A study published in 2019 by authors Heinz and Neil Klug through Wits University on Community Land Trusts and Inclusion reveal insights to the issues that lead to a state of bad buildings in cities like Nelson Mandela Bay. 

In the study, the authors imply that abandoned and illegally occupied buildings are a usual feature of run-down and declining urban spaces, perpetuating the downward spiral. Often referred to as ‘bad” buildings, they reflect multiple failures, including outdatedness and declining property values that negatively affect property owners, leading to reduced maintenance of buildings, and often resulting in exploitative landlord–tenant relationships contributing to the further decline of the urban spaces.

The authors also allude to the decline by broader trends, such urban migration, population shifts and resulting capital flight, in South Africa attributed to political changes and ‘white flight’ based on racial prejudice pre- and post-1994. 

Although the circumstances leading to the ultimate abandonment of properties by their owners vary widely, urban planning solutions fall into the sphere of urban regeneration, a task the MBDA is geared for, and has been championing since establishment. 

No one can argue that gains that were made in the early days of the entity had been reversed through several regrettable decisions and actions. Instead of pointing fingers, we recently committed ourselves to become part of the solution by leading rejuvenation initiatives, including the purchasing of properties in mandate areas so we can walk the talk. 

In addition, we recently established a new model for keeping our inner cities clean as a top up service with 220 recruits, and that programme is bearing fruit judging by feedback from stakeholders.

To complement the cleansing programme, we recently rolled out a network of surveillance cameras to detect and combat crime in the inner city and beach front, doing so as part of a collective with business-supported SRA programmes. The installation of CCTV cameras has enabled the restoration of other related infrastructure such as traffic lights. In Central and in partnership with Munelek, the installation of cameras has enabled the electrification of much-needed traffic lights in Rink Street, Russel Road, and others. These gains are due to the mutual benefit accrued through collaboration. 

We are now at the final stages of installing a satellite CCTV monitoring room at the MBDA premises to improve security response rates in combating crime in the inner cities.

What remains a sore point is the state of bad buildings dotted across the inner city. These bad buildings are an eyesore, daily contributing to the degradation of the inner city, and urgent solutions are needed. 

One tool that is available to local government is the enforcement of the existing bad building bylaws. Enforcement alone will not yield results, what the city needs is a common vision, a single plan of action and drive from all key stakeholders to get on board. The reality is that government at various levels also owns bad properties either through entities, parastatals or through abandonment. Private property players own an equally sizeable chunk of these bad buildings.

The prevalence of bad buildings or absent owners also induces another social challenge, such as elevated levels of homeless people sheltering inside or outside these abandoned properties. The mushrooming of homeless citizens found on pavements across central and the inner city is heartbreaking and harmful to the social fabric of the city. These vulnerable citizens become easy prey for drug peddlers, illicit trade, and exploited to commit rampant vandalism. 

The MBDA, though with a sole property in the inner city, is stepping forward to be part of the solution. We will in October convene a property development roundtable with all key role players. The objective of the roundtable is to co-develop a road map to dealing with bad buildings in the inner cities of Nelson Mandela Bay.

We are extending this invitation to all property owners, property management entities, rental agents, non-governmental organisations, local government and other national entities to come and craft solutions. 

The time for blame is behind us; we are collectively losing much-needed tourism revenue due to declining visits because of the state of our inner-city properties. These bad buildings are not only affecting the tourism industry, but education institutions are also losing potential students, the municipality is losing valuable revenue that would otherwise go towards service delivery, and jobs are shed when small businesses close due to untenable trading conditions.

It is our intention that the property development roundtable will make credible resolutions and recommendations that the MBDA will champion through the relevant governance structures. We have seen how change is possible when business and civil society come together, whether in clusters or special rating areas; however for the change to last, we require long-term solutions, not temporary fixes. We require tangible commitments from those who have the authority to get things done. 

