(The following debate was delivered during a Sitting of the KZN Legislature held today)
One of the responsibilities of KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) Legislature is to look beyond the indicators in this report and to ask the deeper question: Has life improved for the people of our province? If it has, how do we replicate and scale those successes, and where outcomes have not produced results, how do we recalibrate? That is ultimately the standard by which the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Vote 4 should be judged.
EDTEA may achieve its targets, but unless they translate into more jobs, more investment, growing businesses and greater hope for our young people, then we have not succeeded. That is the spirit in which the Democratic Alliance (DA) approaches today’s debate. We support progress where it exists, while constructively challenging the department to do even better.
EDTEA successes
This report reflects a department that has generally maintained a stable performance, with above 80% in every quarter across the financial year and several programmes performing particularly well;
• The department deserves recognition for maintaining 100% compliance in paying valid invoices within 30 days. For many small businesses, prompt payment is the difference between surviving and closing their doors.
• We welcome the significant expansion of support for small enterprises, informal entrepreneurs and market access initiatives. These interventions, if sustained and properly monitored, have the potential to strengthen local economies and create meaningful employment opportunities and;
• We commend EDTEA for its environmental programme achievements, creating more than 8 000 work opportunities and exceeding invasive alien plant clearing targets. But to truly mange invasive species, far more ambitious targets are required.
Unemployment crisis
KZN continues to face one of our country’s highest unemployment rates. Youth unemployment remains a crisis, too many graduates cannot find work, too many entrepreneurs struggle to access opportunities and too many investors still see obstacles where they should see opportunity.
That is why we cannot judge success solely by whether departmental targets have been met. We must judge it by whether people’s lives are improving.
Business support programmes
The report tells us that 335 businesses were incubated, dozens of export opportunities facilitated and hundreds of entrepreneurs received support. This is encouraging. But our oversight responsibility does not end there and we should be asking: How many of those businesses are still operating two years later? How many permanent jobs have they created? How many have become self-sustaining enterprises that no longer depend on government support? Those are the outcomes that determine whether these interventions are succeeding.
Similarly, while procurement transformation has exceeded targets in several areas, procurement involving persons with disabilities remains below target. Female representation at senior management level also remains below the department’s own target. The shortfall in these indicators represent opportunities for inclusion that now require deliberate leadership and sustained attention.
Lessons to be learned
There are important lessons we can draw from elsewhere. The DA-led Western Cape has consistently demonstrated the value of creating an investment-friendly environment through reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, supporting municipalities, partnering with the private sector and providing dedicated investor support. As a result, it continues to attract a significant share of South Africa’s investment and remains one of the strongest provincial economies.
KZN has every reason to compete successfully: We have the Port of Durban, globally-renowned tourism assets, fertile agricultural land and immense potential in the manufacturing sector. But investors require certainty when it comes to infrastructure, a responsive government and efficient regulatory processes.
Internationally, Ireland offers an important lesson. Over several decades, it transformed itself into one of Europe’s leading investment destinations through consistent economic policy, investment in skills, export promotion and strong collaboration between government and business. The lesson is that sustained economic growth depends on consistency, competence and long-term policy certainty.
Tourism
This deserves particular attention because it remains one of the fastest ways to create employment, particularly for young people and small businesses. Tourism is not just about marketing campaigns: Visitors remember whether beaches are E. Coli infested; whether they risk their lives on our roads and whether public spaces are safe, clean and welcoming. Tourism success depends on government working together across departments and spheres of government.
Environmental governance
Good environmental governance should not be viewed as an obstacle to economic growth. When environmental regulation is efficient, predictable and scientifically sound, it provides certainty for investors while protecting the natural assets upon which tourism, agriculture and many local economies depend.
This report shows that EDTEA is capable of delivering against many of its planned targets. The challenge now is to ensure that targets translate into real economic change for KZN’s people. KZN’s success will ultimately be measured by whether more young people have jobs, more businesses choose to invest here, more entrepreneurs succeed and whether more families believe that opportunity exists in our province.
The DA remains committed to working constructively within the GPU to help achieve those outcomes and will continue to champion sound governance and offer practical solutions. We will offer constructive input, not for the sake of criticism, but because KZN’s people deserve the best. We cannot and will not waiver from this cause.