An R18-billion smart and sustainable development that aims to be the most connected precinct in terms of public transport options has begun to take shape in the heart of Gauteng.
MyBroadband visited the site of the Bankenveld District City in March 2026 and found significant early construction activity, including a few tarred roads and water pipes being put in the ground.
The R18-billion development began construction in late 2025. It is being built on land bought from the University of Witwatersrand for R200 million in 2024.
The 300-hectare property has Linbro Park to the east, Rivonia to the west, the Buccleuch interchange to the north, and Alexandra township to the south.
The site is also directly adjacent to the N3, M1, Marlboro Gautrain station, and bus routes — making it one of the easiest and fastest places from which to commute across the province.
The project is being developed by Calgro M3 and Eris Property Group, which has Momentum Metropolitan Holdings as a major shareholder. Nedbank Property Partners has also invested in the city.
Upon completion, Bankenveld will consist of 20,000 to 30,000 residential units, priced from around R500,000 to R1.5 million.
It will also offer educational facilities and commercial property, including 133,007m2 of warehouse space and 8,200m2 of offices.
The warehouses will be located next to the N3 highway and connect to the M1 and major arterial routes in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs.
The location is also ideally suited for the quick transportation of goods to the OR Tambo and Lanseria Airports.
About 34% of the land has been earmarked for infrastructure development, including roads, stormwater management, and recreational and green belt areas.
The property is expected to be ready for its first occupants by the end of the year, but the entire construction project will take between 15 and 20 years to complete.
The developers are using digital tools and open resources to create a smart living environment, while efficient use of natural resources will also be a priority.
Bankenveld is one of at least two major private smart city developments currently under construction in Gauteng.
The other is Balwin Properties’ Mooikloof Smart City in Pretoria East, which has already sold 440 units, some of which are already occupied.
The development was granted Presidential Strategic Integrated Project (SIP) status in 2020, but has effectively turned into a completely private project.
Balwin has progressed far into the project despite not having received a cent from national or local governments.
The developer maintains that the SIP status of the project meant the national government must foot the bill for external bulk services like water, sewerage, roads, and electricity.
However, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has said the funding must come from the Tshwane metro.
The department said the SIP framework is only a planning, coordination and facilitation mechanism, intended to fast-track regulatory approvals and improve intergovernmental coordination.
“It does not assign funding responsibility for bulk infrastructure to DPWI or any other national department by default,” it said.
The Tshwane metro has taken issue with the national government’s stance, arguing it does not have the necessary funding to support the project.
Balwin previously warned that a lack of government funding would require increasing the starting prices of the residential units.
The Bankenveld development is free of these political headaches as it is a fully privately-funded initiative with no financial commitments from the government.
As of early 2026, none of the many smart cities promised by the South African government over the last decade has started construction.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Hanno Labuschagne
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: My Broadband, 11.03.2026
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