Trans-Limpopo Spatial Development Roars To Life

South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 soccer World Cup presents opportunities for the Trans-Limpopo Spatial Development that has been dormant for close to a decade to come alive, an official has said.

In an interview, a senior official of the Trans-Limpopo Spatial Development, Mr Obert Sibanda, said the country expected to reap and cultivate gains from its  neighbour, South Africa.

The Bulawayo based businessman who is also the president of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) said it was an honour to participate in South Africa’s Safari African Village, as Polokwane has few tourist attractions and the town had to create that attraction to entice the soccer fans coming from all corners of the world.

To achieve that, Zimbabweans involved in different projects were invited to participate in promoting a cultural village so that it comes alive. “As members of the spatial development, the town wants people who know how to cook and we are identifying women to cook Zimbabwean or African cuisines.

“The town also requested two disc jockeys for the whole month. We are also identifying cultural groups to perform, trying to target different people. They are to exhibit their wares, crafts and sell cultural goods,” he said.

Mr Sibanda said due to the good relations between the two countries, Zimbabwean participants would stay in Limpopo for the whole month unlike other participants from other countries.He said participants were working to develop the cross border initiative fully.

“Participants from other countries will be there for three days while we have been allowed to stay for the whole month. We are also thinking about the launching of the cultural village on 25 May at Limpopo. We will be waiting to hear about further developments,” said Mr Sibanda.

He said the initiative would also be used to strengthen relations that would be cemented by the twinning of some towns in the two countries.“We are looking forward to twin Polokwane and Bulawayo, Makhado and Gwanda, Victoria Falls and Skhukhuni, Musina and Beitbridge are already twinned,” he said.

Mr Sibanda said the development initiative also looking at the twinning of learning institutions.“Due to our relationship, we want to twin the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) with Limpopo University. We are also working on trying to bring Lupane State and Solusi University aboard,” he said.Also to join the twinning process was the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority that would be linked to Limpopo Trade International.

“We are also in the process of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Zimtrade and ZNCC. We have some small to medium enterprises and small businesses that exhibited in Limpopo and were sponsored 100 percent by the Limpopo government.“They exhibited wares without paying for any expense,” he said.

Mr Sibanda said stakeholders from both business and the Government were working to guarantee that the Limpopo spatial development picks up. “In February led by Zimtrade we went to Palaburwa for a festival, where some of our countrymen also participated.

We also had seminars that took place in November last year, during the seminar people were identifying challenges that take place around the border. ZIMRA, police and other relevant stakeholders of both sides of the countries were invited.”

A meeting was held in March in Victoria Falls to steer the initiative into life. The cross border initiative offical said he appreciated the efforts of the Joint Provincial Council (JPC), the Joint Executive Committee (JEC) and Joint Executive Technical Workers Committee (JETWC).

Terms of the Limpopo Spatial Development were negotiated as early as 1999 and then a MoU was signed in 2001 between Limpopo which was then the North Province and Matabeleland South and North provinces.At the time, Bulawayo was not yet a province.

The initiative was to create an economic development corridor from Limpopo to Victoria Falls, with a radius of 50 kilometres from Limpopo to Victoria Falls.In 2004 the initiative’s signatories came up with a work plan that identified a number of projects to be launched.Mr Sibanda said the work plan was presently being revised so that it would benefit both Zimbabwe and South Africa.

 Source: www.sundaynews.co.zw