SPECIAL FEATURE
SPECIAL FEATURE Rustenburg revival Rustenburg aims to build a new legacy. The North West’s biggest and busiest city is putting long-term plans in place to create a diverse and flexible economy. Today, Rustenburg derives about 70% of its economic activity from mining but strategies are being implemented to prepare for the days beyond mining. Price volatility, particularly in platinum group metals, has helped to concentrate the minds of local and regional government on the future of the city and the region. Rustenburg is a local municipality within the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality and the headquarters of both bodies are in the city of about 625 000 residents. The Integrated Master Plan (IMP) for Rustenburg 2040 is the blueprint for the project which aims to develop new economic sectors and further stimulate existing sectors through the clustering approach. Themes for clusters and hubs include medical, educational, mining supply and green technology. A comprehensive new public transport plan will link these hubs and help to break down the old spatial divides of the apartheid era. Assets Rustenburg straddles the N4 “Platinum Highway” about 120km west of the cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg in the Gauteng Province, the economic hub of South Africa. The N4 stretches across South Africa from Mozambique in the east, to the Botswana border in the west and, as the Trans Kalahari Route, ultimately to Namibia. Rustenburg is 240km from Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, and less than 200km from the provincial capital of the North West Province, Mafikeng. At the foot of the Magaliesberg Mountain Range, Rustenburg is only 50km from one of the country’s premier tourist resorts, Sun City, which in turn is NORTH WEST BUSINESS 2018 14 adjacent to the 550km² Pilanesberg National Park and Game Reserve which has a small airport. The park lies within the crater of a volcano formed 1.2-billion years ago. Orbit TVET College has a campus in Rustenburg, Unisa has a regional office and the Agricultural Research Institute’s Industrial Crops Division is also located in the city. The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace hosted five group matches in the 2010 World Cup. Platinum mining began in 1929 and has driven the city’s growth ever since. Rustenburg CBD Legacy projects Mining and the beneficiation of mining products will continue to play a role in the economy of Rustenburg for many years to come, but a range of interventions will serve as growth catalysts. These range from activities which will build on existing sectors and services and improve the quality of life of residents, and newer initiatives which are aimed at attracting new investment. In terms of building and developing existing infrastructure, the following projects are planned: • Bus rapid transit system: Yarona (It is Ours), which Waterfall Mall Bafokeng Sports Palace. Bafokeng Sports Palace
ntly conducting e, the resulting developing the a vision that transformation , five key goals eable standard which are as omy & Sports & esource sustainability ed Master Plan w to transform resource-based economy. The ers proposed transit from a my to a more ed one, with tertiary sector ities. Through analysis, some changers with een identified. game-changers lized medical clusters; ation facilities; buting a variety City Centre to ty The secondary and tertiary sector, will be a major contributor to the economy. It is projected to provide about 130,00 jobs in manufacturing and 170,000 service-related aims to jobs by give 2040. residents bold and safer, strategic quicker key moves These embody the aspirations of Vision 2020 and more efficient to develop resources, abilities and talents access of individuals, to various opening up a new dimension of empowerment and self-sufficiency parts of for the Rustenburg city community. and to their places As Rustenburg of work. grows The by 2040 municipality The has master invested plan seeks it will have to accommodate more than a million inhabitants. to meet this challenge and provide in improving roads high quality of life to all communities and and ensure is a world working class city to- live work and play. Rustenburg will be a well wards connected, an clean integrated and green city with variety of choices of lifestyles, transport network. affordable homes, ample parks and open • Township spaces, entertainment venues development: aims to provide opportunities The to and places to conduct business. The master plan create new iconic features for the city areas of Phatsima, while conserving its local character and identity. Lethabong, The city will also be a leader in sustainable resource management, by adopting T lnew h water, a bwaste a and n energy e , management solutions. Boitekong and Ultimately, Monnakato the Integrated will Master receive to development further uplift their Plans seeks to inspire the Rustenburg community quality of life, creating a bright in some or all of the and exciting future for city and its surrounding following areas. It components: in South Africa, mixed-income which can attract and high-density housing; aims to make Rustenburg one of the most liveable cities and retain global talent, while ensuring urban agricultural hubs; retail and business parks; high quality of life for its people. industrial hubs; multi-purpose centres; sporting facilities. • CBD upgrade: Partnerships with developers to build high-rise buildings for office space, shops and accommodation. This would be adjacent to a proposed civic and cultural precinct. • Airport upgrade: The city has an airfield but there is potential to develop this into a fully-fledged airport that can host scheduled flights. The tourism industry is the most obvious potential partner. New initiatives that could serve as catalysts include: • Logistics and industrial park: industries targeted include mining supplies, platinum group metals (PGM) beneficiation, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. • Agri-processing hubs: seven such hubs are planned for various sites across the city, in traditional methods and new methods (hydroponics and aquaponics, for example). This initiative is linked to green economy ideas such as biogas production and to the creation of a new Fresh Produce Market, which will give producers and SPECIAL FEATURE Guided by the goals and strategies developed by the Urban Sustainability Framework, two concept options are developed. They explore different directions for future physical development of the region, resulting in varying degree of investments, risks and returns. Concept Option 1: Compact City The ‘compact city’ concept looks at the opportunity to further strengthen the existing urban areas and ensure a compact urban growth that optimizes the existing key transit corridor. The growth will be organized along the 3 distinctive clusters. Concept Option 2: City of Cities The ‘city of cites’ concept looks at having several thematic developments within RLM; and ensures a well distributed growth. The poly-centric growth will ensure more integration with existing communities and ensure jobs closer to homes. On September & November 2014, the vision and the two concept options were deliberated by the Steering Committee which expressed its preference to Option 2 as the long-term concept option for future RLM • Option 2 allows for decentralised growth and better integration with the various communities retailers a good central point from which to sell and distribute. • Education hub: the creation of a precinct containing a university and/or college campus, state and private schools with supporting amenities such as sports fields, student residences and retail facilities. • Medical facilities: the growing population of the city will create more demand for medical services. An opportunity to provide specialised medical services has been identified. Additional opportunities can be explored in terms of providing medical training and catering for medical tourists. • Special Economic Zone: An SEZ in Rustenburg would build on existing industries, form a value chain with the industrial and agri-parks and promote newer sectors, such as the manufacture of solar panels (green technology). • Tourism hub: the city’s information visitor centre is being modernised and the Rustenburg showground has been identified for an upgrade, in partnership with a private investor. A convention centre and the creation of a platinum themed park are other ideas being discussed. • Provides for more distributed growth opportunities and access to facilities and jobs closer to home and is more inclusive The selected planning concept option sets the macro planning directions and the regional structure of RLM. This concept, however, is not cast in stone; a deeper planning analysis will be undertaken in the subsequent “Regional Structure Plan” to refine the concept before the Integrated Master Plan is finalised. 15 NORTH WEST BUSINESS 2018
