The City of Johannesburg’s department of economic development, through its trade and investment promotion directorate, has launched the meet the city investment retention programme.

It’s an initiative aimed at strengthening relationships with businesses operating in Johannesburg, and creating a more enabling environment for business retention, expansion, and job creation.

The programme was unveiled during a business engagement session held at the Fourways Mall Cinema on November 28, where a range of companies, business owners, and organisational representatives gathered to discuss operational challenges, share success stories, and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

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The session also served as an invitation for more businesses to join the programme, actively contributing to shaping a more responsive and competitive economic ecosystem in Johannesburg.

Among the organisations that drew strong attention at the event was the Fourways Improvement District (FID), cited as a successful example of how structured collaboration between the city, private sector stakeholders, and provincial entities can deliver measurable results for local communities and economic nodes.

Mikhaela Donaldson, from the FID, expressed gratitude to the city for creating a platform where their progress could be showcased. Donaldson said FID is a voluntary not-for-profit company, established by property owners and stakeholders within the broader Fourways node.

A node that has expanded rapidly and now requires co-ordinated management and investment. “It has really been created as a vehicle in which private sector partners can collaborate with key stakeholders, critically being able to work with the city, the province, and any other structures operating within our space, so that we can get things done.”

Formed just over a year ago, the district’s founding project was the adopt-a-robot initiative, developed in partnership with the provincial government. The project targeted key traffic corridors leading into Fourways, particularly along Winnie Mandela Drive, from the M2 to Fourways Mall and northward toward the N14, with the aim of improving traffic flow, restoring faulty traffic lights, and enhancing road safety.

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However, the project revealed deeper infrastructure challenges requiring long-term solutions. “We quickly realised that it wasn’t just a quick win of connecting the traffic lights. We needed infrastructure in place to really support what those projects were trying to achieve and to ensure sustainability.”

Despite these complexities, the initiative gained substantial private-sector support. “Just off that project alone we had over R1.2m in support from the private sector – including contractor payments and materials.

It wasn’t about taking responsibility away from the necessary role players; it was about bridging the gap and saying: These are the things getting us stuck in the mud. How can we help?

“It’s partnership among ourselves and stakeholders, and, critically, partnership with provincial and local government entities, which may need a bit of assistance.

We’re trying to identify the projects that can make a meaningful difference, and then work with those role players to effect change.”

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