Limpopo’s first female premier, Phophi Ramathuba, intends to boost the province’s mining sector in order to generate more jobs. Additionally, she aims to enhance the province’s tourism and agriculture industries, recognizing their significant potential for development. Ramathuba emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive environment for investors by offering them the necessary assistance from the state.
“If an investor wants to start mining but faces challenges with power supply, we need to address that issue. If there’s a problem with water supply, we should tackle that as well. Similarly, if there are issues with roads and network infrastructure, we need to resolve them so that mining can commence. Starting mining operations creates jobs, and then we can progress to the next step by keeping a portion of the minerals for domestic processing and value addition instead of exporting them. The same approach can be applied to agriculture,” asserts Ramathuba.
Childhood friends including former classmates of Dr. Ramathuba in Ha-Mashamba village in Limpopo say they are thrilled that she has been elected as the new premier. Ramathuba was sworn in at the legislature in Lebowakgomo on Friday.D Former classmate Martha Mulaudzi attended school with Ramathuba at Tshitangule Primary School.
Mulaudzi recalls that Ramathuba was an exceptional student from a young age. He first met her when they were both in Sub A (which is now Grade R). They grew up together and he remembers her as a very bright student who enjoyed her studies. One memorable detail is that despite living far from the school, she made sure to water the garden regularly. They remained friends until they reached Grade 7.
