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Gauteng City Region

Gauteng was officially launched as a City Region in 2008, launching a strategy for municipalities to align their development plans, avoid competitive behaviour, share resources and ideas on generating wealth and reducing poverty. The idea is for municipalities in the province to work in unison, rationalising their use of resources to reduce poverty and generate wealth as the province grapples with urbanisation and migration.

Influenced by the growing centrality of cities in modern economies like London, New York, Paris and Tokyo, the Gauteng city region has positioned the province as a major metropolitan conurbation ranked in the world hierarchy of urban settlements. It is predicted that the Gauteng city region will be the twelfth largest city in the world by 2015, making it a ‘global mega city’, larger than Los Angeles.

The Gauteng city region was launched after consultation with civil society organisations including business, labour, academics, higher education institutions, people with disabilities and youth and students. The province has enlisted the cooperation of its 15 local authorities and three large metros.

The aim is to build Gauteng as an integrated and globally competitive region where the economic activities of different parts of the province complement each other. The initiative to build Gauteng as a globally competitive city region entails a new way of thinking about development in the province. It promises exciting new possibilities for advancement and will propel the onto a higher path of development.

Gauteng, with its three metropolitan municipalities, is already regarded as a global city-region by virtue of its population density, its levels of economic activity and development. The province is now working towards achieving consensus on the perspective and that business, labour, and community organisations share the same vision on social and economic development in the province.

www.infohub.co.za
www.sangoco.org.za
www.sangonet.org.za

Metros and municipalities

Johannesburg

Business begins here
Johannesburg is an internationally-renowned vibrant metropolis, with 3.5 million inhabitants and the most powerful commercial centre on the African continent. Johannesburg has become a destination of choice for business to an outstanding reputation for quality and affordability.
Generating 16% of South Africa's GDP, it employs 12% of the national workforce. The financial capital of South Africa, it is home to 74% of corporate headquarters.

The city’s profusion of trees - approximately six million, make it the largest, man-made forest in the world.

www.joburg.org.za
www.joburgnews.co.za
www.joburgtourism.com
www.johannesburg-direct.com

Tshwane

City of knowledge
Pretoria is contained in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality as one of several constituent former administrations (among which also Centurion and Soshanguve). The city's original name was Pretoria Philadelphia (‘Pretoria of brotherly love’) and is now the seat of government administration. Known as the Jacaranda City for all the purple blossom-bedecked trees, which line its thoroughfares, Pretoria is a lovely, quiet city.

Home to several universities and research institutions, the city contributes to research and innovation by way of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Human Science and Research Council (HSRC), The Innovation Hub, Africa’s first internationally accredited Science Park and Gauteng’s first high-tech, networked cluster in a unique business environment. The Innovation Hub aims to increase the contribution that knowledge-intensive businesses make to the growth of the Gauteng economy through the commercialisation of technology, the development of technological capacity, entrepreneurial ability and intellectual capital.

www.csir.co.za
www.hsrc.ac.za
www.theinnovationhub.com

Metsweding

Cultural heartland
Metsweding, in the north-east corner of Gauteng, offers a melting pot of history and culture, the area being of significance to the Tswana, Pedi, Ndebele and Tsonga-speaking people. Meaning "a place of rivers", Dinokeng lies in the catchment area of two rivers that flow into the Olifants and Limpopo rivers and on to the Indian Ocean. In African culture, river sources have sacred significance and their confluences are believed to hold healing powers.

Dinokeng, a Blue IQ initiative of the GPG to establish a premier tourist destination, offers tourists the opportunity to experience ‘All of Africa in One Day’. Visitors can explore traditional Ndebele culture, go on a game drive, stop off at a shebeen and explore a diamond mine all in just 24 hours.

