14 November 2006
By Nangamso Mabindla
To improve its economy and attract investors, Buffalo City needs to have a long-term city development strategy (CDS), believes Executive Mayor Zintle Peter.
According to Peter the city was showing signs of declining employment in the formal private sector and was dependent on the automotive industry. An ageing and neglected infrastructure was another challenge the City was facing in its quest to attract investors while keeping existing business.
"That is why we need a long-term city development strategy that will develop the economy in a particular direction and plan for long-term infrastructural needs," Peter said.
Although initiatives aimed at economic development, like the East London Industrial Development Zone and the Buffalo City Development Agency, were already in place, the City still needed to have a 20-year plan for economic development and tackling the ageing infrastructure.
"We need to look at our area's potential and see how we can exploit that and improve our economy. When I talk about potential I am talking about things that stimulate the economy, like roads and other large scale infrastructure," she added.
However for the City's CDS to be successful, all its partners needed to be on board. "Over the past two months we have brought all our economic stakeholders and players in the region for a series of rapid planning initiatives. We would like to crystallise these into a plan of action at a stakeholders' conference to be held at the end of November."
Looking at the ideas that emerged from these planning initiatives, Peter said the first priority was to upgrade the city's connections with the world. "We want our port upgraded, deepened and enlarged and our rail and road connections improved. This is vital for reaching markets and for making Buffalo City a viable location for any manufacturing operation."
Another area that would be included in the CDS was the city's untapped tourism potential. Peter said the strategy needed to explore other dimensions of the lifestyle offered in Buffalo City, its good weather and good cost of living. She called on the national and provincial governments to assist it in its efforts to improve people's lives.
Buffalo City needed to be part of the economic growth experienced by the rest of South Africa or it stood a chance of missing out. "The dangers are that we could end up losing the existing manufacturing base before we have had time to diversify if we don't improve our infrastructure and upgrade both our river port and rail. It is important that through planning, unity and partnership we work to avoid missing out on the developmental boat."
Presentation for Seminar
