Current Edition >> Archives Section >> Editorial Comments >> 3 - 17 November 2003

Editorial comments

LED in the Free State
It is generally accepted that local economic development (LED) could and should play a centrifugal constructive role in the socio-economic advancement of communities, also in the Free State, especially in the vast rural areas. However, LED is a complicated process that should be managed by local government, co-ordinated by provincial government, planned with inputs by all stakeholders and implemented with full support from the private sector. Looking, however, at the practical situation in the Free State, especially at platteland towns, LED most often is seriously lacking or simply does not exist. Our readers would be able to name many Free State towns where LED is a misnomer and where unemployment and poverty is rife.
It is also a tragic fact that at many towns the liaison and synergy that should function between municipality (mostly black) and the business sector (mostly white) in order to create LED, is non-existing. Quite often the reason is mainly political, but ignorance and lack of LED skills on the part of municipal officials and councillors also play a significant role. It is against this background that the initiative by the LGWSETA and the Mangaung Municipality to introduce LED learnerships for the Free State, as being explained by these two roleplayers elsewhere in this edition, is to be welcomed with open arms. It is indeed an appropriate response to a dire need. Of course one swallow does not bring summer, but it nevertheless constitutes an indispensable first step in the right direction. We encourage all municipalities and stakeholders to grab this opportunity with both hands and to turn it towards best application for their respective communities.
In this instance two local training providers are already involved in the process: The Centre for Development Studies at the UFS (tel.051-401 2423, contact person Lochner Marais) and the Motheo College for FET (tel. 051-448 1525, contact person (Nanette Lötter).

FS Growth and Development Summit
The recently held Free State Growth and Development Summit at Thaba Nchu Sun does not inspire much enthusiasm. Firstly, the list of speakers do not include many persons in a position to make a real practical difference in development on the ground. Besides, notably absent from the speakers' list are representatives from key stakeholders such as organized business in the Free State, the Free State Development Corporation and the FS farming sector. Secondly, the “Agreement” produced in document form by the summit, is rather once again a theoretical verbosity setting lofty ideals, but rarely touching ground. What does the document say about e.g. industrial potential in Thaba Nchu, the tourism achievements of Clarens, the possible spin-off of developments at Parys, the potential of the Gariep Dam to the Free State, why agro-processing in the Free State has not yet come off the ground, the constraints being experienced on the FS Goldfields, why LED in the Free State is still a non-starter, etc.?
Thirdly, amongst the pressing problems and challenges economic development in the Free State is facing, is the growing divide between the governmental sector and the private business sector and the summit in question seems to have followed this trend, rather than attempting to bridge the divide. Seen on the whole, the summit appears to have been yet another talk shop, raising little visible hope of creating jobs and making a difference for the better in Free Staters' lives here and now.

New Spoornet chief executive
At the annual awards event of Spoornet Free State last month in Bloemfontein, a video conveying the new corporate vision of Spoornet was shown for the first time in South Africa espoused by none other than the new CE herself - youthful Dolly Mogatle. What was striking, is the articulated, professional and passionate way in which Ms. Mogatle relayed her message. The latter comprises basically bringing Spoornet business-wisely back “to the heart of it all” - the South African economy, sub-Saharan Africa and Nepad. We say - watch this lady !