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Department: Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism Provincial Economic Development Strategy (PEDS) and the Jobs Strategy require a new set of industrial skills in areas such as petrochemicals, green technology manufacturing, agro-processing, and auto-manufacturing. Over the 2025 MTEF, the focus will be on the coordination and implementation of key economic projects to stimulate economic growth and development in the province. DEDEAT initiatives to drive economic growth to the desired levels include prioritising manufacturing, oceans economy, skills and training, digital economy and tourism. It means DEDEAT must actively support all applicable infrastructure projects and improve collaboration and integration of programmes for renewable energy, digital economy, MSME development and climate change through the District Development Model for economic emancipation and job creation. DEDEAT in terms of 2025 mandate paper has also aligned with Priority 2: %u201cEastern Seaboard Development, rural and township enterprises, informal and micro businesses, revitalisation of industrial parks, oceans economy projects, energy sector development and support to municipalities (including mini grids, power producer processes, liquified natural gas, green hydrogen and other sustainable energy initiatives)%u201d as well as support implementation of climate change adaptation strategies; and Priority 7 %u201cincrease the provincial share of global foreign-direct investment and position the province as global destination of choice for trade and tourism, and support African free trade agreement initiatives%u201d. The Local and Regional Economic Development (LRED) programme continues while previously funded stimulus fund projects will be monitored and supported. There is also a huge demand for MSME assistance with financing through the ECDC, which is unable to meet demand. However, funding challenges are impacting the advancement of loans to MSME. For 2025/26, the target is to support 400 MSME through non-financial support with 200 for financial support. Furthermore, the continuation with the Economic Development Fund under the ECDC in 2025/26 will provide resources to overcome these challenges. The department foresees an increased demand on skills development programmes at ECDC and CSEZ as well as applications for financial and non-financial support from MSME and cooperatives. The department still aims to support about 200 cooperatives, which will be manageable through greater interactions with prospective communities. The fourth industrial revolution requires new types of skills, which cannot be implemented by the department alone and therefore support and collaboration with the private sector will be sought. 1.6 The Acts, rules and regulations The department operates in a highly regulated environment, with more than 100 Acts and Regulations that serve as operational boundaries of the DEDEAT Group (department and its six public entities). The key acts, rules and regulations are applicable to the core functions of the department, which are: %uf0b7 Amended Co-operatives Act, 2013; %uf0b7 Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Amended Act, 2013; %uf0b7 Consumer Protection Act, 2008; %uf0b7 Co-operatives Bank Act, 2005; %uf0b7 Eastern Cape Liquor Authority Act, 2018 (No. 4 of 2018) %uf0b7 Eastern Cape Liquor Act, 2003; %uf0b7 Eastern Cape Consumer Protection Act, 2018 (No. 3 of 2018) %uf0b7 Eastern Cape Development Corporation Act, 1997; %uf0b7 Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Gambling Amendment Act, (No. 1 of 2015); %uf0b7 Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency Act, 2010 (No. 2 of 2010); %uf0b7 Environmental Management Act, 1998; 614