GOOD Speech delivered during the Garden Route Council Meeting by Rosa Louw, GOOD Garden Route District Municipality:
Honourable Speaker, Colleagues, Officials, and residents of the Garden Route,
Today we table the 2026/2027 Integrated Development Plan before us. This is more than a document. It is a promise to every family, every business owner, every young person in the Garden Route about how we will use our limited resources to build a safer, cleaner, and economically stronger district.
The GRDM IDP 2026/2027 comes at a critical time. We face three realities:
Firstly, our infrastructure is under pressure. Water shortages, sewage systems overflowing, and roads that are not maintained are not abstract problems. They affect every home, every farm, every tourism business. The IDP acknowledges this and proposes capital projects for water security and waste management. But acknowledgement alone is not enough. We must ensure that the money budgeted is actually spent on projects that are completed, and that monthly progress reports are submitted to Council.
Secondly, unemployment and poverty remain our greatest crisis. Young people in Oudtshoorn, Knysna, Mossel Bay and the rest of the district leave school without hope. The IDP speaks of local economic development and SMME support. I welcome this.
But we must go further than workshops. We must unbundle contracts so that local contractors and cooperatives can genuinely participate. We must ensure that 30% of district procurement goes to local SMMEs, and that we report quarterly on how many jobs this has created.
Thirdly, our safety and regulation are not up to standard. The uncontrolled growth of spaza shops and illegal house shops undermines formal businesses, creates health risks, and reduces municipal revenue. The IDP must be linked to a clear plan for registration, GIS mapping, and joint operations with SAPS and Home Affairs. Without enforcement, policies are just paper.
The Good Party supports the direction of the IDP, but we set four non-negotiable conditions for success:
- Measurable targets- Every project must have a timeline, budget, and responsible official. No vague language.
- Financial discipline- We can no longer tolerate underspending of the capital budget while service delivery declines.
- Transparency- Make the IDP and quarterly progress reports publicly available in English, Afrikaans, and isiXhosa.
- Public participation that matters- The people of the Garden Route have spoken during public participation. Their inputs must be visibly reflected in the final plan.
Speaker, the Garden Route is one of the most beautiful and economically strategic districts in the country. We have the potential to be a model for rural development, tourism, and the green economy. But potential without execution remains just a dream.
Let this IDP not be another document on the shelf. Let it be a working instrument that every official, every directorate, and every councillor uses daily to measure and improve service delivery.
The Good Party will work constructively, but we will also ask questions, provide oversight, and keep the community informed. Because our loyalty lies not with parties, but with the people of the Garden Route.
I thank you.
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