By Nangamso Mabindla
1 August 2005

TOURISM Buffalo City's new board was inaugurated at a glittering function in East London at the weekend. The agency has the task of improving the tourism industry in the City.

The inauguration was attended by stakeholders and important players in the industry, including the chief executive of the Eastern Cape Tourism Board, Glenton de Kock, and Economic Affairs, Environment and Tourism MEC Andre de Wett.

Speaking about the board's value, City Manager Mxolisi Tsika said tourism played an important role in the government's quest to create employment.

He said that for every eight tourists who visited South Africa, a job was created. "The industry has a big role to play, especially in our province. We would like the new board to make a significant contribution to our tourism sector."

As the agency was a municipal entity, the board needed to work closely with City management to ensure that tourism was successful. "We will always encourage good communications between the City and our entities."

The City was developing a document that would encourage smooth communication between it and its entities, like Tourism Buffalo City and the Buffalo City Development Agency. This document would eventually become a by-law.

Tsika encouraged the City agency to work closely with the provincial tourism board to improve tourism to Buffalo City. "I see no reason why tourists visiting the Shamwari Game Reserve in Port Elizabeth go [along] the Garden Route to Cape Town instead of coming towards Buffalo City up to Durban."

Executive Mayor Sindisile Maclean said the city needed to improve its chances of being part of the Soccer World Cup extravaganza in 2010, which was expected to inject R45-billion into the country.

"This will translate into 160 000 jobs created and over 500 000 tourists visiting our country. We need to create an opportunity for our city to be part of this extravaganza and showcase its hot tourism spots, like our beautiful beaches," Maclean said.

The City was proud to have selected a board that had members who had experience in the tourism industry. Some came from the hotel and the airline industries, while others hailed from the business world.

The new board members are the head of South African Airways in Buffalo City, Malixole Mandulo (the chairperson); Sam Nassmov, a hotelier; Keith Stanton, from Inkwekwezi Game Reserve; Fezeka Maqwati; bed and breakfast owner Mervyn Gatke; businessman Mkululi Pakade; Mamcete Biko; and Mncekeleli Miseli.