Publications
Partners
Cape Town - The Western Cape is to set up a provincial economic development agency to support growth sectors, industries and businesses.
Provincial finance and economic development minister Alan Winde said on Wednesday that the body would take over the functions of a number of existing sectoral development agencies.
He said international precedent showed that economic development strategy was best implemented by an agency outside the government, and by people who had real business expertise.
The agency's mandate would probably include co-ordinating destination marketing for tourism and major events; investment and trade promotion; enterprise and local economic development, and skills development.
Currently there was a plethora of bodies in operation in the province dedicated to economic development.
These include Wesgro, Cape Town Routes Unlimited, Casidra and 16 sector development agencies. However the work of these organisations was not co-ordinated or aligned with a clear strategy.
The provincial government would therefore collapse these entities into the proposed Western Cape Economic Development Agency.
Provincial finance and economic development minister Alan Winde said on Wednesday that the body would take over the functions of a number of existing sectoral development agencies.
He said international precedent showed that economic development strategy was best implemented by an agency outside the government, and by people who had real business expertise.
The agency's mandate would probably include co-ordinating destination marketing for tourism and major events; investment and trade promotion; enterprise and local economic development, and skills development.
Currently there was a plethora of bodies in operation in the province dedicated to economic development.
These include Wesgro, Cape Town Routes Unlimited, Casidra and 16 sector development agencies. However the work of these organisations was not co-ordinated or aligned with a clear strategy.
The provincial government would therefore collapse these entities into the proposed Western Cape Economic Development Agency.
