REGIONAL FOCUS: EASTERN CAPE BY JESSIE TAYLOR
The Eastern Cape of the future
Investing in infrastructure to grow the provincial economy
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hilst being one of South Africa’s most rural provinces, Eastern Cape has vast potential to become an economic driver. In an effort to unlock the earning potential of the province, investment is being made into infrastructure such as roads, smart cities and special economic zones. Unemployment remains a challenge in the province, with more than 47% of adults out of work. Of those
48 | Public Sector Leaders | April 2022
with employment, around a quarter are in the informal sector. However, Eastern Cape is home to a significant labour force: The province has the third-largest population (around 7 million people), following Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Yet almost 13% of households in Eastern Cape live in poverty, and many others are based in isolated, rural areas where
