Poverty, inequality and high unemployment rates greet you the moment you take a closer look at one of Mpumalanga’s biggest settlements. All this is about to change, all thanks to the eagerly awaited Nkosi City Development, which is set to create over 15 000 job opportunities.
What started as a pipe dream almost 14 years ago, is now culminating into reality, one that will have major economic spin-offs, not only for the local residents, but the entire province.
Conceptualised by renowned property developer Philip Kleijnhans and former ward councillor Mandla Msibi, who is now a member of the Mpumalanga Executive Cabinet responsible for the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosi City is finally here.
On Thursday November 17 a team from the office of the president, Cyril Ramaphosa, visited Pienaar and the site where the actual Nkosi City will be developed.
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Led by Dr Kgosientso Ramokgopa and government town planners designated in the presidency, Sabelo Mahlangu and Thokozile Motoung, this historic visit signalled the beginning of actual work rather than just lip service.
“What we have seen here today is quite impressive.
“We have seen the Nkosi City presentation and designs, and today we took a tour to see the actual area, and we were impressed.
“The Nkosi City is a game changer and a first, not in the province, but countrywide, since the dawn of democracy. I am certain that once it has been completed, it will be used as a point of reference or benchmark for other areas throughout the country,” said Ramokgopa.
Driving around the Pienaar area, Ramokgopa said he was shocked at the poverty levels the people live under and stressed that Nkosi City would be able to address and reverse the current situation.
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“In five years from now, local people will be able to do things here on their doorstep instead of having to travel to Mbombela and White River.
“Local people will no longer have to search for opportunities in Johannesburg and other big cities, because opportunities are here now.
“With this project, Mpumalanga will show the entire country how things are done and will certainly be the envy of other big cities in the country,” said Ramokgopa.
Just a stone’s throw away from the Kruger National Park, this state-of-the-art agricity has been designed and developed to also serve as a feeder to the land of the Big 5.
This is also the province’s first post-apartheid city.
Carefully explaining this concept, Kleijnhans told Mpumalanga News that the development would take the form of an agricity with 241ha small-scale farms, 3 471 residential houses, 1 747 RDP units, 1 166 apartments and 558 bonded housing units.
About nine preschools, three primary schools, a TVET College, an agricultural training centre and a provincial hospital and clinic will form part of this city.
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“This is such a unique design. We will have about a 40 000m² retail centre, with top national and local retailers. What is so special here is the fact that the ground floor will be service retail, with the first floor being occupied by offices, and there will be apartments on the second floor,” explained Kleijnhans.
He said since the city will also serve as a feeder to the Kruger Park, a hotel, lodges and B&B will also be constructed there.
Msibi said the outbreak of Covid-19 has caused much harm to the country’s already limping economy, leaving millions of people in the province in particular without jobs, but he believes Nkosi City has great potential to turn fortunes around.
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“Let us put politics aside and not think along political lines right now. What really matters is the fact that Nkosi City will change the lives of many people, especially the youth. Look at the poverty these people have to deal with daily and tell me this project won’t change that.
This is not about me or Philip, this is more about the people on the ground who stand to benefit and change their lives for the better. And once this is done and the people’s lives have changed, many will not even remember Msibi or Philip, but they will say our government has delivered on their promise to fight poverty and unemployment, and change lives,” said Msibi.
He told this paper that to put plans in motion, they are already planning to start with the construction of 21 RDP housing units, so that when the city is officially launched, there is actual and tangible work being done there.
