Page 18 - RBIDZ

Economic Transformation Emphasised

at the Operation Vula Roadshow

As part of activating Radical Economic Transformation, the Provincial
Government of KwaZulu-Natal launched Operation Vula which would
serve as a practical vehicle to mobilise all sectors of the economy
towards achieving meaningful economic transformation in the province,
to interrogate the socio-economic disparities where the previously
disadvantaged communities were deliberately excluded from active
participation in the country’s economy.
While Operation Vula will target the furniture manufacturing, bakery,
clothing and textile sectors, its subsidiary, Radical Agrarian Socio-
Economic Transformation, seeks to increase the number of small-scale
farmers from underprivileged communities entering the lucrative food
production sector.
The programme will be run by the provincial Department of Economic
Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs. Emphasising
on the programme’s aim at the Operation Vula - King Cetshwayo
District Roadshow, held at Ngwelezane, the MEC, Mr Sihle Zikalala
explained that this empowerment initiative is meant to address rural
unemployment and development. The province will prioritise African
farmers and SMMEs, but the MEC warned that these programmes are
not handouts. “What we mean to achieve with this programme is to
empower black and African farmers and also ensure that they play in
the mainstream of this sector.”

“The aim of the Radical Agrarian Socio-Economic Transformation
(RASET) programme is to grow the agricultural sector through ensuring
participation by those who were previously marginalised and ensuring
that they benefit equitably from this sector”, said Zikalala.
Through Operation Vula, the provincial government will use its
procurement system to encourage entrepreneurs from historically
marginalised communities to seize business opportunities available
in various sectors of the economy, such as agriculture.

16 GATEWAY TO WORLD MARKETS