Alex Matlala

Alex Matlala

The Greater Sekhukhune district municipality has established an economic vehicle - the Sekhukhune Economic Development Agency (Seda) - which is aimed at assisting poverty-stricken rural communities to access financial assistance in the district.

The agency will also serve as an adviser to needy communities who do not have the basic knowledge and understanding of how to create employment opportunities for themselves.

Sekhukhune has emerged as the fastest-growing economic area in Limpopo and has recently contributed massively to provincial economic growth.

"Most people have to travel long distances to Polokwane to get information," said executive mayor Dickson Masemola

He was was speaking at the launch of the agency in Sekhukhune.

"It is difficult for them to get funding to start community projects or any other form of economic participation," he said.

The agency will be fully operational once the process of appointing a board of directors, which is at present under way, has been finalised.

Work at the agency is poised to start in June this year.

Last week Masemola also announced in his state of the district address that the municipality was prioritising establishing Sekhukhune Water, a parastatal that will be responsible for the water supply.

The district will begin with the construction of offices in Jane Furse in July, which will also house all provincial government departments, at a cost of more than R2 million.

"We are painfully aware that most of the government departments that are supposed to serve the communities of Sekhukhune are at present situated some distance away in Lebowakgomo in the Capricorn district," Masemola said.