The City of Ekurhuleni, in association with Siyenza, has partnered with the inaugural manufacturing Indaba to take place at Emperors Palace on Monday and Tuesday next week.
The event will bring together public and private sector players from the manufacturing sector to debate, network and promote the growth of South Africa’s manufacturing industries.”The City of Ekurhuleni’s participation is critical to our prospects of developing the region and our plans to revive the manufacturing sector,” says executive mayor, Clr Mondli Gungubele.
Liz Hart, managing director of Siyenza, says: “We are pleased with the launch of this Indaba because we see the growth potential for job creation and skills development of this sector. Our economy desperately needs a strong and innovative manufacturing base and we must continue to work together to promote prosperity through manufacturing, science and innovation.”
Ekurhuleni is home to just over a quarter of the 12 million inhabitants of Gauteng and its socio-economic profile mirrors that of Gauteng Province.
Since 1994, the city has facilitated and approved public and private investments with a market valuation of about R75 billion. Among these investments are developments such as Carnival City Casino and Mall in Brakpan; Emperors Palace and Birchwood in Boksburg; upmarket golf estates such as Glendower, Ebotse and Serengeti; Toyota Parts Centre on Atlas Road; expansion of Unilever Homecare in Boksburg; expansion of the Nampak Glass plant in Roodekop, expansion of OR Tambo International Airport; and the Consol Glass plant in Nigel.
Ekurhuleni is working hard to set the city apart as the region of choice for Gauteng’s manufacturers.
“Our Aerotropolis programme integrates a range of flagship interventions, such as the revitalisation of the manufacturing sector, the regeneration of CBDs and townships and their respective local economies, the revitalisation and harnessing of open spaces and precincts around lakes and wetlands, the building of connectivity of the city through an integrated rapid transit system, and the building of a smart city through investing in digital infrastructure for both municipal and citizen use,” Gungubele adds.
The city is confident that it can realise an average growth rate of between 6% and 8% year on year over the medium term, which will help to target youth skills development and job opportunities and various other measures to improve the transition of youth from school to work.
The Indaba is also supported by the manufacturing circle, which is a lobbying an advocacy body that interacts with government and other stakeholders in order to review, debate and help formulate policies which will have a positive impact on South Africa’s manufacturing base. It is made up of a number of South Africa’s leading medium to large manufacturing companies from a wide range of industries.
The conference programme will include plenary sessions as well as breakaway debate sessions to unpack and encourage active participation at the event. Topics to be discussed include: what are the challenges and opportunities facing the South African manufacturing sector in the next five years; localisation as a global trend – developing and maintaining a skilled workforce; opportunities for growth in the small business manufacturing environment and how can big manufacturers benefit from small business; what incentives are there to ensure foreign investment and establishment of global companies in the South African manufacturing sector; access to finance and strategies for growth and competitive advantage, including a productivity debate.
