City of Tshehla: A new beginning for Sekhukhune

Plans are under way to build a brand-new city, the City of Tshehla.
The funds set aside to develop the city are about R50b. It will be located next to the De Hoop Dam and is described as the first megacity of its kind in Limpopo.

The developers behind the project are Ludo Investments, in partnership with 500Y BPEBP, and the landowners are Tshehla Development Trust.
Community members hope that the developers will employ local workers. The developers are optimistic that the billion-rand and three-year planning process will escalate into a city that will elevate the Limpopo landscape.

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“One of the main issues we will address through the project, is unemployment and business opportunities. The city will also provide housing for the existing mining industry,” said Patrick Moraka, the chief executive officer of Ludo Investments.

“We plan to address employment projects to uplift livelihoods and provide unemployed citizens with a new hope
that life will change for communities,” said Moraka.
The developers hope that the minerals will supplement the project’s enrichment and that new mining in the area is not excluded.

“The goal is to offer housing and residential opportunities to the community, which will include a shopping mall, schools, and much more. Construction is expected to last at least 10 years.
“This development will offer industry-specific residential investment opportunities. Industries in the area are struggling with business sites for offices, workshops, and distribution centres,” he said.

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“The second phase would extend over a further 10-year period with a further R30b investment allocation, and the 2 000ha of land utilised for development, would include medical centres, retail facilities, residences, government institutions, and auto-related industries. The dam was designed to be a hydroelectric plant, and this gave us the idea that since there is 90% sunshine in this area, we can rely mostly on solar energy for business and home purposes. We look forward to using
this hydropower to power the new city,” said Moraka.

Tshehla Hlaodi, the chairperson of Tshehla Development Trust, said that there is nothing equal to this project in Limpopo, and they, as a development trust, are very excited.

“I am thrilled to announce this project as the first of its kind, run by black entrepreneurs who are geared to bringing change, and creating more opportunities for more emerging entrepreneurs out of this contemplated new city. It still looks like a forest for now, but a lot is to be done in the future. It will greatly help economic transformation,” Hlaodi said.

The De Hoop Dam is part of the Greater Tubatse Municipality and the Sekhukhune District Municipality.
Steelburger/Lydenburg News had not received any comment about the project from them at the time of going to press.