For Nelson Mandela Bay to thrive, the inner city must come alive and be an attractive place to live, work and play in a safe and clean environment, and until we achieve that goal, we will remain a city of unfulfilled opportunities. The property development round table discussion scheduled for October is the kickstart platform for all role players to have a say. To secure participation, stakeholders can contact us via rsvp@mbda.co.za and we will add them to a database of invitees.

The original article was first published by The Herald, 6 September 2024.

On 2 September 2024, the MBDA welcomed two new senior staffers in line with the entity’s strategy and structure. Tembela Bacela, a seasoned public sector Internal Auditor, has a BCom in Accounting and an Honour’s degree in Monitoring and Evaluation. Bacela has 18 years’ experience, starting out in Internal Audit in the Office of the Premier, Eastern Cape Government, and later pursued performance management and monitoring at various municipalities; she joins the MBDA as its first Internal Audit, Risk and Compliance Manager.

“Bacela’s appointment is to strengthen the agency’s controls and processes that are geared at improving our audit outcomes and operational efficiencies. Her experience in organisational performance improvement will be key to meet our lofty goals of achieving near 100% KPI performance in the next three years,” says MBDA CEO, Anele Qaba.

Re-joining the entity after several years working at national government is Isabel Vumazonke, qualified with a BTech in Construction Management; she re-joins the MBDA as a Special Projects Manager. Vumazonke has 16 years’ project management experience, including four years at the MBDA and more than six years at national government departments, where she headed up special programmes and projects.

“I am pleased to welcome back Isabel to the MBDA as it shows that the MBDA is on a resurgence and can attract top talent back to the Bay. Bela has a huge task ahead, that of driving the entity’s Special Projects as a revenue and sustainability initiative,” concluded Qaba.

The two appointments follow a comprehensive two-phased recruitment drive to fill vacant posts and is guided by the MBDA’s Recruitment, Selection and Promotion policy.

Issued by MBDA Spokesperson and Corporate Services Executive, Luvuyo Bangazi.

info@mbda.co.za | www.mbda.co.za | www.mbdaengage.co.za Tel. (+27) 41 811 8200

On 16 July 2024, the Mandela Bay Development Agency management team, contractors and consultants hosted the board of the MBDA for site visits across the agency’s operations. The site visits are an opportunity for board members to acquaint themselves with progress on sites and to gain first-hand accounts from all the key stakeholders to inform future decision-making.

The tour of MBDA projects started at Bayworld, where demolition works are nearing completion. Once completed, the area that was the old entertainment dolphin pools will be turned into a landscaped outdoor event emporium to host a variety of events, while plans for a future oceanarium are still in the works. A fully functional animal sanctuary is located at the back of the museum incorporating an animal rehabilitation facility with state-of-the-art filtration and water supply systems.

After Bayworld, the tour moved to Helenvale’s extension 12, where a park development is preparing to move into phase two of construction. The project was delayed by the discovery of hard rock, which required significant excavation and filling. The facility is the city’s counter-funding contribution to the SPPU programme by German development bank, KfW.

Other sites visited include the old St Peters Heritage Site – South End, where a new tourism offering above St Mary’s cemetery overlooks the old Port of Gqeberha harbour. The visit concluded at Fort Frederick, a planned site for the Baakens zipline project.

The MBDA, an entity of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, spearheads urban renewal through a three-pronged strategy that includes (1) total precinct management; (2) project management services; and (3) game-changing catalytic programmes.

Projects such as Bayworld are catalytic in their nature as they tend to stimulate development of an entire precinct and related job creation sectors such as tourism and hospitality. The current works at Bayworld are due for completion by the end of September and residents can look forward to a multitude of events planned for the summer season.

Attribution: Luvuyo Bangazi, MBDA Spokesperson

Contact: luvuyo.bangazi@mbda.co.za or (+27) 41 811 8200

Find us online: web: www.mbda.co.za | www.mbdaengage.co.za

Since its establishment in 2003, the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), an entity of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), has sought, through its development programmes, to act as the primary institution behind the revitalisation of key precincts within the greater Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB). This precinct approach has entailed the MBDA undertaking several capital investment projects in dedicated and strategic geographic precincts of the Nelson Mandela Bay.

