The relationship between Musina Municipality and their counterparts in Zimbabwe, the Beit Bridge District Rural Council, continues to blossom as the two councils continue to work together in community development initiatives.

This became evident when representatives from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority visited Musina to showcase their tourist attractions on the other side of the border.

The two councils signed a twinning agreement of friendly relations and cooperation on 29 October 2004. The relationship is also aimed at strengthening relations and co-operation in areas around service delivery, economic development, tourism and corporate governance.

Musina Mayor Carol Phiri said the twinning agreement aimed to help South Africa and Zimbabwe in the development of modern and efficient administrations and organisations at central, regional and local level, with the structures, human resources and management skills needed to implement the same standards as friendly states.  “Our twinning agreement provides the framework for administrative and political networking to understand each other better. The other main distinct feature of our twinning agreement is the direct exchange of specific-experience legislation implementation.”

She said since the twinning agreement had been signed in 2004, there had been many benefits for both parties. “This includes exchange of experiences and knowledge based on equal-level communication between the two councils. We also share the best practices in public administration, knowledge of political administrative systems, training and improving professional capacity, sharing ideas in organisational practices and culture, improvements in managerial styles, better communication and co-ordination between and within the two councils.”

The Beit Bridge area manager of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, Ms Bertha Mutowemba, said the working relationship between the Musina Municipality and the Beit Bridge Rural District Council was very important because it promoted cooperative governance. “We are here today to promote our tourist attractions because we want people to know what we have on the other side of the border. The twinning agreement also specifies that we will work together to promote tourism, and this is exactly what we are doing. Many people are impressed with what we have and we have no doubt that the number of tourists will increase this festive season," she added.