Sedibeng, once a steel industry powerhouse, has suffered the impacts of deindustrialisation, and now needs a catalyst for economic revitalisation. With space, ample human resources, and local municipalities supportive of new developments, Sedibeng offers the ideal location for development.
Aiming to transform the economy of the region, the Vaal Aerotropolis, with its planned international airport, cargo facilities, airport city, trade zone and AgriZone, is destined to become one of the first purpose-built facilities of its kind in Africa.
To be developed on 6000 ha of land located just 50 minutes by road from Johannesburg, south of the Grasmere toll plaza, and 9 km west of the N1 motorway, the Vaal Aerotropolis is near the heart of the Sedibeng, Emfuleni, Midvaal, and Lesedi Municipalities. This puts it close to agricultural areas, industrial areas, the planned Vaal Special Economic Zone, an existing railway linking Vereeniging and Johannesburg, and tourist attractions such as the Vaal River. Within the district, there are larger towns such as Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark, Meyerton, and Heidelberg, as well as townships including Evaton, Sebokeng, Boipatong, Bophelong, Sharpeville, Nigel, and Devon.
For industry and logistics purposes, the location of the Vaal Aerotropolis is ideal. Because vast tracts of land are available for development in this region, the developers are able to concentrate logistics hubs and warehouses in one purpose-built area. This saves costs on infrastructure development and shared resources. It also helps to consolidate transport flows in one place – away from urban areas where traffic congestion could slow trucks and increase supply chain costs.
The benefits of the Vaal Aerotropolis are not limited to the businesses and residents of the Sedibeng region, however: it offers a much-needed economic development opportunity for the entire south of Gauteng, with potential knock-on benefits spilling into the North West and Free State provinces. In addition, developing this major new trade and export hub in Sedibeng allows South Africa to expand its trade and export infrastructure without adding undue pressure to the existing international air facilities, roads and industrial areas in urban metros.
