By Nangamso Mabindla
4 May 2004

BUFFALO City executive mayor Sindisile Maclean has called a conference to discuss improving economic delivery and rural development around Buffalo City.

The two-day conference is to be held at the Good News Christian Centre in Bisho on 19 May and 20 May.

Maclean said the City had progressed considerably since democratic delivery in 1994, but villages in the interior of the province were still suffering under an environment outside the influence of the mainstream industrial economy.

Addressing the effect of the demarcation of Buffalo City, Maclean said: "This demarcation included 300 underdeveloped and marginalised villages without infrastructure, job opportunities and with declining subsistence farming or any worthwhile agricultural activities."

"I'm calling this conference with all the spheres of government, parastatals, businesses, labour, NGOs and communities in an attempt to revitalise these areas and create opportunities for jobs and food securities," said Maclean, urging all stakeholders to attend.