Regeneration is on the wind for Alexandra and Kliptown, Premier Makhura says in his State of the Province. Joburg’s CBD and Steyn City, as well as business and entrepreneurship in townships are other areas that can expect big changes for the better.
premierGauteng premier David Makhura. File photo. Image by: Gallo Images / Sowetan / Antonio MuchaveThe province is working with the national and city governments on plans to revitalise Alexandra and Kliptown, two of Johannesburg’s oldest townships, according to Gauteng Premier David Makhura.
In his State of the Province Address on 23 February, the premier said millions of rand had been set aside to rejuvenate the two townships. “We are working with [the] national government and the City of Joburg on a definite and concrete plan to revitalise these townships. They are in a terrible and sorry state of disrepair,” he said.
In celebrating the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter in Kliptown, the provincial government and the City of Johannesburg would invest millions of rand in preserving the museum at Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication. Both spheres of government would also convert the house of struggle heroine Charlotte Maxeke, also in Kliptown, into a museum and an interpretation centre, he said.
The provincial government’s partnership with the City and the private sector had resulted in a R6.5-billion investment in Steyn City Development, including the construction of a new arterial road, the R11, and infrastructure for basic services. “We fully support the City’s Corridors of Freedom spatial transformation and blue economy initiatives, which will see significant infrastructure investment that will reshape the political economy of space in one of Africa’s largest cities,” Makhura said.
“Over the next five years we will mobilise more than R10-billion in public and private investments in regenerating the Johannesburg CBD, the seat of the provincial government. Having spoken to private sector leaders, I am confident that there is an appetite and passion for investment in the revitalisation of the CBD of Johannesburg.”
TOWNSHIP BUSINESS
As part of the provincial government’s strategy to reignite township businesses, Makhura said the Orlando and Ennerdale industrial parks would also be revitalised.
“We are prioritising the development of agri-parks on the periphery of urban settlements, where young people will be given opportunities to farm,” he said, referring to the Lufhereng Agri-Estate, where Joburg has earmarked land for small-scale farming and agro-processing.
Further, Joburg had set aside R3-billion to set up a Township Economy Partnership Fund involving the corporate sector, township enterprises and the government to promote investment in the township economy and develop township enterprises and co-operatives.
“In addition, we will work with the Co-operatives Banks Development Agency to facilitate the establishment of co-operative banks that are owned by communities (including burial societies and stokvels), as part of promoting financial inclusion and broadening access to credit by township enterprises and communities,” the premier said.
“The provincial government currently spends at least 5% of its R10-billion procurement budget on goods and services from township enterprises. We have now committed to setting aside 30% of public procurement budget for township enterprises over the next five years.”
INCUBATION HUB
In Diepsloot, about 160 township entrepreneurs involved in light manufacturing and other productive activities would benefit from the R1.6-billion investment in the Riversands-Dieppe SMME Incubation Hub.
The hub is at the heart of the Riversands Commercial Park. It will provide mentorship and enterprise support to ensure that when small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) graduate from the programme, they are better placed to grow and expand.
Further, said Makhura, many companies and state-owned enterprises had made pledges to contribute to Tshepo 500 000, the provincial government’s strategy launched in 2014 to accelerate youth employment and entrepreneurship.
“This year, we aim to create 50 000 of these opportunities; 150 000 in 2016 and 125 000 in 2019. This is yet another example of future partnerships between [the] government and the private sector. I urge other private sector companies to come on board so together we can continue to inspire hope and create a better future for our young people.”
In addition, Makhura said Zola-Jabulani health care facility would be renamed Bheki Mlangeni Hospital in memory of the slain ANC lawyer, who died as he was trying to listen to a booby-trapped Walkman at the height of the struggle for liberation.