New board has Aspire back on its feet again

Directors raise R1.2m for tourism agency’s coffers

Aspire once expired under a welter of corruption allegations and at some point it struggled to pay workers’ salaries, but now it is back.

The tourism and development implementing agency’s new board of directors has hit the ground running, raising R1.2m in its first month.

Professor Christian Adendorff was appointed as the board’s chair with Mark Williams his deputy.

Nkosinathi Mbende, Machaka Mosehana and Sithembiso Khanyile make up the rest of the five-member board.

Aspire has made headlines in the past for being cashstrapped.

ADM mayor Winnie Nxawe said the board’s term started last month and would end on December 31 2021.

Adendorff said the agency had managed to raise up to R1.2m to help implement developmental plans for ADM.

“The money will be used towards feasibility studies for two of 60 game-changing green infrastructure initiatives for ADM towards 2030. One is a waste management project which will be implemented in all six local municipalities under ADM. Waste management is currently very poor in these municipalities.

“The second is a sea water desalination plant proposed for Mbhashe municipality in Chintsa. R600,000 is earmarked for this feasibility study,” said Adendorff.

“We want the proposed plant to service all six municipalities although it is based in Chintsa. We will be turning sea water into drinkable water and assisting with our water irrigation system.”

Adendorff said the desalination plant was the agency’s long-term intervention plan for the ongoing drought in the district.

“Our role is to support ADM’s long-term vision towards 2058 and ensure that the district becomes a smart district. We will be seeking funding from national and international funders.

“From next month we will start rolling out some development projects and residents can expect to see the projects in the next five years,” said Adendorff.

Residents can expect to see the projects in the next five years