A new smart city is being planned next to the Vaal River, alongside a new international airport expected to benefit residents of nearby municipalities, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said.
The department is holding public consultations on the planned designation of the Vaal Special Economic Zone (SEZ), where community members will get a chance to share their views and ideas.
Gauteng’s Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) has been leading the venture, according to the official website, with a “resolute mission… to attract both domestic and foreign direct investment.”
The building of a smart city is one of the main pillars of the project, expected to drive urban development, create new job opportunities and boost economic growth in “Gauteng’s Southern corridor.”
According to the department, the planned SEZ will comprise five land parcels in Heidelberg, Rietspruit, Langlaagte, Zwartkopjies and Kookfontein, with sites located near population centres and transport infrastructure.
The planners of the Vaal SEZ, including the department and the Emfuleni, Lesedi and Midvaal municipalities, are now seeking investment in the prospective regions.
One of these investment windows is aimed at green industrialisation, seeking funding to pioneer, develop and grow green hydrogen production in the zone.
“Transforming this industrial basin into the country’s pre-eminent hub for low carbon manufacturing and renewable energy production,” the department said in its announcement.
The South African government approved the Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy in October 2023 to position the country as a major global green hydrogen exporter.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said at the time that the government was looking for at least $1 billion in investment into the country’s green hydrogen production.
“Green hydrogen has the potential to add additional renewable energy generation capacity and to support the local development of renewable energy,” she stated.
Other “high-impact” investments are sought to develop and grow the agricultural and agro-processing sector, leveraging existing capabilities in the Sedibeng district.
“Agro-processing” is the processing of raw materials from agricultural activities into value-added products, providing the link between farms and the final consumer.
“We aim to become a pivotal player in ensuring regional food security, driving economic growth in the process,” the website indicated.
The Vaal Aerotropolis
Besides the expected smart city, there will be a new “aerotropolis,” a term used to describe the economic zone around a major airport, which supports local communities and businesses.
In 2023, Citibank pledged R1.4 billion toward the first phase of establishing a new international airport in the Vaal, with four distinct “zones” comprising the aerotropolis.
“The Vaal Aerotropolis will be the only airport in Gauteng where integrated air cargo services are designed and planned as a priority,” Vaal Aerozone stated.
“It will have the initial capacity of 7.2 million passengers and 150,000 tons of freight per annum, serving as a crucial catalyst for global business and trade, just 50 minutes by road from Johannesburg.”
It will feature extensive road networks, including direct access to the N1. The airport itself is planned to be “state of the art” and geared towards international flights.
“The project will also include Vaal Airport City, one of the first purpose-built aviation cities in Africa,” it said. This city will include a 4-star hotel (minimum), medical facilities, retail, offices, and more.
According to the Airport City plan’s blueprint, the area will also include a sizeable solar PV farm and designated agricultural zones.
Given the plans for green energy and commercial processing of agriculture, it is relevant that the region where the smart city will be located is considered one of the most polluted regions on Earth.
A 2024 study found that 1.7 million people live in dangerous levels of chemical pollution in the Vaal Triangle due to the region’s industrialisation.
This includes Africa’s biggest steel mill, the Lethabo coal power plant, and the nearby Sasolburg petrochemical facility, which is blamed for some of the world’s highest pollution ratings.
Another pillar of the SEZ project is to strengthen the “blue economy” — economic activity related to the local environment and specifically the Vaal River.
The river is considered one of the most polluted in South Africa, with raw sewage and other toxic mining and industrial effluents and waste poisoning it, alongside several water treatment facilities.
“Pollution is killing this precious asset, causing health risks and threats to agriculture, food security and the environment,” non-profit organisation Save The Vaal Environment said.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Luis Monzon
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: My Broadband, 09.04.2026
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