To quantify the impact of these projects, the MBDA engaged the services of Urban-Econ, an independent specialist’s agency to co-develop an economic barometer that measures the socio-economic impact of the MBDA. The purpose of this economic barometer was twofold. Firstly, it sought to quantify the economic impact that the agency’s various capital projects had, directly or indirectly, on local business activity, GDP and employment. Secondly, it sought to, via means of a survey administered to businesses and residents, determine what impact the MBDA’s activities had on citizens and business perceptions of the areas where these projects are under way or have occurred.

Outlining the process, Senior Economist Thomas Parsons says: “A process was undertaken for three of the MBDA’s focus areas, namely: Gqeberha CBD, Schauderville-Korsten and South End-St Peters. Based on this approach, a total of 75 responses were targeted across the three areas. This comprised 30 respondents in Gqeberha CBD split equally between businesses and residents, 20 residential respondents in South End-St Peters, and a further 25 residential respondents in Schauderville-Korsten. The 2023 dipstick survey was designed to provide a snapshot of the view of the MBDA’s activities in the respective areas through targeted inputs with businesses and residents.

“Based on the survey results, between 23% (Schauderville-Korsten) and 33% (South End-St Peters) of surveyed residents had made some form of improvements to their properties over the last five years, with the average value of these improvements varying between R25 000 and R87 000.

“Extrapolating the survey results to the broader areas suggests that total investment by residents in the Schauderville-Korsten and South End-St Peters areas over the last five years could be in the region of R104.2 million.”

In comparison, 29% of surveyed businesses in Gqeberha CBD indicated that they had made improvements to their properties, with an average value of R56 000. None of the businesses or residents surveyed, however, indicated that the MBDA’s activities in the area had influenced their decisions to invest.

Survey respondents across all three areas were also asked about their perceptions of the MBDA’s activities in the various areas. In Gqeberha CBD, both businesses and residents were somewhat positive about the MBDA’s permanent cleaners, with between 14% and 21% of respondents viewing their impact as positive. These same respondents, however, were less positive about the permanent security in the area, with 21% of surveyed businesses, 78% of surveyed residents perceiving their activities in a negative light.

Schauderville-Korsten residents expressed equally negative sentiment around the area’s multi-purpose recreational park developed by the MBDA. Over three-quarters of respondents viewed the development negatively, owing mainly to the fact that the park was inadequately maintained and unsafe.

South End-St Peters respondents, meanwhile, where very positive about both the MBDA’s upgrading of St Peters and the Baakens River Valley functional improvements. Approximately 33% of surveyed respondents were extremely positive about the St Peters upgrades, while 19% were extremely positive about the Baakens River Valley upgrades. The remaining respondents expressed positive sentiment, with no respondents expressing negative feelings about either of the upgrades.

Using a mix of results from the three surveyed areas and census data published by Stats SA, it was possible to estimate the potential contribution that the residential properties in these respective areas contributed to the NMB’s total annual rates revenue. Based on this exercise, it was estimated that that these three areas as defined, collectively contributed R299.0 million to municipal income in 2022. This includes both property rates income as well as revenue derived by the NMB from the sale of services (ie, water and electricity).

Parsons adds: “To date, the MBDA has invested approximately R24.8 million across the three areas, comprising a mix of capital investment (eg, upgrading of St Peters) and operational expenditure (eg, Gqeberha CBD cleaning programme).” Based on this investment by the MBDA, total production has increased by R66.2 million, increasing GDP by R19.2 million. The investment has also helped to create 80 jobs across the economy through the direct, indirect and induced effects of this investment. These jobs have helped to boost overall household income by R8.2 million.

