Gauteng Business 2016 edition

FOCUS
lock the agricultural potential of
Sedibeng as the food basket of
the Gauteng City Region and position
the region as an Agropolis.
The Western Corridor
In the fourth corridor, the Western
Corridor, the West Rand district
has experienced significant de-industrialisation
due to the decline
of the mining industry, which was
the main employer and source of
revenue for municipalities.
Going forward the economy
of the Western Corridor will focus
on the green and blue economy
initiatives, tourism, agro-processing
and logistics. The Lanseria
Airport and Maropeng World
Heritage Site will be the main
anchors of the new city and new
economy of the West Rand.
Overview
Both, the western and southern
corridors will see the creation of
new industries, new economic
nodes and new cities, affirming
Makhura account, “Gone are the days when some regions and municipalities
will be neglected as the Cinderella’s on the periphery of
the provincial economy.
We need deliberate and conscious action by the entire city region
leadership to reverse spatial injustice and economic marginalisation
of Sedibeng and the West Rand.”
Through the above cited initiatives, Gauteng aims to invest in
economic infrastructure as the key stimulator of growth, while also
pursuing infrastructure partnerships with the private sector.
The provincial government is working with the municipalities and
private sector partners to unlock the potential of the Lanseria
Airport logistics hub. Thus far the private sector is injecting at
least R500-million in Capex for the development of the airport,
with over R10-billion expected to be invested in Lanseria over the
next 15 years. Furthermore, working with national government
and Busmark, they will support the manufacturing of coaches
to supply various mass transit bus fleets.
The corridor will be positioned as a hub of agriculture and agroprocessing,
and work is underway to leverage the corridor’s high
value horticultural potential. As part of the transformation of
the agricultural sector, to ensure food-security and in order to
stimulate economic activity in the corridor, government has
invested in the Randfontien milling facility. In addition, publicprivate
partnership will see the development of aquaculture
projects, such as the prawn farming facility. This initiative will
create a total of 6 512 jobs in the West Rand over three years.
31 GAUTENG BUSINESS 2016