The creation of the planned aerotropolis development in and around the OR Tambo International airport has been prioritised by the newly elected Ekurhuleni mayor, Mzwandile Masina.
Speaking at the Council Chamber in Germiston yesterday, Masina said: “We will be using the 30-year master plan to take this programme forward and ensure that we get the full gains of being Africa’s first aerotropolis.”
He said this development could be used to enhance the metro’s “aggressive job creation and skills development strategy” which included the establishment of a university in Ekurhuleni.
“A university for Ekurhuleni is no longer negotiable. Our determination in this regard is demonstrated by our resolve to make land available as soon as we get an investor. Our call is further justified by the fact that we are the manufacturing capital of the continent, home to the Africa’s biggest international airport and accommodate the biggest railway shunting station in the southern hemisphere right here in Germiston,” Masina pointed out.
To further boost economic growth in the metro, Masina has set the goal of establishing an Ekurhuleni power station to ensure uninterrupted power supply to manufacturers. “We will also launch a mobile application for business and residents to immediately report a service delivery problem so that we can attend to it as soon as possible,” he said.
Masina also promised greater focus on local procurement for goods and services, especially from small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and pledged to pay them within 15 days of receiving their invoices.
