Council-public meeting: More jobs needed, residents say
Job creation and development of the local economy were some of the issues raised by residents during a meeting in council chambers recently.
Rand West City residents had the opportunity to air their views about economic development for the 2020/ 21 financial year during an Integrated Development Plan (IPD) meeting held in council chambers on Tuesday, 4 February.
According to Theo Pretorius, Managing Director of Plan Associates, the company the Gauteng Provincial Government and the Rand West City Local Municipality (RWCLM) has hired to present development possibilities in different areas in Gauteng, the session was used to get the public’s comments to allocate a budget to meet their respective needs.
“The purpose of the IDP session is to consult with different stakeholders to find out what needs have to be prioritised, so that people can see which of their needs can be met,” Pretorius said.
His presentation triggered many questions from the people of Rand West City.
For example, people saw that mining featured on the map, and they then spoke about the problems they had with the mining sector,” Pretorius added.
He said the points made by the public were recorded and the municipality would subsequently engage with the relevant governmental departments in its efforts to intervene.
“Most importantly, the public needs to see where everything is going in terms of development, and for people to respond because this gives them a clear picture about the plans lined up in their respective regions. By knowing this, people will be able to make informed decisions about their investments.
“If they want to buy land, it is important for them to know about the developments planned for that area,” Pretorius said.
He said among the issues the public in Rand West City had raised were creating jobs, developing the local economy, providing agri-hubs for local and emerging farmers, and revitalising the Randfontein CBD to make businesses more sustainable.