Aimed at creating jobs and providing prospects for investors, Dinokeng emphasises ethical job creation where previously disadvantaged communities can work in training and hospitality, nature and ecotourism, conference and bulk infrastructure industries. The increase in tourism also allows for the preservation and promotion of traditional crafts.

www.dinokeng.co.za
www.sa-venues.com
www.cullinanmeander.co.za

Ekurhuleni

Industrial workshop
The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (or the East Rand) is located on the east of the Witwatersrand conurbation (known colloquially as the East Rand) and comprises the former municipal areas of Alberton, Benoni, Boksburg, Brakpan, Daveyton, Edenvale, Germiston, Modderfontein, Nigel and parts of Kempton Park and Tembisa.

Meaning ‘Place of Peace’, Ekurhuleni, is historic ‘workshop’, the heart of its manufacturing economy. Most of its jobs are in manufacturing – metals production, metal working, chemicals, food and beverages, packaging. Fifty one percent of its gross geographic product comes from manufacturing, as compared to SA’s 24%. Manufacturing is complemented by the air transport, rail warehousing and telecommunications sectors.

Representing real opportunities, the area has under-utilised physical infrastructure (think of its freeway system), plenty of vacant, industrially zoned land, a trained industrial labour force – much of it in small and medium sized firms already linked to the area’s large companies. Here exists much latent entrepreneurial possibility. As a place to live, it has many positive characteristics: low housing prices, good recreational amenities, much open space and good shopping facilities.

www.ekurhuleni.com
www.allsouthafricajobs.com
www.jobspace.co.za
www.cde.org.za

West Rand

Home of mankind
Known as ‘the Gateway to the Cradle of Humankind’, the West Rand offers the majestic Magalies Mountain Range in the north, to the Vaal River in the south, and along the meandering Crocodile River, where a tapestry of resorts and activities awaits, where tranquility restores the soul and the adventurer can stretch the limits.

The West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) is comprised of three local municipalities, namely Mogale City, Randfontein and Westonaria. Situated in this area is the Cradle of Humankind, which has been assigned World Heritage Site status. The Maropeng Visitor Centre is the prime site of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.

The site is home to the Sterkfontein Caves, with its world class visitor centre which boasts world conference facilities, an open-air amphitheatre, an underground lake, restaurants, a craft market, tourist information point, exhibition facilities, a four star hotel with 24 rooms, learners accommodation and more.

The West Rand area, formerly the vegetable basket of the Witwatersrand, is set to return to its former status as the agricultural hub of the region. Projects already under way in the creation of this agri-hub include a cut foliage facility being developed by the Merafong community, which encompasses Carletonville, Fochville, Wedela, Khutsong, Kokosi, Greenpark, Welverdiend and Blybank, and a hydroponic vegetable project.

www.maropeng.co.za
www.krazyboyz.co.za/wrdm.gov.za
www.theramble.co.za

Sedibeng

Sedibeng is the most southerly region of Gauteng, stretching from the Johannesburg Metro district in the north to the Vaal River in the south. The region is known for the Vaal River, a popular weekend destination for water sport lovers, boasting the Emerald Safari Resort and Casino. The Vaal Dam, a source of hydroelectric power is also a buzzing tourist attraction.
The Sedibeng District Municipality consists of three local municipalities: Emfuleni, Lesedi and Midvaal.

Heidelberg is a key town in Sedibeng, Gauteng, not only because of its agricultural richness, but also because of its interesting history. It started out as a trading station, but rose to fame on 16 December 1880 when the Boers (Dutch-speaking farmers) raised their flag here in defiance of British authority - the same day the South African War began.

South Africa's more recent past is best explored at Sharpeville, the township that was the scene of the Sharpeville massacre in 1960 when a peaceful protest turned violent. Visit the Sharpeville Memorial or the permanent exhibit at Vereeniging's Vaal Teknorama Museum for insights into this tragic event.

A visit to Sedibeng isn't complete without stopping at the Vaal River. This important provincial waterway is a leisure hotspot, with a range of watersports on offer as well as arts and crafts markets, galleries, restaurants, golf courses and a casino complex. Also important is the charming riverside village of Henley-on-Klip.

It is also a major industrial region, home to oil-from-coal giant Sasol and iron and steel corporation Mittal.

www.sedibeng.gov.za
www.emfuleni.gov.za
www.lesedi.gov.za
www.midvaal.gov.za