Isaac Mahlakwane is a LED Practitioner and an Economist he writes in his personal capacity.
By Isaac Mahlakwane
Sekhukhune has a strong cultural and heritage economic history rooted in traditional means of production such as subsistence farming, cattle rearing, beadwork, pottery, indigenous mining knowledge, and communal labour systems.
Promoting diversity through these traditional practices is important for several aspects such as preserving indigenous knowledge passed down through generations, protecting traditional skills like clay pottery, basket weaving, and herbal medicine as well as strengthening cultural pride and identity.
Sekhukhune is widely known for platinum and chrome mining. However, relying only on mining creates economic vulnerability. We cannot find ourselves in resource dependent economies like regions such as DRC, Zambia and other countries within the global south. Commodity prices are very much volatile and keep changing most frequently on the global market. As a result, governments lose revenue, people lose their jobs and national debts increase.
These diverse cultural highlights and practices keep local heritage alive amid the dependence from modern industrial economic models or means of production. A diverse local economy becomes more sustainable and resilient because it provides alternative income sources in craft markets, agro-processing and cultural tourism. Small businesses development could be extensively expanded and integrated with opportunities for women and youth from rural villages.
Sekhukhune District, therefore, has several growth opportunities through strong natural resources wealth foundation. However, the district has fundamental key future priorities that lie in building knowledge-intensive sectors. The comprehensive investment in education, Research and Development, entrepreneurship business operational knowledge enhancements are significant to move toward a more diversified, inclusive and sustainable economic future.
The endowment for the future will need the development of local skills and expertise, encourage value-addition rather than raw exports, expand tourism with cultural and tech integration, strengthen agriculture through innovation and processing as well as leveraging a variety of digital tools to connect with larger markets.
