SPECIAL FEATURE
A REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF
GAUTENG Inner-city regeneration and Special Economic Zones are bolstering growth in Gauteng. By John Young
G
auteng is South Africa’s smallest province in terms of landmass but in every other respect it is a giant. The province is the nation’s key economic growth engine. At 18 176km², the province makes up just 1.5% of South Africa’s territory, but even that aspect showed growth in 2018 when the territory of Ekangala was formally transferred from Mpumalanga Province to Gauteng Province. The land had previously been part of the KwaNdebele homeland. The 14.3-million people living in Gauteng in 2017 generated a gross domestic product of R1.59-trillion, about a third of South Africa’s GDP (StatsSA). Urban regeneration is a strong theme across Gauteng. Provincial and municipal programmes aim to stimulate township economies and integrate them into the broader economy. All of the metropolitan municipalities are engaged in reviving their inner cities. Johannesburg’s efforts are the subject of an article elsewhere in this publication. One of the City GAUTENG BUSINESS 2019/20
of Tshwane’s projects involves the Salvokop Precinct which lies between the city centre and Freedom Park. The City of Tshwane is collaborating with the Danish city of Aarhus. The Danes bring expertise in sustainable urban planning and issues such as safe non-motorised green transport, effective water and storm-water management, and high-quality public spaces are being introduced in conjunction with planning for new buildings. The plan is to create a mixed-use precinct comprising offices, residences, retail outlets and restaurants. Heritage buildings are also part of the project as national monuments and the Freedom Park are nearby. A study has shown that the area’s water reservoir has potential for green hydro energy and a plan is being developed to tackle water supplies and management. The University of Pretoria is another partner in the project. Another strategy to increase economic growth and attract investment is through Special
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