The newly elected Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) leadership has vowed to redesign and unite all its substructures under the forum. The leadership was elected during a two-day conference held at Oakdale Country Club in Bellville, which started on Saturday 25 and concluded on Sunday 26 April.
The newly elected chair, Mawanda Jara, committed to reviving the forum. He said their priority is to unite all stakeholders to ensure the organisation functions effectively. He emphasised that the KDF is a nonpartisan formation and is not affiliated with any political organisation.
New KDF leadership focuses on transparency and revival
“KDF was established in 1995, and our aim is to redesign it so that it remains relevant to everyone. We want to create equal opportunities for all by ensuring transparency and fairness. There is no such thing as KDF being aligned to any political party,” said Jara.
READ ASLO: Acting Khayelitsha Development Forum chair Nqulwana urges forum unity
Khayelitsha Development Forum leadership targets extortion
However, he highlighted extortion as a major concern in the community and urged all stakeholders to work together to combat it.
“Extortion is a serious problem in our communities. It affects everyone. It not only repels investors but also destroys local businesses. We need to work collectively to root it out,” he said.
Plan to unite with Site C Business Forum
Jara added that the forum intends to engage with the Site C Business Forum to work towards a unified structure, noting that having multiple forums can confuse investors.
“We are planning to engage with the Site C Business Forum to establish a single structure going forward. We share the same mission, which is to develop Khayelitsha. Having multiple forums can confuse investors by duplicating the message,” he said.
The newly elected executive members are Mawanda Jara (chairperson), Mbulelo Dwane (deputy chair), Eric Kweleta (secretary), Xolisa Gabuza (first deputy secretary), Bubele Skweyiya (second deputy secretary), and Mphumzi Mnage (treasurer).
