R1,9bn infrastructure boost for Plett

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Bitou's Sustainable Infrastructure Investment Conference, held on Thursday 23 May, is expected to kick-start total infrastructure investment of R1,9bn for the municipality.

The conference, part of new Bitou Mayor Claude Terblanche's 100-day plan, paves the way for a number of projects, including the establishment of a self-sustaining electricity generation project, middle-income housing projects, the Plett airport development, as well as a project to centralise the municipality's offices on one campus.

The aim of the conference was to expedite approval procedures and link potential investors with the municipality and government departments.

Plettenberg Bay should see the establishment of at least one, if not two, new boutique hotels, further extending its tourism offerings, the conference was told.

The exciting 'Coming together Project' , floated by CFO Felix Lötter, will see the municipality's offices move to a central office campus at Ladywood, ideally within the next two years.

The centralised municipal campus will be the hub for government and local government looking at the bigger picture and will bring the benefits of increased productivity.

Lötter said ideally, the municipality is looking towards a property management company to build an owner-operated complex having the "best tenants in town" – Bitou Municipality.

Once this happens it will also free up prime existing municipal land for potential development.

The projects highlighted during the conference include:

R500m for urban development by creating an energy company
R250m plus capital expenditure for the Plett Airport development in the next four years, which will be pivotal in boosting tourism development by the municipality
R320m for the Plett Village Estate, adjacent to the Shell complex along the N2, building a total of 300 units in two phases to help bridge the gap created by the high cost of living in Plettenberg Bay.

Terblanche said he was encouraged by this project as it would provide housing for middle-income workers such as teachers, policemen and Bitou municipal staff.

Planned construction will start in January next year, said Phillip Myburg, MD of Plett Realty, the developers. In addition there is also the R100m Carnivore Capital Natutilus development at Keurboomstrand

• R620m for the Maponya development: two developments adjoining the Plettenberg Bay Golf and Country Club. This will see the Redbourne Lodge being re-developed into a 36-room luxury boutique hotel, along with housing units, next to the golf course.

Phatudi Maponya said the developments would give golf tourism a boost in Plettenberg Bay. PBGCC was one of the few golf clubs that lacked a housing estate.

In addition, Maponya Investment Holdings will invest in a 43-unit housing development on land it bought 20 years ago, above and adjacent to the PBGCC.

The expected attendance at the conference by Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala did not materialise, but his department's director general, Sifiso Mdakane, gave the keynote address via a video link.

Mdakane said the key to economic development was a priority and business and government should create project pipelines and prevent delays in developments taking place.

Terblanche had high praise for the team who organised the conference, under Acting Municipal Manager Dr Ralph Links. The team included Bitou Acting Director of Economic Development and Planning Boy Manqoba Ngubo, Community Services Director Melony Paulsen, and CFO Felix Lötter, as well as Plett Tourism.

"Bitou's Sustainable Infrastructure Investment Conference lays a solid foundation in the quest to raise approximately R1,9 billion investment into the town," said Terblanche.

Phatudi Maponya, CEO of Maponya Investment Holdings