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BEITBRIDGE is scouting for public-private-partnership arrangements to steer infrastructure development in the town. Simon Muleya, the town secretary, told business executives during a budget consultative meeting last week that the local authority was incapacitated to drive investment in the town alone.
“We need public-private partnerships to implement most of our capital projects in 2015.
“You’ll note that we’ve been struggling to meet our targets in terms of infrastructure development,” he said.
Muleya said the town needed assistance in property development, housing stands development, water and sewer rehabilitation and upgrading its road network.
“It’s very important that we join hands with other players if we are to ensure speedy development of our town.
“We’re looking at working with private investors who have the money and we provide the land and other logistics,” added Muleya.
The local authority has already identified land for residential stands, a new football pitch and a new bus terminus, which are yet to take off.
A number of participants during the meeting called on the local authority to speed up the rehabilitation of roads and servicing of residential stands that have since been occupied.
They requested for land to practise peri-urban farming citing the town’s geographical location near the Limpopo River where there is abundant water for irrigation.
Customs clearing agents who form the bulk of employers in the border town also made submissions for the availing of land for office space.
Beitbridge border town is one of the fastest growing urban centres in the country due to its proximity to South Africa and its economic activity as the busiest inland port in sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the last population census the town has a population 42,218 with over 11,500 households.
Online Reporter