Premier Nomvula Mokonyane presented her State of the Province Address (SOPA) in the township of Mamelodi in Tshwane, with a great focus on women and youth development:

“The Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme is targeted to reach 125 000 current and potential youth entrepreneurs and will involve a partnership with The Star newspaper, as part of celebrating their 125th anniversary. The programme provides entrepreneurship training linked to business opportunities; facilitation of market access; financial and non-financial business development support and mentorship and coaching”.

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MEC for Department of Economic Development, Qedani Mahlangu tabled her Budget Vote speech at the Gauteng legislature recently, with focus given to youth and women small business development. Outlining her programmes to realise the governments plan of creating 5 million jobs by 2020, she emphasised the critical role of the SMME sector to stimulate faster job creation, she said:

“We intend to launch an ambitious programme to find 100 000 youth and women entrepreneurs by the end of 2012. These entrepreneurs will be screened, trained, financed and supported to hire between 3 and 5 people in order to create 1 million jobs. This project will be done in collaboration with various civil society entities as well as the private sector who will be asked to match our contribution in creating these jobs. We will set aside at least R 30 million this year and subsequent years within the MTEF to stimulate this programme that will contribute to the national target of 5 million jobs in this government’s term of office”.

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