Date: 22/05/2004
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: E Molewa: North West business community welcoming function
ADDRESS BY NORTH WEST PREMIER, MS EDNA MOLEWA, ON THE OCCASION OF THE WELCOME FUNCTION ORGANISED BY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SUN CITY, 22 May 2004
Programme Director
Dr Popo Molefe, the former Premier of the North West Province
Representatives of the business community present here this evening
Honoured Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am deeply honoured and humbled to be part of this occasion organised by yourselves as representatives of the business community. This is a truly delightful moment for me as the business community, with who we share common goals, has seen it fit to organise a function of this nature.
To me, this function signals the preparedness of the business community represented here this evening to work together with us as government towards our common objective of addressing the key challenges facing us, the challenges of poverty and unemployment.
By organising an occasion of this nature the business community represented here this evening, is sending a clear message that they are prepared to join the people's contract, a contract to build a better country and a better province.
This evening, the business community is reaching out to other stakeholders in our province with a view to forging durable partnerships for reconstruction and development.
The business community is showing confidence in our collective ability to tackle the challenges of the second decade of decade of freedom and is a basis for us individuals and as collectives to work together towards our common goals.
As the provincial government we note with appreciation the willingness by the business community to join other stakeholders in the ongoing effort to reach the goals we have set for ourselves.
We wish to take this opportunity to make a call to other stakeholders in our province, the labour movement, the non-governmental organisation (NGO) movement, religious organisations and community organisations to join this partnership as part of building and strengthening a people' s contract.
This they must do because the challenges ahead are enormous. As we are all aware, far too may of our people are still trapped in conditions poverty, underdevelopment, unemployment, disease and ignorance.
Our people are crying out for swift action to addressing their needs.
While applauding the progress we have made over the past ten years to improve the quality of their lives, they are equally sending a clear message that a lot more still needs to be done by all of us.
Correctly so, our people expect of us to move with speed towards the implementation of programmes at expanding access to a better life for all.
As government we have accepted the reality that, acting alone we will not be able to find appropriate responses to all the needs of our people. We need to mobilise our partners in the private sector and all other sectors of our society to put their collective shoulder to the wheel in the ongoing effort to build a better life for all.
It is within this context that our call for a people's contact assumes relevance. Our experience over the past ten years has taught us that it is only when we act together that we can be able to make new and decisive advances as we endeavour to reach the goals we have set for ourselves.
As part of its contribution to the people's contract, the business community has a responsibility to conduct itself in a manner that seeks to address our country's priorities.
In this regard, we wish to encourage the business community to pay particular attention to the task of creating jobs for our people.
Business people should also lend a hand in the ongoing effort to provide skills to our people, particularly our young people. This will go a long way towards ensuring that our young people are absorbed into the economic mainstream.
We wish to applaud those in the private sector who have begun doing work in this regard by offering learnerships to our graduates.
We hope that others in the private sector will follow this example and give our young people an opportunity to acquire skills relevant for them to make a contribution in the reconstruction and development of our society.
Furthermore, the private sector has a role to play in affirming women, particularly those in rural areas and ensuring that they too benefit from opportunities for economic empowerment.
Our business people have an invaluable contribution to make in assisting our young people, women and the disabled to access funding for purposes of starting their own businesses.
We need also to assist these sectors of our society through mentorship programmes, counselling and advise in order to ensure that the businesses they start for themselves are sustainable.
These are some of the practical steps that our business people can take in order to ensure that indeed a people's contract takes shape in our country and in our province.
It is our belief that out of this gathering will emerge a renewed sense of commitment, a commitment to continue acting with other stakeholders towards our common goal of lifting from the shoulders of our people the intolerable burden of poverty, underdevelopment, joblessness, disease and ignorance.
Let's fold our sleeves and get on with the work at hand. Together we can and must do more.
I thank you!
Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
22 May 2004
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: E Molewa: North West business community welcoming function
ADDRESS BY NORTH WEST PREMIER, MS EDNA MOLEWA, ON THE OCCASION OF THE WELCOME FUNCTION ORGANISED BY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SUN CITY, 22 May 2004
Programme Director
Dr Popo Molefe, the former Premier of the North West Province
Representatives of the business community present here this evening
Honoured Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am deeply honoured and humbled to be part of this occasion organised by yourselves as representatives of the business community. This is a truly delightful moment for me as the business community, with who we share common goals, has seen it fit to organise a function of this nature.
To me, this function signals the preparedness of the business community represented here this evening to work together with us as government towards our common objective of addressing the key challenges facing us, the challenges of poverty and unemployment.
By organising an occasion of this nature the business community represented here this evening, is sending a clear message that they are prepared to join the people's contract, a contract to build a better country and a better province.
This evening, the business community is reaching out to other stakeholders in our province with a view to forging durable partnerships for reconstruction and development.
The business community is showing confidence in our collective ability to tackle the challenges of the second decade of decade of freedom and is a basis for us individuals and as collectives to work together towards our common goals.
As the provincial government we note with appreciation the willingness by the business community to join other stakeholders in the ongoing effort to reach the goals we have set for ourselves.
We wish to take this opportunity to make a call to other stakeholders in our province, the labour movement, the non-governmental organisation (NGO) movement, religious organisations and community organisations to join this partnership as part of building and strengthening a people' s contract.
This they must do because the challenges ahead are enormous. As we are all aware, far too may of our people are still trapped in conditions poverty, underdevelopment, unemployment, disease and ignorance.
Our people are crying out for swift action to addressing their needs.
While applauding the progress we have made over the past ten years to improve the quality of their lives, they are equally sending a clear message that a lot more still needs to be done by all of us.
Correctly so, our people expect of us to move with speed towards the implementation of programmes at expanding access to a better life for all.
As government we have accepted the reality that, acting alone we will not be able to find appropriate responses to all the needs of our people. We need to mobilise our partners in the private sector and all other sectors of our society to put their collective shoulder to the wheel in the ongoing effort to build a better life for all.
It is within this context that our call for a people's contact assumes relevance. Our experience over the past ten years has taught us that it is only when we act together that we can be able to make new and decisive advances as we endeavour to reach the goals we have set for ourselves.
As part of its contribution to the people's contract, the business community has a responsibility to conduct itself in a manner that seeks to address our country's priorities.
In this regard, we wish to encourage the business community to pay particular attention to the task of creating jobs for our people.
Business people should also lend a hand in the ongoing effort to provide skills to our people, particularly our young people. This will go a long way towards ensuring that our young people are absorbed into the economic mainstream.
We wish to applaud those in the private sector who have begun doing work in this regard by offering learnerships to our graduates.
We hope that others in the private sector will follow this example and give our young people an opportunity to acquire skills relevant for them to make a contribution in the reconstruction and development of our society.
Furthermore, the private sector has a role to play in affirming women, particularly those in rural areas and ensuring that they too benefit from opportunities for economic empowerment.
Our business people have an invaluable contribution to make in assisting our young people, women and the disabled to access funding for purposes of starting their own businesses.
We need also to assist these sectors of our society through mentorship programmes, counselling and advise in order to ensure that the businesses they start for themselves are sustainable.
These are some of the practical steps that our business people can take in order to ensure that indeed a people's contract takes shape in our country and in our province.
It is our belief that out of this gathering will emerge a renewed sense of commitment, a commitment to continue acting with other stakeholders towards our common goal of lifting from the shoulders of our people the intolerable burden of poverty, underdevelopment, joblessness, disease and ignorance.
Let's fold our sleeves and get on with the work at hand. Together we can and must do more.
I thank you!
Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
22 May 2004
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