KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has hailed the successful hosting of the 46th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government and its associated programmes as a vote of confidence in the province’s infrastructure, security capabilities and hospitality sector.
The summit concluded on Monday, 17 August, without any major security incidents being reported.
Ntuli expressed his appreciation to the South African Police Service (SAPS), law enforcement agencies, security personnel and other stakeholders who worked tirelessly to ensure a safe, secure and seamless hosting of the Summit.
“The successful hosting of the SADC Summit is a tremendous achievement for KwaZulu-Natal and a clear vote of confidence in our province. We have demonstrated that our infrastructure, hospitality sector, security capabilities and public institutions have the capacity to host events of continental and international importance,” Ntuli said.
Ntuli commended SAPS and other law enforcement and security agencies for their professionalism, dedication, and vigilance throughout the summit.
“The fact that the programme was concluded successfully without any major security incident is testimony to the effectiveness of the comprehensive security arrangements that were put in place.”
The Premier said the successful hosting of the Summit also demonstrated the province’s ability to mobilise different sectors of society and government around a common objective.
He commended provincial government departments, including municipalities, traditional leadership, the business sector, hospitality establishments, transport operators, emergency services, civil society, event organisers, volunteers and other stakeholders for their contributions to the summit and its related programmes.
The Premier also highlighted the successful hosting of the SADC Public Lecture delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa last Friday, which formed part of the broader programme surrounding the Summit.
He said engagements of this nature provide an important platform for strengthening public understanding of regional integration, African cooperation, and the role of the Southern African Development Community in advancing development across the region.
“The success of the Summit was not achieved by government alone. It was the result of a collective effort involving law enforcement, government departments, municipalities, the private sector, our hospitality industry, communities and many other partners,” Ntuli said.
He said the successful hosting of the summit strengthens KwaZulu-Natal’s case to host future major continental and international events, including programmes associated with BRICS and other multilateral platforms.
According to Ntuli, the province’s ability to accommodate thousands of delegates, facilitate high-level engagements, provide hospitality services, ensure secure movement and maintain effective coordination throughout the programme demonstrated its readiness to compete for major international events.
Ntuli said the hosting of the Summit is also expected to contribute positively to the provincial economy through increased demand for accommodation, restaurants, transport, tourism, conferencing, retail, events, and other services.
“We are confident that the hosting of the SADC Summit and its associated activities have contributed to the growth of our provincial economy. Major events such as this create opportunities for businesses, particularly in tourism, hospitality, transport, retail and other sectors of the economy. They also showcase KwaZulu-Natal to the region and the world as a destination for investment, tourism and international business,” the Premier said.
He said the provincial government will build on the experience and lessons gained from hosting the summit to strengthen KwaZulu-Natal’s positioning as a preferred destination for major continental and international events.
“KwaZulu-Natal remains committed to working with national government, municipalities, the private sector and international partners to attract events that promote economic growth, tourism, investment and international cooperation.”
Ntuli congratulated all stakeholders who contributed to the successful hosting of the summit and thanked the people of KwaZulu-Natal for welcoming delegates and visitors to the province.
“KwaZulu-Natal has once again shown that it is on the ball. We have the infrastructure, the people, the hospitality, the security capacity and the organisational capability to host events that place our province and our country on the global stage.
“We must now build on this success and ensure that KwaZulu-Natal continues to position itself as a premier destination for continental and international events,” Ntuli said. –
SAnews.gov.za
