Newly appointed director of Local Economic Development Riana Meiring says she received a very warm welcome when she returned to her post a month ago.
Newly appointed director of Local Economic Development Riana Meiring says she received a very warm welcome when she returned to her post a month ago.
Meiring's contract expired during the second half of 2013 and her post was readvertised. However, no suitable applicant was found.
In an interview with Grocott's Mail, Meiring said she was impressed with the work that had continued in her 18-month absence.
She's especially impressed with acting director during that period, Thembinkosi Sindane, who is also Tourism manager.
"I've returned to a motivated, talented young team," she said.
Meiring is excited about the directorate's projects, particularly the municipality's growth and development strategy that has the Creative City concept at its core.
Also close to Meiring's heart is the R300 000 inner city regeneration project, which has been given a R150 000 boost by the Sarah Baartman District Municipality.
Of great to concern to Meiring is the lack of key capacity in the municipality currently.
"We need to appoint a building inspector, and we are currently interviewing for a town planner," she said.
Delays in approvals of developments meant local economic development was hampered, Meiring said.
"We are taking measures to address these gaps as soon as possible."
Of significance for the municipality was a focus on new aspects of the Spatial Planning Land Use Management Act.
Makana will sit on a district tribunal for land use applications," Meiring said.
"In other words the applications will no longer be under the control of the province.
She said because it would not be just the Council dealing with applications, the approvals process would be expedited.
In the Council's Tourism and Cultural Industries Portfolio Committee meeting earlier, Meiring emphasised the importance of Makana having a clear arts and culture policy.
This was because of the Council's policy decision to adopt the Creative City concept as core to Makana's growth and development strategy.
"This is going to become the buzzword for Makana," Meiring said.
"That is our competitive advantage."
