Bitou Mayor calls for community rethink on foreigners

Update

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Bitou Mayor Dave Swart has called on residents of Kwanokuthula in Plettenberg Bay to reconsider their ultimatum for foreign nationals to leave the township by tonight, Wednesday 31 August.

Swart told the Bitou Council in a meeting today that this kind of action sends a message that would scare off investors and deprive Plettenberg Bay of much-needed investment and the creation of jobs for “ the benefit of all its citizens”.

He said at a meeting with various stakeholders of Kwanokuthula held in the council chambers on Tuesday night, members of Kwanokuthula Landlords Association expressed this “exact concern regarding the possible damage to their properties, because of the community decision that all foreigners should leave Kwanokuthula by today”.

“While the concerns of Kwanokuthula people are real, we need to deal with these issues through the correct channels and not send out messages of instability and possible unrest to the general public,” he stressed.

Unrest discourages investors

He said currently the focus is on growing the Bitou economy to create an environment of investment and development that will ultimately increase income for Bitou Municipality and create jobs for its citizens.

The fact that people in the past had threatened to, or had in fact closed down the N2 to show their dissatisfaction regarding different issues, have already lost Plett potential investors and people have sold their homes and moved away from Bitou, he said.

If the town is serious about developing and improving the lives of citizens, the community “cannot allow this sentiment and these threats to continue”.

“On Monday 29 August 2022 our Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure visited us to hand over a further 36 completed houses from the Qolweni 169 Project. Again we had disruptions and threats to close the N2 prior to and during the minister’s presentation. These actions are reported in the press and do not do Bitou any good. This cannot continue if we are serious about developing our area, as the message sent to investors is one of instability,” said Swart.

He emphasised that no one wants to invest in an area where their property and possibly their lives are at risk.

“There is a community meeting in Kwanokuthula tonight and I appeal to the people of Kwanokuthula to reconsider their decision. Both the police and the Department of Home Affairs have given their commitment to address the community concerns and work with the community to make Kwanokuthula safe for all its residents,” he said.

Photo: Supplied