Township Economy

UNLOCKING TOWNSHIP ECONOMIES

EThekwini Municipality is committed to transforming townships into sites for productive activities that contribute to socially inclusive wealth creation.

The development and transformation of eThekwini’s townships will help to foster sustainable livelihoods through job creation, social cohesion and active citizenship, unlocking an untapped economy with vast potential.

World-class roads for eThekwini townships The R26 million upgrade investment of Sbusiso Mdakane Drive provides essential infrastructure in the uMlazi area, leading to further employment opportunities. It also brings about key economic activities such as intermodal transport points with both formal and informal business activities.

The upgrade is part of the City’s initiative to promote township economies and to address the past imbalances in township areas by supporting local businesses, improving infrastructure, and bringing government services closer to the people.

The upgrade includes newly designed street lighting, while pavements have been enhanced by block pavers to give the precinct a new look and feel. The pedestrian walkways have also been widened to allow people to walk or run with ease.

Township Economy Regeneration Programme The Zazi Street upgrade is part of the Township Economy Regeneration Programme, which responds to the strategic role of township urban centres.

Umlazi

Bridge City

It is located in the Clermont Central Precinct and is one of the most resilient and dynamic economic nodes within the Clermont/KwaDabeka township economy. The first phase of the Zazi Street upgrade addressed the construction of kerbing with sidewalks completed in September 2020.

The total cost of the completed first phase was R1.6 million. Phase 2 sought to increase public space and infrastructure investment, thus supporting community activities while in turn encouraging even higher levels of private investment. This included the overlay of Zazi Street with asphalt road resurfacing and rehabilitation with street markings.

Top-notch business infrastructure for uMlazi EThekwini Municipality has set aside R117 million over the next four years to develop uMlazi into an economic hub. This will benefit local businesses and residents of the township.

The eZimbuzini Automotive Hub and Informal Trading Stalls, together with the

eZimbuzini Automotive Hub

KwaMnyandu Light Industrial Hub, have significantly impacted the local community and economy. Opened by Executive Mayor Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda, these projects allow for various quality goods and services to be sourced locally at reasonable prices.

Strategic responses to marginalised areas

EThekwini Municipality has several responses to address the exclusion and challenges faced by its historically marginalised areas. These include: • Connecting and upgrading townships through public transport roll-out and the Urban Network Strategy (utilising hubs and connectors) • Social facility provision via a hierarchy of social facility nodes • Developing large-scale and mixed land-use housing projects through the

Catalytic Projects Housing Programme • Provision of a suite of basic services via the Incremental Services to

Informal Settlements Programme • Provision of serviced sites and top structures via the Housing

Upgrading Programme • Facilitating the provision of institutional and social housing in transit corridors

This helps to stimulate the local township economy and create jobs.

The informal trader’s hub saw the trading conditions of 33 informal traders and entrepreneurs, who were previously operating under makeshift stalls, transformed for the better.

During the construction phase of the R22 million, state-of the-art project, 16 local subcontractors were given business opportunities and were able to create 50 job opportunities for locals.

The R42.7 million invested in the automotive hub responds to the challenge faced by most informal businesses in the township of operating in residential area back yards, illegally occupied vacant government land and closer to taxi ranks.

Industrialisation strategy This facility is in line with national government’s Industrialisation Strategy and supports small enterprises, including black industrialists, in townships and rural areas to create decent jobs in places where people live. This investment is to encourage and support locally produced goods and services to promote the City’s #BuyLocal campaign.

The new Light Industrial Hub in the kwaMnyandu Investment Node is expected to change the spatial economy of the area. It caters for 30 units with 15 business and commercial units interfacing Griffiths Mxenge Highway. The R42 million hub also makes provision for 10 office units and five lower units, together with two takeaway food and shop stalls each and public ablution facilities.

The goods and services rendered by the businesses include light technological industries like steel welding, vehicle repairs, production of domestic cleaning chemicals, textile, arts and craft manufacturing, plumbing, electrical repairs, and carpentry.

