Riyaz Patel
Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina has announced plans to revitalize the tourism economy in the City.
He said the Metro would focus on accelerating greater economic restructuring, broaden participation in the economy and improve the overall performance of the local economy.
Masina said key to this undertaking is the City’s ability to leverage capital projects, while promoting private sector participation through investments and partnerships, such as the recently completed Sam Ntuli Mall in Katlehong.
“We don’t want our communities to only be consumers and workers, we also want to be retailers.”
He pointed out that for the 2018/2019 financial period, the City’s CAPEX stands at 94%, which, he said is “testament to the administration’s unwavering commitment to delivering quality services and fiscal efficiency.”
The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) has adopted a controlled economic stimulus programme that seeks to attract direct foreign investment and public-private partnerships, Masina said, adding that the City’s Aerotropolis Master plan is pivotal in unlocking the Metro’s economic potential.
Beyond the manufacturing and logistics sectors, though, the CoE has identified tourism as catalyst for large scale job creation in the service sector and much needed revenue generation for the City of peace.
Masina identified the following interventions as key drivers of economic growth in the City:
– City of Ekurhuleni Convention Centre: The City will expedite the release of forty strategic land parcels close to the OR Tambo International Airport to private sector developers for amongst others the construction of the City of Ekurhuleni Convention Centre.
– City of Ekurhuleni Botanical Gardens: The City has identified Gilloolys Farm in Bedfordview for the development of the City’s Botanical Garden.
– City of Ekurhuleni Zoo: Ekurhuleni is the only Metro in Gauteng that does not have a zoo. The city will begin the process of conducting feasibilities studies on a 749 hectare piece of land in Suikerbos for the development of a new zoo.
– Oliver Tambo Statue: The City will erect a 9 meter bronze statue of the late struggle icon, Oliver Reginald Tambo at the airport named after the former ANC president. The work of art will be the first tourist attraction travelers see when they land in South Africa and Ekurhuleni.
– City of Ekurhuleni Film City: The establishment of a Film City in the vacant piece of land at Dries Niemandt in Kempton Park, will act as a centre of creative excellence. Movie makers wishing to shoot a movie in South Africa and tourists interested in the film industry is expected to flock to the multipurpose Ekurhuleni Film City.
– Strategic Urban Development: The City has reaffirmed its full support to more than R300BN worth of investments which are already underway, driven by private/public partnerships.
“On the back of the Unemployment Figures recently announced by Statistics South Africa, our administration has no choice but to ramp up efforts to stimulate economic growth in our local economy in order to create sustainable jobs,” the Executive Mayor said.
“The City of Ekurhuleni is still a blank canvas for tourism development. We are seizing the opportunity to revamp the face of our City while intentionally driving projects that will create jobs for our citizens.”
“Today Council approved plans to establish a Community Enterprise Development Fund in the City to support local entrepreneurs, from uGogo selling vegetables at a taxi rank to the young construction entrepreneurs who can’t afford to fund a project he/she has been awarded, said Masina.
“We are taking radical steps to stimulate our local economy and we have placed the people of Ekurhuleni at the centre of these efforts.”
The CoE said it will outline plans on how it will roll out the Community Enterprise Development Fund in the coming week.
On Monday, Masina together with Transport Minister Minister Fikile Mbalula and Gauteng Premier David Makhura unveiled 40 new buses and two completed BRT Stations, as part of the Harambee BRT program.
“We know there was delay in the project but we well on track to complete on time,” said Masina.