Welcoming the Economic Impact Report, MBDA Chief Executive Officer, Anele Qaba, says: “The report provides the entity with a clear line of sight in terms of its economic activity impact. It is critical for us to be able to measure the impact of our activities, not only on economic terms, but to see visible impact across the spectrum.

“The MBDA will in the month of July and August go back to stakeholders to engage on this report and to discuss ways to maximise the impact of the MBDA in these precincts. In addition, and after Council approving the city’s budget, the MBDA will now finalise its Annual Business Plan for the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.”

Download MBDA Economic Impact Study 2.0 (June 2024).

The Mandela Bay Development Agency, an entity of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, unveiled an army of street cleaners, waste pickers, tree-felling and general waste collection workers to tackle the decay in the precincts of Kariega, Gqeberha and the North End as a top-up service to Metro initiatives. The 206 are part of a database of thousands that responded to the call for applications in April.

Anele Qaba, CEO of the MBDA, speaking at the launch of programme, emphasised its objectives: “To rid the inner city of dirt, to reclaim its cleanliness and to restore confidence in those who live, work and trade in those key economic hubs of the city. The benefit of this programme is that it also deals with rampant unemployment.”

The 206 recruits unveiled today will be easily recognisable through the distinct PPE and branding (The MBDA at work) complete with employment reference numbers on their ID tags. The event was attended by all MBDA board members, and key stakeholders such as Central SRA, Discover Mandela Bay and Nelson Mandela Bay municipal officials.

Speaking on behalf of the Deputy Executive Mayor, stand-in Chief Whip of Council, Cllr Wandisile Jikeka, welcomed the programme and urged the recruits to not let the city down. “Many will be looking at this programme with interest and it is up to you to be the ambassadors, do your job with pride. It is important that when that SMS rings on the 25th, you know you have earned it with pride.

“The city will be looking at this with the hope to find a way to incorporate its success recipe and extend to other areas. I also take pride that Kariega has good representation in this programme, and that is important because we area one Metro,” concluded Jikeka.

The Central SRA Chairperson, David Edwards, commented on the sidelines that they look forward to collaborating with this group and look for synergies in order to improve the coverage of all the programmes currently on the ground. “The Central SRA supports this programme.”

Quick facts about the programme

• Teams of general workers will be deployed into the three priority precincts to provide numerous services, such as tree cutting, street sweeping and other garden and maintenance-related activities.
• The workers have been sourced through an extensive open and public recruitment process that involved public advertisements and social media use.
• The workers will be placed at strategic areas and will provide the necessary services required to maintain clean and liveable spaces.

Deployment: The 200 general workers with six supervisors will be as follows:

1. Kariega/Uitenhage CBD = 75 workers
2. Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Precinct = 25 workers
3. Gqeberha Inner City/CBD = 100 workers

Operational hours: 8am-4pm daily, with workers assembling at specific points.

Oversight: The day-to-day oversight will be provided by an appointed team of supervisors and MBDA rangers.

Cost of labour: The initial costs of labour for the programme for two months is estimated at R2 million, funded from funds that would have been unspent due to the late arrival of MBDA tranches.

Start date: The recruits have started with induction and familiarisation and are expected to be fully deployed by Wednesday, 15 May; this will run for two months.

Future plans: Although the programme is currently funded for two months, the MBDA will, in the coming days, invite suitably qualified entities to partner in sourcing external training and skills funding in order to provide a pathway for these recruits to longer-term fixed employment opportunities. Funding opportunities exist from various SETAs and industry bodies, and with suitably skilled partners with demonstrable track record, we believe we can tap into these to support job creation.

Tools of trade: The MBDA has sourced various items as tools of trade to make it possible for the recruits to carry out their responsibilities, safely and effectively. Some of the items include:

The Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), a municipal entity of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), hereby calls for interested and suitable parties to submit proposals for the call for expression of interest: for the acquisition and development of land and an international convention centre (ICC) within Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. Developers and investors with interest must deliver a proposal by no later than midday on Friday, 14 June 2024.

