On 23 June the SRVC facilitated a meeting at Africanos with the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC) and other regional role-players to discuss improving relations between the DTIC, local industry , an the local municipality to ensure that the the local economy benefits from the full range of services offered by the DTIC.

Organizations represented included The DTIC; The Department of Economic Development Environmental Affairs, and Tourism (DEDEAT); The SRV Business Chamber, The ANC District Office, Spar, and the SRVC. The SRVM and SBDM sent apologies but expressed their full support of the meeting.

The meeting, chaired by Prof. Deon Pretorius, served to reflect on the existing limited relationships that exist between the relevant public sector entities and local industry, and provide a platform to explore opportunities for increased collaboration and improved access to funding for development.

All parties were adamant about a few things:

• Collaboration is essential and imperative, not a matter of choice in view of limited capacity of local government.
• Action, implementation, execution; too much talking and planning for the sake of planning, too many excuses, too many reasons why success is not possible and too many reasons why implementation fail. It is time to act and to act together.
• This does not mean that there is no need for planning. It means that there are certain actions that can and must be taken with immediate effect.

The following key issues were raised:

• The issues regarding transport, roads, and other infrastructure.
• The question about the availability of land was raised.
• The need for a packhouse for centralising the sorting and packing of 2nd and 3rd grade fruit.
• Synchronizing and synergizing with the District Office relocation. Including a housing development for relocated officials.
• High-Capacity Rail Project; taking up the opportunities that come with the multi-billion Ford investment in the Silverton Plant.
• The need to include SMMEs in the economy.
• The Addo Mall development was discussed.

It was agreed in the meeting that there exist numerous appropriate opportunities for support by the DTIC and other departments to support economic development projects. The SRVC was praised by the DTI for the role they are playing in building collaborative relationships between local parties and facilitating an inclusive process focusing on the development and transformation of the local economy.