MASS MAIL 12 SEPTEMBER 2008 - CITY DEVELOPMENT VS RURAL DEGRADATION

THE FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA
"Participation Builds Unity"

"MADE IN AFRICA - FOR AFRICA"

FDA NEWSLETTER

MASS MAIL
12 SEPTEMBER 2008
CITY DEVELOPMENT VS RURAL DEGRADATION
(All)

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The AFRICA TRADE CENTRE AND THE FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA proudly presents you with the following information that may add value to Africa's development.

CITY DEVELOPMENT VS RURAL DEGRADATION

"As a whole Africa has much more to do to make Africa a competitive landscape for enterprise ... access to finance and new investment in infrastructure should come together to advance Africa's drive to develop!"
Obiageli Katryn EZEWESILI - Vice President Africa Region, World Bank.

Wise words, however, how do we find a balance between rural and urban development?

I am honored to be chairing the City Development World Africa 2008 conference to be held here in Johannesburg (Southern Sun Grayston, Sandton) South Africa, on 20 - 24 October 2008.

This mega conference will identify crucial mechanisms for attracting finance and investment; explore new financing options being applied to the affordable housing market; strategize on service excellence in city management and operations through the utilization of effective leadership practices; examine the demand for urban services and establish capacity options such as PPP (Public Private Partnerships); exploring the benefits of building with 'green' principles, are but a few of the aspects under discussion.

The line-up of eminent speakers says it all and include:

Cllr Ntombi Mekgwe Executive Mayor of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality -Chairperson of the South African Local Government Association in Gauteng
Cllr Mahommed Akoon, - Ekurhuleni Metroplitan Municipality
Elizabeth Austerberry - Country Managing Director - International Housing Solutions
Dr Ted Avis - Managing Director - Coastal and Environmental Services
Mr Neil Cloete - Managing Director - Grinaker- LTA
Kim Faclier - Property Specialist - Alliance Group
Mr Ian Fife - Property Editor - Financial Mail
Mr Markus Franz - Founder and Head CTO - BF Blogform Search Gmbh
Mr Neil Fraser - Partner - Urban Inc.
Mr Gerald Garner - Editor: Urban Green File - Brooke Pattrick Publications (Pty) Ltd
Mr Stewart Gibson - Director - Stewart Gibson and Associates
Mr Vinson Hailulu - CEO - National Housing Enterprise
Mr Philip Harrison - Executive Director: Development Planning and Urban Management City of Johannesburg
Mr Gerry Holtzhausen - Assistant Executive in Job Summit Project - National Housing Finance Corporation
Mr Des Hughes - Managing Director - Basil Read Developments
Mr Eric Itzkin - Deputy Director: Immovable Heritage, Department of Community Development - City of Johannesburg
Mr Ignatius Jacobs - MEC: Public Transport, Roads and Works - Gauteng Provincial Government
Mr Rob Jeffrey - Senior Economist - Econometrix
Ms Della Levinsohn - Director - DL and Associates
Mr Geophrey Majiwa - City Mayor - City of Nairobi Kenya
Mr Sonwabile Mancotywa - CEO - National Heritage Council
Mr Webber Marais - Chief Executive - Top Fix Holdings
Mr Stefan Maree - Director - Agripro Property Development Consultants
Mr Stefano Mattiello - Executive Head: Enterprise Unit - Neotel
Mr Monde Mawasha - CDC Chief Info Officer - Coega Development Corporation
Lindiwe Mbongwe - Divisional Director - Nedbank
Mr Peter Metcalfe - Chairman - The Foundation for the Development of Africa
Mr Mansoor Mohamed - Executive Director: Department of Economic and social Development - City of Cape Town
Ms Nomvula Mokonyane - Housing MEC - Department of Housing
Mr Jay Naidoo - Chairman - DBSA
Mr Eric Noir - Principal Architect and Director - Green by Design
Mr Vusi Nondo - Targeted Investment Executive - Old Mutual Investment Group- Property Investments
Mr Solomon Nortje - Head Infrastructure Equity Investment - Absa Capital
Mr Lanre Okupe - MD and CEO - Cornerstone Construction Co. Nigeria
Mr Paresh Pandya - Manager: Trade and Investment Promotion - Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency
Mr Kogan Pillay - Business Development Head - South African Treasury
Kecia Rust - Coordinator: Housing Finance - Finmark Trust
Ms Esther Schmidt - Acting General Exective Manager: Business Networks Mobility, Johannesburg Roads Agency
Mr Gaster Sharpley - City Manager - Buffalo City Municipality
Mr Soita Shitanda - Minister of Housing - Ministry of Kenya
Mr Wimpie Snyman - CEO: Development Finance and Commercial Property, FNB Commercial Property
Mr Nirvesh Sooful - Director: Information Systems and Technology - City of Cape Town
Elize Stroebel - Country Managing Director - International Housing Solutions
Mr Tony Twine - Director and Senior Economist - Econometrix
Mr Pieter van der Schyf - Executive Director - Sea Kay Holdings
Mr Pierre Venter - Low-cost housing official - Banking Association of South Africa
Mr Peter Waweru - Chief Executive Officer - Calgro M3
Dr Marc Weiss - CEO and Chairman - Global Urban Development
Ms Shivon Wiggins - Head of Division: Property - Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency

For additional information and to book your seat - please contact:
Lauren DANSKY at 00 27 (0)11 516 4954
Email: lauren.dansky@terrapinn.co.za
Visit Website: www.terrapinn.com/2008/cityza

Take care
Peter

COMMENTS RECEIVED

15 September 2008
Dear Mr. Metcalfe,
Amongst all the speakers, none seem to be going to address the Rural Development issue.
The late Rob Amato wrote in the Sunday Independent that in all the land reform conferences, indabas etc that have been held, not once was reform of land tenure in the so-called homelands even on the agenda. Why??
Why is the huge potential of the land in the Transkei never discussed.?
Can someone, if not yourself not present a paper to the conference, extolling the enormous benefits of giving the incumbent rural people title deeds to the land they exist on now. The Government in Kenya did by first surveying the land properly and handing title deeds to the incumbent farmers who were subsisting at best. Within ten years the coffee and tea production had doubled at no cost to the taxpayer and untold benefits to the rural people.
Can you even imagine what development would ensue if this was done just in the Transkei, which has a high potential land and climate. The creation of a huge amount of capital with the attendant spin off to agriculture there and business in general. Young men will be returning from their hopeless living in the shanties in towns and cities to work on the family farm. Money would be returning to the very people who need it most-- the poverty stricken rural people - mostly women. The delivery of services would be demanded by financially strong population. Basic power can be supplied with solar heating and gas digesters.
I can see no end in view to the potential unleashed by the political will to empower the rural people.
In fact let us have a Minister of Rural Development and not Agriculture.
Please let me know what you think.
Peter L'ESTRANGE
South Africa

12 September 2008
Dear Peter, dear all,
As a consultant working in Lagos with SME's and supporting the SME sector I'm grateful for the information the FDA provides.
Though, what I see as a missing link, especially when reading the below statement and list of speakers of the conference: the fundament of making development work: PROPERTY RIGHTS.
Without a legal and transparant property system and the right institutions in place access to finance will always stays limited to a small group of privileged people and also limits the development of proper infrastructure.
Suggestion is to raise awareness in this field and focus on Hernando de Soto's book 'The Mystery of capital'that gives a practical approach for a.o. policymakers, development specialists , NGO's and private sector.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
Elisabeth VAN LOON-MULLER
PUM
Nigeria

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