By Nangamso Mabindla
12 December 2005

LOOKING back over his five years in office, Buffalo City Mayor Sindisile Maclean says the City's future looks bright.

In his end-of-year message Maclean said that in the past five-year term the municipality had reached heights as an award-winning city, built on stable and sustainable grounds.

"It has been five years in which we showed flashes of becoming an agent of change."

Although some would say not enough had been done to promote change, the mayor pointed out that the integration of the three main nodes - in East London, King William's Town and Mdantsane - had been relatively successful.

In addition, much investment was being poured into changing the face of Mdantsane. The township is one of eight presidential urban renewal projects.

Challenges facing the City included joblessness and poverty, Maclean said.

Turning his attention to the delivery of services, the municipality's core responsibility, Maclean said service delivery continued to be extended while existing infrastructure for such services was maintained.

"Those who cannot afford to pay for services are being assisted through the funds we receive from the Equitable Share," he said.

There are about 50 000 indigent households in the City that need such assistance.

Turning to the future, Maclean said the City remained an investment destination, with numerous inquiries in the pipeline.

Time was needed "to mould the perception of our City back to its former glory as an award-winning City", he said. "I am confident we will succeed if we all rally behind the city's single vision."

Maclean closed his message by wishing residents a blessed festive season and a prosperous New Year.