Mid Term Report - Gauteng Online

decade faced the challenge of broadening access toconstitutional rights, further accelerating delivery andenhancing the government’s capacity to effectivelyimplement its programmes in partnership with othersectors of society.The ruling African National Congress (ANC) 2004manifesto, A people’s contract to create work andfight poverty, was adopted by the provincial governmentfollowing the 2004 elections. The manifestohighlighted the achievements of the first decadeof freedom and pointed to the need to do more inimproving the lives of South Africa’s people. But toachieve this, a stronger partnership was neededamong all South Africans in a people’s contract for abetter South Africa.The manifesto’s Vision 2014 outlined the followingamong its key objectives:• Reduction of unemployment by half• Reduction of poverty by half• Provision of skills required by the economy• Ensuring that all South Africans are able fully toexercise their constitutional rights and enjoy thefull dignity of freedom• Ensuring compassionate government service tothe people• Improving services to achieve a better nationalhealth profile and the reduction of preventablecauses of death, including violent crime, roadaccidents and turning the tide against HIV andAids• Significantly reducing the number of serious andpriority crimes and cases awaiting trial• Positioning South Africa strategically as an effectiveforce in global relations.Following the ANC victory in the 2004 elections,the manifesto representing the electoral mandatebecame the basis for the development of the GPGfive-year strategic programme, which represents theprovincial government’s commitment to a contractwith the people to create work and fight poverty.The Gauteng ProvincialGovernment five year strategicprogrammeIn addition to its link to the ANC manifesto, the developmentof the GPG five year strategic programmefor 2004 to 2009 and 2014 vision followed aprocess of review, consultation, research and planning.It committed the provincial government tocontribute to the national effort to:• Halve unemployment through ensuring highlevels of labour absorbing, economic growthcontributing to reduced inequality and thedevelopment of our province, nation andcontinent.• Halve poverty through growing secure andprosperous communities with jobs, schools,clinics, and other services in a safe and healthyenvironment which supports active social, culturaland volunteer activities.The five year strategic programme seeks to giveeffect to this vision of an even better life for all. It isbased on five key strategic priorities:• Enabling faster economic growth and jobcreation• Fighting poverty and building safe, secure andsustainable communities• Developing healthy, skilled and productivepeople• Deepening democracy and nation building andrealising the constitutional rights of our people• Building an effective and caring government.As Premier Shilowa says in the preface to the fiveyear programme, the programme was informed byour vision of where we would like our province tobe in 2014 and identifies the key programmes and • Midterm Report - 2004/06