Government a step closer to finalising policy to revitalise townships and rural economies

MINISTER of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has revealed that her department was finalising the long-overdue Township and Rural Economic Development and Revitalization Policy to support township enterprise hubs, zones, and clusters.

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In 2023, the government commissioned a study on identifying a scientific definition of opportunities in 20 townships focused on local production and import substitution, infrastructure support, and investment in industrial parks.

The study also looked into various aspects such as the economic linkages with other sectors and the broader economy, extent of industrialisation, critical challenges affecting economic development, funding and financial instruments.

South Africa's townships still experience poor investment, overpopulation, poor infrastructure, high levels of unemployment, deepening poverty and isolation from mainstream economic centres.