Minister Nokuzola Tolashe on meeting with People’s Republic of China embassy

Today, the Minister of Social Development, Ms Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe, and Deputy Minister Mr Ganief Hendricks hosted a meeting jointly with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Wu Peng, and the technical team from China who presented the findings of their preparatory research on the poverty alleviation project for Kgomo Kgomo Village in the North West. The North West Provincial Government was represented by Premier Mr Lazarus Kagiso Makgosi, MEC for Social Development Ms Sussana Dantjie, the Mayor of Moretele Local Municipality, the Speaker and MMCs.

The meeting received feedback from the leader of the Chinese research team of experts on the findings of the fact-finding mission conducted in Kgomo Kgomo Village.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Tolashe said: “Today’s meeting marks a significant milestone in achieving the goals of the cooperation agreement in the field of social development between the two countries. South Africa doesn’t take lightly the investment by the People’s Republic of China and its contribution to the priorities of the Government of National Unity—inclusive growth and job creation and reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living.”

The Government of the Republic of South Africa is grateful to the people and Government of the People’s Republic of China for their commitment to collaborate with us in piloting the rural poverty alleviation project, with Moretele Local Municipality being the selected site. The Government of the People’s Republic of China has successfully lifted over 700 million citizens out of abject poverty.

This partnership will deepen the existing diplomatic relations between South Africa and China. South Africa has taken over the chairpersonship of the G20 from Brazil, and one of the priorities of the Government of National Unity is reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living. A key priority during this chairpersonship is addressing poverty, unemployment, and inequality through inclusive economic growth. The poverty alleviation project is well positioned to contribute tremendously to the achievement of this priority, which is led by the Department of Social Development. The partnership will also contribute effectively to the achievement of the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030 and the African Union (AU) Agenda 2060, as well as ensuring that no one is left behind.

This background highlights a significant development in the partnership between China and South Africa. Key points include:

1. The state visit: Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to South Africa in August 2023 marked a crucial moment in diplomatic relations.

2. Poverty alleviation commitment: President Xi's announcement underscored China's commitment to supporting South Africa's poverty alleviation efforts.

3. Global Development Initiative (GDI): The project aligns with China's GDI, focusing on poverty alleviation and food security.

4. UN 2030 Agenda: The initiative supports the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing global cooperation.

This partnership showcases China’s willingness to share its expertise and resources to address pressing development challenges in South Africa, the cornerstone of the South-South cooperation.

This poverty alleviation model will be implemented within the parameters of the District Development Model (DDM), which promotes cooperation between national, provincial and municipal government for a common goal—to have all hands on deck for the betterment of the people of South Africa. Efforts will also be made to mobilise the involvement of the private sector and civil society organisations in implementing this poverty alleviation project. Government alone will not be able to address the challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality, which besiege our communities.

The Minister said: “I must emphasise that in line with the DDM philosophy and ethos, we envision this poverty alleviation model to benefit the entire Ward 21 villages and not just one village.”

The South African delegation assured the People’s Republic of China that it is here as the three spheres of government in support of the project and to show its commitment as political leadership with the administration on behalf of the people of South Africa. They will not allow this investment to vanish without achieving the original intent envisioned by our leaders when they met during the state visit in 2023. The Minister wished the technical team a safe journey back home and looks forward to the return of the Chinese team with practical interventions to eradicate poverty in South Africa.

Enquiries:
Sandi Mbatsha
Spokesperson
Minister of Social Development
Cell: 082 525 2959
E-mail: SandiM@dsd.gov.za

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