adminThupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge Municipality and Musina Municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa, have started working on a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see the two local authorities having a twinning arrangement.
It is envisaged that the move will enhance cooperation between the two councils who share a number of crossing cutting challenges that come with their geographical location at Sadc’s and one of Africa’s biggest trade corridor.
Daily, the two councils host close to 15 000 people in transit to various destinations who are expected to get a number of services.
Both towns share challenges to do with managing pandemics and public health, water, sewer and roads infrastructure, among other amenities.
Beitbridge town clerk, Mr loud Ramakgapola said the principals from the two local authorities met in South Africa last week to pave way for the twinning arrangement.
“We are working on the Memorandum of Understanding which will cover a number of areas we would need to cooperate and share ideas on,” he said.
“We are only separated by the Limpopo River, but we share common challenges.
“We have agreed on a number of issues and the MoU will cover exchange programmes, including the development of Small to Medium Enterprises and sharing event calendars.
“Some of the major events include trade fairs, Marula Festival, Musina Annual Show, Beitbridge Mayor’s Anti-litter Marathon, the two countries marathon, annual budget speeches.”
Mr Ramakgapola said they had also agreed to create joint women and youth entrepreneurs’ networks and to co-operate on the development of special economic zones which fall under the jurisdiction of both councils.
He said other areas under consideration were the strengthening of cultural and educational programmes. Due to the high transit population movement the local authority’s will be collaborating in managing issue of public health, epidemics, pandemics and endemics.
Online Reporter