Pamella Radebe, communications director of Gibela says the 78 hectare industrial park will be built south of the Donnottar military base.
The industrial park will include a train assembly site, a supplier park for components as well as a 4000 square metre training centre.
Construction of the plant will take 18 months to complete and the facility should be building, testing and delivering up to 60 trains a year within 30 months after the start of production.
The first 20 of the 600 commuter trains contracted by Prasa to be built by Gibela are currently being manufactured in Lapa, Brazil.
This manufacturing in Brazil is part of a skills transfer programme, benefitting South African artisans, engineers and various other professions.
The balance of 580 trains will be built at the new plant, as soon as it is completed.
Radebe says when in full production, will the plant bring several advantages to Springs and will yield numerous business opportunities for local suppliers and entrepreneurs.
In the long run she says the cross-functional benefits of the plant and its multifaceted contributions to the country will cause a ripple effect throughout the economy of Springs, the Ekurhuleni region and South Africa.
Jobs will be created in both the building stage and when they start manufacturing the trains.
She also says the site’s development is expected to trigger infrastructural upgrades in transportation improvement, through Ekurhuleni Metro that will benefit nearby communities.
Radebe says Ekurhuleni and particularly, Dunnottar, was chosen as a site for the manufacturing plant because the municipality has an adequate infrastructure capacity in its road network, enough electricity for heavy industrial use and a credible and ready water supply.
She says selecting the partners in erecting this plant is currently in progress and Gibela will make an announcement soon.
Because the workforce depends on the requirements of the contractor, she cannot not give the amount of people who will work at the plant during the construction phase.
Radebe cannot speculate on the effect of this development on the property values in Dunnottar.
She believes the geographical expanse of the area will make the establishment of a middle income residential base, close to the plant, viable.
See the story about the trains.
