By Nangamso Mabindla
16 February 2006

THE Border Kei Chamber of Business Future Search Think Tank indaba, held earlier this month, gave the municipality insight into the thinking of the city's business community, says the City's chief financial officer, Brian Shepherd.

The two-day indaba focused on the city's economic growth prospects. It was held at the Mpekweni holiday resort in Port Alfred, and representatives of Buffalo City went along to get an understanding of the thinking of the city's business community.

"Their thinking on priorities and development is in line with Buffalo City Municipality's strategies and list of priorities, indicating that Buffalo City Municipality is not out of touch with the business community," Shepherd said.

Mkululi Pakade from Kula Development Facilitators said the Future Search Think Tank was excellent for business growth in the city. "Ideas and proposals were very practical and appropriate. Buffalo City needs more and more sessions like that, where stakeholders can dream, network and engage for the benefit of the city."

However, the city needed a strong lobby and implementation mechanism to sustain the initiative and momentum, he added.

"Next time around I would like to see more proposals on how to establish backward linkages with the rural areas and townships covering the whole of the municipality."

It was decided at the Future Search Think Tank that for the city to have economic growth, it needed to improve in at least four areas, namely a game park, business retention, business attraction and recruiting a university to Buffalo City.

The think tank was attended by David Seamon, the assistant city manager of Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States. He was sent to South Africa on a three-week visit by the US government to assist the people of Buffalo City with economic development practices.

On concluding his visit, Seamon said Buffalo City had huge economic potential, and if its resources were used to their fullest, it could be one of the best places for local economic development.