The Executive Mayor Of Oudtshoorn ,Aldm Gordon April will be leading a team of six delegates from the Oudtshoorn Municipality to the Netherlands in the first week of December 2014, on an official trip that forms part of the process for the development of an industrial area in the Airport precinct.

The tour comes after a Dutch delegation, from Oudtshoorn’s twinning town of Alphen aan den Rijn municipality, visited Oudtshoorn last month to contribute to the plans of the development of an industrial area in Oudtshoorn that is aimed at enhancing economic and investment opportunities in the town.

The Dutch delegation, which consisted of Hans van Arkel (International Relations), Johan Pierik (Project Manager) and Joris van Berkel (Planning Economist), held three-day working sessions with a selected number of municipal officials assisting the municipality with the planning and conceptualising the project. This project will form the basis for strengthening and stimulating the industrial economy of the town.

“This project is an extension of the trade initiative between the towns last year and takes the relationship between the towns to a more direct focus on economic development,” said Lluwellyn Coetzee, the Strategic Services Manager also responsible for the town’s international relations.

“This project will be an outflow of the town’s vision 2030 and will hopefully be a catalyst for growing the local economy. Extensive consultation will follow with the relevant stakeholders to collectively work together in achieving the town’s vision of a place where the people can work, learn, play and prosper in,” Coetzee added.

The cost of the trip to the Netherlands which comprises air tickets and accommodation will be covered by the VNG International according to Coetzee.

The Municipality will cover daily allowance of the delegation. The relevant guidelines prescribed by National Treasury will be applied to determine the out of pocket expenditure for the delegation.