MINISTRY
COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NUMBER 2015/2793
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 3 August 2015
Ms D Carter (Cope) to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional
Affairs:
Whether the Government has initiated rescue plans to revitalise any towns in the
country that were experiencing a prolonged economic slump exacerbated by mining,
industrial, commercial or agricultural shedding of jobs and therefore regressing to
become informal settlements without economic opportunity, amenities or basic services;
if not, (a) how many such towns are collapsing and (b) why is there no plan to revitalise
them; if so, (i) how many such towns were identified for revitalisation and (ii) what
progress has been made in that regard?
NW3263E
Reply:
Government has initiated a rescue plan to revitalise fifteen mining towns in five
provinces that were experiencing a prolonged economic slump exacerbated by mining,
industrial, commercial or agricultural shedding of jobs. Twelve of labour sending areas
in two provinces have also been prioritised for the revitalisation of distressed mining
communities.
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MINING TOWNS
PROVINCE
DISTRICT
LOCAL MUNICIPALITY
MUNICIPALITY
Limpopo
Sekhukhune
Fetakgomo, Greater Tubatse, Elias Motsoaledi
Waterberg
Lephalele
Gauteng
West Rand
Westonaria, Randfontein, Mogale City, Merafong
North West
Bojanala
Rustenburg, Moses Kotane, Madibeng
Dr
Kenneth Matlosana
Kaunda
Mpumalang
Nkangala
Emalahleni, Steve Tshwete
Lejweleputswa
Matjhabeng
a
Free State
Twelve labour sending areas in two provinces have been prioritised for the revitalisation
of distressed mining communities.
LABOUR SENDING AREAS
PROVINCE
DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY
LOCAL MUNICIPALITY
Eastern Cape
OR Tambo
King
Sabata
Nyandeni,
Dalindyebo,
Nquza
Hill,
Mhlontlo, Port St Johns
KwaZulu Natal
Alfred Nzo
Mbizana, Ntabankulu
Zululand
AbaQulusi,
eDumbe,
Nongoma, Ulundi, uPhongolo
An integrated strategy and Back to Basics Programme was approved by the InterMinisterial Committees (IMC), late last year for the different work streams to address the
socio economic conditions in mining towns and labour sending areas holistically.
Various Programmes are in place and being implemented. The Department of
Cooperative Governance (DCoG) is coordinating the national departments, provinces
and municipalities. The following departments/institutions participate in the work of the
Economic Work Stream:
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
The Department of Trade and Industry – overall strategy is to promote Industrial
Development through Special Economic Zones and Industrial Parks in Bojanala
District Municipality (DM), Greater Tubatse and Lejweleputswa.

Economic Development Department through Industrial Development Corporation
conducted economic assessments in 6 Districts to assist municipalities attract
investment and job opportunities to their regions by creating enabling economic
development in West Rand, Sekhukhune, Lejweleputswa, Bojanala, Waterberg
and Nkangala.

South African Local Government Association (SALGA) – Small Town
Regeneration – developed a comprehensive strategy to address the socio
economic decline of towns. It is currently working in the following towns across
the 9 provinces focusing on Mining and Industrial Towns, Tourism Towns, Transit
and Commuter Towns: Lukhanji, Port St Johns, Letsemeng, Matjhabeng,
Randfontein, Bela Bela, Emalahleni, Matlosana, Zululand, Umkhanyakude,
Madibeng etc.

DCoG – Establishment of Business Development Forums to stimulate large scale
employment at a local level through private sector driven catalytic business
ventures Bojanala DM, Greater Tubatse DM, Matlosana LM and Waterberg DM.
Furthermore, the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) in mining towns and labour
sending areas has been aligned to respond to Back to Basics priorities.
Progress has been made in diversifying the economies of mining towns by conducting
economic assessments to identify investment opportunities in the following Provinces:
In Limpopo, sectoral opportunities in agriculture, mining and quarrying, manufacturing,
wholesale and retail, and tourism has been identified in Sekhukhune and anticipated to
attract investments at De Hoop Dam tourism development, Potlake Nature Reserve,
fresh produce market, Tubatse special economic zone, R55 doubling and tarring, De
Hoop augmentation, mining sector support businesses, bio diesel production, vegetable
processing plant, flag boshielo dam development, Mountain Resort Linked to
Drakensburg Escarpment Cluster of Projects and Tsate heritage site.
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Sectoral opportunities in Waterberg District Municipality were also identified in
agriculture, mining and quarrying, manufacturing and tourism. The envisaged
investment attraction include agricultural hubs, logistics hub, opportunities linked to
mining expansion in the region, mining product beneficiation opportunities, water sorting
plant ( green economy), and tourism projects linked to biosphere and nature reserves.
Gauteng sectoral opportunities in agriculture, tourism, green economy, economic
infrastructure, transport and logistics were identified and hope to attract the following
investments to West Rand:

Establishment of the Food Hubs ( Agro- processing Park)

Development of Logistics hub/ Park

Development of Township Industrial Parks/ Enterprise Hubs

Development of a Municipal Precinct

Smart city ( Broad band network)

The Lanseria Airport City
Free State’s sectoral opportunities were identified in agriculture, mining, tourism,
automotive/transportation and energy, hope to attract the following investments in
Lejeleputswa:

The Processing Plant (Hides processing plant & Agro-processing)

Redevelopment of existing Airport

Methane gas extraction
Sectoral opportunities in agriculture and agro processing, mining, chemicals/electronics
and automotive, manufacturing and trade and tourism have been identified in the North
West Province and anticipated to attract investments into Bojanala District in the
following areas:





Catalytic Converter manufacturing plants
Distribution and Logistics Hub
International Convention Centers
Traditional Art Gallery and cultural information centre
Implementation of Heritage Park
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
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






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Establishment of an incubator network and Development Agency
Rural Integrated Energy Centre
Lurcene Plant
Bio-fuel plant
Sisal Farming Project (Pella)
Further development of tourism facilities around Sun City node
Commercialization of small scale farming and agro-processing
Development of tourism facilities at Borakolalo Reserve (Klipvoordam) jointly with
Madibeng
Upgrading of Phapatso cultural village and establishment of incubator for arts,
crafts and cultural industries.
Pilot waste collection and recycling
Sectoral opportunities in Mpumalanga have been identified in agriculture, mining, food
products, wood products, chemicals, and automotive and hope to attract the following
investments into Nkangala District Municipality:

A catalytic convertor component manufacturing plant;

A truck port/ logistics hub;

An agro-processing bio-fuel production facility;

An international convention centre;

The Moloto corridor rail system;

Delmas International Cargo Airport – linked to a Free Trade/ Special Economic
Zone.

Loskop-Zithabiseni tourism belt development;

Rust de Winter tourism development;

Kusile Power Station project.
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