Gauteng Business 2017/18 is the ninth edition of this highly successful annual journal, that has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the Gauteng province. Special features for 2017/18 include a focus on major new developments in the region’s metros, complemented by detailed overviews of the main economic sectors in South Africa’s most important provincial economy.
New city-like
New city-like developments are springing up in Gauteng Infrastructure spending is on the increase. South African television viewers have been treated to nostalgia-tinged television advertisement which tells the story of how Sandton was transformed from farmland to the richest square mile in Africa, from a sparsely populated area north of Johannesburg to a bustling mixture of shops, offices, flats, entertainment complexes and hotels that is a key component of the city-region’s economy. With the Liberty Group among the financiers, Sandton City shopping centre, with 50 000m² of lettable space, opened in 1973 and sparked fantastically fast growth around it, mostly at the expense of Johannesburg’s central business district (CBD). A new wave of development is sweeping over Sandton again and the area’s 10 000 businesses and 300 000 residents are spoilt for accommodation choices, but city-like developments are springing up in other parts of Gauteng as well, partly as a reaction to new trends in transport (the Gautrain and bus rapid transport) and partly in response to the concept of corridor development being pursued by the City of Johannesburg and the Provincial Government of Gauteng. Some of South Africa’s biggest companies are building new headquarters in Sandton. Sasol has constructed its new global head office to the latest green specifications and Paragon Architects created a 4 000m² roof garden encompassing four biomes. Discovery’s new group headquarters also follows green principles. The building’s three towers offer a total of 110 00m² lettable space, developed and jointly owned by Growthpoint Properties and Zenprop Property Holdings. Ironically, Liberty’s modern headquarters are in the centre of Johannesburg, but the rejuvenation of the inner city is the subject of a separate article. The Sandton model Something like the Sandton model is being replicated in other parts of Gauteng with existing GAUTENG BUSINESS 2017/18 20
SPECIAL FEATURE estates aiming to bulk up and new developments setting impressively ambitious goals. The biggest is Menlyn Maine in the eastern suburbs of Pretoria. Not only is this a huge multiuse project, it also aims to be South Africa’s first “Green Precinct”. Overlooking the main project is Boogertman + Partners Architects. Everything about Menlyn Maine is on a grand scale. Covering 315 000m² in total, the area will comprise residential apartments, 35 000m² of retail space and a hotel precinct with three-, fourand five-star hotels, a conference centre, a casino and an 8 000-seater arena. Sun International’s Times Square and Casino is a R4.2-billion project. The Capital Hotel on the Central Square Piazza offers 150 hotel rooms and 50 apartments. Among the first occupants of office space will be the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), who are building new corporate headquarters at Menlyn Maine. Connections to the Gautrain and Tshwane’s expanding Bus Rapid Transport system are boosting the new development’s popularity, with all of the retail space already fully let before it is completed. Professional services and consulting firm PwC has chosen the Waterfall City estate near Midrand as the site for its new R1.5-billion headquarters. It will house 3 500 employees and have a total of 40 000m² of lettable space. The striking design of PwC Tower (shown overleaf, top) was conceived by LYT Architecture. The building is owned by Attacq and developed by Atterbury. The same joint venture is also behind Deloitte’s Gauteng headquarters which will put Pretoria and Johannesburg staff (3 700 in all) under one roof at Waterfall City. Aevitas are the architects. Other corporate tenants to choose Waterfall City include Group Five, Cell C and Premier Foods. Services offered include a City Lodge, a Netcare hospital (in partnership with Phelang Bonolo Healthcare Group) and a Curro-owned tertiary body, the Embury Institute. A big feature of Waterfall City is the Mall of Africa, the Atterbury Group’s 131 000m² shopping centre with 300 shops and 6 500 parking bays. Randburg could become a new centre of development if plans to extend the Gautrain are carried through. Multichoice is one of the 21 GAUTENG BUSINESS 2017/18
