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By Mwangi Ghathu 
10h ago
Cape Town: Only significant infrastructure investment and excellent service delivery will boost the economy and create jobs as the province needs to recover properly from this crisis, Prime Minister Alan Winde said.
In a special address to the legislature on Thursday, Winde said: “Our decision is to make as much money as possible available for this. That is why we have frozen the filling of non-critical positions.
“We have also written to the president and the minister of administration and public service, Senzo Mchunu, to request a seat at the salary bargaining table,” Winde said.
Winde said the provincial government had been forced to prioritize differently, saying: “The priorities I outlined today will require trade-offs. It will mean that the programs and projects that did make a difference may not continue. It will be a difficult time for all of us. We need strong leadership and commitment, courage and acceptance from all of our residents and partners.
“We are looking for new ideas and a different way of working to make a big impact in a very difficult environment. This will not be easy and there is a possibility that not all of these plans will materialize, ”Winde said.
ANC provincial opposition leader Cameron Dugmore said: “The prime minister spoke about the need for courage as we face the difficult task of economic recovery as we continue to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, but did not have the courage to denounce the City’s treatment of the homeless in Strandfontein during the lockdown.
“I was also disappointed in his attempt to instill fear by calling for budget cuts of R10 billion to the provincial budget, but without showing evidence of this. Our current budget for 2020 is R73bn. He stated that 10 billion rand will be reduced in the medium term. However, later in his speech he backed down and said they are awaiting final figures. This is scary at its worst. ”
Good Secretary General Brett Herron said: “The province is in serious trouble. The prime minister’s speech was to put lipstick on a pig, repeat old plans and rename them. Nothing new here.
“I wish the prime minister had informed residents and investors how these plans for economic recovery, security and dignity have been implemented to date. We must not give them false hopes, called shots to the moon. “
EFF Provincial President Melikhaya Xego said: “You omit the real challenges facing your government and choose to emphasize short-term successes.
“He does not comprehensively address the PPE problem that SIU was investigating its government departments for, and the results of it. Which is a sign that we are targeted by would-be criminals just like nationally. “
Cape argus
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