Exciting plans to twin with Dundee, Scotland, and a renewed effort to regenerate the local economy by improving infrastructure, were revealed by Thulani Ndlovu,Endumeni’s recently appointed Local Economic Development manager.
Speaking at Tourism Dundee’s annual general meeting, Mr Ndlovu said the municipality welcomed strategies by Tourism Dundee to create jobs and wealth by promoting tourism.
“We know the committee is made up of willing volunteers… these are the kind of partners we seek in the municipality as we strive to dent unemployment, poverty and inequality in our area. By joining hands we can conquer many ills – our wish is to twin with our ‘mother Dundee City’ in the hope of attracting more investment and tourism,” he said.
The new Majuba College, rapidly reaching completion at the entrance to Dundee, will also be an important partner as the municipality seeks to improve skills to help make local people more employable.
“Improving agriculture by partnering with local farmers is also on our agenda. To help improve our area’s tourism attractions we are focusing on improving roads and road signage within our ambit.” Part of the regeneration plan, which was echoed by Tourism Dundee chairman, Norman Parkinson, is the development of the new park – that will include an outdoor gym – at the entrance to Sibongile.
Mr Parkinson said this year the municipality had allocated over R247 000 to tourism for which the committee ‘is very grateful’.
“The Dundee Regeneration Programme is very important to us and we hope this will soon be a reality. The project to put up plaques on local historical and interesting buildings is forging ahead with Charlie’s Super Spar kindly sponsoring the first 15 plaques.”

Mr Parkinson said Tourism Dundee had done much to promote the area by attending the Getaway Show in Johannesburg and the Tourism Indaba in Durban. The Beeld Show in Johannesburg is also on the agenda, as Tourism Dundee believes that the ever-increasing number of South Africans visiting the battlefields is just as important as the overseas contingent.
Concerns were raised at the meeting that the poor implementation of by-laws relating to public disturbances and littering – especially in public parks – was impacting on the aesthetics on the town. The new committee will be taking this up with the authorities. Philip Voigts of Elandsheim made a presentation on skills development as a way of improving the tourism industry. Such training is supported by the Government and can be claimed back by employers, the meeting heard.