We got to speak with Mr Mukundi Mushaphi from the Vhembe District Municipality under the Local Government theme of the Rural Transformation and Land Reform campaign. View our interview with Mr Mushaphi below.
The Vhembe area has high unemployment at 38.7% which is well above the national unemployment rate of 26.6%. More than half (50.6%) of all young people between 15 and 34 are unemployed. Government has been proactive in trying to support livelihoods in the Vhembe District through the development and implementation of local economic development plans and integrated development planning.
Mr Mushaphi is the Manager: Local Economic Development and is responsible for coordinating and managing the Vhembe District Municipality’s development planning. The largest towns in Vhembe district are, Messina, Makhado (Louis Trichardt) and Thohoyandou. Despite being strategically located on the N1 corridor, the Vhembe area is mainly used as a throughway for trade traffic with neighbouring countries, such as Botswana, Zimbabwe and to a lesser extent Mozambique. The main economic activities or livelihoods in Vhembe are agriculture, craft making, mining and tourism.
To find out more about the Vhembe District Municipality, click here.
The Rural Transformation and Land Reform edition of PESA Dialogues evaluates the development and achievements in rural transformation and land reform in South Africa during the month of February. The edition looks at the journey of rural transformation and land reform by evaluating the role of local government, the contribution of traditional leaders and the process of land restitution. The campaign focuses on three thematic areas, namely: Business and International Trade, Local Government and Traditional Leadership. The interviews provide unique, first hand encounters by individuals in different roles and sectors, their journeys, challenges and contributions towards contributing to rural transformation and land reform in the SADC region.
