Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to host Premier Nomvula Mokonyane and Minister Gugile Nkwinti at Rural Development Summit

MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Nandi Mayathula-Khoza will be hosting the inaugural Provincial Rural Development Summit at Hekpoort, Mogale City, on 16 and 17 March 2012.

The Rural Development Summit will see the gathering of various stakeholders representing government, business, civil society, NGOs, traditional leaders, farmers, and farmers' unions, who collectively believe the Summit will result with them emerging with a common purpose of accelerating agrarian reform and food security for all communities in Gauteng's rural areas.

Under the theme: “Vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities”, the highlight of the Rural Development Summit will be the signing of the Gauteng Rural Social Compact by all key partners. Among the dignitaries expected are Mayathula-Khoza, Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane and National Minister for Rural Development and Land Reform Gugile Nkwinti.

The objectives of the Rural Development Summit, among others, is to highlight and profile the plight of rural people in Gauteng and seek common ways of addressing these challenges.

We invite all media to attend the Summit, which will include a press conference on Friday, 16 March 2012 at 1pm, where the MEC, Premier and Minster will address the media.

Details are as follow:

Date: Friday, 16 March 2012 Time: 10:00 Venue: Hekpoort, Mogale City. Directions included

For further information, contact spokesperson for MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, Tsepiso Sheunyane, on (076) 198 7897.

Directions to the Rural Summit venue from Johannesburg Central:

1. Take Rissik Street 2. Turn left into Smit Street and continue along this route 3. Smit Street becomes Ondekas Street; go straight 4. Turn right into Hendrik Potgieter Rd 5. Turn right into R563 at T-junction 6. Keep right for 25km 7. Turn left at T-junction and travel for 800m 8. Then turn left into the conference venue