Makana Municipality has just entered a new financial year which presents new Local and Economic Development (LED) projects to continue to create a conducive environment to facilitate economic growth and development.
Makana Municipality has just entered a new financial year which presents new Local and Economic Development (LED) projects to continue to create a conducive environment to facilitate economic growth and development.
The LED department was budgeted to receive R20.2-million for its projects from the R69-million provided by the 2010/ 2011 capital budget.
Within this budget, R19.7-million is sourced from the Neighbourhood Development Partnership grant for projects such as the Quick Wins projects and the Egazini Memorial precinct.
Quick Wins were rolled out last year and looked at the completed street light project for Mandela Street and the upgrading of pavements alongside the Mandela taxi route which is close to its completion.
According to LED Director Riana Meiring, the National Treasury approved a grant of R93-million capital grant, of which R3-million is intended for technical assistance and will be broken up over a four year period.
Current Quick Wins projects identified by Makana Municipality to facilitate the implementation as well as the utilisation of the Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant (NDPG) funding, were approved last year in August and have a total estimated amount of R24-million.
Tenders for two other Quick Win projects, namely the development of the ablution block in the Miki Yili cricket ground and the paving of the Raglan Road/Albert street intersection, have been awarded at the end of May.
The Egazini Memorial precinct project has received a partnership funding from NDPG amounting to R18- million as well as R15-million from the National Department of Tourism.
According to Meiring, this will be rolled out this July and commence over a three year period. An interpretation centre will be constructed on Makana’s Kop (the ridge above Vukani) which will interpret the history and significance of the Egazini Battle where the Xhosa Chief Makana attacked the British settlers of Grahamstown in 1819.
The centre will also be a multi-purpose site of culture and learning and will serve a wide range of audiences from local youth to international visitors.
The location of the centre is significant as this is where Makana launched the attack on the British settlers of Grahamstown.
Between the interpretation centre located on the ridge and the Egazini heritage site which houses the Egazini memorial in Fingo is an undeveloped area which will be transformed into a hiking trail creating a recreational and tourism corridor through Fingo and Vukani.
Meiring said that the Egazini heritage site will be developed where the rugby field was upgraded to include changing rooms as well as feature an exhibition on the history of black rugby teams and players.
Meiring said that a feasibility study on the viability of the project was undertaken and completed. A conservation plan and an Environmental Impact Assessment was also commissioned, revealing that the project is sustainable.
Meiring said that the Department of Arts and Culture needs to be brought on board to register the Egazini interpretation centre as a national heritage site, once this is done, construction of the interpretation centre can commence.