“The call for expression of interest comes after a successful investor roadshow that was held at McArthur Pools in December 2023. At the gathering, potential investors shared what they believed would be workable transactional models. The MBDA has assimilated all that feedback and has prepared an EOI that responds to market demands,” says Anele Qaba, CEO of the MBDA.

“I announced in July 2023, when I assumed this role, that we would unlock these catalytic investments within a year, so I am happy that we are ahead of schedule. This R6 billion development is long overdue for the Bay economy and for job creation, so now it is up to the private sector to come onboard; we are open for business,” concludes Qaba.

Please see more information below:

MBDA ICC Bayworld and Telkom Park Presentation – May 2024

Expression of Interest Advert – MBDA ICC Bayworld Telkom Park.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality together with Mandela Bay Development Agency, in association with our proud football anchor tenant, Chippa United Football Club, are delighted to announce the details of the highly anticipated Nedbank Cup semi-final between Chippa United Football Club and Orlando Pirates, scheduled to take place on 4 May 2024 in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.

Football fans are in for a treat as the titanic Nedbank Cup semi-final battle between in-form Eastern Cape and Gqeberha outfit, Chippa United, versus reigning defending champions of the Nedbank Cup, Orlando Pirates is set to kick off at the iconic Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, 4 May 2024 at 3pm (CAT).

The return of the Nedbank Cup semi-final is a significant return to topflight football for Nelson Mandela Bay and Eastern Cape soccer fans. The last time Bay soccer fans were treated to a major domestic cup semi-final was Chippa United against Kaizer Chiefs in April 2019. Local outfit, Chippa United make a welcome return to cup semi-final football as they look to go one better by reaching the final against either Stellenbosch FC or Mamelodi Sundowns, who will contest the second semi-final the following day.

MBDA Chief Executive, Anele Qaba, says: “The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium promises fans of Gqeberha, Eastern Cape and South Africa that they will witness football of the highest order coupled with quality hospitality service and memorable moments to match.

“Preparations are well and truly under way to deliver what is arguably the most exciting and riveting semi-final event that will be played against two in-form teams coming into this clash. We are expecting north of 30 000 spectators to come through the NMB Stadium gates and turnstiles, and for that reason, we would like to urge all spectators and football fanatics to arrive bright and early for this fixture, as there will be food and beverages served throughout the course of the day for those looking to enjoy a good family outing at the NMB Stadium. But that’s not all…” says Qaba.

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Director of Sports and Recreation, Charmaine Williams, adds: “Small business and vendors of Gqeberha should seize on the opportunity to sell their goods and services, because events of this magnitude can be a catalyst for economic growth.”

Chippa United Chief Executive, Lukhanyo Mzinzi, makes a call to all football fans: “I encourage all football loving fans, no matter who they support, to come out to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium early and dressed in their favourite soccer regalia as a show of support for football in the Eastern Cape. Our team is in good form and ready to overcome the legendary Orlando Pirates on Saturday, 4 May.”

Tickets are available from the NMB Stadium Ticket Office.

Following an internal recruitment process guided by the Recruitment, Selection and Promotion Policy of the MBDA, the entity is pleased to announce the full-time appointment of Luvuyo Bangazi to the post of Corporate Services Executive, effective from 15 April 2024.

Bangazi has had two previous stints in this position. At the first inception of the role in 2019, he took the lead in establishing the position for six months before handing it over to the then CEO. The post remained vacant until July 2023 when Bangazi was seconded to the position as part of driving the MBDA’s new five-year strategic plan.

Bangazi has nearly 20 years’ experience in senior management, with nine years at Boomtown Agency, where he was also Acting Managing Director. He then joined the MBDA in June 2013 as a Senior Manager – Marketing & Communications, reporting to the CEO.

He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from NMU Graduate School. His main responsibilities include providing strategic support to the organisation through oversight of human resource management strategy, ICT, marketing, communications, risk management and compliance.

