The Mpumalanga Premier, Mr Mandla Ndlovu is set to deliver his second State of the Province Address (SOPA) of the 7th Administration on Thursday where he will outline amongst others, the targeted interventions to address socio-economic and service delivery challenges.
The SOPA is an annual event, presided over by the Speaker of the Legislature, and is crucial for the Premier to articulate the government's strategic priorities, economic plans, service delivery improvements, infrastructure development initiatives, and state capacity building measures for the upcoming fiscal year.
In addition, the Premier is expected to highlight the recorded progress regarding the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Fermicide (GBVF), following the establishment of the Provincial GBVF Committee to curb the scourge.
This year’s Address comes as Mpumalanga’s unemployment rate declined from 34 to 32.2 percent, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa. It is envisaged that Premier Ndlovu will contextualise this progress in line with the priorities of the 7th Administration and the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) targets of reducing unemployment and poverty.
Following recent floods that left a trail of devastation in Mpumalanga, SOPA becomes a crucial platform for the Premier to outline the Provincial Government's response, including disaster relief measures and infrastructure repairs.
The Premier’s Address will be broadcast live on radio as well as on social media.
The State of the Province Address is scheduled as follows;
Date: Thursday, 05 March 2026
Time: 10h00
Venue: Mpumalanga Legislature Chamber, Mbombela
Members of the media wishing to attend the State of the Province Address are invited to send confirmations for accreditations by contacting Ms Phumla Mokoena (Office of the Premier) on 060 998 8781 or Mokoenapi@mpg.gov.za and Ms Sharlotte Nyalunga (Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature) on 073 044 1306 or sharlotten@mpuleg.gov.za.
ENDS…
Issued by the Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Office of the Premier
Enquiries: Mr George Mthethwa
Provincial Government Spokesperson
(013) 766 2242/ 083 302 2774
Email:GPMthethwa@mpg.gov.za