Today, the Executive Mayor Councilor Mpho Khunou, alongside Municipal Manager, Mr. Victor Makona, Speaker of Council, Councilor Shiela Mabale-Huma, and Member of the Mayoral Committee on Local Economic Development Councilor Ofentse Kombe played host to a delegation of Turkish business community to Rustenburg. The meeting took place the Council Chambers, at the Rustenburg Civic Center.
The delegation from the middle east nation, are in the country to attend to explore prospective business opportunities ranging from mining, logistics, manufacturing, processing and engineering sectors. Rustenburg, being home to the seventh largest economy in the country while contributing around 40 percent of the provinces gross domestic product (GDP) is a region of interest to the Turkish, in their quest to forge new business and working relationships with some of the provinces in the country.
During the meeting, the Executive Mayor, said although there City had been seen as a place which is not investor friendly given the job-shedding in the mining industry, the City is showing stable growing, with the construction of new shopping centres, residential projects which talk to the City’s long term vision. ” We have come a long way, Rustenburg can today compete with other cities in South Africa in terms of good and quality infrastructure. The parcels of land which we have, gives us a competitive advantage over other regions, where development is not as rapid as it is, in Rustenburg” Mayor Khunou remarked.
The Turkish delegation was impressed by the work done by the City, in ensuring that despite the challenges, which are not peculiar to Rustenburg, the City remained open for business, skills transfer as well as beneficiation to ensure that the people of Rustenburg are able to compete nationally and internationally from local economic development to SMME led initiatives.
In attendance also, was Director for Local Economic Development – Mr. Edward Komane, officials from the LED and Planning & Human Settlements.
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