Buffalo City Metro deputy mayor Xola Pakati is the new sheriff driving the delayed and much anticipated multi-billion rand Sleeper Site project scheduled to start before the end of the year.
Pakati was appointed to lead the project set to change the face of East London after some councillors said it was delayed as there was no political drive within a technical task team set up last year.
The team has since collapsed with three of its members resigning from BCM.
During an interview with the Daily Dispatch yesterday Pakati said a new task team needed to be established before the roll-out process could commence.
“The council arrived at the decision to give me the mandate because there was a view from some councillors that the Sleeper Site project is not progressing as fast as it is supposed to because there is no political championing of the project.
“I was given the responsibility to make sure that the project gets off the ground,” Pakati said, adding that the feasibility study was complete and now awaiting a roll-out plan.
Working with the World Bank and national treasury, the municipality plans to change the “old” face of the East London central business district, the Quigney area and beachfront area of the Eastern Beach.
Pakati said the project would have to start after the local government election, taking place on August 3, as new councillors were expected to take over.
He said the new council would take over from an existing plan and that the metro was expected to spend about R54-million on the project’s phase 1.
Pakati said he was bringing to the table the roll-out plan, a new task team and making sure that communications relations between the National Treasury and the metro were improved and effective.
Plans to change the central Oxford Street to a pedestrian-only zone are also on the cards.
Pakati said the minimum time-frame estimated for the project was at least five years.
“In order for us to kill unemployment, we have to have economic growth, and we can have that through improving infrastructure and creating an environment where people will choose BCM as their place,” Pakati said.
External consulted parties who have welcomed the initiative include Transet, the Border-Kei Chamber of Business, University of Fort Hare and Amathole District Municipality.
Pakati to lead process to transform city
Pakati was appointed to lead the project set to change the face of East London after some councillors said it was delayed as there was no political drive within a technical task team set up last year.
The team has since collapsed with three of its members resigning from BCM.
During an interview with the Daily Dispatch yesterday Pakati said a new task team needed to be established before the roll-out process could commence.
“The council arrived at the decision to give me the mandate because there was a view from some councillors that the Sleeper Site project is not progressing as fast as it is supposed to because there is no political championing of the project.
“I was given the responsibility to make sure that the project gets off the ground,” Pakati said, adding that the feasibility study was complete and now awaiting a roll-out plan.
Working with the World Bank and national treasury, the municipality plans to change the “old” face of the East London central business district, the Quigney area and beachfront area of the Eastern Beach.
Pakati said the project would have to start after the local government election, taking place on August 3, as new councillors were expected to take over.
He said the new council would take over from an existing plan and that the metro was expected to spend about R54-million on the project’s phase 1.
Pakati said he was bringing to the table the roll-out plan, a new task team and making sure that communications relations between the National Treasury and the metro were improved and effective.
Plans to change the central Oxford Street to a pedestrian-only zone are also on the cards.
Pakati said the minimum time-frame estimated for the project was at least five years.
“In order for us to kill unemployment, we have to have economic growth, and we can have that through improving infrastructure and creating an environment where people will choose BCM as their place,” Pakati said.
External consulted parties who have welcomed the initiative include Transet, the Border-Kei Chamber of Business, University of Fort Hare and Amathole District Municipality.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos