Business- and development forums at loggerheads - again

Valerie Cilliers (valerie@noornuus.co.za)
The chairperson of the Lephalale business forum (LBF), Justice Ledwaba, launched a scathing attack on the Lephalale Development Forum (LDF) this week.
In an open letter addressed to Lephalale's municipal manager (MM), Bob Naidoo;  Exxaro’s Grootegeluk mine manager, Mervin Govender; Eskom CEO, Brian Dames and Public Enterprises minister, Malusi Gigaba, Ledwaba accused the LDF of privatising and marginalising the local municipality.
In the letter he calls for the immediate resignation of Naidoo, who he believes is serving the interest of big private companies instead of the local community. Ledwaba argues that the Lephalale community is not benefiting from the economic growth the town is currently experiencing.
Ledwaba emphatically states that the LBF will no longer attend LDF meetings and calls on businesses in Lephalale to rather attend stakeholder consultative meetings which will adopt a true transformation agenda.
The LDF responded to the letter on Thursday by saying that there is no truth to any of the accusations made by Ledwaba and that the forum will respond in an appropriate professional manner as soon as possible.
The email further stated: “The deve-lopment in Lephalale that runs on the back of the construction of the Medupi Power Station and the Grootegeluk Medupi Expansion Project is massive in every sense. We are proud of what the LDF and all the working groups have achieved. The [pro-gress] that has taken place in the private sector to support the development is in its own way a very big success story and again an example of the power of true entrepreneurship.
The aim of the LDF is primarily to support our local government and all the people in Lephalale with the pressure on infrastructure and all the other development needs.”
Naidoo who was in Polokwane this week told Northern News that the Municipality will first seek advice before responding to the, what he calls, very serious allegations.
“I would, however, like to emphasise that the municipality will continue to engage with investors big and small to make sure that the community of Lephalale benefits from these much needed investments. Our aim is to see the benefits filter through to every member of our community, not only in urban, but in rural areas as well.”