Premier Mandla Ndlovu: Mpumalanga State of the Province Address 2026

“Mpumalanga, a Province that works for all”

Speaker of the Mpumalanga legislature, Honourable Makhosazane Masilela Deputy Speaker of the Mpumalanga legislature, Honourable Sam Masango Honourable members of the Provincial Legislature
Honourable MECs
Judge President of the High Court of Mpumalanga, Judge Mphahlele
Esteemed Members of the Judiciary
The Acting Provincial Police Commissioner Dr General Z Mkhwanazi
Hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers present Hon Members of the National Assembly
Hon Members of the National Council of Provinces present
Executive Mayor of the City of Mbombela Local Municipality, Councillor Sibongile Makushe-Mazibu-ko and all Executive Mayors and Councillors
Chairperson of the Provincial House of Traditional Leaders and Khoisan who is also President of CONTRALESA, Kgoši Mokoena
Chairpersons and board members of our parastatals
Director General of Mpumalanga Province Ms Maggie Skosana
Secretary of the Legislature Mr Hubert Shabangu All Senior government officials
The Provincial Secretary of the governing party Cde Muzi Chirwa
Member of the ANC Veterans Leangue and a successful business woman umake Norah Fakude
Leaders of the tripartite alliance, Leaders of the opposition parties
Leaders of our social partners, big business and small business and the informal sector, non-gov-ernmental-organizations and religious organizations
Leaders of institutions of higher learning Esteemed guests’
Ladies and gentlemen
Sanibonani, Dumelang, Avuxeni, Lotjhani

Madam Speaker, I stand before you as one of many leaders who were raised and nurtured by their grandmothers. Today, I am especially proud and deeply grateful that my own grandmother is present in these proceedings.

After undergoing a cataract operation and successfully regaining her eyesight, she is able to wit-ness this moment with us. Her presence is not only a personal blessing, but a powerful reminder of the strength, sacrifice, and resilience of the women who shape our lives and our nation.

Our Provincial Legislature and municipal councils remain stable and focused on their mandate. We extend our sincere appreciation to all political parties for deploying honorable public repre-sentatives who remain steadfast in thoughtful deliberation and rigorous intellectual engagement.

Their commitment to critical thinking and constructive debate strengthens our democracy and enhances the quality of governance in our province.

I stand before you today, to give an account that Mpumalanga government is hard at work in building a society where our people are completely free from the shackles of poverty and have food to eat.

This includes actions taken to fulfil commitments arising from the historic Kliptown gathering, 71 years ago, where ordinary citizens of all races united for a common cause produced an extra-or-dinary document of principles and they called it “The Freedom Charter”

We have no doubt that after this account, people will realise that we are indeed hard at work and embrace, Mohamed Mamdan’s view that their government can not be accused of lacking the courage to try even though it is not yet uhuru.

Madam Speaker, I would like to share a scripture from the Gospel according to Saint Mark, chap-ter 4, verse 9, and echoed in Matthew chapter 11 verse 9: “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” :Yiza nendlebe mina ngiza nendaba

Madam Speaker, allow me to congratulate the class of 2025 matriculants who have made us proud with an overall pass rate of 86.55%, an encouraging improvement from last year’s 84.99%.

Our top achiever, Luyanda Ndhlozi from Elangwane Secondary School in Volksrust, under the Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Municipality in the Gert Sibande District, has secured her place among the top 40 achievers nationally. We are truly proud of Luyanda and the many learners who excelled in their matric examinations.
11. As we celebrate their success, we remain mindful of the persistent challenges of access to ter-tiary institutions that many still face. As government, we continue working tirelessly to expand post-school education and training opportunities, firm in our belief that education is the surest pathway to a better future and broader life choices.

Madam Speaker, On a sombre note, I extend my heartfelt condolences, on behalf of the people of Mpumalanga, to all those who lost their loved ones during the recent floods that engulfed our nation.

We also convey our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those who tragically lost their lives in road accidents across our province during the festive season.In these moments of grief, we stand united in compassion and solidarity with every affected family.

Our province and a country, also lost a leader, a gentle giant, former Deputy President Honourable DD Mabuza. This week the country has also lost a freedom fighter, one of the Delmas treason trialist cde Terror Lekota. To all the grieving families, akwehlanga Lungehlanga.

Madam Speaker, We are guided by the Freedom Charter, which serves as a pillar of our Constitution and the cornerstone of our democracy, driving government efforts to eradicate poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment.

