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Editorial Comment

Hierdie uitgawe van die Vrystaat Sake Bulletin weerspieël opwindende ontwikkelings en verwikkelinge wat tans in die private sowel as publieke sektor in die Vrystaat plaasvind. “Project Consolidate” is 'n ambisieuse program geinisieër deur die nasionale regering en met toewyding toegepas deur die Vrystaatse provinsiale regering om dienslewering op Munisipale vlak op te lig. Hoe suksesvol dit uiteindelik gaan wees, sal gesien moet word, maar dit is 'n lofwaardige projek en een wat die ondersteuning van alle Vrystaters verdien. Daar word ook inligting verskaf oor die Volhoubare Menslike Nedersettings inisiatief wat ten doel het om informele nedersettings oftewel plakkery in die Vrystaat grootliks op te ruim. As sulks 'n inisiatief met wye implikasies en ook een wat samewerking benodig. Aan die kant van die private sektor blyk 'n momentum van ontwikkeling wat besig is om in Bethlehem op te bou en wat georganiseerde besigheid daar tot verdere hoogtes en volhoubaarheid wil voer. Die aangesig van die Mangaung Varsproduktemark het by nuwe omstandighede aangepas, maar as sulks is die Mark 'n groeigenerator in eie reg. So ook nog ander verwikkelinge wat wys die Vrystaat lewe en dat daar vir elke entrepreneur uitdagings wag!

Free State lacking direction
When surveying the economy of the Free State the past decade, one cannot help but sensing a lack of direction from the side of provincial government. There has not been as yet decisive leadership on which developmental goals should be commonly pursued, how to go about it and how in this process both public and private sectors should be harnassed in a joint effort. In 1997 an economic summit for the Free State was held, but notwithstanding high expectations, very little practical resulted from it. The Department of the Premier has drawn up a Five Year Development Plan for the province, but it remained mostly on paper, with many targets not met and now past and gone. Towards the end of 2003 the Dept. of Tourism, Environmental and Economic Affairs held a conference which produced an Economic and Growth Strategy, but also this has by now apparently fallen to the wayside, with a new schedule announced early this year for drawing up yet another Economic and Growth Strategy. At a report-back conference in November 2003, the Premier's Economic Advisory Council announced that it would in 2004 bring out a comprehensive report on multi-faceted research into the Free State economy, but as yet nothing for public consumption has transpired. There is also nothing on the website www.peac.org.za. Then we have not even touched upon the issue of an effective tourism authority for the Free State. Meanwhile, the public and private sector in the province, each with its array of economic developments and manifestations, continue to function largely separately from each other. The Free State economy can be so much stronger and mean so much more for its inhabitants, especially at the lower end of the income scale, if strong leadership could unite both public and private sector behind it in a clearly defined drive towards common good in the province.

Lejweleputswa Ekonomiese Herlewing Spitsberaad
Wat opvallend was omtrent die spitsberaad te Welkom om aandag te gee aan 'n herlewing van die ekonomie in die streek, was dat tussen die nagenoeg 400 aanwesiges, daar min (na skatting 5%) blanke sakelui was. Hoewel die Goudveldse Besigheidskamer 'n verteenwoordiger by die beraad gehad het, maak een of 'n paar swaeltjies nie somer nie. Wat voorts geblyk het, is dat hoewel intensief planne en teorie geopper is, is min gesê oor spesifieke ontwikkelingsprojekte wat 'n ekonomiese herlewing as't ware aan die brand kan laat slaan, bv. 'n vraglughawe vir Welkom, Phakisa, dalk 'n waterfrontontwikkeling te Virginia, ens. Heelwat sleutelvrae oor praktiese aangeleenthede hang dus steeds in die lug. Nog 'n “talk-shop”?