Speech by the City’s Executive Mayor, Alderman Patricia
de Lille, during the Business Meets Cape Cabinet meeting
held at the Cape Town Stadium today
The Premier of the Western Cape, Honourable Helen Zille,
Members of the Provincial Cabinet,
Members of the Mayoral Committee,
Chairman of Business Western Cape, Evan Matthews,
Members of Business Western Cape,
Provincial and City Officials,
Honoured guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning, goeie môre, molweni, as-salaam alaykum,
I would like to welcome you all to the Cape Town Stadium this morning.
As a symbol of what we can achieve when we work together to get
something done, the stadium is the right place for talking about the
importance of partnerships.
While the stadium is a source of great pride, the financial viability of the
Cape Town Stadium is of great interest and concern to both residents and
businesses alike.
This issue is also of importance to the City and has resulted in the City
taking several measures to proactively and constructively shape the
future of the stadium.
We commissioned an international best practice study of how stadia
across the world operate in a sustainable manner.
The summary of this exercise is available at the registration desk.
The findings have a common thread throughout in that the Cape Town
Stadium will only attain a measure of financial success if a basket of
rights that enable commercial or income-generating activities are
secured.
This has given rise to two further processes that are currently underway:
The first is an investigation to determine the most appropriate long-term
management and operating structure for the stadium. Consultations with
representatives of business and labour are imminent.
Once completed, Council will be required to decide on the most viable
management option including the future status of anchor tenants. Public
consultation processes are built into the execution of this process.
The second revolves around the granting of a set of land use rights that
will enable the activation of several business and revenue-generating
opportunities.
Current provisions restrict such activities on non-event days.
The City will embark on a process to attain a new environmental
authorisation for the stadium in terms of the National Environmental
Management Act (NEMA) and will apply for a new zoning provision in
terms of the Land Use Planning Ordinance (LUPO).
Again public consultation processes will be undertaken.
The two processes mentioned herein are expected to be concluded by
June 2015.
But the purpose of today is a way of taking an important partnership
forward.
The fact is that both government and the private sector have equally
important roles to play in making our society function and our country
work.
Government, in its various forms, is the custodian of public will at the
level of policy and intent.
The private sector creates the conditions in which those policies can be
expressed and fund how they are articulated.
The relationship is so complex, the ties that bind us so reinforcing, that it
is difficult to separate each other and see ourselves as sole actors.
But that does not mean there is one joint force expressing one opinion
and acting with a single intent.
That would be unhealthy for democracy; it would be unhealthy for the
market; and it would be unhealthy for the individual.
Of course the private sector, business, and government disagree and
have differing opinions on a wide range of issues.
Of course we approach some problems differently and have different
interests and hope for different outcomes.
That constructive difference signifies our independence of each other and
the nature of the constituencies and interests that we serve.
But just because we are independent, just because we have constructive
differences – these things do not mean that we cannot treat each other
honestly and openly and explore new ways to further both of our
interests.
Because when we find common ground, we find a space in which we can
create opportunities for everyone.
That is the point of the partnership I am interrogating.
And while it may be strained elsewhere in South Africa, in the Western
Cape it is going from strength to strength.
In the city region, we have made economic growth and the creation of the
enabling environment for investment and job creation our highest aim.
That is why we invest so much in infrastructure, to try and stimulate the
crowding-in effect for private investment.
It is why we have invested so much in public transport, to create
economic movement.
And it is why we are investing so much in broadband, to create the
modern Information and Communication Technology infrastructure that
supports 21st Century economies.
This is in addition to the provision of the highest level of service delivery
in the country that provides the basic infrastructure that supports
economic growth – such as provision of electricity, water and roads.
These things are sometimes taken for granted by some but their absence
makes business activity all but impossible.
We are committed to furthering our relationship with business, and in
building our partnership, our doors are always open.
In conclusion, let me remind you that we do not believe that government
has all of the answers.
We are trying to find ways to address common challenges, both old and
new.
In order to do so, we have to come together and find out what we can do
to assist one another – whether by creating the right economic climate or
by sharing innovative solutions based on our different experiences.
And we should never take each other for granted.
I welcome you again today and wish you fruitful deliberations with our
officials and our colleagues in the Western Cape Government.
Thank you, baie dankie, enkosi.