By Nangamso Mabindla
18 August 2005

SOUTH Africa is a country with lots of potential, and cities like Buffalo City with its historic past, represent that potential.

This is according to Paul Boateng, the newly appointed British high commissioner to South Africa.

Boateng, accompanied by British Consul-General Michael Mayhew, visited Buffalo City Mayor Sindisile Maclean to discuss the challenges the city faced.

Maclean outlined some of these, including the backlog of 75 000 houses, job creation and the lack of proper infrastructure.

"Dealing with unemployment is very difficult. We need to lure major investments so that our people get proper, full time employment," he said.

Urbanisation was one of the major challenges in the fight against unemployment, which stood at 53 percent. Maclean said that with people moving to the city, it was difficult to distinguish between urban and rural unemployment.

"Some of these people move to the city to find jobs. When they do not find employment they either stay in shacks or move back to the rural areas. But they normally stay in the cities in places like Duncan Village for easy access to town."

However, it was not all gloom as development initiatives like the Urban Development Zone, the Buffalo City Development Agency and the Industrial Development Zone were established to combat unemployment and poverty.

Boateng said he was impressed with the potential South Africa had. "The country is now leaving the past and focusing on the future. The focus is also on technical industry, which bodes well for the future of the country."

Buffalo City had a big role to play in the building of the national economy. "For the country to be successful it needs cities like this one to contribute to its economy; and I think this city has a lot of potential ... I was impressed with what I saw when we drove down the West Bank from the airport," Boateng said.

The West Bank is home to the DaimlerChrysler Plant and the Industrial Development Zone. During his visit to the province Boateng will also visit the University of Fort Hare campus in Bhisho.