10 Jun 2018

 Southern District Council (SDC) has commissioned JS Planning and Design Studio Town Planners and Urban Designers to prepare an upgrading scheme and development plan for Kanye to pave way for developments.
Speaking at a presentation of development draft plan to Kanye Administrative Authority councillors recently, company’s project manager, Mr Tshepo Sitale said Kanye acts as the commercial, industrial and agricultural service centre for the Southern District and was declared a planning area by statutory instrument No.27 of 1995.
Mr Sitale said their job includes among others; to generate a spatial vision that would guide what the plan seeks to attain and achieve for the village, to examine the role of Kanye in terms of its regional, district and local content, to formulate a new spatial framework for the guided growth and development of the planning area, among others.
He reiterated that the revised development plan considers heritage and cultural activities as a driving force for the upgrading and regeneration of the village, staing that Kanye had remarkable heritage sites that were of historical and cultural importance.
The sites, he said played an important role in connecting the community with its past and could  contribute to the economy of the village through prudent utilisation.
Mr Sitale said the village boast of heritage sites that had since been gazetted by the Department of National Museum and Monuments, which included, among others Kgosi Bathoen II Statue, Kgosi Bathoen II Museum, missionary area, old prison, King George Place among others.
Other areas included Kanye Main Kgotla, Tomela Council Chamber and Mmakgodumo Dam, traditional silos, Royal Cemetery, Masire Memorial Park, Kgosi Bathoen II Dam and Dilolwe gorge as some of the key landmarks found in Kanye they will also consider when making developments
He highlighted that there were three important key factors that needed to be taken into account when making development plan proposals, which included political economy of the area, population projections and related assumptions and future land requirements.
Mr Sitale said during their public consultations, the community was able to come up with issues such as high level of unemployment, high cost in developments due to Kanye’s terrain, lack of proper internal roads, scattered government institutions throughout the settlement making access to the services difficult, congested hospital, insufficient vocational or tertiary schools, which are some of the issues they will need to consider when making development plan proposals.
He however said there were a lot of developmental opportunities such as Trans Kalahari Highway, which provides opportunities for the development of tourism-related activities while the topography of Kanye also provides room for recreational activities.
He said the plan period would be 24 years and that the development proposals would be divided into four phases, adding that the review of the plan would be done after every six years while revision of sections of the plan or projects would be done as and when necessary.
For their comments, councillors commended the initiative, which they said has a potential to grow Kanye and advised the company to also consider engaging in Public Private Partnership to attract investors and create more income for the community. ENDS