As part of the executive team, he will lead the co-ordination of strategic planning, business unit integration, performance management and reporting. The agency wishes Bangazi all the best as he enters this new phase with the organisation.

The court victory awarded by the Gqeberha High Court in favour of the MBDA for the urgent release of unlawfully withheld funds to the entity is a victory for service delivery. Unfortunately, once again, the citizens of the Metro must bear the financial cost, but even more severe are the development opportunities lost over the nine-month stand-off.

When I was appointed on 22 June 2023, this entity had already been hard at work reinventing itself into a dynamic, sustainable and agile development agency to spearhead some of the long stalled catalytic projects, to turn around the degradation of Central and turn the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium into a commercially attractive operation, but all of that was scuppered by political interference and unlawful actions, which have now been confirmed by the High Court.

The five-year plan, adopted by the board in May 2023 and subsequently adopted in the NMBM IDP, provided a solution to the CBDs of the Metro, especially Central Gqeberha. As a sustainability measure, the institution was positioning itself to deliver project management services to other spheres of government to fast-track service delivery to where it is needed the most. High on the strategy agenda was the reinvigoration of stalled catalytic programmes such as the International Convention Centre, Bayworld, Waterfront and North End Lake. All this good work was sabotaged by political interference and mischief, leading to higher structures of government being ill-advised, and that set the chain for the withholding of funds, all because of a recruitment dispute. As the court has found, there was no legal basis for such unilateral action that put livelihoods – not just of the MBDA staff, but those of SMMEs, service providers and key projects – at risk. The order was clear, that the MBDA grants be paid immediately, and this has since been actioned.

The judgment came at huge cost to the entity, with nine months of anxiety and low staff morale, stalling progress at key project sites due to cashflow, the cost escalations as a result, and the reputational damage caused to the MBDA that will take years to repair. With all the above, we stand, and we are not just standing, we are moving ahead with speed. This organisation, its people and leadership have demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity.

The events of the past nine months must teach all a lesson, and that is to respect the rule of law. Second, the costs order must be a warning to anyone else who thinks they can manipulate the system to settle personal scores and must be made to pay personally. With the dust settling, we are more determined to see through the implementation of our strategic plan and we have been out engaging critical role players.

In the past week, we have reached out to our MOU partner, the Central SRA, to discuss immediate actions to deal with the rot in Central. Our specialised security provider is busy putting together an integrated people-technology-armed response plan to tackle hotspots in Central and the CBD. We have already reinstated security personnel in key hotspots and specific assets within the CBD to boost security visibility.

Over and above dealing with the regrettable decisions of 2016 that did away with what was an effective K-9 security programme in Central, we must also now deal with the gap created by the withholding of funds that saw the criminal element step back in, stripping our heritage and rampant vandalism. With the commitment of our partners, Central will be clean and safe again by year-end.

In re-igniting stalled catalytic programmes, in March, we engaged with a team from Transnet Properties to unlock the long-awaited Waterfront project. All we are prepared to say for now is that our teams have gone back to the drawing board, and there will be wider stakeholder conversations to determine the way forward that responds to current maritime and economic imperatives.

The Bayworld programme is moving; in December 2023, we started the demolition of structures, a R20 million project to make way for a future revamp of the Oceanarium. Also, in the same month, we hosted a successful Investment Roadshow to unpack this opportunity. Work is currently under way to package an expression of interest for the market, with the key focus being the delivery of a world-class International Convention Centre in return for the prized land opportunity. We will not prescribe; the market will decide on what kind of offers to make, but the shareholder will decide what is a social and economic trade-off for the citizens of the Bay. We are excited about this initiative, which we intend on completing before the end of this financial year.

With the challenges we faced, having received a full year’s worth of funding with just three months left, we are still determined to deliver. Some of the ongoing projects include the Baakens Zipline, revamp of the Sheds in Kariega, extension of the Baakens Parkway, and the completion of the R50 million Moore Dyke sports complex. For the MBDA to thrive, it requires a stable operating environment and a long-term focused visionary city leadership. We trust that post 29 May, all hands will be on deck, because the Bay cannot afford to lose another year.

