The Select Committees on Trade and International Relations, and Economic and Business Development have begun a week-long oversight visit to the West Coast in the Western Cape.
The Chairperson of the Trade and International Relations Select Committee and also a member of the Economic and Business Development Committee, Mr Eddie Makue, said the Committees were not on the West Coast to criticise. “The purpose of the oversight is located within the framework of responsibility we have as Committees. We partner with municipalities through the South African Local Government Association. The Committees want people in this community benefit from our visit this week,” Mr Makue said.
He said the Committees needed to understand how the port in Saldana was contributing to the local economy and small businesses in the area. “Small businesses have an important role to play, not only to grow the economy, but also to provide decent livelihoods to communities. We have a port here and are benefiting out of that, especially as there are many countries using it,” he said.
Mr Makue said the Committees were also interested in the Saldana industrial development zone, which is administered by the Department of Trade and Industry.
West Coast District Municipality Senior Manager Mr Earl Williams said the area had been challenged by subdued commodity prices and it was not exporting as much as it would like, particularly since 2009. “We are engaged with big companies in the area, one of them is the Rooibos LTD, because we want to address the challenges of unemployment,” he said.
Other challenges on the West Coast included the Municipal Infrastructure Grant, absences of buffer zones in case of emergencies, and inability to assist local municipalities with infrastructure needs.
The Committees will visit projects in the West Coast including the Saldana Bay industrial development zone, the West Coast National Park, and wind farms in Darling and Hopefield.
Sibongile Maputi
15 August 2017
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