A multistakeholder initiative will see the development of a prototype large-scale agriculture and bioenergy agroindustrial hub on 30 000 ha of land across the Merafong City local municipality and the Rand West local municipality, in the greater West Rand district.
This follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last week between Sibanye-Stillwater, the Far West Rand Dolomitic Water Association (FWRDWA), the West Rand Development Agency (WRDA) and the Gauteng Infrastructure Financing Agency.
The MoU, which will result in the steady collective development and implementation of the pioneering Bokamoso Barona agroprocessing industrial cluster initiative, will promote sustainable economic activity in the regions, which are currently predominantly dependent on mining.
“The development of sustainable local economies beyond mining is a critical imperative and it was fortuitous that our agricultural initiative, which we have been working on for some time with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), dovetailed so well with [the initiative] being developed by the WRDA and [its] partners,” says Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman.
Sibanye-Stillwater and the FWRDWA have together made available the 30 000 ha of land for the initiative.
The Bokamoso Barona initiative is further supported by the Public Investment Corporation and the DPME, whose active participation will assist in the effective implementation of the programme.
“More than four years ago, we had a vision as a company to fully immerse ourselves in the broader regional economic integration of our local economies and communities and to reaffirm our deep commitment to South Africa. I am pleased to see the progress that has been made, as well as the significant increase in the scope of this initiative,” Froneman adds.
The agreement aims to facilitate a sustainable postmining economy in the collective area and create employment through a particular focus on agriculture, the development and transfer of skills and the creation of labour-intensive opportunities, as well as facilitate comprehensive and sustainable local socioeconomic development.
The cooperative, multistakeholder approach also aims to accelerate transformation by providing ongoing development and training for the surrounding local communities.
The Bokamoso Barona Initiative is expected to be implemented on a basis responsive to the needs of the local communities, pave the way for the establishment of black entrepreneurs and industrialists, attract substantial investment from a range of commercial and development financing institutions and optimise the value derived through critical resources, most notably land and water.