Nkandla to benefit from project to develop unused rural land

PUBLIC Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson and KZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli yesterday officiated the handover of previously unused, long dormant land to the Nkandla Local Municipality to support the development of a shopping centre that will create jobs and boost local economic activity.

- GIVEN MAJOLA

“Today is not just a ceremonial handover. It is an important turning point for our department and how we work in rural municipalities to ensure that the land that we own is used for communities and by communities to grow their economy and to create jobs,” says Macpherson.

The initiative forms part of a national push to repurpose state-owned properties — particularly in underdeveloped areas — and transform them into public assets that can fuel economic activity.

“The department that I lead is no longer just a department of land and buildings. We are a department that wants to drive economic growth and turn properties and land (into) opportunities that turn our communities and our countries into a construction site.”

The planned Nkandla shopping mall, Macpherson said, will provide a local hub for trade, employment and enterprise, while similar projects are already underway in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, where disused buildings are being converted into safe havens for abused women and children and small business hubs.