• Our provincial economy is gradually growing
• Unemployment started declining
• Poverty rate and levels of inequality have declined significantly.
• Inflation is at its lowest in many years
• We are continuously recording an increase in Matric pass rate
• Bachelor degree passes increased to twenty eight thousand, six hundred and ten (28,610), demonstrating an increase in the quality of our education
• The rand is stronger than the dollar in 20 years, meaning we pay less for imports
• For the first time in our history, 27 doctors are now permanently placed in local clinics.

This is our story, this is our song worth sharing with the people of Mpumalanga. Does this mean all is perfect? Can we say, all is well? No! Not at all. We have not yet reached the promised land. It means we must roll up our sleeves, put our shoulders to the wheel, and work harder than before.

What we see is the light at the end of the tunnel, not an oncoming train, but a beacon of hope towards a brighter future.

Madam Speaker, the road to economic freedom is ardous. But we are prepared, well equipped, and ready to walk it. We have a reason to celebrate as Mpumalanga, we have successfully hosted several G20 events during South Africa’s Presidency, putting our province on the map and boosting tourism prospects.

These events addressed environment and climate sustainability, development, just energy transition, critical for a coal-producing province with 12 of the 14 coal-fired power plants, research and innovation, anti-corruption, and tourism.

They contributed significantly to local tourism, generating income for hospitality industry and small business sectors. All these events were hosted at Kruger National Park to showcase our biodiversity and commitment to conservation.

Madam Speaker, this year we commemorate important milestones in our political history. These events changed the course of history and shaped our journey to the democracy we enjoy today.

Seventy years ago, over 20,000 women of all races marched to Pretoria against pass laws. Their courage reminds us that women played a foundational role in our liberation.

It reminds us that gender equality is not just a symbolic gesture. It is a moral obligation, a human right, and essential to improving lives.

This year, we will commemorate the life and legacy of former Mozambican President, Samora Machel. Together with the Government of Mozambique, we will host the 40th Commemoration of his passing in Mbuzini.

This occasion will not only honour his contribution to the liberation of our region, but also reaffirm the enduring bonds of solidarity and friendship between our two nations.

Again this year, we will also proudly celebrate the centenary of the Kruger National Park. Through a series of campaigns, we will highlight how this iconic Park has positively transformed the lives of surrounding communities and strengthened our province’s tourism industry.

Fifty years ago, on June 16, Soweto’s youth led a historic march against Afrikaans, as a medium of instruction and demanded an end to Bantu Education, designed to limit black youth to unskilled labour.

As Oliver Tambo reminded us, “The children of any nation are its future. A country, a movement, or person that does not value its youth does not deserve its future.”

It is against this backdrop, that the ANC-led government works tirelessly to address youth unemployment through various programmes like the Premier’s Youth Development Fund, benefiting over two hundred and eighty (280) youth-owned enterprises to the tune of R358 million.

Our Expanded Public Works Programmes provide much-needed income and work experience.

Agricultural initiatives targeting youth and women, the Youth Employment Service, and the Presidential Employment Stimulus all of them bring relief to unemployment challenges.

As we commemorate these events, we must remember our history, uphold our constitutional obligations, and unite across racial lines, age, and status to build a better Mpumalanga, better South Africa and a better World.

The State of the Province Address (SOPA) outlines the actions that we have taken since our 2025 SOPA and the steps we intend taking for the next 12 months to advance the strategic pri-orities of our government.

In 2024 during the national and provincial elections people from Mpumalanga gave us a man-date to form government and fulfil their aspirations which are contained in our election manifesto and the government’s strategic priorities.
Let us remind ourselves what these priorities are:

• Firstly, to drive inclusive growth and job creation.
• Secondly, to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living.
• Thirdly, to build a capable, ethical and developmental state.

Today, I stand before this august house not only to give an account of the progress made in addressing these priorities, but also to call upon all of us to work together in building a Mpumalanga Province that stands firmly upon the foundations we have laid since the dawn of our democracy.

Madam Speaker, we need to consolidate our efforts, work towards a common vision forged through dialogue, through partnerships with all stakeholders and through an honest and frank reflection on the lessons learnt.

We must not shy away from honest self-reflection; we must acknowledge our shortcomings, confront our mistakes, and work diligently to correct them, improving wherever we have fallen short.

Madam Speaker, the recent arrests of several government officials and business people on allegations of corruption, fraud and money laundering demonstrate that government is taking a firm and uncompromising stance against corruption.

As government we fully support the work of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Hawks and any other law enforcement agency, and we will fully co-operate with investigations
aimed at rooting out corruption.