Gauteng set to cut red tape

The Gauteng provincial

government has launched a

Red Tape Task Team, headed

up by MEC Paul Mashatile, to

cut down on regulations within

government and the private

sector which hamper business

development and investment in

the province.

Speaking at the two-day

Gauteng Economic Indaba

held in Johannesburg last

week, Gauteng premier David

Makhura said the task team

would include representatives

from business, labour, the

youth and women.

Makhura presented the

province’s Draft Economic

Plan – aimed at “radically

transforming, modernising

and reindustrialising Gauteng”

– which is, according to

him, a product of extensive

research and engagement with

key economic stakeholders,

including business, labour,

state-owned enterprises and

academia.

Keynote speaker at the

event, deputy president Cyril

Ramaphosa, pointed out

that Gauteng – with a gross

domestic product (GDP) of

R1.3 trillion – generated over

34% of South Africa’s national

GDP, and was responsible for

over 40% of the country’s total

manufacturing output.

CAPTION

Heads together… David Makhura (left) and Cyril Ramaphosa.