The Office of the Premier in the North West province is to host a workshop on the mediation strategy to manage relations between tourism, mining and land claims. The two-day provincial engagement involving key stakeholders in the sectors is to be held at Orion Hotel in Rustenburg as from Wednesday.
Members of the Executive Council, senior representatives from the mining sector, tourism, house of traditional leaders, key government departments related to the sectors and municipalities are expected to attend the workshop hosted by the Planning Commission and input on the first draft of the “North West Mediation Strategy and Plan for Mining, Tourism and Land Claims” discussion document.
“The workshop hosted by the Provincial Planning Commission will afford the key stakeholders with the first hand presentation on the mediation strategy and its core details for them to have a say and provide valuable inputs into the refinement of the plan and also play a part to generate sustainable solutions on this resource critical area. It will also assist to forge relations with key role-players in the sectors,” Premier Thandi Modise highlighted.
Modise said that whilst the province is characterised by significant mining developments and prospects, substantial tourism potential and a bevy of land claims. Overtly, these distinctive and often competing interests possess the possibility of diminishing each other and the economic growth and development of the province.
“The provincial government through the development and implementation of the plan intends to address the conflicting interest between these sectors on a sustainable basis,” she emphasised.
According to the Premier, a team of specialists experienced in the relevant fields were appointed in 2012, tasked with evaluating the status quo and preparing a first draft of the discussion document.
The document captures findings from an initial assessment phase which included documentary reviews and interviews, analyses relevant case studies and offers preliminary recommendations. The report now requires inputs from key stakeholders in the identified areas and a joint programmatic approach to address these challenges.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele, Spokesperson
Tel: 018 388 3705
Cell: 083 629 1987
E-mail: LKgwele@gmail.com
