The Deputy Ministers of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe and Dr Namane Dickson Masemola have successfully convened the inaugural Eastern Seaboard Development (ESD) Traditional Leaders’ Summit in the Eastern Seaboard region.
The ESD includes the coastal regions of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
The Deputy Ministers were joined by the House of Traditional and Khoisan leaders (NHTKL), Chairperson Kgosi Thabo Seatlholo, as well as the Eastern Cape CoGTA MEC Zolile Williams.
The summit, which took place from 23 to 24 March 2025, also brought together traditional leaders, municipal representatives, and key stakeholders from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
The aim of the summit was to strengthen the participation of traditional leadership in the planning and implementation of the ESD programme.
The gathering forms part of ongoing engagements under the ESD initiative, which seeks to harness the region’s economic potential through strategic infrastructure development, enhanced governance, and the active participation of all stakeholders, including traditional leadership, in local economic growth.
Over two days, the summit provided a robust platform to:
• Review the participation of traditional leaders in the ESD planning phase and respond to key concerns raised during prior consultations.
• Define the role of traditional leadership in the implementation of ESD projects, including participation in planning and governance structures.
• Discuss land acquisition, land use rights, and partnerships with investors to ensure secure tenure and meaningful engagement.
• Align the ESD with the broader Invest Rural Masterplan and rural development initiatives.
• Address traditional leadership concerns related to Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA).
• Identify empowerment initiatives to capacitate traditional leaders in economic development matters.
Since its inception, the ESD initiative has made significant strides in its planning phase.
The Eastern Seaboard was officially declared a region under the SPLUMA in June 2022, paving the way for the development of a Regional Spatial Development Framework (RSDF).
This framework, which has undergone extensive public consultation, is set to provide a clear roadmap for government and private sector investment in the region.
As the ESD initiative moves into its implementation phase, the focus will be on further consultations, consolidating projects, mobilising resources, and building the necessary capacity to ensure successful execution. – SAnews.gov.za
