Economic Development Annual Report

Annual Report 2023/2024 Mpumalanga: Department of Economic Development and Tourism - Vote 6

• Generated market intelligence reports that identify and quantify green job and investment opportunities in the renewable energy, water, and sustainable agriculture value chains (through the Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency). • Produced evaluation report for Mdala Nature Reserve and the Mkhombo Dam Nature Reserve as well as EPWP monitoring reports in terms of job creation which included designated groups like women and young people. • Reviewed and updated geo-database of the MEGDP (Mpumalanga Economic Growth and Development Path), as well as collecting new data. • The active participation and role in provincial department committees led by the OTP such as the development of a provincial job creation strategy, development of a provincial economic diversification strategy. In the process there’s also close collaboration with important institutions such as the World Bank and the PCC. • Member of the provincial committee working closely with the OTP on the establishment of the Mpumalanga Research Institute (MRI) to address the research gaps in Provincial Government due to capacity, skills and budget constraints. To ensure tourism sector policy development, regulation and compliance and promotion of sector transformation in the Province, the department significantly achieved the tourism awareness campaigns, capacity building programmes, and facilitation of strategic stakeholder engagements programmes as well as ensuring the implementation of the regional tourism integration programme like TRILAND initiative. We facilitated the historic signing of a partnership arrangement with SATOVITO to empower the rural and township SMMEs in the tourism sector.

43