Latest news with #TshwaneEconomicRevitalisationStrategy
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Revival of Fresh Produce Market imminent after contempt ruling
The Tshwane metro has vowed to revitalise its Fresh Produce Market, promising major upgrades and improved services for both traders and customers. This follows a ruling by the Gauteng High Court, which found the metro in contempt on August 11 for failing to comply with a 2022 court order requiring maintenance and upgrades at the market. The Mayor, Nasiphi Moya, said that although the challenges at the market stem from decisions made before her administration, the metro is determined to address them. 'The Fresh Produce Market is one of the city's most valuable strategic assets,' she said. Moya emphasised the metro's respect for the court's decision and its commitment to full compliance, while focusing on sustainable improvements that benefit all market users. She noted that the Institute of Market Agents of SA (IMASA) is a critical partner and that the metro will reach out to the institute to arrange constructive engagement. 'We want to work constructively with IMASA, market traders, and other stakeholders to address the issues raised and restore the market to its rightful place as a leading agricultural hub,' she said. The mayor emphasised that the market plays a pivotal role in the city's agricultural and agro-processing sector, as outlined in the Tshwane Economic Revitalisation Strategy (TERS) adopted earlier this year. 'Our vision is to expand trading space, improve operational efficiency, grow market share, and integrate emerging farmers into the formal value chain.' However, Moya acknowledged that achieving these objectives requires additional resources. She explained that the metro will present the market as a priority investment opportunity at the Tshwane Investment Summit in September. 'Our objective is to secure the resources and partnerships needed to transform the market,' she said. Moya underscored the economic potential of the market. She added that by working together with IMASA and other agricultural stakeholders, the metro will ensure the market is positioned as a catalyst for economic growth, job creation, and agricultural development in the city. The metro's renewed commitment comes after the court order, following a contempt application by IMASA. According to the court judgment, the municipality had failed to fully comply with a 2022 court order issued by Judge Shereen Meersingh on October 31, 2022. That order required the metro to submit a precinct plan addressing occupational health and safety, allocate R18-million for implementation, and consult IMASA on all market-related budget processes. The plans were to cover fire and smoke detection, electrical connectivity, security, lifts and hoists, sanitation, refuse removal, and procurement of evaporator coils. Draft precinct risk assessments and recovery plans were due within 60 days, with a final plan required within 180 days. Although the original order predates Moya's tenure, she is responsible for ensuring that the municipality complies, including overseeing the implementation of all required plans and allocating the necessary resources to meet the standards outlined in the 2022 order. Judge Mmonoa Teffo ordered Moya and City Manager Johann Mettler to ensure full compliance within 30 days and warned that a one-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, could be activated if they fail. The court judgment also revealed that the matter originated in January 2022, when IMASA, representing market traders, approached the High Court, arguing that the metro had failed to provide constitutionally mandated services. The municipality submitted a draft precinct plan in December 2022, which IMASA rejected as non-compliant due to insufficient detail in the R18-million budget allocation and a lack of supporting documentation. Despite repeated concerns raised by IMASA, the metro submitted a final precinct plan in April 2023 without addressing the organisation's issues. In August of that year, the metro claimed in correspondence with IMASA that it had complied with the court's timelines. IMASA was dissatisfied and filed a contempt of court application in December. The judgment details numerous shortcomings in the municipality's handling of the market. Both draft and final plans failed to prioritise critical issues outlined in the 2022 court order and lacked supporting evidence for the budget allocations. Key projects, including electrical connectivity and facility compliance upgrades, were postponed to the 2024/25 financial year. Several operational failures were also highlighted, including: – How forklifts purchased for R2-million were unusable due to a lack of qualified drivers, – Evaporator coils for ripening rooms were never bought, – Essential generators were missing – Donated lighting was incorrectly counted toward the R18-million budget. The ruling further indicated that the metro did not seek clarification when its interpretation of the 2022 order differed from IMASA's understanding. While the metro argued that most of the R18-million had been spent and that financial constraints prevented completion, the court found no evidence to support these claims and ruled that IMASA's criticisms were valid. IMASA's application to hold the mayor and city manager personally liable was granted. The judgment now requires Moya and the city manager to submit a draft or final precinct plan, a detailed risk assessment, and a recovery plan for the market. They are also required to submit affidavits that confirm the completion of all repairs and compliance measures, including fire and smoke detection, electrical connectivity, security, lifts and hoists, sanitation, and refuse removal. A detailed account of the allocation and expenditure of the R18-million capital and operational budget for 2022 is also required by the court. ALSO READ: Urban management initiative hits Region 3 Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Metro targets economic revival with mixed-use plans for Pretoria West
Ahead of the metro's investment summit planned for next month, Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya recently led an inspection of some of the properties up for grabs in Pretoria West. The investment summit in September aims to showcase Tshwane as a destination for investment and economic growth, where the city's assets are showcased to viable investors. Moya said they adopted the Tshwane Economic Revitalisation Strategy in April, aiming to grow the city's economy by 3.9% by 2029, and their target is attracting more than 100 qualified investors. The mayor was joined by the MMC for Economic and Spatial Planning Sarah Mabotsa and the MMC for Corporate and Shared Services Kholofelo Morodi. The team inspected prime land parcels along Kgosi Mampuru, Bloed, and Boom streets in the heart of the CBD. Back in 2015, the Tshwane Council had a bold vision to redevelop these city-owned properties into a thriving economic hub, but those plans were left on the shelf. Officials say they aim to reinvigorate those plans. 'In 2015, Tshwane's Council approved a report recommending the redevelopment of a large area of land and properties owned by the city. The report's recommendations were never implemented, and we've decided to fulfil this vision to ensure that Pretoria West is rebuilt into a viable economic hub,' Moya said. Common issues noted throughout the inspections were the deteriorating state of the properties, with vagrants and recyclers vandalising municipal land for personal gain. The mayor discouraged residents from supporting these informal traders and squatters selling food in these recycling hubs, labelling them as unhygienic. 'Do you buy maize in the CBD? This is the unhygienic environment where it's cooked near a recycling ground in town. We are concerned about the open pit fire and the littering,' she said. 'We have to find a balanced approach to keeping our city clean while acknowledging the dire economic situation faced by residents. 'This open pit fire is located on a site we plan to redevelop as part of the City's West Capital Corridor for mixed-use development,' Moya said. This comes after the mayor led an operation in Marabastad recently, which led to the closure of the retail market for non-compliance with by-laws, illegal electric connections and non-payment of services, a decision which brought about backlash. Since then, the metro has successfully appealed court applications from two companies operating in municipal-owned buildings on Bloed Street, Marabastad. 'The town lands we inspected are located along Kgosi Mampuru, Bloed and Boom streets. The area is zoned for mixed-use development: retail and residential. The investment conference is in the next few weeks, and the properties we've inspected will be made available for leasing to private investors,' Moya said. Morodi said that they plan to transform the west into a vibrant mixed-use destination for residents, tourists and investors. 'Think bustling retail, modern residential spaces, and endless opportunities for growth. Our next step? An investment conference in the coming months to connect these prime properties with visionary private investors ready to lease and build the future,' Morodi said. Watch here: Do you buy maize in the CBD? This is the unhygienic environment that it's cooked near a recycling ground in town. We are concerned about the open pit fire and the littering. We have to find a balanced approach to keeping our city clean while acknowledging the dire economic… — Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) August 6, 2025 Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
