Buffalo City Municipality's capacity to promote economic development and enhance job creation is being increased substantially this year under
two main initiatives: the expansion of the Department of Local Economic Development and Tourism, and the development of the Revitalising Buffalo City 2006 Plan.
The Revitalising Buffalo City 2006 Plan is aimed at transforming the municipality into an effective, financially sustainable development agency in line with recent and proposed legislation re-shaping the roles of local government. It recognises that the only sustainable base for achieving the community's goals is a sound, employment-rich economy.
A strategic approach, based on a partnership among the municipality, the private sector and civil society, will form part of the plan. By mid-April 2003, the first stage of the plan was completed and presented to national Treasury as part of an application for restructuring assistance. The first stage of implementation will run from approval of the plan to 2006.
A significant element in the plan is the development of databases and research to underpin decisions on development strategies and monitor their successes and failures. In addition to the development of a general social and economic database, specific studies are being undertaken to examine three sectors of particular significance to Buffalo City: agriculture, tourism and small business.
The Department of Economic Development and Tourism, which was formally established in 2002 with the appointment of a general manager and the assignment of an economic advisor from VSA New Zealand, has been brought into the City Manager's office and strengthened with new staff appointments. Three programme managers have begun to each tackle tourism, rural and urban agriculture, and small business development.
The department will operate as strategist, catalyst and facilitator - developing the vision for growth and job creation in the city, ensuring that the city and its hinterland receive and use effectively the services of national and provincial programmes to support development, and focusing local efforts from the private sector and civil society to ensure employment-rich growth in the area's economy.
Projects for 2003
To revive existing business centres and create an effective network of small business advice and support services, agencies with good track records will be brought in to take over existing centres and open new ones. By June 2003, a one-stop shop for small businesses will be opened at Highway in the centre of Mdantsane, and a similar Business Place will be operating at King William's Town in partnership with the Steve Biko Foundation and Investec. Meanwhile, the successful BizBus programme will be continued, taking small business services to the people in different centres each month. The BizBus has already visited Dimbaza, Ginsberg, Highway and Tyolomnqa.
A survey of existing agricultural projects is being conducted prior to selecting those most likely to benefit from the financial, "in-kind" and technical support available from the municipality. One large rural project has received funding and is almost ready to start. A broader strategy to support and develop urban and rural agriculture is being developed using the concept of "umqokozo" to link producers, suppliers, processors, marketers, retailers and consumers.
The goals of the Rural and Urban Agriculture Programme are three-fold:
- to offer people the opportunity to improve their own nutrition and incomes through small-scale home plots;
- to lift the area's agricultural output closer to its potential levels as a direct contributor to the local economy; and
- to provide a larger base for the growth of agricultural processing industries.
The major project to prepare and implement a
Tourism Master Plan is under way. A workshop to bring together national and local partners in tourism development is being organised for next month. Projects to encourage community tourism associations, and to establish a
tourism development centre as part of the
Mdantsane Urban Renewal Programme, are also proceeding this year.
In co-operation with the Industrial Development Corporation, a new Buffalo City Development Agency is being established to focus initially on the re-development of the strategic beachfront and Quigney areas of the city. The agency is scheduled to become operational in July 2003.
The municipality's continuing support for the Industrial Development Zone will be supplemented by projects to identify and strengthen links between major industries and emerging small and medium businesses. The aim will be to ensure that the benefits from new industrial developments flow through rapidly to those in most urgent need of employment and skills development.
Recognising a local shortage of skills, a new engineering internship programme is being developed as a partnership between Buffalo City Municipality and
DaimlerChrysler South Africa.
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