ Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to provide opportunities for local and rural economic development.“We have focused on removing legislative uncertainty‚ lengthy bureaucratic authorisation procedures‚ delays in funding flows‚ infrastructure challenges and skills gaps‚” Zuma said‚ adding that research‚ technology and innovation are critical to the programme’s success.Skills development is essential for people to be able to get jobs in the oceans economy. Two schools - Ngwenyathi Senior Secondary School in Nxarhuni near Mdantsane and the George Randell Senior Secondary School near the East London Airport - will target this aspect...
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