Revisiting the Millennium
Development Goals: How has
the Gauteng Provincial
Government Progressed?
(Office of the Chair of
Chairs)
August 2011
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Introductory Remarks
• Africa continues to face an increasing need to
develop national security strategies to deal with
the wide array of challenges resulting from the
set goals, i.e. the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs).
• Gauteng has not remained discarded of such
challenges, yet strides (amid all vicissitudes)
have been made towards achieving such.
• Given the nature and dynamism attached to the
MDG’s, this terse observation as highlighted in
the following sections, calls for a development of
what we henceforth refer to as trustworthy
partnerships within the province and beyond.
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Intro Remarks – (II)
• Since gaining democracy in 1994, South Africa has
undertaken a number of reforms (legislative,
institutional and administrative).
• This was and is done in order to form a favourable
environment and improved quality of live for all
the South Africans.
• Gauteng Province as part of the South African
Government is looking forward to achieve a
developed and sustainable country. It is also
committed to meet the set group of Millennium
Development Goals (MGDs) that were agreed upon by
a number of head of States during the summit in
September 2000.
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The Goals
• Eradicate poverty and hunger
• Achieve universal primary education
• Promote gender equality and empower
women
• Reduce child mortality
• Improve maternal health
• Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other
diseases
• Ensure environmental sustainability
• Develop a global partnership for
development
4
Review Purpose
• To track the progress made thus
far by the Gauteng Provincial
Government (GPG) in relation to
the achievement of the abovestated goals since September
2000 until to date.
5
Central Challenges:
Literature and Approach
• Considering the intensity of the study/review, the
inadequacy of available information on the subject
has provided limitations to the purpose of the
exercise. However, not all goals are subjected to
this observation.
• Much of the observations are benchmarked on
globally
set-standards.
However,
obtainable
capacity
at
home
(either
nationally
or
provincially)
requires
that
domestically
set
standards be developed in order to enhance the
strategic partnerships and alliances so as to
ensure continuity at the trustworthy partnerships
level (the only level that can be domesticated in
its structure, course, and purpose).
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Goal 1: Eradicating Poverty and
Hunger
• Gauteng is South Africa’s wealthiest province but
it is still experiencing challenges of people
living under poverty line.
• The main target of this goal is to halve
proportion of people who suffer from poverty and
hunger by the year 2015
• Reports shows that the share of population living
in poverty in Gauteng has declined from 29.6% in
2002 to 25.5% in 2008.
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Goal 2: Achieve universal
primary education
• In terms of this goal every child should complete
primary education
• More importantly the aim of this strategy is to
achieve gender equality
• Poor performance in national and international
assessments
• Merely increasing enrolment rates is just not
enough, there should also be an equal emphasis on
excellence and quality.
• Emphasize competency in numeracy, literacy and
life-skills
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Goal 3: Promote Gender
Equality & Empower Women
• Guided by the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform for Action,
South Africa (in general) and Gauteng (in
particular) endeavour to ensure that as a
Constitutional imperative, gender equality is
achieved.
• The
achievement
of
gender
equality
and
women’s
empowerment
is
supported
by
a
framework of policies and mechanisms that
include a national gender policy framework
and the Department for Women, Children and
Persons with Disabilities.
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Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality &
Empower Women – (II)
Among the Programmes pursued by the GPG in enhancing
women’s equitable involvement in the provincial
government activities, the following are included:
Quality Basic Education:
• Increased education and skills development
opportunities;
• access and involvement of Women in Science,
Technology and Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
Long and healthy life for all South Africans
• Access to quality health care
• Promotion of women’s health and the reproductive
health rights for women
• AU Decade for African Women 2010-2020 with 2011
focusing on Health, Maternal mortality and
HIV&AIDS
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Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality &
Empower Women – (III)
All people in South Africa are and feel safe
• Elimination of Gender based violence including the rape
and killing of lesbians
• Launch of the Domestic Violence Forum
• Awareness raising in issues of Human rights vs Gender
Based Violence
Decent Employment through inclusive economic growth
• Job creation and employment opportunities with direct
benefit for women
• Economic empowerment for women
• Economic transformation focused on women including
access to business opportunities
Vibrant,
equitable,
sustainable
rural
communities
contributing towards food security for all
• Access
to
agriculture
and
rural
development
opportunities for women
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Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality &
Empower Women – (IV)
•
Involvement of women in food security programmes
Sustainable Human Settlements and improved Quality of household life
• Access to basic services for women
• Involvement of women in the construction field
• Support for women owned household (indigents) and linking them to
development programmes
Responsive and accountable, effective and efficient local government
system
• Gender Mainstreaming and the empowerment of women in communities
• Gender Institutional Mechanisms developed across municipalities
An efficient, effective and development oriented public service; An
empowered fair and inclusive citizenship
• Social cohesion and the social participation of women
• Promotion of Human Rights
• Implementation of the Programme of action for gender equality and
women empowerment
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Goal 4 & 5: Reduce
child/maternal mortality
• Province working towards reducing child mortality
by two thirds.
• 163 death out 648 due to HIV/AIDS. However, govt
introduced Protocol on HIV in pregnancy as an
intervention
• Decrease in deaths due to pregnancy.
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Goal 6. Combating HIV and AIDS,
Malaria, TB and other Diseases
• Gauteng striving to ameliorate the effects of HIV/AIDS and other
associated diseases.
• The PMTC programme has to date resulted in women who are tested
positive receiving Nevirapine.
• A greater proportion of HIV/AIDS sufferers on anti-retroviral treatment.
• The total number of patients on ART : 400 000 by 31st March 2011.
• Number of women enrolled for ART while pregnant: 10 000 by 31 March
2011.
• Number of children younger than one year on ART: 3 000 by March 20011
• Malaria under control with a decline of cases over a five year period.
