SAPOA meets Tshwane's Solly Msimanga

L-R: Councillor Solly Msimanga, executive mayor of the City of Tshwane; SAPOA president Nomzamo Radebe; Neil Gopal, SAPOA CEO

The initiative, which is one of SAPOA’s key endeavors to strengthen partnerships, dialogues and collaboration between the commercial property sector and government, was attended by SAPOA president Nomzamo Radebe, SAPOA CEO Neil Gopal, SAPOA board members and representatives from the City of Tshwane, among other key government and property stakeholders.

Intergovernmental relations

During her welcoming address, Radebe highlighted the importance of such events to an industry body such as SAPOA. “A key issue for us as SAPOA and business is the issue of intergovernmental relations. We acknowledge that mutually beneficial partnerships and a joint working relationship with government is at times fraught with challenges that could be avoided through better understanding. The reality is that we are inseparable and we have to work together,” she said.

She further pointed out that as the urban conversation advances between SAPOA, the property industry at large and government, South African cities would begin to progress and evolve to compete on a global scale. “Cities and how they are governed and managed must be at the heart of the national economic jobs and growth debate if we are to have any hope of reaching an employment target. The ongoing concerns from both the private and public sector surrounding challenges that we both face requires that both parties become more actively involved with each other. We need to engage in meaningful dialogue and work together to improve business and the infrastructure in South Africa.”

Rebuilding the capital city

Top on the list of priorities for the executive mayor is to ensure that the capital city succeeds by getting the basics right. "Last year, we tried as hard as we could to do the basics right. Running water, electricity, cleanliness and safety have been a top priority for us, whilst trying to rebuild the capital city to become an attractive destination for investment."

The executive mayor acknowledged that the work that he and his MMC team have done, and the work that still lies further ahead, encouraged SAPOA and captains of industry to partner with the city for growth. "It is important for us, as government, to partner with the industry to ensure that this city is able to generate as much revenue as it possibly can and that we are able to invest into the city to make it what we know that it can be. We are hoping that you will join us in building the capital city into a world class city. In that, we can ensure that your businesses will endure and grow, because that will be the only way that we will be able to succeed as partners going forward," he said.