Connecting townships EThekwini Municipality recognises Mpumalanga Town Centre, Umlazi V Node, and Bridge City as primary township hubs, which will benefit from investments focused on connecting them more strongly to the CBD and Pinetown through road and rail improvements, and through improvements to public transport interchanges in the hubs.

Via the Township Economy Regeneration Programme, investments have been made consistently over the past five to ten years into the primary township hubs, in higherorder social facilities, economic facilities, and urban realm improvements. These investments will continue.

There are also numerous secondary township hubs connected to the primary hubs. Here, the strategy is to improve the road connections between the primary and secondary hubs, and to make further investments into local economic, public transport, and social facilities.

KwaMnyandu Light Industrial Hub

The Rebuild Centre

For more than 25 years, Powertrans has delivered quality rebuilding and remanufacturing services for the plant and equipment that has helped to shape the landscape of democratic South Africa.

From humble beginnings and a staff complement of three, Powertrans has continuously expanded since its founding in 1994. This constant development has manifested in Powertrans being able to offer clients winning solutions, by sticking to what the company knows best: engines, transmissions and plant.

By understanding and perfecting the knowledge systems and technology, and by continuously raising standards through education, research and development, Powertrans has grown into a leading remanufacturer of heavy earthmoving equipment, diesel engines and transmissions in South Africa.

Extending the life of plant and equipment can save operators a significant amount of money compared to the price of new equipment. What’s even costlier is when equipment rebuilds are of substandard quality, costing more to rectify in the long run. That’s why it’s critical to use specialists with the proven expertise the first time. This is where Powertrans comes in – serving a critical role that provides ultimate peace of mind.

Key departments Powertrans offers a turnkey solution by utilising the specialist skills of its various departments to consolidate the rebuild of plant and equipment on an assembly line. The General Workshop undertakes all general maintenance to plant and equipment. When plant is brought in for a rebuild or service, expert workshop technicians carry out a diagnosis to ascertain the nature of the service and/or extent of the repair. General services are carried out here. If more involved repairs like engine and transmission rebuilds, chassis repairs, etc. are required, the plant is further stripped down and directed to the relevant department.

The multimillion-rand Transmission Workshop is kitted out with the latest automatic transmission diagnostics equipment on the market. From stripping down to diagnosing, repairing and rebuilding, customers can count on a dedicated, professional technical team that thrives on pressure and consistently performs to the highest levels.

The Torque Convertor Department and Machine Shop’s cutting-edge CNC lathes and milling machines make otherwise daunting tasks a cinch for Powertrans. The Torque Convertor Department repairs and rebuilds torque convertors for most major brands, while the Machine Shop repairs machine parts, manufactures new parts for stock, assists in rebuilds of old machines and effects modifications.

The Engine Department rebuilds engines – sometimes even those destined for the scrap heap! It also reconditions tired engines and engine components. Rebuilt engines undergo rigorous quality testing to ensure maximum performance, while every engine and component that is remanufactured is done so according to OEM standards. The department is also ERA, RMI and SABS approved.

No cost was spared in implementing the latest technology in the Hydraulics Department, which carries a complete range of specialised hoses and fittings – such as high-pressure, multispiral, two-wire and push-lock hoses – as well as Baltrotor rotators and reconditioned hydraulic pumps.

The in-house Bosch Centre, with its diagnostic diesel and fuel injection test bench, has proved to be of great benefit to clients, controlling the turnaround times and costs of refurbishment. This technically advanced facility houses highly trained technicians who take the greatest pride in breathing life into fuel injection systems.

Finally, the Plant Stores Department ensures that both internal and external customers receive a fast response with every enquiry. Stockholding consists of transmissions, engines and a wide range of diff spares from around the world. Leveraging extensive product knowledge and exceptional customer service, Powertrans advises its clients on the most cost-effective solution to their plant and equipment woes.