President Zuma to Update Stakeholders on Operation Phakisa - Oceans Economy Progress

The ultimate goal of the Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy is to advance the fight against the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality

PRETORIA, South Africa, October 2, 2017/APO/ -- 

President Jacob Zuma will provide a progress report to stakeholders on work being done to implement the Operation Phakisa Oceans Economy fast results priority project in Durban, on Friday, 06 October 2017.

The President launched Operation Phakisa in 2014, as one of the means of fast-tracking the implementation of the National Development Plan aspects dealing with reigniting growth and job creation and to improve socio-economic services. The Operation Phakisa is being implemented in the oceans economy, expansion of information and communication technologies in schools, building ideal clinics, mining, tourism and the agriculture and rural development sectors.

The President will first visit the tugboat building facility at the Southern African Shipyards in the Port of Durban, to witness the work being done, particularly at the training facility, and interact with the workers. Southern African Shipyards is the biggest and the largest Shipyard in Southern Africa and provides a complete in house marine solutions including ship building, ship repair, naval maintenance, mechanical and fabrication and oil and gas departments.

The stakeholder briefing session will be attended by stakeholders from public and private sectors, including labour, academia and civil society. Government works with all these sectors to strengthen partnerships and cooperation with the private sector, while creating an enabling environment for investment in the oceans economy sector.

Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy initiative was launched in July 2014 as a results-driven approach to development, involving various sectors such as business, labour, academia, civil society, State-owned Entities and Government.

South Africa has a coastline of 3 900 kilometres, with Executive Economic Zone (EZZ) of 1.5 million square meter, with the potential to contribute up to R 177 billion to the gross domestic product (GDP) and create just over one million jobs by 2033.

The ultimate goal of the Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy is to advance the fight against the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality, through the following work streams:

• Marine Transport and Manufacturing;
• Offshore Oil and Gas;
• Aquaculture;
• Marine Protection Services and Ocean Governance;
• Small Harbours Development; and
• Coastal and Marine Tourism.

The details of the event are as followsPart One: Southern African Shipyards, Port of DurbanDate: Friday, 06 October 2017Time: 10h00Venue: Southern African Shipyards, Port of Durban

Part Two: Presidential stakeholder briefing to stakeholdersTime: 11:30Venue: Chief Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, Durban  

Media attending the event are required to send their details including ID/passport numbers preferably on or before Wednesday 04 October 2017 by 17h00 to Ernest Mulibana at EMulibana@environment.gov.za or 082 263 7372 or Proffesor Ndawonde on 079 891 2782 or proffesor@presidency.gov.za.  

NB: Members of the media are also requested to present their valid press cards at the point of entry to access the venue.

Distributed by APO on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Presidency.