Bekkersdal Development Hub
As part of a two-day launch, The Gauteng MEC for Housing, Mrs Nomvula Mokonyane, launched the Bekkersdal Development Hub (BDH) - a flagship project of the Bekkersdal Renewal Project.
The Gauteng Department of Housing hosted the Bekkersdal Local Economic Development (LED) Indaba on 5th and 6th June 2008. The aim of the Indaba was to engage business, government, community and academic stakeholders on how best to promote sustainable communities through local economic development, vocational training, job creation and poverty alleviation initiatives.
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| MEC Mokonyane speaking at the launch of the Bekkersdal Development Hub. |
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A number of important resolutions were made at the Indaba. One of the most important points that came up is for the community needs to determine the services that the BDH provides. Partnerships with government sectors, NGOs, financial institutions and SETAs also need to be pursued, to establish networks and commitment by all the stakeholders within the Greater Westonaria.
The District Municipality must co-ordinate with the Departments of Trade & Industry and Agriculture to assess the progress of skills development. And finally, a structure at the BDH needs to be established to encourage the community to increasingly own and control the development processes.
In her keynote address, MEC Mokonyane, outlined the three pillars of the BRP vision: to create a sustainable human settlement and relocate 15,000 households currently living in informal settlements on unsafe dolomitic land; to upgrade the infrastructure of the formal areas of Bekkersdal; and to create sustainable local economic development. “Local economic development projects are planned to diversify the local economy, create much needed jobs and provide local businesses with new business opportunities. The Bekkersdal Development Hub will be central to this development,” said MEC Mokonyane.
“Additional projects are to be identified based on community needs and availability of private sector funding. Bekkersdal is among the few places in Gauteng with no incidents of xenophobia. I’m grateful and proud of such a harmonious community, and appeal for patience and co-operation from the community,” said MEC Mokonyane.
The BDH, currently under the management of Powerhouse Consortium. It will assist local business to access government SMME funding, training, and to facilitate the private sector’s involvement and partnerships with local Bekkersdal businesses.
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| Yvonne Chaka Chaka at the Bekkersdal Development Hub launch |
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Programmes for the Bekkersdal Development Hub include:
- Training that promotes entrepreneurship and sustainable SMMEs
- Assistance to SMMEs to secure finance for starting or growing business ventures
- On-the-job skills training to improve the skills and experience of jobseekers from the community
- Supporting the incubation and growth of new business ventures and the development of business ideas
- A labour brokering service that includes maintaining a skills database of all jobseekers in the township
- Identifying employment opportunities in local industries and matching the requirements with trained personnel
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The following LED projects will be coordinated in the Bekkersdal Development Hub:
- Agribusiness projects (including herbs and vegetables)
- Brick making plant to supply bricks to the housing sector in Westrand
- Dairy farming
- Livestock breeding ranch
- Nursery and instant lawn
- Bakery project
- SMME development
- Training and capacitation for local beneficiaries
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Accredited training and capacity building for local beneficiaries:
- Construction management training
- New venture creation and management training
- Computer skills training
- Life skills trainings
- ABET programme
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| Training at the Bekkersdal Development Hub |
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Local Business Support Centre
The decline of the mining economy around Bekkersdal has left many people destitute, unemployed and unskilled. Drastic steps needed to be taken to ensure that the economy is diversified and enhanced to ensure its sustainability and the continued existence of Bekkersdal.A decision was taken to create the Local Business Support Centre (LBSC), to become a resource in training, skills development, capacitation, incubation and support of SMME’s in Bekkersdal.
“As part of the Bekkersdal Renewal Project (BRP), a Local Business Support Centre (LBSC) has been built and completed,” said Douglas Nxumalo of Powerhouse Consortium, Programme Managers for the BRP. “There is a shortage of skills in Bekkersdal, which causes delays in some of the development projects. The LBSC has been developed to transfer the required skills to people in Bekkersdal. The centre has been completed and will soon be operational. Two houses can be built in the centre as a training exercise, to cover all aspects of building a house, including bricklaying, plastering, painting, carpentry, electricals and plumbing,” said Nxumalo.
Areas of community competency have been identified within the construction, agri-business and tourism sectors. A management service provider has been selected. Over time, the service provider will be phased out and all the functions of the centre will be located within the local economy, through co-operatives and the municipality.
The Three Focus Areas of the Local Business Support Centre
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The Construction Sector: Fourteen thousand households need to be provided with shelter as part of the BRP.
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Agri-Business Sector: Due to poor dolomitic conditions most of the land cannot be developed. But this land provides solid opportunities for suitable agri-businesses to flourish and form part of a wider Global City Region perspective in supplying agricultural business to the region.
