The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng can reveal another broken economic promise by Premier Panyaza Lesufi, which demands answers and accountability that the DA will be seeking.
The DA has submitted written questions to the Premier after learning that not one bread-supply contract is yet out for tender. These are contracts meant to give Gauteng’s 21 province-backed bakeries a shot at government contracts, but while they are not yet out to tender these fledgling bakery businesses remain without hope of getting their shot at this promised economic opportunity.
During his State of the Province Address (SOPA) earlier this year, Premier Lesufi promised that bakeries would deliver bread to government departments. Lesufi has not yet even issued the tenders, let alone had them adjudicated or had a single contract issued.
Because of the failure to issue the tenders, and despite the GPG spending R479 430.00 in providing skills training to 21 bakery businesses, they have not yet unlocked the market for these bakeries to do business with the government. These local bakeries have been adequately equipped and can create more employment opportunities and boost the township economy should they do business with the government.
According to Gauteng MEC for Economic Development Lebogang Maile, they have tried to unlock market access through the Department of Health. The bakery cluster will be notified of the availability of contracts to support the department. MEC Maile was responding to a DA written questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).
There are no timelines on when this will happen. It is typical of Lesufi’s government to make grand announcements of projects with good intentions to benefit the township economy, spend money, and fail to deliver on the promises.
It is disappointing that promises were made to bakeries and hope was created for unemployed people that they would be employed when bakeries expand, but this has not happened. This is one of many empty promises made by Premier Lesufi.
Should Lesufi be serious about supporting local businesses, these bakery tenders would have been issued, and some of the bakery businesses may have been supplying our government facilities already.
A DA-led Gauteng provincial government will not implement any skills training project that will not translate into job opportunities for the unemployed residents in the province. We would have assessed the market within all our departments and created opportunities for bakeries before conducting training.