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Ekurhuleni unveils aerotropolis catalytic projects

17th November 2015

By: Schalk Burger

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

  

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The first so-called catalytic projects that will boost the broader investment case of the aerotropolis, to be built in Ekurhuleni, were unveiled to investors at the inaugural aerotropolis investment conference, held at Emperor's Palace, on Tuesday.

These catalytic projects are investments and developments within hubs in the Ekurhuleni area clustered according to related industries namely transport, logistics, advanced manufacturing, aviation and aerospace, digital technology, research and development and skills development.

Global freight and forwarding firm DHL showcased its new Plumbago investment park warehouse and head office development north-east of the airport, in Pomona, while developers and owners of the 350 ha Living Africa Green Reef mixed-use development, south of the N12, and of the 1 800 ha Riverfields R21 development between the airport and Tshwane also presented their plans and investments made thus far.

Network firms Teraco and Dark Fibre Africa would open facilities in Isando to provide network services for the aerotropolis projects, while Rhodesfield, which already hosted the Gautrain rail link, would be a medical equipment manufacturing, pharmaceutical and support hub.

Further, aerospace firm Denel would host aerospace manufacturing and aviation training facilities in Bonaero Park, while the area would also host a jewellery manufacturing facility.

Denel on Tuesday expressed its support for the development of the aerotropolis, with Denel Aerostructures CE Victor Xaba noting in a statement that the growth of an "airport city" in Ekruhuleni would bring major benefits to industry and the high-tech manufacturing industry in the province.

Xaba said the nucleus for the growth of a fully-fledged local aerospace industry was already available at the Denel campus. "This can be a catalyst for growth in the broader aviation sector to revitalise the economy of Ekurhuleni.

“Denel is excited about the benefits that an aerotropolis will bring to job creation, skills development and the future of high-tech engineering in Gauteng,” he stated.

Speaking at the investment conference, Ekurhuleni mayor Mondli Gungubele noted that the aerotropolis development aligned with the Gauteng City Region corridor development strategies and formed the Eastern Corridor Development, also known as the Presidential Strategic Integrated Project 2.

It aimed to leverage existing infrastructure and industries and the OR Tambo International Airport to develop the Ekurhuleni region through access to complementary services, resources, transport and industries.

As such, some of the aerotropolis developments close to the airport (within 5 km) would be designated as an industrial development zone within a greater special economic zone (within 10 km of the airport) that would include all the supporting industries and facilities.

The aerotropolis master plan was approved by the municipal council on October 29 and would be officially launched at a gala dinner on Tuesday night, when official memoranda of understanding would also be signed with the local and international partners, including the Netherlands-based aviation specialist consultancy To70, software firm local subsidiary IBM South Africa, DHL, local development companies
Riverfields Development Programme and Living Africa, besides others.

Meanwhile, Ekurhuleni City Planning head of department Motubatse Motubatse presented the municipality's new metropolitan spatial development framework, which detailed the municipality's development strategy over the next 40 years, at the investment conference.

He noted that the spatial development framework aimed to provide clarity and predictability to potential investors and developers and be used as a fixed roadmap by local authorities for the progressive development of the municipality and region.

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) CEO Bongani Maseko highlighted that ACSA aimed to use the nine airports it operated in South Africa to provide benefits and development impetus to the areas around the airports, and noted that ACSA had adopted the aerotropolis concept as a core principle.

“We will use the airports as catalysts for development of the areas around them. We have adopted the aerotropolis concept as a key part of our strategy to ensure that the airports are relevant to their regions and drive growth and development.”

Gungubele noted that the King Shaka International Airport, in KwaZulu-Natal, and the Dube Tradeport, close to the airport, was also a potential aerotropolis area and studies were being done, based on the work done for the Ekurhuleni aerotropolis, to determine whether it could also be converted into an aerotropolis.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

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