An international convention centre is envisaged for Kempton Park as part of the City of Ekurhuleni’s aerotropolis master plan.
The metro envisions a future partnership with Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) and private investors that could provide capital for the building of the centre within the Western Airport Precinct.
“This is an important idea that we will spend a lot of our energy and research work on, trying to bring it to life,” said executive mayor Mzwandile Masina during his State of the City (SOCA) address in Germiston on March 27.
“Our aerotropolis master plan recognises the immense potential of the city as home to OR Tambo International Airport. The volumes of cargo and human beings that pass through this airport provide a strategic opportunity for regional development and an economic value chain that is geared towards export markets,” he added.
According to Masina, about R5.6-billion of the GDP of South Africa is contributed by the airport and about 5 480 jobs are created by the airport, assisting in slowing down the rate of unemployment.
The Air Cargo Africa event in Ekurhuleni attracted a record number of 80 international exhibiting companies, more than 500 global industry decision makers and brought in more than 3 000 trade visitors from across more than 60 countries, including 30 African nations.
Air Cargo, said Masina, is central to the development of the Ekurhuleni aerotropolis as a direct contributor to job creation. In the medium to long term, plans for a midfield cargo terminal are afoot and are aligned with the airport master plan.
“Apart from this, there are new developments in the pipeline, starting with the development of the Western Airport Precinct, which is a mixed-use development inclusive of office, retail, hotel and other profit-generating uses.
“The idea of an international convention centre in Kempton Park is part of our broad vision of a tourism network that includes a liberation heritage route within the city. This tourism network is an important feature of our city’s identity because we have been home to various historical personalities and events that contributed significantly to the political shaping of modern South Africa.
“Already, the OR Tambo Precinct in Wattville and the Chris Hani Museum have been existing as focal points of the liberation heritage route. We are now planning to incorporate into this route the site of the Codesa negotiations, which were held at the World Trade Centre in Kempton Park,” he added.
