Public Service and Administration Minister and the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Development Model (DDM) National Champion, Ms Ayanda Dlodlo, said government has plans for economic revival with a special focus on agriculture, mining, health and education in the farming area of Dominionville in the North West Province.
She was speaking at the service delivery outreach program at the settlement situated in the Matlosana Local Municipality.
“There is potential in the agricultural field as this area is rich in arable land. I am talking to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to activate Small Scale farming within the area, so that we can resuscitate the economy in the area.
“Another economic opportunity that has a potential to improve the lives of the people here is the re-opening of formal mining activities. “The Department of Mining and Energy has been invited to also explore with the community the opportunities that are available, as well as to engage on the issue of re-opening the Dominion mine.
“These activities will help in revising the economic status of the community and assist in creating job opportunities,” the Minister said.
According to Minister Dlodlo, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC in the Province, Ms Desbo Mohono, who is also allocated the district as its DDM Provincial Champion, will continue engagements with the community to assist in opening up farming opportunities in order to assist with economic sustenance.
Agriculture plays a crucial role in the process of economic development and can contribute significantly to household food security. Minister Dlodlo said she is also engaging [Basic] Education Minister to consider rebuilding the school that used to operate in this area so that there can be easy access to education for children.
“I have noted that most buildings including the school building are badly dilapidated. These may be revived, and sound educational activities carried out. “I hope that through these discussion, and community engagement, we will be able to improve the educational uptake in this community.
“I have noted that of the 115 youth present in this area, only one has achieved a matric pass and is at a TVET College in Matlosana while many of the youth have dropped out of school.
“Education is the key to social and economic development. We must work together to ensure that the educational status of our youth is improved,” she said.
With regard to Health, Minister Dlodlo said: “I am also talking to the Minister of Health to provide health services on a daily basis through the Mobile Clinic. Perhaps, in the long term a clinic structure may be built.
“I am also in talks with the Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs to collaborate with the City of Matlosana with regards to the land issue. “The provision of land in the area will enable the building of more houses for the community of Dominionville,” she said.
Service delivery outreach is not only an important part of government leaders accounting to people, but a programme that take services closer to the people.
Government also use the service delivery programmes to encourage communities to play their part and implement the National Development Plan (NDP and support government’s commitments that the country moves forward to achieve Vision 2030.
According to the NDP by 2030, government aims to ensure that one million hectares of land is used to produce crops including fruits; livestock farming with the view to provide superior breeding animals to targeted smallholder and subsistence farmers.
The NDP further sets out a broad vision to eliminating poverty and reducing inequality by 2030.
Dominionville farming community
Dominionville is an informal settlement with exclusively black households with a total population of about 900 and adjacent to that is a settlement consisting of hundred and fifty (150) households of the white community.
The area is on a privately owned land and in terms of the Land Use Management Scheme 2005 of the Municipality, the land is zoned as agricultural, but there are no farming activities taking place.
The Shiva Uranium Mines, which once operated in the area, used to own the land and administered mining activities, but the mine has now closed down. While the majority of residents were employees of the mine, others were farmworkers in the area.
