ActionSA conducts oversight at Emdeni Industrial Park

ActionSA Joburg Region D Constituency, under the leadership of Regional Chairperson, Emma More and ActionSA Constituency Councillors conducted a comprehensive oversight visit at Emdeni Industrial Park on February 13.

The purpose of the visit was to assess the current state of the industrial park and evaluate its contribution to the revenue of the City of Johannesburg.

ActionSA Regional spokesperson for Johannesburg, Mpumi Edward said the constituency was quite shocked to discover that the industrial park which is supposed to be an economic hub of the country has now turned into a residential area partly and most of the factories have shutdown. The place is dilapidated as it has not been maintained for a very long time.

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“When engaging with the entrepreneurs who own panel beating businesses in this place, they told us that they are not receiving any support from the government, there is no maintenance in this place and there is also no security.

“These people run their businesses at a very high risk. So we see a total collapse of a local economy that has the potential to provide opportunities for the people of Soweto,” said Edward.

She added that ActionSA is committed to revitalising industrial parks across the country.

The political party believes that the government’s role is to create an environment that encourages business to strive rather than to create jobs.

A panel beating business owner at the industrial Park, George Matsebula said it is not unexpected that ActionSA paid a visit to the industrial park during election season, because that what political parties usually do.

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“The fact that our government is aware of this industrial park issue is what bothers me the most. During the time that Lebogang Maile was implementing the Township Economic Revitalisation, he came to Naledi Hall and we told him about this industrial park.

“We further explained to him about the different skills that this place consists but till today nothing has been done about this place,” said Matsebula.

He added that as entrepreneurs with expertise and who are eager to impart knowledge and educate the next generation in an effort to reduce poverty, they hope the government would support them by granting them accreditation.

ActionSA has committed to introducing a motion that will cover the fundamental upkeep that small businesses in the Emdeni Industrial Park are entitled to and write to the MMC of Economic Development.