Midvaal has lowest unemployment rate in Gauteng - mayor

Johannesburg - Midvaal has a 70.5% economically active population and the lowest unemployment rate in Gauteng, its mayor Bongani Baloyi said on Wednesday.

"Our combination of good governance and proper management of public funds have increased investor confidence into the area, attracting an interest of more than R10bn," he said during his state of the municipality address.

Midvaal is the only DA-run municipality in Gauteng. Highlighting some of the investment in the area, Baloyi said the R3.5bn Sedibeng brewery created 3500 construction jobs, and was looking to expand its supply chain by buying barley from 32 local farmers.

R7m for youth

The Ferrero factory in Walkerville, which employed more than 200 people, and Paramount Trailers, which employed around 300 people, had expanded their operations in the past five years.

Baloyi said a local labour register had recently been started, allowing Midvaal residents to submit their details, for consideration when seasonal and part-time jobs became available. 

A total of 115 six-month jobs had been created in parks, and 25 12-month jobs in the municipality’s waste sector.

For the youth, the municipality had identified job opportunities worth almost R7m, which youth co-operatives could tap into.

'World class facilities'

Between 2011 and 2015, the municipality spent R19m in Sicelo and R23m in Lakeside on capital projects, and R7m to tar gravel roads in these areas.  

A total of R50m was spent on projects in disadvantaged areas.

A total of 1000 title deeds hand been handed to Sicelo residents and efforts were underway to do the same in Lakeside.

Baloyi said the municipality achieved two consecutive clean audits, blue drop status, and was ranked the top performing municipality in Gauteng in the annual Municipal Financial Sustainability Index for the second year running.