As tensions about the coronavirus peak in South Africa begin to slowly subside, the North West Provincial government is showing no signs of slowing its fight against the pandemic. This is as The North West Provincial Coronavirus Command Council held yet again another one if it’s weekly Virtual Meetings. This particular meeting looked to have a different posture, leaning more towards reviving the provincial economy. The meeting reiterated going about this through the tourism, agriculture and mining sectors.

COVID-19 has affected the provincial and national purse in an unprecedented manner. One will recall that, as a Province, we had just heard news about how the provincial Treasury, under the leadership of MEC of Finance, Motlalepula Rosho, intended to spend financial allocations from the National Treasury, when we on the same day President Cyril Ramaphosa also announced the commencement of a State of National Disaster in South Africa. Both occurrences happened on the same day, Thursday, 05 March 2020. To this end, the the 2020/2021 Provincial Budget had to be adjusted to accommodate the effects of the novel virus.

What is clear to The Vryburg Independent Post (The VIP) Team, is that a great deal of what was on the agenda during the virtual meeting is guided by what MEC Rosho had tables earlier in July as the Provincial Adjustment Budget 2020/2021. “Although the country and the Province is currently experiencing economic hardship brought by the pandemic, the real impact of the coronavirus on the provincial economy can only be measured after the second quarter results are published.” Said MEC Rosho during her tabling of the Provincial Adjustment Budget. What followed the MEC’s utterances was an announcement by The Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Lesetja Kganyago, of a full on recession in South Africa.

Be that as it may, the provincial government seems to have intends of focusing on how the economy can be resuscitated. “In line with this effort, the Command Council agreed to launch a Tourism Investment Book towards the end of September 2020, this as a decisive joint action by the provincial government and industry to reclaim the North West Province’s competitive edge in this sector. Furthermore, the Council resolved that a provincial plan focusing on the resuscitation of key sectors most affected by COVID-19, should be developed and led by the Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism.” Said Vuyisile Ngesi, Spokesperson at the North West Province’s Office of the Premier, in a statement related to the virtual meeting.

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With regards to the Mining sector, the Provincial Treasury Department has taken note of the negative impact that the National Lockdown has had on the sector. According to the MEC’s recent budget speech, “as one of the platinum producers, we take note that the South African platinum production is gradually losing ground to Russian companies mainly because of the recent economic lockdown that has almost halted mining operations.” Despite this, Rosho says there is still a world palladium deficit of about 0.5 million ounces which should motivate our mines to increase platinum production.

On the Agricultural side, the economic cluster was allocated an additional R30 Million to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to improve food security which has been threatened by the prevalence and the spread of the coronavirus.

“The total Economic Cluster budget is adjusted to a combined amountof R7.237billion.” Confirmed the MEC.

-The VIP Team

-NW Treasury

-NW Office of the Premier

-SARB