1. Hon. MEC, the 3.5% negative growth of KZN is not the best of economic baselines to begin your tenure with and just yesterday I chatted to printing businesses who complained that the economy was so sluggish, that they are downsizing or closing. This means job shedding, to the culprit load shedding.
2. Hon.MEC, how is treasury engaging with industry in this regard? Also what is the department of Economic Development doing? The last KZN dissertation on Eskom was in 2008 based on corporate social responsibility, hence relevant departments should fund a current study on Eskom’s strategy to fill policy, planning and regulation gaps for business sustainability.
3. I indicated to the Hon. MEC, last week that there are local and international conferences in South Africa that selected PPP unit members and other departmental officials should attend, especially fir programme sustainability in key income generating areas where we are taking the commercialisation route e.g. Ezemvelo. I will focus on the exit strategy from IALCH in the health debate.
4. From the recent Public Works budget speech, the KZN Provincial Infrastructure Master Plan is completed, therefore Treasury should assist with streaming initiatives such as housing the unit within SIDA, to avoid duplication.
5. Finally, Hon.MEC, I have spoken about strengthening departmental internal audit units and the finance portfolio committee has reported from previous study tours, ways to do this. Therefore, the new sub-programme of Municipal Revenue and Debt management is crucial and must be well funded with skilled personnel who transfer skills to Municipal officials operating the SAP system to avoid the GIGO principle that is causing emotional stress on ratepayers, especially in Ethekwini and Msunduzi.
6. Thank you.

HON.S. Thakur-Rajbansi