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Goal 7: Ensure Environmental
Sustainability
• The historical and recent Apartheid political
regimes in South Africa played a major role in the
entrenchment
of
environmental
injustice
and
consequent quality of the social and biophysical
environment.
• The major influence on the spatial manifestation
of environmental quality was racially segregated
land ownership and use patterns, starting with the
1913 Land Act, which allocated 13 % of the land
area of the country to the black 80 % of the
population.
• The result was overcrowded, poorly or un-serviced,
unhealthy
“townships”
and
“Bantustans”,
perpetrating
inequitable
access
to
natural
resources
that
persists
to
this
day,
notwithstanding attempts to address these issues.
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Goal 7: Ensure Environmental
Sustainability (II)
• The economic and political climates in African and
neighbouring SADC countries, most notably Nigeria,
Zimbabwe and Mozambique, are resulting in an
influx
of
refugees
and
immigrants
seeking
employment.
• With the large concentrations of people in highly
urbanised areas like Gauteng, this influx of
foreigners is likely to severely aggravate the
disparity
between
societal
demand
and
the
availability of resources. International trade and
globalisation are seen to be inherently linked
with the environment.
• World Trade Organisation rules are held by many to
be
inimical
to
the
interests
of
sound
environmental management, due to the power of
multi-national
corporations
to
assert
global
economic imperatives over national statutes.
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Goal 7: Some of the Mechanisms
• The Gauteng Spatial Development Framework
(SDF), local municipality SDFs, Spatial
Development
Initiatives
(SDIs)
and
Environmental Management Frameworks (EMFs)
are
important
factors
influencing
environmental change.
• All SDFs are required to assess the
environmental
opportunities
and
constraints while EMFs aim to integrate
social,
economic
and
biophysical
considerations in planning.
• The Gauteng Integrated Energy Strategy –
GPG Commits itself to:
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Goal 7: GPG Commitments:
a)
moving the province to a low carbon
economy;
(b) ensuring that carbon emissions peak
and start declining by 2030;
(c) ensuring that there is improvement in the
province’s record of energy efficiency;
(d) ensuring that there is a scaling up of
renewable energy options; and
(e) ensuring that energy access the poor is
made a priority.
(See Gauteng Integrated Energy Strategy for
further detail).
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Goal 7: Energy Consumption & Sector
Outlook
•
Roughly 50% of energy is used in the direct combustion of coal with
the only other significant carriers being electricity and liquid
fuels at around 20% each.
•
More than 90% of energy consumption in Gauteng is by the industrial
and transport sectors at 58% and 34% respectively. This is quite
different to the energy consumption pattern for the three Metros
(Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane where industry accounts for
14% and transport for 60% of energy demand (47% of transport energy
in the Metros is petrol, 28% diesel and 22% jet fuel.
•
The most important Provincial economic sectors are financial and
business services, logistics and communications, and mining. The
intention is for the Province’s economy to move away from
traditional heavy industry markets and low value-added production
towards sophisticated high value-added production, particularly in
information technology, telecoms and other high-tech industries.
•
In an international survey in 2000, Gauteng was identified as one
of 46 global hubs of technological innovation. The burgeoning hightech corridor in Midrand is the fastest developing area in the
country.
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Goal 7: Further Observations
•
In an international survey in 2000, Gauteng was identified as one
of 46 global hubs of technological innovation. The burgeoning hightech corridor in Midrand is the fastest developing area in the
country.
•
Furthermore, on July 15th 2011, the Gauteng Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development in partnership with the
University of Johannesburg launched a consultation Indaba that
included stakeholders and developed a shared vision for the Durban
Climate Change Conference to be held in December 2011.
•
Speakers ranged from departmental officials, academics, politicians
and representatives from various organisations around Gauteng.
•
With no doubt, many countries around the world are vulnerable to
natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis. With Gauteng
having experienced minor earthquakes in 2010, it leaves the
province with no choice but to begin implementing tougher laws
towards protecting our environment.
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Goal 8: Develop a Global
Partnership for Development
•
South Africa continues to be an active member in the
international
community.
The
various
governance
structures at a multilateral level remain channels
through-which the achievement of the country’s foreign
policy goals can be reached.
•
Gauteng’s role as a centre of attraction for migrant
workers and foreign direct investments continues to
grow. Strategic partnerships and alliances on various
sector-related priorities shape the province’s agenda.
•
The goal of developing a global partnership for
development sets out the target to be met by developed
countries. They cover efforts in vital areas such as
development
aid,
trade,
debt
relief,
affordable
essential drugs and foreign direct investments.
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Goal 8: Develop a Global
Partnership for Development
• Harnessing aid targeted at various government
and governance programmes will remain a
determinant
of
the
kind
of
development
partnerships that the provinces seeks to
forge
• A
bulk
of
social
responsibility
initiatives
by
various
stakeholders
becomes a key area through-which the
provincial government can exercise its
monitoring and evaluation function on the
programmes it carries-out
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Goal 8: Develop a Global
Partnership for Development
•
The fact that the province plays host to a number of development
agencies such as the Development Bank of South Africa, the China
Development Bank, prestigious institutions of higher learning
(where research and development is housed), various foreign
missions in South Africa becomes an added advantage to the
proximity of the kind quality interaction the province can achieve.
•
Most of the country’s development agencies are housed in the
province. Numerous conferences on development are held in Gauteng.
The economic and social development patterns of the province (the
continent over) are exemplary to the management and strategic
planning qualities that the political, business, and civil society
organisations and leaders have in collaborating towards the
achievement of the global partnership.
•
The vision of a New Partnership for Africa’s Development plays a
major role in the Africanisation (i.e. the province’s Africacentred approach to development).
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