The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) have signed a R10 million agreement to bolster film sector infrastructure in the Nelson Mandela Bay region.

Earmarked to run over a three-year period, from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2026, the agreement is intended to attract and retain film productions in the region, increase the induced film tourism in the region, promote the region as a film destination of choice while reducing the cost of filming in the region.

In terms of the agreement, the ECDC will make available an initial budget of R5 million towards the realisation of these objectives. In turn, the MBDA will make available the property or land valued at R5 million to set up the desired film infrastructure. The MBDA has committed the Aberdeen building as part of the agreement as the first hub for film industry infrastructure support.

“The film industry is not just a source of entertainment; it is a platform for innovation, cultural expression and social transformation. It is also an invaluable instrument of socio-economic transformation, with the potential to make an indelible mark on our unemployment challenges, skills development, revenue generation and contribution to provincial gross domestic product. It carries myriad opportunities for the small business sector in the Eastern Cape.

“This is why this a R10 million memorandum of agreement between the ECDC and MBDA is critical in our film sector support packages. This strategic partnership is designed to lobby private and public partnership investments to establish a film studio and other related facilities in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. Provincial government has availed financial support through ECDC to make sure film studios come into reality for the benefit of our local creatives,” says Mlungisi Mvoko, Eastern Cape MEC for Finance, Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

Mvoko says, although in its infancy, the film sector holds exciting growth prospects. Through its agencies, government is strengthening the province’s value proposition as a compelling film investment destination with a several sector-specific development tools.

Through the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) in particular, government has shone a spotlight on the sector by developing localisation support packages, which will galvanise the sector. These support instruments have yielded significant economic returns for the Eastern Cape.

ECDC chief executive officer Ayanda Wakaba says since 2018, the ECDC has invested R39 million into 25 film productions on behalf of government. In turn, this funding has attracted an investment revenue of R499 million into the Eastern Cape while creating short-term employment for 8 400 people, with the majority being young people. In addition, a total of 690 local small businesses have benefited from these productions being produced in the province.

“Developed infrastructure is critical for the growth of the industry. For the Eastern Cape film industry, infrastructure development encompasses a wide range of activities, which are aimed at the establishment of the necessary physical infrastructure for production film studios and equipment hire companies. High production costs are still the main stumbling block in increasing the output of the Eastern Cape film industry, as most filmmakers do not have the upfront production cost funding needed to begin filming,” explains Wakaba.

MBDA chief executive officer Anele Qaba says this strategic partnership is poised to lobby private and public partnership investments to establish a film studio and other related facilities in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. Provincial government has availed financial support through ECDC to make sure film studios come into reality for the benefit of our local creatives.

“The most pressing challenge that the ECDC and the MBDA identified and now agree on are challenges faced by the industry in terms of film production infrastructure. For example, people would find it hard to come shoot here as they had to bring truckloads of production equipment, which is a costly exercise for national and international film makers. In addition, the value adds, the editing and final production would need to be sent out of town, creating value elsewhere, also migrating all the skills to other centres. We want the full value chain to remain in our city to improve job creation, revenue generation and all related benefits such as tourism growth through extended stays and spend in the city.

The MBDA is committing the Aberdeen’s building into this agreement as the first hub for Film Industry Infrastructure support. Our teams have just returned from a fact-finding mission around the country and, in the coming days, we will unpack learnings from that trip and develop our own unique operating model with input from industry players,” says Qaba.

For enquiries

DEDEAT

Pumelele Godongwana

MEC Mvoko Media Liaison Officer/Spokesperson

Mobile: 060 573 4964

Email: Pumelele.godongwana@ectreasury.gov.za

MBDA & ECDC MoA

Luvuyo Bangazi

MBDA Spokesperson

Mobile: 083445 7776

Email: luvuyo.bangazi@mbda.co.za