Drawing on one of Ekurhuleni’s inherent advantages — OR Tambo International Airport — the Ekurhuleni Aerotropolis programme is seen as a key driver of future economic activity and job creation.
This ambitious project aims to revitalise the manufacturing, aviation and transport sectors, but is also seen as a catalyst for the some of the metro’s other initiatives, such as the Digital City project, public transport network, beautification programme, urban regeneration, and economic development and transformation agenda.
“There is no doubt that the Aerotropolis concept is now mainstreamed in the city and has ignited a new wave of investments in and around the airport catchment area,” executive mayor Mondli Gungubele said in his state of the city address in April. “We realise that these interventions shall not have their envisaged impact if they are not coupled with a systematic programme to bring strategic investment into the city.”
Ekurhuleni has developed a five-year Strategic Implementation Plan for the Aerotropolis programme, and has identified the prioritisation of 10 economic clusters.
Some progress has already been made in this direction, with mega-projects including the R300-million Prasa (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa) Nerve Centre building in Kempton Park that is part of Prasa’s R4-billion station upgrade programme, the Air Traffic and Navigation Services head office and training academy in Isando, Kempton Park, and Peermont Group’s R320-million extension of its Emperors Palace Casino and Resort.
An additional 18 new, mixed-development projects including industrial, commercial and residential are planned for the Pomona area (adjacent to OR Tambo).
“We have also recorded several interesting developments in and around the Aerotropolis Catchment Area,” said Gungubele. “To date, approximately R789-million has been invested in a number of projects along the Albertina Sisulu Corridor, creating at least 1 506 jobs. As a result, the R21 Expressway now features iconic buildings that house companies such as John Deere, DB Schenker, DBZ Eng, DHL Global Warehouse, DHL Global Head Office, Wurth, Jonson’s Workwear, TAL Warehouse, Fast Freight, DHL Supply Chain, DB Schenker, Takealot and many more.”
The mayor said a key ingredient in building the local economy is to balance the distribution of economic activity between the nine affluent areas and the 17 townships of Ekurhuleni.
“This will be achieved through a systematic spatial and economic programme to enable the geographic spread. This way, our people will enjoy its benefits and improved quality of life from wherever they are without moving closer to the airport.”