N Balindlela: Tiffindell Ski Resort Expansion Project launch

29 August 2007

Programme Director
His Majesty the King of Amarharhabe, King Maxhobayakhawuleza Sandile (Aa:
Zanesizwe)
The Executive Mayor of Ukhahlamba District Municipality
Honourable Councillor Thandi Mahau
Leaders from business and the public sector
Director-General of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT)
Ms Pam Yako
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

I bring greetings to you all from the people of the Eastern Cape. Firstly, I
would like to thank the Directors and Management of Tiffindell Ski Resort for
having invited me, His Majesty the King, the Executive Mayor and my other
colleagues from the public sector. This demonstrates that our country is indeed
moving in great strides towards a better life for all. This goal can only be
achieved if, we as the Leader in Excellence at the centre of the government,
work together with the private sector to achieve the same goals.

As we all know, entrepreneurs are people who work day and night looking for
opportunities where they can invest their money in order to get good returns.
We as the government are there to ensure that our vision, mission, objectives
and overall strategy support these burning desires of entrepreneurs so that
economic growth can occur resulting in local economic development and
associated benefits.

The spin-offs of such a partnership are wealth for the investors and
stakeholders, jobs and better life for the local communities and an improved
economy of the province and the country in general. The Eastern Cape province,
ladies and gentlemen, is blessed with unique natural features and these form
the basis of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa
(AsgiSA). There are various investment programmes that are founded on this
uniqueness of our province.

The developments at Ngqura, Wild Coast and Jeffreys Bay are just a few
examples in this regard. In all of these, we have established strong
partnerships with the private sector. We as the province no longer believe that
we lack economic opportunities for development and investment. The province has
an abundance of these unique investment opportunities. Who on earth ever
thought that the Eastern Cape would have titanium, coal, lime and other mining
opportunities that would radically transform the economic landscape of the
province?

Ladies and gentlemen, I am standing before you as a proud and motivated
leader of the province because we have turned the corner for the best. We are
here tonight to witness a unique private sector initiative that is located
within Ukhahlamba District Municipality (UDM). This relates to the expansion of
the Tiffindell Ski Resort located near Rhodes and Barkly East. Tiffindell was
established in 1993 and has been operating ever since. It is the only Resort in
South Africa that has natural snow for skiing purposes.

This resort has a comparative advantage over other tourism destinations.
Recently, there were national Skiing Championships at Tiffindell and we were
informed through our Eastern Cape Tourism Board, that the event attracted large
numbers of people from our country and abroad. These tourists spend significant
amounts of money within the province and this forms the basis of the LED
for
Ukhahlamba and our province. Because of the growing popularity of Tiffindell,
the existing facility could not cope with the demand.

There was a need to develop the facility to be able to cope with the current
demand as well as introduce other attractions. This has led to the R400 to R500
million developments we are launching tonight. A 150 bed five star hotel and
about 120 time-share apartments will be built at Tiffindell. Modern facilities
will be introduced to broaden the entertainment offerings at the resort. I am
informed that the new owners have twinned themselves with an international ski
operation in Europe with a view to have complementarities based on South-North
seasonality.

This will ensure that our winters bring us foreign currency. How is this
development going to assist the local people? I am pleased to say that the
presence of the Executive Mayor here clearly demonstrates that our government
is keen to ensure that there is maximum benefit by the local people out of this
development. The Business Model indicates that between 800 to 1 000 people will
be employed during and post construction. This is a whooping injection of jobs
in that part of the province.

We are also informed that the local communities will be capacitated and
supported to supply products and services to the resort. For example, fruit and
vegetables, eggs, meat and other essentials will be supplied by the local
communities. This will, however, require proper support and empowerment of
these communities for them to be able to do that. Locals will also be trained
in the various aspects of skiing as a sport so that they can be active
participants in the operations of the resort.

I would like to express our gratitude to the Tiffindell investors and owners
for their openness and the trust they have shown to the people of the Eastern
Cape and their government. They have also entered into an equity ownership
arrangement with the King Sandile Development Trust (KSDT). The KSDT is already
involved in tourism at their Mngqesha Great Place (supported by Department of
Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). Their facility is in demand within
South Africa and abroad. This relationship will certainly enhance these two
destinations as they both boost unique attractions.

We are proud to say that our Eastern Cape Tourism Board is highly
enthusiastic about this and will support the partnership. We as the government,
through the MEC for Economic Affairs, Mr Mbulelo Sogoni, have committed
ourselves to play the public sector role in support of this important
development in our province.
Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone present here
tonight. Your presence clearly demonstrates that you like good things in life.
This is a good opportunity and please considers participating in it in whatever
manner you deem fit. Your participation in this development will not only offer
you an opportunity to get good returns but will also contribute significantly
towards a better life for all the stakeholders.

To the Executive Mayor of Ukhahlamba, I would like to encourage you to
embrace this development like you have done with the others! It offers us to
utilise our God given natural heritage for the good of our people. I understand
that there will be a four-day exhibition of what this development offers. May
everyone and those who will visit enjoy it.

On behalf of the Eastern Cape Government and its people, I wish to
officially launch the Tiffindell Ski Resort Expansion Project!

I thank you

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
29 August 2007
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecprov.gov.za)