Boosting The Local Economy And Community Culture
To showcase the local talent and budding local businesses within the Witzenberg community, a two-day annual market event was held, which provided an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate their shared culture and creativity. SMME's from local and outside traded with over 2 000 people, which helped to stimulate the local economy, promote local talent and social cohesion in the community.
The event was not only a success for the local community, but also a significant boost for the SMME's who participated. "We were extremely excited about the market being hosted again after COVID. It gave us a financial boost and increased exposure for our business," said one of the SMME participants. In collaboration with the Witzenberg Municipality, Perdekraal East Wind Farm provided funding for this event, which included sourcing artists to perform at the event, providing sound and stage equipment, arranging for a kiddies corner with playing activities, water slides, jumping castles and other attractions. A total of 35 SMME's participated in the event, with 18 being local and 17 from Cape Town and surrounding areas in the Western Cape. The market offered a range of products, from food, toys, art and craft, beach accessories, soft drinks, canned fruit, cupcakes, and face painting. Additionally, the wind farm made provisions for a private ambulance and first aiders for health and safety reasons, and secured relevant stakeholders such as SAPS, neighbourhood watch, the local tourism office and the local security company. The municipality also provided services for law enforcement, traffic, and volunteers and ensured electricity during load shedding. “The event brought a sense of belonging and community development, stimulated the local economy, promoted local talent and businesses, and created a conducive environment for social cohesion in the community. The collaboration with different stakeholders increased the impact on future projects, boosted tourism growth and economic activity,” concluded Gwynne Borcherds, Economic Development Manager for Perdekraal East Wind Farm.
