By Nangamso Mabindla
16 May 2007

EDUCATION is the flavour of the month in May as students from two Buffalo City tertiary institutions - Walter Sisulu University and Fort Hare University - graduated and prepared to face the working world.

Some will leave the province and pursue careers in different parts of the country or world, while others will stay and work in the Eastern Cape.

Speaking at the Fort Hare University graduation ceremony, Buffalo City municipal manager Gaster Sharpley urged the new graduates to make a difference in the province and its cities.

Speaking about some of the challenges Buffalo City faced, Sharpley said that it had an ageing infrastructure, connectivity to the country and the world needed improvement and the pace of addressing poverty was slow.

"I want each of you here to ask yourselves these questions: are you ready to change this city? Are you ready to change your life? I always use the expression that this city is pumping and there are a number of opportunities for graduates, particularly in the 2010 Fifa World Cup^TM, the Industrial Development Zone and the property market."

There were other opportunities in the small business sector, building and construction, the automotive sector and farming and agriculture.

"We recently acknowledged building plans reaching the R1-billion mark; Daimler Chrysler being awarded the W204 production of right-hand drive C Class Mercedes Benz exports; and increasing demand for retail space of 180 000 square metres has led to the development or proposed development of at least four new malls," Sharpley said.

He urged graduates to look at ways in which they could play a role in further developing and improving Buffalo City.

"Let us change the perception about the city and work together in the creation of opportunities of mutual benefit."