Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa is expected to lead various engagements with the KwaZulu-Natal provincial and eThekwini leadership as well as the Provincial House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders (PHTKL). The engagements are expected to take place on Saturday. The first engagement will include the Minister, Deputy Minister Prince Burns Ncamashe, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, CoGTA MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba and the metro's executive committee. This will be followed by a meeting with the PHTKL on issues affecting the sector. Both meetings will be held in Durban. Eastern Seaboard Regional Development On Monday, the Minister will lead the Eastern Seaboard Development Political Engagement with the Premier of the Eastern Cape and Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Oscar Mabuyane and Ntuli, respectively. They will be joined by traditional leaders, MECs, Mayors and Councillors from the Ugu, Harry Gwala, OR Tambo and Alf red Nzo districts at the Wild Coast Sun, Port Edward. 'The Eastern Seaboard Regional Development was declared as a region on 20 June 2022 in terms of Section 19 of Spatial Planning and Land Use Management (Act 16 of 2013) and has also been identified as a strategic area ready for investment. 'The region covers an area spanning the southern coastline of KwaZulu-Natal and the northern part of the Eastern Cape provinces and spans across four districts and 17 local municipalities,' the department explained. The Regional Spatial Development Framework, according to the department, has since been developed and catalytic projects across the four districts identified. 'This planned Ministerial engagement will review progress to date and agree on plans going forward in the implementation of the Eastern Seaboard programme. 'The meeting will also fortify traditional leadership participation in the next steps of the implementation phase of the programme, which include buy-in, stakeholder engagement and the awareness- raising of the project to all role players.' The department described the development as a flagship project facilitated through the District Development Model (DDM) and provides an opportunity to drive spatially referenced transformation through the integration of urban and rural development as well as targeted rural revitalisation. 'Launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2021, the development has reached a critical stage, and significant progress has also been made concerning its design, establishment and coordination of key stakeholders to respond to the region's rich cultural and environmental assets but remains deprived of substantial economic development and targeted investment in the region,' the statement read. Source: South African Government News Agency