Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi says Mahikeng, the capital of the northwestern province, is not attracting investment that would lead to development and economic growth. He said it was worrying that existing infrastructure was being left unmaintained and left to rot while new development was not brought in.
This came to light during Mr Gibi's visit to the dysfunctional Mahikeng Airport. Zibi says there is still a lot of room for improvement in the facility's condition.
“First of all, we don't have an airport. The runway is there, but when you go into the building, as anyone who has ever been in an airport knows, it's very brightly lit. So, first of all, the lights are off here. And secondly, there are no flights scheduled. The sign here says it's called Ping Pong when you walk through the arrival hall, but there's no place called Ping Pong. That means there's no activity here and people. They work here, so it means it's just a placeholder. It must be difficult for them because they have nothing to do when they leave their homes and come here.” says.
Gibi added that the airport is not the only concern in Mahikeng.
“Coming to this airport from the city is an extreme sport because the roads are bad and other infrastructure is not working and we cannot attract investors. There are important areas in the north-west, and this is also the area of Bojanala, where other types of activities can take place. We need new leaders who understand the opportunities across the state.”
