Tshwane courts automotive investors with R10bn development plans

The City of Tswhane is revising its current investment framework and introducing sector development plans to draw foreign investment and encourage international trade within the greater metro area. “These plans are part of our R50billion ‘Vision 2055’ strategy to grow the city’s economy and up our competitiveness on the global trade stage,” said Riaan Labuschagne, head: trade and investment policy, strategy and process development at the City of Tswhane. The city’s “aggressive” economic growth strategy includes a R10billion investment injection into the automotive industry. “The automotive industry has a very strong presence in Tshwane and we hope to attract further investments into the original equipment manufacturing sector (OEM), as well as improve the business network for those that have already invested,” he said. Currently Ford, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Tata Trucks, Nissan and UD Trucks are situated within the greater metro area. Labuschagne added that the majority of these OEMs fell within the Rosslyn to Wonderboom Airport section of the metro. The City of Tshwane is working with the Gauteng Growth Development Agency (GGDA) and the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) to create an automotive city within those pre-determined borders. There will also be a major investment into bulk services infrastructure. The strategy also includes revising the city’s investment incentive scheme to make it more competitive and improving the current internal investment framework to fast-track the approval process for investors.