It was instructive to hear the Mayor of Durban in a recent radio interview promise to fast track all processes related to the rebuilding and restoration of buildings damaged in the recent looting.
“All red tape will be cut,” he thundered, “to ensure there are no hold-ups and road blocks to rebuilding.”
Of course this begs the question, if this capacity to optimise and streamlining processes existed in the relevant departments, why did it take a crisis to utilise it?
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Perhaps they are taking on board Winston Churchill’s immortal words to never let a good crisis go to waste?
It is refreshing though, to see a municipality take the lead in creating an environment that is conducive to supporting development, rather than participating in cheap politicking.
Further, one must hope that the streamlining and optimising of development processes described above, if successful, will create an incentive for future new development, apart from the massive rebuilding and restoration of damaged and looted buildings.
It is imperative for the authorities in all affected areas in the province to move with speed and purpose to instill confidence in those businesses touched by the unrest, to convince them to rebuild and re-establish operations.
It is also a golden opportunity to align the activities of provincial, local and district departments, and banish the type of silo mentality that was so evident in the efforts to re-open the Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Gauteng.
Given the large scale destruction of properties in Gamalakhe, Ezinqoleni and Port Edward, our local and district municipalities have undertaken in our recent interactions with them, to follow the lead of Durban.
Vijay Naidoo writes in his personal capacity as CEO of the Port Shepstone Business Forum.
The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.
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