SDM holds State of the District Address
“The district municipality purchased 24% goods from the Township based suppliers, another 24% goods purchased were from women owned businesses."
VEREENIGING. – “Sedibeng District Municipality is indeed open for business in agro-processing, tourism, blue economy and heritage to reclaim the Vaal’s economy to deepen democracy, partnership and growth”.
This statement was made in a speech by Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM) Executive Mayor, Lerato Maloka during her State of the District Address (SoDA) at the Vaal Teknorama in Vereeniging recently.
This year’s address was delivered under the theme “30 years of freedom: democracy and partnership for economic growth” which coincides with the 48th anniversary of the fateful 16th of June 1976.
Maloka provided the SDM’s progress on 2022/23 projects interventions to strengthen private sector involvement through partnerships or (Private Public Partnerships), to re-industrialise, modernise and transform the municipality’s socio-economic landscape. She said that the SDM has appointed a panel of investors, consultants and developers to provide capital funding and implement a turnaround solution on the identified projects on risk basis for a period of thirty-six months, and intended beyond.
“Seven companies have been appointed for our various precinct projects namely; Vereeniging Fresh Produce Market, Government Precinct, Doornkuil Precinct, Vaal Teknorama, Green Energy, Solar Plant Development, and Billboard/Signage for revenue enhancement,” said Maloka.
She added that the SDM has procured goods and services from over 350 suppliers amounting to R19 million.
And this can be broken down as 80% from Black-owned suppliers, of which 32% was from Emerging enterprises.
“The district municipality purchased 24% goods from the Township based suppliers, another 24% goods purchased were from women owned businesses, meanwhile 85% goods purchased were from men-owned suppliers, and the lowest 9% goods purchased were from youth owned suppliers and less than 1% goods purchased were from people living with disabilities. In the coming financial year, the district encourages more youth owned businesses to participate in procurement opportunities and the Mayoral Committee will be playing the oversight role to ensure for their participation in these economic opportunities,” Maloka said.
She concluded by saying, “The Sedibeng District Municipality’s plan is to regenerate our district’s economy, and support new economic activities depends on the success of the Vaal Special Economic Zone (VSEZ). To date an investment commitment of a total of R40 billion was secured to be spread across the 3000 hectares within the three municipalities land parcels. R8 billion will be immediately spent in the first quarter of 2025 in Lesedi Local Municipality by two investors for the construction of Chloralkine plant creating 100 jobs. Meanwhile, the second investment will be for the manufacturing of composite gas cylinders to create 550 jobs. Site clearing and fencing has already started.”
