In a bid to drive economic development and job creation, the metro recently invited interested stakeholders the chance to lease several municipal properties.

MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, Sarah Mabotsa, said while the metro has no intention of selling these properties, collaboration with the private sector could prove to be fruitful for the properties and residents seeking employment.

“The City of Tshwane’s release of strategic properties for investment will unlock significant opportunities for residents by driving economic growth, attracting new business activity and creating thousands of jobs across the capital city. Through the Tshwane Economic Revitalisation Strategy, these developments will stimulate the construction and service sectors, empower small enterprises and expand local infrastructure,” Mabotsa said.

Tenders from prospective bidders have been invited for the following properties:

– Pretoria Showgrounds

– Sunnyside Mandela Corridor

– Erf 43 Verwoerdburgstad

– Industrial properties in Rosslyn

– HM Pitje Stadium Precinct

– ODI Stadium Precinct in Mabopane

– Erf 1932 Zwartkop.

“By leveraging underutilised city-owned assets, Tshwane aims to convert idle land into engines of inclusive development, directly improving livelihoods, supporting skills development and helping to reduce unemployment, while ensuring that investment translates into tangible benefits for the people of Tshwane,” Mabotsa added.

The tender offers come after the metro hosted its inaugural investment summit in September, where private sector stakeholders pledged over R16-billion in support of the metro’s Economic Revitalisation Strategy.

The metro confirmed that the pledges cover 22 projects across property and construction, the automotive sector, and infrastructure development. Notably, at least 10 companies in the construction and property sector made firm commitments to back its economic revitalisation.

The capital city is home to major international firms such as BMW, Ford, and Coca-Cola, as well as three major universities and over 300 000 students.

Several underutilised city-owned assets were opened to investors. These included the Rooiwal and Pretoria West power stations, with opportunities for energy generation and waste-to-energy technology.

The Pretoria Showgrounds was announced to be earmarked for redevelopment as a business tourism and mixed-use destination, and Wonderboom National Airport with potential as a logistics hub.

The Tshwane Fresh Produce Market, the second largest in the country, with opportunities for agro-processing and the Bon Accord Quarry, were also said to become fully commercialised.

Additionally, over 30 derelict inner city buildings were also set to be repurposed for housing, student accommodation, and commercial use.

“The economic revitalisation strategy identified 10 priority economic sectors to support achieving these growth targets. One of the priority economic sectors is the construction sector, which is very labour-intensive. The release of vacant or underutilised properties for construction or redevelopment directly assists to support and grow the construction industry in Tshwane,” said Mabotsa.

The MMC believes that the tender offers bring the metro closer to increasing economic growth to 3.9%; attracting between R17–R26-billion in new investment; and adding at least 80 000 new jobs to the economy of our capital city by 2029.

The information for prospective bidders is available on the city’s website at www.tshwane.gov.za.

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.