Gauteng commissions township economy study

The Gauteng Provincial Government has committed itself to improving township economies and protecting foreign nationals who run spaza shops in townships around the country. Image: Wikipedia

According to the declaration issued at the end of the Gauteng Township Economy Revitalisation Summit, held this week, government will work with research institutions to build a knowledge base about the township economy and develop methodologies for assessing the social and economic impact of township enterprises.

Other commitments made by the summit included working towards quality standards for a township enterprise and promoting awards for township businesses.

The Gauteng Provincial Government held a one-day Summit on Township Economic Revitalisation at Orlando Stadium in Soweto earlier this week. The purpose of the summit was to afford local entrepreneurs, SMMEs and cooperatives an opportunity to contribute towards the Township Economic Revitalisation Strategy.

The township economy includes the taxi industry, bakeries, spaza shops, shebeens, dressmakers and tailers, car repairs and mechanics.

Township revitalisation strategy

Delegates who attended the summit called for government to develop a detailed programme through the economic cluster to oversee the implementation of the Township Economic Revitalisation Strategy.

Township economies are likely to benefit from a special study to assess the needs and requirements for various businesses that contribute to the local communities. Image: HotelGuide

One of the resolutions that arose from the summit was that the Gauteng government should establish, within the provincial Department of Economic Development, dedicated capacity for dealing with the local economy

Delegates also called for a high-level inter-government working group to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Township Economic Revitalisation Strategy.

"The task to revitalise and transform township economies will not be an easy one but our unity of purpose and collective effort will make it achievable," reads the declaration issued at the end of the summit.

Delegates agreed that commitments and decisions made at the summit required close monitoring.

Other resolutions that were taken at the summit include:

• Regulating enterprises run by foreign nationals, especially the spaza shops
• Formalising township enterprises through education campaigns on the benefit of formality;
• Government addressing the concerns of taxi operators over licensing, permits and registrations;

• Reviewing the Preferential Procurement Policy to support township enterprises and the Gauteng Provincial Government's Ten-Point Pillar Programme.

Delegates committed themselves to ensuring that by 2030, the township economy should contribute at least 30% to Gauteng's GDP.