Thembelihle Mhlanga
LUPANE — The Lupane Local Board (LLB) is planning to transform Ntshonalanga in Ward 1 from a rural settlement into an agri-residential suburb, with the area envisioned as a source of agricultural produce for Lupane District and Matabeleland North Province.
The plans were presented during a stakeholder engagement meeting with residents at Lupane Primary School on Friday, as the local authority moves to formalise the area’s development through spatial planning and land surveys.
LLB Council Chairperson Thandolwenkosi Nyoni urged residents to prepare for the transition, saying municipal departments were working together to support the planned development.
“Residents should brace for the change,” Nyoni said. “All the LLB departments are out to support the transition of Ward 1 from a rural setup to a modest agri-residential suburb.”
The local authority’s spatial planning department is conducting land surveys, baseline assessments and boundary marking as part of the groundwork for the development.
The exercises are expected to inform a master operational plan and spatial design that will guide the provision of social amenities and infrastructure in the planned suburb.
Lupane Town Secretary Charlton Moyo called for cooperation between residents and the local authority, saying community support would be important as the spatial re-alignment takes place.
“We encourage residents to unite with the local authority for a better transition,” Moyo said.
Authorities also warned residents against illegal land transactions and developments that could undermine the planning process.
Lupane District Development Coordinator Ennette Sithole urged residents to be cautious when dealing in land and called for responsible management of the environment and natural resources.
“Residents should guard against any land deals for the smooth transition,” Sithole said.
Sithole said the agricultural component of the proposed development would also require responsible environmental management.
“It is looked upon that the ward, by its design, will produce agro-products for the district. We encourage the proper management of the environment and natural resources,” she said.
The LLB Treasury Department said residents in Ward 1 have not yet been billed for municipal rates.
Treasury officials told the meeting that rate collection would begin once the surveying, planning and formalisation processes had been completed.
“Currently, we haven’t started billing Ward 1 residents, but soon after the process is complete, we will start collecting rates,” the Treasury department said.
The proposed transformation of Ntshonalanga Ward 1 comes as Lupane continues efforts to develop as the provincial capital of Matabeleland North, with the local authority seeking to combine urban development with agricultural production.
