By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to undertake his fourth District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo at the Sharpeville Cricket Pitch, in Gauteng, on Friday, 12 August.
The Imbizo will be attended by among others, leaders from all three spheres of government and Sedibeng communities are urged to come out in their numbers to meet their public representatives.
Themed, “Leave no one behind”, the Gauteng Imbizo will help identify issues in the Sedibeng community that hamper service delivery and economic opportunities.
During the Imbizo, Ramaphosa, accompanied by Cabinet ministers and senior government officials, will assess progress made in relation to service delivery and the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.
The Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan aims to build a new economy and unleash South Africa’s true potential. The overarching goal of the plan is to create a sustainable, resilient and inclusive economy. It focuses on the following priority areas:
- Energy security
- Industrial base to create jobs
- Mass public employment programme
- Infrastructure development
- Macro-economic interventions
- Green economy
- Food security
- Reviving the tourism sector
On Friday, communities in Sedibeng will be updated on the implementation of these public/private sector programmes and efforts to improve their lives.
“This is an opportunity to engage on challenges in the community and to propose solutions to some of them. Let us hold public officials to account and ensure they deliver on their promises to improve the lives of people,” government said in a statement.
“Our country needs active citizens who are committed to renewing our social contract and to building a new consensus. We can only address the challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment by working together.”
About Sedibeng
The Southern Development Corridor in Gauteng refers to the Sedibeng District, which comprises Emfuleni, Lesedi and Midvaal Local Municipalities.
The Sedibeng District Municipality boasts a strong manufacturing sector, as well as a growing services sector with a huge untapped potential to grow agricultural and related industries.
Public infrastructure and natural endowments that anchor the regional economy include the Vaal River, Vaal Dam, institutions of higher learning (VUT, NWU & Sedibeng TVET) and key national and provincial development corridors such as the N3, N1 and R59.
Special Economic Zones (SEZs)
The three spheres of government are working together to provide a platform to solidify plans that have been developed and investments made in the creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the Vaal region.
This in a bid to unlock private sector investment, particularly in high growth sectors such as agro-processing, agribusiness, food and beverage, cannabis farming, renewable energy, transport and logistics, and tourism and hospitality.
Billions of rands in investment commitments have been made for the Vaal River SEZ at the October 2021 Sedibeng Investment Conference.
The Vaal SEZ includes the construction of a new Vaal River City.
The first phase of the Vaal SEZ projects in the townships will focus on the Heidelberg Industrial Park and the auto and digital hubs in Sebokeng.
The second phase will focus on the Leeuwkuil, Cyferpan and Meyerton Industrial Hubs and the third phase will focus on industrial parks development with the context of implementing the Master Plan over a 20-year period.