Oranjemund’s growth ‘not a one-man show’

THE Oranjemund Town Council and OMDis, a town transformation agency, have signed an agreement to accelerate socio-economic development for the betterment of the local community.

The agreement was signed at Oranjemund yesterday.

The government granted Oranjemund, a former mining town, local authority status in 2011.

Oranjemund mayor Henry Coetzee said the cooperation envisaged in the agreement would change the town’s economic landscape significantly. He said the town council recognises the need to achieve a sustainable town.

“It’s a fact that development is not a one-man show, it needs partners. Therefore through the smart partnership as demonstrated today, it can accelerate investment promotion for Oranjemund through mutual understanding,” he said.

The mayor said it was the council’s responsibility to explore ways of improving residents’ living standards through diversifying the local economy. This, he said, would promote employment opportunities, skills development and social enhancement. Coetzee said the council aimed to promote incentives to existing businesses, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and new investors.

“Our aim is equally to diversify and move away from a single economy to a multi-subsector economic town thriving on new possibilities in a stable political and administrative environment,” he said.

The council is happy with progress being made in tourism, industrial, manufacturing, solar, wind energy, commercial and agriculture activities, vocational education and land and housing development within Oranjemund amid the unfavourable global economy and Covid-19 pandemic, Coetzee said.

“We believe these initiatives, once fully implemented, will help and contribute to positive growth and development,” he said.

OMDis general manager Tony Bessinger says the agency’s objective is to assist the former mining town become sustainable by creating SMEs, entrepreneurs and large industries in addition to mining.

He says the agency has engaged stakeholders and investors in an effort to unlock the town’s agriculture potential. Bessinger says the agency aims to achieve its objective by 2030.