VRYHEID KZN: ALM focuses on local Economic and Social Development

Early this month, Acting Mayor Mncedisi Maphisa led a three-day Municipal Strategic Planning meeting that took place at Natal Spa, where a number of deliverables expected were discussed and identified. As a way of promoting socio-economic growth and job opportunities, the Municipality is paying attention to one of its key performance areas, which is Local Economic Development (LED) and Social Development.

The key focus areas will be:

Agriculture, SMMEs and job creation, poverty alleviation, tourism, economic growth, real estate and business management, sport and recreation, youth programmes, arts and culture, social welfare, health HIV/Aids, social programmes, as well as safety and security.

Agriculture – The development strategies will include co-ordinating the establishment of agri-business forums, farmers’ associations, providing support to agricultural production, co-ordinating agricultural activities, establishing co-operatives in all areas, and assisting in developing an Agri-Processing Hub, as well as developing an agricultural sector plan.

SMMEs and job creation – The objective is to give continuous assistance of entrepreneurship and job creation by 2022. The strategy will focus on the training of SMMEs according to their needs to meet the standard and to co-ordinate intergovernmental programmes to create job opportunities.

Poverty alleviation – Our objective is to train vulnerable communities on income generation projects and deliver poverty alleviation projects in all Wards to create business opportunities.

Tourism – Our objective is to identify tourism opportunities while our development strategy will focus on co-ordinating tourism events and awareness campaigns in the municipality, organise workshops and roadshows, establish the tourism industry and projects focusing on tourism, and develop the tourism sector plan and promote the heritage route. We will also introduce historically disadvantaged people into tourism and assist accommodation establishments with their Tourism Grading.

Economic growth – The strategy is to develop commercial centres in the municipality, review, adopt and implement the LED strategy; community empowerment of small business start-ups and assist with business retention for existing businesses and provide incentives for new businesses.

Real estate and business management – The development objective is to focus on proper acquisition and disposal of real estate according to the municipal by-laws by 2022. While the strategy will focus on the development and implementation of the Land Disposal Policy, development of real estate by-laws, enhancing real estate capacity, effective management of outdoor advertising and business licence compliance.

Sport and recreation – The plan is to promote sport and recreation in AbaQulusi by establishing a sport and recreation committee (Sport Council), conducting sport talent promotion and competitions, and providing the Department of Sport & Recreation with a platform to support federations and players in different sporting codes.

Youth programmes – The focus is on the establishment of a youth committee (Youth Council), conducting youth empowerment sessions and providing government departments and the private sector with a platform to support the youth in their different developmental needs.

Arts and culture – We will look at the establishment of an arts and culture committee (Arts and Culture Council), conduct talent promotion and competitions, as well as provide the Department of Arts & Culture with a platform to support artists in different art codes.

Social welfare – The objective is to ensure availability of social services programmes to the community of AbaQulusi by establishing a social services stakeholder committee and supporting the Department of Social Development in rolling out social development programmes.

Health: HIV/Aids – The key objective is to promote healthy living by establishing a health and HIV/Aids committee (Aids Council), conduct awareness programmes and provide the Department of Health with a platform to support communities in their different health needs.

Special programmes – We will be looking at the establishment and promotion of community empowerment programmes for children, the aged, disabled and vulnerable groups. The strategy will focus on the establishment of a special programmes committee (Children, Gender, Elderly and Disability Councils), conduct empowerment sessions and awareness campaigns, and support NGOs by sourcing assistance from potential sponsors and funders.

Safety and security – The municipality is working on enhancing safety and security by participating in the CPF and Neighbourhood Watch meetings, conducting crime-awareness programmes in communities, and reviewing of the Safety and Security Plan, as well as the installation of CCTV cameras. The municipality also did a Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis which identified that there was an opportunity to revitalise mines; forging on Private-Public-Partnership; strengthening relations with external stakeholders; as well as attracting funding, as there are various committees that are to be established and additionally, a full utilisation of municipal land and properties.

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