Overstrand Executive Mayor Dr Annelie Rabie welcomed over 120 delegates to the Overstrand Investment Conference in Hermanus on 23 June.
She expressed her excitement to showcase what the municipality had to offer to investors, business people and estate agents.
The investment conference is part of the council’s three Cs of objectives or strategic interventions and includes Communication, Crime Prevention & Law Enforcement and Cost and Ease of doing business with Overstrand. The cost and ease of doing business with the municipality resonates under Mayco member for investment and infrastructure Councillor Clinton Lerm.
“An event of this calibre is a great opportunity to exchange learnings and experiences with one another,” Rabie said. “If you are planning to invest in the Overstrand it is important that you understand the good, the bad and the ugly.”
The mayor briefly touched on the subjects of unemployment, GDP growth potential and the importance of political stability and the knock-on effect actions and events have on bordering municipalities – Theewaterskloof, Swellendam and Cape Agulhas – that form part of the Overberg district.
“Unless we have political stability there will be no economic investment, and therefore there won’t be job creation to sustain the community of Overstrand.”
Currently, the economic growth in the Overstrand municipal area is supported by the top two performing sectors i.e. wholesale and retail trade, catering and accommodation that provide 27% of employment and the finance, insurance, real estate and business services that come to 17% of employment.
Rabie did not beat about the bush when she said her council would not tolerate inter-racial intolerance. People must know “Overstrand for All” means everyone who wishes to make a living here, and everyone wishing to contribute to the economy in the area is welcome.
She said: “It is in this vein that this conference wishes to expose and to entice you to invest in land that the municipality currently owns, and which we hope to develop to assist us in driving the unemployment figures down and to deal with the very aging infrastructure that we have in certain areas. It is also important to look very seriously at our social housing requirement.
“We cannot continue to live in the Overstand as if it is a retirement village or a very nice seaside resort. But in the same vein we have to respect the investment many people made in the Overstrand.”
With that (or this?) in mind, the Overstrand Municipality has a strong view on developing and investing in the Blue Economy and alternative energy. The agricultural, forestry and fishing sectors contribute only 5,2% of the GDP and 11% of employment, but there is scope for growth.
Rabie then addressed the issue of whose responsibility it is to create jobs. “This is not a Zero-sum game. Job creation is not the job of the municipality; nevertheless, we have a collective responsibility if we want to grow the economy. Our job is to provide an enabling environment for creating work opportunities to ensure the refuse gets removed, there is a proper sewerage system, that one has water and electricity.” The challenge is the provision of energy beyond Eskom. Rabie confirmed the Western Cape Government’s commitment to be less dependent on Eskom.
She advised investors to do their homework by reading the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), studying the Spatial Development Framework (SDF) and the Water Management Plan as well as the Budget, so they are aware of what is going on in the Overstrand Municipality. “Once you have invested here and live in Rooiels or Pringle Bay, I don’t want an email asking to remove the baboons; the same applies to Hermanus, so that you cannot say you didn’t know about Schulphoek.”
In addition, she ensured delegates the Overstrand Municipality is financially stable, which means there are enough reserves to cover all operational expenditure for at least four months, regardless of whether the municipality receives grants from provincial or national government, or not. Further proof is the previous nine consecutive clean audits the municipality has received.
Rabie also paid tribute to all the previous councils, municipal managers and municipal officials, “because you don’t just ‘suddenly’ create a financially stable environment. It follows after years of hard work by people who are equally committed to making the Overstrand work”.
The mayor concluded that she and her team believe in an active and open civil society. “You can talk to us, you can visit us, but don’t try to bribe our officials or take short cuts; we will not allow it. Have respect for the municipality’s processes and procedures, and from our side we will ensure your applications are dealt with speedily and swiftly.
The second day concluded with site visits to the various pockets of land.