Promises, promises - but can Gauteng's Lesufi deliver?

702's Bongani Bingwa is joined by political analyst Professor Dirk Kotze.

Listen below

A basket of promises, but can they be delivered?

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi made his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Monday, identifying 13 key priorities for his government.

Top of the list - creating jobs, fighting crime and building an efficient state.

The plan is to revive Gauteng, he said.

But does the province have the political will to achieve Lesufi's promises, and does it have the means to do so?

"It's obviously important, when it comes to events like this, that you think big, you think beyond the ordinary, in order to create the impression that there is vision."

Professor Dirk Kotze, Politcal analyst

Vision is one thing, says Kotze, realistic goals are another:

"The question ultimately will be where is the money going to come from? Who is going to pay? Where's the taxes coming from in order to be able to fund all of these projects and ideas?"

Professor Dirk Kotze, Politcal analyst

So how realistic are Lesufi's job-creating plans?

He says he wants to create some 800,000 jobs in the province.

"He mentioned a whole list of possible ways in which they will create jobs, many of them will come from the government itself, from the public sector."

Professor Dirk Kotze, Politcal analyst

And this is where he's going to have some problems, says Kotze.

"Because the national government is going to say, but you must rather try to generate it from the private sector."

Professor Dirk Kotze, Politcal analyst

Kotze adds that many of Lesfui's promises and plans have been heard before:

"These are some of the things he presents as real, serious opportunities, but they are on the ground so far and that's now for a number of years, there's not much growth."

Professor Dirk Kotze, Politcal analyst

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