A conference on April 3, funded by Vaal Committed Citizens and Entrepreneurs (VCCEG) members, managed to open lines of communications between the Vaal River City Development (VRCD) Management, Gauteng Department of Economic Development, Emfuleni Local Municipality, Sedibeng District Municipality and the business community of Vaal on VRCD. Presentations provided the sorely needed update on the development, silent since the sword turning of May 2015 and the anticipated construction commencement of end of 2015.
The Executive Mayor of Sedibeng District Municipality not only attended the conference in the Vereeniging City Hall but also provided her personnel to assist with preparations and availed her infrastructure to be utilized for the event.
A video of the development painted a clearer picture of physical structures planned. Although the presentation failed to address crucial questions of the percentages of local content in terms of procurement and employment to benefit from construction to occupation, the VRCD management is however open to having a discussion with Vaal business community on these matters, relayed Mr Tiisetso Tisang of Yaetsho, the Property and Infrastructure Services and Investment Group that conceptualized the VRCD. He, at least, gave a sense of timelines and schedules that business can use as guidelines to ready themselves. Reports indicated that there will be 10 000 job opportunities during construction and a further 19 000 people will be employed after construction across the development’s components.
The much anticipated development was apparently delayed by environmental compliances due to Emfuleni waste water capacity. Mr Shaka Radebe – MMC LED of Emfuleni Local Municipality, representing the Executive Mayor of Emfuleni Local Municipality indicated that they are in discussions with Rand Water and Sasol Firm on the matter.
Environmental Concerns of integrating existing wetlands in the development were responded to by Mr Emmanuel Mdawu from the office of the MEC.
The presentations were informative, captivating and invigorating. ‘The Vaal, which in most cases does not feel like part of Gauteng’ reiterated Mr Radebe, was on Sunday descended on by MEC Maile’s department in their numbers. His speech was delivered by Ms Phelisa Nkomo, his economic advisor.
The waning morale of business in the area was boosted by Ms Nkomo’s speech that reminded Vaal business community of assistance thus far received by the region – Sedibeng, in the form of Business Development and Financial Support through the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP). ‘In the 2015/16 FY, GEP supported 89 SMMEs who are based in the Sedibeng Region, specifically in the following areas: Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi Municipalities’ she said.
‘Of the 89 SMMEs, 68 benefited from the Township Business Renewal Projects (TBR), whilst 21 benefited from the Community Assistance Programme (CAP). This supports went to 58 Women, 33 Youth and 2 PWD’s (Persons with Disability). A total of R260 163.04 was spent on CAP and R304 059 49.14 on TBR’ continued Ms Nkomo.