Highlighting many gains and “quiet successes,” “Premier Mandla Ndlovu delivered a landmark State of the Province Address (SOPA) for 2026.

He used a Chinese proverb to illustrate his point  “while a single falling tree makes a loud noise, millions of trees grow in silence.” The Premier referred to the steady, often unnoticed improvements across the provincial economy which is now yielding record-breaking results.

Economic turnaround and job creation

According to Ndlovu, the last year was seminal. While globally, the 2025 financial industry was highly volatile, Mpumalanga’s economy grew by more than 1% with inflation at its lowest point in years. The province also recorded its highest historic employment level at 1.28 million people. This translates into more than 37,000 new jobs during the last quarter of 2025.

This performance ranked Mpumalanga as second nationally with regards to job creation. This achievement drove the unemployment rate down to 32.3%.
Ndlovu said to sustain this growth, R238 billion in investment were recently secured. R25 billion had already been signed off to the green economy. “This marks a significant turning point, indicating a growth rate of 2% per annum, starting in 2027.”

Transforming the property sector and skills

As youth and female unemployment remains high, the Premier announced a strategic partnership with the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority and Services SETA. A Real Estate Training and Placement Programme would be launched, creating 200 opportunities for previously disadvantaged individuals in the resilient property sector. Mpumalanga would bridge the “graduate gap” through bursaries and a further R5 million contribution from the Services SETA, to support higher education.

Infrastructure: The Arteries of Growth

Ndlovu reiterated that infrastructure remains Mpumalanga’s “lifeblood.” During 2025, R2.5 billion had been invested in road networks. Despite the transition to clean energy, the Premier said the reality is that coal would co-exist with green energy for the foreseeable future; necessitating continued maintenance of coal haulage roads to support the national power grid.
He also addressed the recent floods, calling it a “national disaster.” With the Disaster Fund recording a shortfall of R5.9 billion, the provincial government is working with national government to “build back better.” Focus would be on erecting climate-resilient bridges and schools in hard-hit areas such as Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge.

Agriculture and innovation

Agriculture remains the backbone of the province, employing 12% of the workforce. The Premier lauded the “new generation” of agri-preneurs, mentioning Lebo Mashego and Fikile Nkosi, who are moving from peripheral participants to export-ready commercial producers. Additionally, a flagship hybrid rice project, in partnership with the University of Mpumalanga, is predicted to create a staggering 388,000 jobs across its industrial ecosystem.

Ndlovu concluded with a call for a “collaborative, all-hands-on-deck approach,” emphasizing that while government provides a foundation, partnerships with the private sector and the resilience of the province’s people would be key ingredients for Mpumalanga’s “forest” to continue growing.