Western Cape economy grew 2.3% - Zille

Cape Town - The Western Cape's economy grew by 2.3% last year, but much still needs to be done to improve the lives of citizens, provincial premier Helen Zille said in her state-of-the-province address tabled on Friday.

She said economic growth and job opportunities remained her number one priority as these were the only ways in which to fight poverty sustainably.

The number of discouraged work seekers in the province had reduced by 33% since 2009, despite the population increasing from 5.35 million to 6.1 million.

Zille said national policy uncertainty and countless "job-crushing laws and regulations" were trumped by the energy crisis as the biggest obstacles to economic growth.

One of the province's priorities was achieving energy security, in light of recent difficulties at Eskom.

"Simply put, if there is no energy, there is no economy," she said in her speech.

Key thinkers met last week to identify effective interventions in this area.

Housing provision impossible

Zille identified a new provincial strategic plan with five goals and several priority projects that it called "game changers".

One of these "game changers" was a project aimed at growing the tourism, agri-processing and oil and gas sectors.

These sectors were best placed to creating jobs, Zille said.

Another "game changer" was the goal of providing high speed broadband to all residents.

By July next year, 1 250 schools, 300 health facilities and 220 libraries would be connected.

The province wished to pilot e-learning in schools and had allocated nearly R730m to establish infrastructure in the next three years.

"It is our duty to ensure that every child across the system is able to read fluently, write properly and calculate at the required, internationally benchmarked level at the end of Grade Three," Zille said.

In an attempt to tackle gangsterism, after school activities would be expanded across the province.

The premier said there had been a shift in the healthcare strategy, from treating illness to maintaining wellness.

In the next five years, existing clinics and hospitals would be upgraded.

Zille said it was impossible to provide every person on the housing database with a formal, finished house as this would cost around R70bn.

"Our game changer here will explore a new residentially-led integrated living model for human settlement," she said.

This would include affordable housing and access to a range of services and opportunities close to houses and public transport.

Zille could not deliver her speech on Friday after the African National Congress repeatedly raised points of order around a decision of the speaker to change the way a ruling was handled at the end of last year.

ANC chief whip Pierre Uys criticised the legislature for apparently changing its mind and referring the matter to the legislature's rules committee rather than have an independent court review.

The disruptions led to Uys being suspended for two days.