The initiative encourages municipalities to form partnerships with neighbouring countries to develop trade relations. This has led to BPM signing a twinning agreement with the Massingir District Municipality in Mozambique. The alliance was initiated last year when Massingir approached Ba-Phalaborwa.
In January this year, Mopani District Municipality Mayor Pule Shayi BPM Mayor Merriam Malatji visited Massingir to explore the possibilities. The municipalities share tourism and agriculture, making it easy to trade. In May Massingir Mayor Asmeralda Mutemba and her team attended the Marula Festival exploring possibilities on how the fruit of the marula tree can benefit the local economy.
Also read: Report: R40 million wasted at Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality
Malatji and the municipality management also attended the Tilapia Festival in Mozambique’s Gaza province. Last week a delegation from Victoria Falls City Council Municipality in Zimbabwe visited BPM for three days to explore potential cooperation between the two municipalities as a precursor to a proposed twinning arrangement. A reciprocal visit by BPM is anticipated shortly to solidify the proposed twinning partnership.
