Motor giant in new pact with BCM

BUFFALO City Metro council has given the nod to a new partnership between the city and giant car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) in an effort to create jobs and stimulate economic growth in the region.

A new memorandum of understanding was approved by the council at the last council meeting held about two weeks ago.

In a report tabled before council, project specialist for economic development and agencies Noludwe Ncokazi said the partnership was conceived so that MBSA could contribute to the achievement of the metro’s goals by investing in sectors under the municipality’s jurisdiction, creating sources of employment in the region and stimulating the growth of economic activity.

“According to the metro growth and development strategy (MGDS), MBSA is a key strategic partner in the metro’s economic development goals of job creation and economic growth. Therefore, a partnership (MoU) with MBSA which is responsible for a large bulk of the metro employment profile, will foster better cooperation in line with the MGDS and MBSA development objectives within the metro,” Ncokazi said.

The MoU between the two parties started in 2011 as part of the business-adopt-a-municipality programme initiated by the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs.

The new memorandum will last for five years and will be open for review on an annual basis. However, it can be terminated at an earlier date upon three months notification in writing by any of the parties, according to the proposed memorandum seen by the Dispatch.

MBSA spokesman Asanda Fongqo confirmed to the Daily Dispatch yesterday that MBSA was in the process of signing the new memorandum.

Fongqo said: “We have had a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the Buffalo City Metro. Key to our partnership is to ensure that we contribute to economic development, job creation, skills development and unlocking further investment opportunities.

“As MBSA, we are committed to working together with BCM to help achieve the metro’s developmental goals. The renewal of the MoU [which is still in progress] between ourselves and the metro confirms the commitment from both parties in working together to further improve our economy.”

The new partnership will see initiatives to clean and make BCM a green city being implemented.

Other projects to be implemented include:

● Adopt-a-tree project and promote conservation of open spaces particularly in Orange Grove or Sunnyridge areas,

● Upgrading of the Nahoon estuary boardwalk,

● Light up of the pedestrian bridge and rockface at the Steve Biko bridge,

● Invest in Buffalo City initiatives, positioning the city as a premium destination to “invest, live, work and play”,

● Skills development and training for employees and entrepreneurs, ● Social housing projects, ● Small, medium and micro-sized enterprises support; and

● Positioning the city as a transport and logistics hub.

Ncokazi said there were no financial implications at this stage “except for execution of projects and initiatives already approved as part of the metro’s budget”. —