ASPIRE was founded as the Amathole Economic Development Agency (AEDA), a proprietary limited company, on 1 September 2005. It was envisaged ASPIRE would support the parent municipality’s goal of local economic growth and assist the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) with the implementation of local economic development initiatives.
The role of ASPIRE is therefore to assist the Amathole District Municipality in attaining its vision and to support a mission that specifically spells out the participatory nature of the development process. The key is the building of networks with counterparts by investing upfront in relationship building – and this takes time.
ASPIRE believes that any subsequent success emanates from this investment and from the consistent involvement of local municipalities and communities in the development process.
Vision
The vision of the Amathole District Municipality is to become a leading, dynamic, innovative, pioneering and focused district municipality dedicated to servicing the needs of its communities and their social and economic development.
Mission
Contributing to the betterment of its communities’ lives through a participatory development process to ensure that they have access to socio-economic opportunities.
Mandate
Our mandate is the promotion and implementation of development policies in areas of economic production and investment in the Amathole Region. A 20-year economic development strategy, Khul’ Amathole 2025.
Strategic objectives
ASPIRE has adopted strategic objectives aligned to the development pillars and key drivers for change within the district. ASPIRE’s organisational structure facilitates the delivery of the Strategic Objectives, in alignment to the Development Pillars, to ensure efficient, effective, and economical responses to the drivers of change within the district.
- Establish ASPIRE as a world leading development institution.
- Promote innovative industry value chain enterprise growth.
- Optimise the socio-economic value of district-owned infrastructure assets.
- Promote ADM as a domestic and international investment location.
- Position ADM as a Smart District
