‘… your role in creating jobs is going to be crucial’

– MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, Anton Bredell, emphasising the important role of the game industry in job creation, speaking at the launch of the Cape Wildlife Group

The Cape Wildlife Group, which comprises private reserve owners and game farmers committed to the conservation of wildlife in the Western Cape, wants to change the perception that tourists do not consider the Western Cape to be a prime wildlife destination.

This was according to Johan Meyer, chairperson of the Cape Wildlife Group, speaking at the recent launch of the group in Stellenbosch.

He said the group wanted to promote the Western

Cape as a premier wildlife destination, thereby creating jobs and contributing to the province’s economy. The group would be focusing on ecotourism, breeding of wildlife, hunting, and the supply of game meat to the market.

Also speaking at the event, Anton Bredell, MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, highlighted the fact that the province currently faced the challenge of people migrating there from other provinces and neighbouring countries.

He said that 640 000 people had migrated to the Western Cape between 2013 and 2018.

“We have a huge task on hand to get these people integrated into the province’s economy. At the moment there are a lot of people who use our resources but we don’t get the tax benefits, putting a lot of pressure on the economy of the Western Cape.”

He added that the game industry played a large role in South Africa’s economy and could do the same for the Western Cape.

“The way to overcome poverty is to create jobs, and your role in creating jobs is going to be crucial.” – Jeandré van der Walt