2007 / 2008 Annual Report - Eastern Cape Development Corporation

EASTERN CAPE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 2007/084 DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT SERVICES Projects Unit challenges fACED DURING 2007/08Challenges include the following:• Land tenure and infrastructure gaps;• The amount of social facilitation required and the time it takes to secure funds from all levels of government andother sources confirm that development is a slow process;• Lack of capacity and co-operation between stakeholders in certain municipalities in identifying projects thatgenerate revenue;• Number of stakeholders involved in community projects.5 DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT SERVICES AchievementS DURING 2007/08• During the year, 32 approvals were obtained. These were made up of 27 business plans and various other studies,and four crop trials. The total amount approved amounted to R7,6 mil.Highlights from the list of projects approved during the year include the following:• Madiba Corridor: consultant finalising the last part of the business plan;• Lukhanji Aerodrome: funding business plan;• Somerset East Agric Park: business plan to test feasibility of amalgamating three ECDC funded pilot projects intoone new entity as phase 1, and then commercialise project as phase 2;• Solar Power Solutions: co-funding with DBSA a business plan to test feasibility of installing solar water heatingequipment as well as solar electricity generating equipment on low cost houses in Port Elizabeth;• Property development: co-funding various studies to determine the financial and environmental feasibility of twoproposed property developments in Mthatha and Stutterheim;• Participated in the Thina Sinako funded (R300 000) research in the Mhlontlo LED Strategy Development in whichTralso was the lead research organisation;• Community centered Sustainable Village concept development in Lower Kroza/ Showbary, Gomolo, Mlangana andKondolo;• Participated in the revival of sorghum production in Ntabankulu in partnership with Ntinga Development Agency;• Partnership in the Matolweni Irrigation Scheme, which yielded the creation of 40 jobs;• Involved in developing a “Lifestyle Sector Development” programme which involves craft, fashion design,incubation of SMMEs in Mhlontlo, Nyandeni and KSD;• Involved in developing an Agriculture and Rural Development Programme targeted at assisting 30 emerging farmersin Nyandeni, Mhlontlo and Port St Johns;• Contributed an amount of R201,500 to conduct full EIA for Nkanya Holiday Resort in Mbhashe Municipality;• Co-ordinating the Dwesa-Cwebe Investment Forum;• Developed business plan for Lubomvini Sorghum production project in Willowvale.Highlights on projects funded in prior years include the following:• Rail-based tourism high level feasibility study – this study was completed during this year and indicated that thereis an opportunity to expand this small industry in the province;• Stutterheim Blue Berry project – facilitated and co-funded a R45 mil project with a potential 5000 jobs and the firstplanting of 15 hectares of blue berries scheduled to start in October 2008 is on track;• Pineapple value added project in Bathurst – the business plan is complete and ECDC is currently considering afunding application.51