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Tourism: The existence of the Donaldson Dam, decommissioned mines and live sinkholes are part of the major attractions the area can offer.
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| The Local Business Support Centre has been completed. Two complete houses can be built inside this centre to provide training in all aspects of building. The Local Business Support Centre is a resource for training, skills development, capacitation, incubation and support of small businesses in the Bekkersdal community |
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Incubation Centre on the Cards
The BRP is in the process of building an Incubation Centre, connected to the Local Business Support Centre. It is designed to support emerging SMMEs through the provision of basic financial, managerial and marketing services, as well as specialist technical services and training. Emil Nothnagel, LED Manager of Powerhouse Consortium, said, "The Incubation Centre will assist people to become skilled enough to independently manage their small businesses."
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Incubation centre under construction .
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Training and Capacitation
Skills Training Achieves Results in Bekkersdal
The Bekkersdal Renewal Project (BRP) has turned the spotlight on training and capacity building in Bekkersdal, to empower local unemployed people and small businesses to play a role in the development projects. Much progress has already been achieved in the following projects:
Department of Labour Training
According to Margaret Phaswane, Community Liaison Officer, the BRP has partnered with the Department of Labour to provide training in bricklaying, carpentry and plumbing. “So far 22 bricklayers, 30 plumbers and 30 carpenters have been trained. The training was provided by Nomaso Jabula Training Center, S.A Green and Furniture Training. The objective of this training is to equip unemployed people in Bekkersdal with the skills needed for all the housing and construction projects. This will ensure sustainability and self-reliance in the future,” said Phaswane.”
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Local trainees benefiting from Department of Labour training
in bricklaying, carpentry and plumbing |
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| Local Department of Labour training |
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Brick Making Plant
The programme has also identified the construction of a brick making plant. The development taking place in Bekkersdal requires the supply of bricks, as a major construction site. The construction of a brick-making plant to provide the required bricks for Bekkersdal and surrounding areas, was completed in June 2008. Brick tests will be conducted to comply with the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) standards. Bekkersdal Development Hub will manage the plant for two years, which will initially produce bricks to supply the housing project in the West Rand.
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Brickmaking plant
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SMME Development
60 Local SMMEs have received training on core business areas. This included construction, project management and other business management areas, such as financial management and administration. “This training is accredited by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and the SETA. The training was provided by Nomasonjabulo Training. We chose 60 SMMEs who were registered on the Business desk database,” said Sibongile Mtjali, Administrator of the Labour and Business Desk.
Completed Projects
- Lifeskills Training of approximately 100 community members
- Training of 60 contractors (Construction Management NQF 2)
- Training of 22 Brick layers, 30 Pavers, 30 Carpenters and 30 Plumbers (Technical Construction Training (DoL)
The BRP has resulted in the creation of 388 jobs in 2005:
- SMME’s: 39 Including 13 Women; 14 Youth; 1 Disabled
- Labour: 649 Including 241 Women; 284 Youth; 3 Disabled
Community Comments
Agri-Business The LBSC will offer training on farming activities for the community. Animal production, such as cattle, is being looked into, to support local economic activity in Bekkersdal.
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| Agri-Business outside the Local Business Support Centre |
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Three projects or areas of intervention have been identified. These are livestock, vegetable and herb farming. An assessment of skills exercise has identified 120 personnel currently on the database. The programme is currently exploring possibilities with regards to programmes and training plans.
Waste Management
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| A Waste Management awareness initiative in Bekkersdal |
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The Bekkersdal Renewal Project and the Powerhouse Consortium (BRP programme managers) currently render this service to the community. It is labour intensive and leads to employment opportunities in the community. This project is now seven months old. Please contact a Community Liaison Officer if you are experiencing any problems.
Waste Management Objectives of the Bekkersdal Renewal Project
- Provide and control air and water pollution and soil erosion
- Be involved in local, regional and national planning so as to prevent harmful effects on the environment
- Promote and spare the use of natural environment
- Endure that long-term damage are not done to the environment by industrial or other waste forms
- Maintain, create and develop natural reserves, parks and recreational areas
- Provide laws that promote co-operation between the state, NGOs, local communities and individuals who wishes to improve the environment, and
- Provide laws for applicable penalties and sentences to those who damage the environment seriously and directly
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Principles of a clean and healthy environment
- Respect nature and care for the environment
- Manage natural resources for the future generation
- Change personal human attitudes and practices towards environment
- Care for the environment and improve the quality of human life, and
- Empower communities to care for their own environment
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