Delmas First engages with business owners and community during mass meeting
“The future of Delmas is in our hands and in alignment with the municipality’s IDP we as Delmas First have a master plan, which will soon be made public, by which we strive to bring investors to Delmas and revive our town.”
With Delmas First now back in full force, aiming to create job opportunities and restore the town to its former glory, they held a mass meeting.
The meeting, held in the Jeneve Conference Centre in Delmas on June 27, comprised a team of Delmas First, local business owners, small and medium business enterprises (SMEs), pastors from different denominations, Victor Khanye Municipality (VKLM) representatives and other representatives from Delmas.
Sipho Mahlangu, a director of Delmas First NPO, started the meeting with a brief introduction about the organisation and its initiatives.
According to Mahlangu, Delmas First, now a registered NPO aims to, with the input of all business partners, make Delmas a thriving town by embarking on projects to revive the town’s image and bring positive investment.
Tabo Motau gave a broad oversight on the plans for Delmas First. According to Motau, the town of Delmas needs investment to create job opportunities.
“The Delmas First master plan and upliftment program is to continue where it left off in 2023, and we should work together to save our town,” said Motau during the opening speech.
“The future of Delmas is in our hands. By aligning with the municipality’s IDP, Delmas First has a master plan which we will soon make public by which we strive to bring investors to Delmas and revive our town.
“The support we receive from the Victor Khanye Local Municipality (VKLM), the local police, the public and other structures pleased us,” he continued.
Motau pleaded with current businesses to support the Demas First initiative.
“It once again boils back to making Delmas a better place for all, especially investors, to grow local SMEs. Delmas First welcomes anybody who needs support to grow their business.”
A plan for a local market is also on the table.
“We need a centrally based space where the people from Delmas can sell their products. We have talented local artists who make beautiful products. They should be able to sell this at such a market, and it will bring people into town to support our market.”
The VKLM Mayor, Vusi Buda, said the municipality thanked Delmas First for their initiative.
“We need groups such as Delmas First and Delmas Herleef that can bring our town back to its former glory, bring investment and support jobless persons by creating employment,” said Buda.
Buda pledged support for the initiative, together with the local police, churches and prominent community leaders such as Khaya Segone. Segone also expressed his support for the Delmas First initiative.
“We must take hands to support Delmas and prevent it from becoming a ghost town. We must strive to become more united so that we can turn it into a town that we want and need,” said Segone.
The leader of VKLM’s Interim Local Economic Development Forum, Thabo Mashabela, also expressed his willingness to participate in the Delmas First economic and esthetic upliftment of the town.
The commander of the Delmas Police, Colonel Sipho Sithole, told the meeting the police fully support the initiative.
“As the police, we experience our challenges, some of which crime because of unemployed people, in and around Delmas. Let us work together as prevention is better than cure,” said Sithole.
“I ask of interested parties to come up with positive contributions. Petty squabbles will not assist in the goal of restoring Delmas,” Motau concluded.
