Office of the Premier
Speech
  1. Minister Hlabisa thank you for this opportunity, we welcome our president, his excellency Mr. President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, our ministers, deputy ministers, MECs, the Director Generals, HODs, DDGs and all officials. 
  2. We are happy that President has assembled all the essential people under one roof.  People that can assist the province to unlock all the hiccups that slow down the implementation of service delivery in Mpumalanga.
  3. People that are in the engine room of implementing priorities of government:
    • Education
    • Health
    • Fighting Crime and corruption
    • Job creation
    • Inclusive economic growth
    • Rural development
    • Reduction of poverty
    • Tackling the high cost of living
    • And investing in massive infrastructure 
       
  4. Our people are anxiously waiting for the outcome of this engagement, especially because their president is part of it. They know that on the agenda their plight will take center stage, poverty, unemployment, inequality and service delivery.
  5. They always celebrate when they see us meeting because they know that on our agenda, it is not about us but about their wellbeing and livelihood, that’s why they proudly call themselves our followers, we dare not fail them.
  6. It will be unfair of me not to commend the dedication and commitment we see from the president, deputy president, ministers and deputy ministers and all our officials, they assist to make our agenda of changing the lives of our people better.
  7. Mpumalanga Province, “The Place of the Rising Sun” lies in eastern side of our country South Africa, bordering two sovereign countries, that is Eswatini and Mozambique. It shares boundaries with other provinces like Limpopo, Gauteng, the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Nort West.
  8. This gives our province a competitive advantage over some provinces since it is the gateway to many of Southern African Development Community (SADC), region, countries and global markets with Maputo the closest port for the export and import of goods. The province is also a link to the Richards Bay port in KwaZulu Natal.
  9. Sharing borders with Mozambique and the Kingdom of Eswatini comes with both advantages and disadvantages. We are carrying the brunt of illegal and undocumented immigrants.
  10. This has its own negative consequences including cross border crime as well as increased community crime in general, illegal mining especially in Sabie, Barberton and Pilgrims Rest, mushrooming informal settlements, undocumented school children, overburden to our health and education facilities as well as to our social infrastructure like water, sanitation and roads.
  11. We want to caution our people on the upheaval that is not settling down in Mozambique since the outcome of their general and presidential elections. If possible to temporarily suspend using our roads as a gateway to Mozambique.  Mozambicans must learn from us South Africans because since 1994, all political parties accepted the outcome of the elections. We regard elections outcome as the will of the people.  
  12. Mpumalanga is a beautiful province with majestic tourists attractions like the God’s window, unique to Mpumalanga where the sun was made in the low veld. We encourage people including you, our hard working public representatives led by the president and officials to come and enjoy their holidays here in our province. 
  13. We are looking forward to fruitful engagements and positive outcomes. We are committed to work with all of you and take Mpumalanga and our country to greater heights. 
  14. Once again, you are welcome, it is indeed our pleasure to have all of you in our province.
  15. I thank you. 
     
Opening remarks by Premier Mandla Ndlovu during the presidential visit in Mpumalanga (307.37 KB)
2024