On Thursday 20 May 2010, the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) launched a Rural Social Cricket Development project in partnership with the South African Police Services (SAPS) at Kleinplasie, Worcester.

The objective of this project is to reduce criminal behavior among the youth of Cape Winelands rural communities by encouraging youth to participate in cricket.  

The portable cricket sets will afford the farm children the opportunity to take part in this extramural activity as it will be offered on the farms itself, there from it’s named “lusern cricket”.

On this event Alderman Clarence Johnson, Executive Deputy Mayor of CWDM handed over cricket equipment to SAPS Rural Coordinator in the Worcester area, Capt. Pieter Pienaar, for distribution in some identified schools in the region that will benefit from this project.

Speaking at the event Ald. Clarence Johnson said “we trust that this pilot initiative will contribute to social cohesion and improved opportunities for young people and children to live safe and healthy lives”


“ We further trust that it will be used as platform to build sustainable livelihoods and contribute to improved community fitness , wellness and health , with the rest of the cape Winelands community together through projects such as these we will champion crime” he added.   

CWDM also partnered with the Boland Cricket and other government departments on this project , representing the Boland Cricket on this event was the former SA cricket national selector now Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Boland Cricket, Mr. Omar Henry.

Mr. Henry expressed his excitement for this project and confirmed Boland Cricket’s support in trying to further the sustainability of “lusern cricket”.

In 2007 all District and Metro municipalities were required to develop a Growth and Development Strategy (GDS) for their region as they were identified as optimum government entities to drive regionally based strategies to mobilize and coordinate resources to meet these national targets. 

The Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) adopted its Growth and Development Strategy on 30 November 2006. The joint effort of the Cape Winelands District Municipality and its 5 Local Municipalities resulted in a consensus document that binds government, business, labour and civil society within the region in placing the Cape Winelands on a path of economic growth.  The Strategy includes a shared analysis of the state of society and the economy, long-term vision, objectives and strategies, commitments and roles. The CW-GDS strives to mobilize the resources and co-operation of all sectors and demonstrate how sectors will contribute towards the achievement of the national targets.

The Cape Winelands District Municipality as a patron of the CW-GDS is focused on implementing the GDS objectives.  Thus, in line with its commitment towards socio-economic development the CWDM initiated the review of the CW-GDS in 2008.  The ultimate goal of the CW-GDS review was to establish the progress made by the different sectors with regards to the implementation of the recommendations and objectives outlined in the CW-GDS.

The Cape Winelands Growth and Development Review Summit process provided the opportunity once again for all stakeholders to come together and visualize the kind of future we want for ourselves and our children, and then to explore ways of achieving this. The research and consultation process was extensive and spanned over a two year period. Numerous sector workshops and plenary discussions were conducted to facilitate consensus. This partnership with our sectors will once again be publicly cemented at the Growth and Development Strategy Review Summit, to be held on 29th April 2010.

The review of the CW-GDS after two years of its launching is indicative of the Cape Winelands District Municipality’s commitment towards the development of shared economic growth. The CWDM has foreseen that the realisation of the GDS objectives is an on-going process which requires constant review. 

We are confident that before 2014 we will have achieved our vision of Growing, Sharing, Delivering and Innovating Together!.