Business leaders, investors and experts have called for fresh thinking, strategic partnerships and innovation to unlock Matjhabeng’s economic potential.
The future of Matjhabeng’s economy came under the spotlight at the Matjhabeng Local Municipality 2026 Investment Symposium, which brought together people from diverse fields of expertise, including potential investors, business leaders and professionals eager to share ideas that could help shape the municipality’s economic future.
Among those in attendance was Reggie Mutsi of the Matjhabeng Business Sector, who drew on decades of business experience to highlight opportunities that could help Matjhabeng reinvent itself and attract new economic activity.
Mutsi believes the municipality can build on the Free State’s established tourism appeal by finding innovative ways to transform its mining legacy rather than simply abandoning it.
“Part of what we do is to look innovatively at what we can do to change and not just abandon those areas, but to change some of them to attract tourism into them, but to also think about what we can do to change the outlook of Welkom that would replace and still get the economy of Matjhabeng going,” he said.
Drawing on an experience from a town in Germany that he described as having faced circumstances similar to those confronting Matjhabeng, Mutsi said the municipality could explore alternative uses for areas affected by the decline of mining.
His message was clear: the end of an industry does not have to mean the end of a town’s economic story.
Mutsi also pointed to the growing presence of solar panels in and around Matjhabeng, saying the expansion of solar energy has had an impact on the local economy and presents another issue that needs to be considered as the municipality plans for its future.
The changing retail landscape was another area of concern. Mutsi highlighted the growing influence of online shopping and its effect on major retail outlets, saying communities and businesses need to think collectively about how to respond to these shifts while respecting consumers’ choices.
“It is important to look at our contribution as a united force and as citizens of the area in terms of what we should do to sway people from moving in that direction. This issue has also affected the motor industry countrywide,” he said.
Bridging the public-private divide
The symposium also created an opportunity for Brand South Africa Global Ambassador Imram Macama to share his perspective on strengthening cooperation between government and business.
Macama said he had spent the past two years working to bridge the gap between the private and public sectors, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that communities and municipalities benefit from stronger partnerships.
“I believe that as you are all present here, you are fully aware that many of our municipalities have great plans and amazing programmes that are meant to develop and transform our communities. But the biggest thing is the lack of a protocol for funding, the lack of strategic partners that can come in to assist in executing the said plans and programmes,” said Macama.
As National Head for Africa Young Entrepreneurs, Macama said the organisation’s message on global platforms is centred on positioning South Africa as a gateway to the African continent.
For that vision to become reality, however, he stressed that investment and strategic partnerships must first be established at local level.
Macama pointed to a practical example of this approach, saying that through Brand South Africa, a strategic partnership had been established between Gangala district and a key municipality in Shandong province in the People’s Republic of China.
For Matjhabeng, such partnerships could provide an avenue for municipalities to turn ambitious development plans into tangible projects while opening doors to new investment and expertise.
Universities: an untapped economic engine
The role of education in local economic development was also highlighted by Mr Qondakele Sompondo of the Central University of Technology (CUT) Welkom Campus.
Sompondo cautioned against overlooking the contribution of higher education institutions when discussing the development of municipalities and cities.
“The student economy is quite big, but also that economy is anchored on institutions of higher learning,” he said.
According to Sompondo, universities do far more than provide education. They can serve as catalysts for employment, entrepreneurship, innovation and broader economic activity.
“Cities and towns were developed by universities because universities create employment; attract advancement, stimulate entrepreneurship, develop innovation ecosystems, and create demand across different sectors,” he said.
His comments added another dimension to the investment symposium’s central conversation: Matjhabeng’s economic renewal will require more than attracting capital. It will require the municipality, businesses, educational institutions and communities to work together to create an ecosystem where investment can take root and grow.
