Plans for a major smart city development in Bushbuckridge are at an advanced stage and are expected to boost the local economy and create jobs.

The planned Acorn City smart city is an infill-urban nodal development situated along the R40 in Acornhoek, on a 50-hectare land parcel.

Bushbuckridge Local Municipality spokesperson Fhumulani Thovhakale said the site is within a nationally declared Priority Development Area and designated as Strategic Development Area 5 under the Bushbuckridge Municipal Spatial Development Framework.

She said key components of the smart city include a retail warehouse, medical facility, light industrial and artisanal facility, residential areas, a school, a community centre and a shopping centre.

Thovhakale added that the city secured a 10Gbps line into the site, directly connected to National Long Distance networks.

This means the city is plugging its entire digital infrastructure directly into South Africa’s high-speed internet backbone, giving the development enterprise-grade internet capacity, near-zero lag and massive scalability.

Ndlovu, investors assess progress and requirements

On August 21, Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu convened a meeting with Dr Reuel Khoza, who is spearheading the smart city development, as well as Sanral and key investors to assess progress on the project.

The engagement was attended by Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport MEC Thulasizwe Thomo and Bushbuckridge Local Municipality Mayor Lydia Moroane-Zitha.

Ndlovu added that the discussions went beyond tracking project milestones, with stakeholders focusing on the critical infrastructure needed to make the smart city a reality.

Among the key requirements identified are reliable water supply, improved access roads and essential municipal services. These infrastructure needs will be crucial to supporting the development and ensuring that it can attract businesses, investors and residents.

Ndlovu said aligning the priorities of government and investors is laying the foundation for inclusive development that could transform Bushbuckridge into a major hub of economic opportunity.

Ndlovu said the project has the potential to contribute significantly to the province’s economic growth while improving opportunities for communities in Bushbuckridge.

“This collaboration demonstrates that when government and business work together, we can deliver projects that uplift communities and secure a prosperous future for the province,” he said.

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The proposed smart city represents a potentially significant development for Bushbuckridge, particularly in terms of investment, infrastructure development and employment. With planning and stakeholder engagements continuing, attention will now turn to translating the plans into tangible infrastructure and economic opportunities for residents.

Department silent on budget details

Mpumalanga News approached the Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs to enquire about the budget scope, construction and implementation of the Acorn City smart city. The department’s spokesperson, Freddy Ngobe, acknowledged receipt of the enquiry but had not yet responded.