New Gates for Kruger National Park

[Richprins]

Nkosi City will still accommodate the rich and the poor, like Pienaar does. It will be a settlement with 3 000 RDP houses, 800 middle-income properties and 700 high-income houses.

It will also tap into the tourism industry – because of its proximity to the Kruger National Park – by having a lodge.

A new gate into the park will be opened. A hospital, schools, a technical vocational education and training college, agriprocessing plants and retail stores will form part of the new city.

The Nkosi City project has been in the pipeline for about six years. Initially, the Mpumalanga government did not buy into the idea and it was shelved, despite being part of Mbombela municipality’s Integrated Development Plan.

It now has the government’s support, and Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti approved the handover of the land to the Communal Property Association. Nkwinti’s department will also send association members to Poland on a study tour of agricities.

The association’s spokesperson, Mandla Msibi, said Nkosi City would be built by the local Pienaar residents from start to finish.

While environmental impact, feasibility and socioeconomic studies are done, locals will undergo training in the various skills and also help to form cooperatives.

“This is a poverty alleviation project that will have an effect on the local economy” Msibi said.

“We have taken everybody on board. Tenders here, from construction to anything, will benefit the cooperatives formed by the local people.


http://city-press.news24.com/News/mpuma ... y-20160611

[Richprins]

This from 2013, which shows how this project was bungled initially...

The Nkosi City project – to be built in Pienaar outside Nelspruit – was stalled for about two years because Mabuza had not signed documents that would release about R1.8 billion in infrastructure funding from the Development Bank of Southern Africa.

Mabuza has met with members of the Community Property Association (CPA) following a protest march last week about his reluctance to support the project.

Mabuza’s spokesperson, Zibonele Mncwango, said the processes that needed to be followed were explained to the association and denied that the premier was not supporting development.

“This is a huge investment and there’s no way the premier can’t support it. We had to explain to the CPA that this project needed to be in the Integrated Development Plan of Mbombela municipality first,” said Mncwango.

Resident Mandla Msibi said the project was put in the Mbombela integrated development programme (IDP) three years ago.

Msibi is also a councillor in Mbombela municipality.

“There’s another march scheduled for October 18 with which we want to emphasise our seriousness. At the same time, we’ll continue with the private sector component of the project like building a garage and a shopping mall while we’re waiting for the premier to give his approval,” Msibi said.

Last March, Mabuza denied knowledge of the Nkosi City project during a live interview on SABC’s Ligwagwala FM even though the CPA had requested a meeting with him twice before the interview.

Thereafter, Sonnyboy Maphanga – a deputy director in the Mpumalanga agriculture, rural development and land administration department – confirmed to City Press that he was acting on Mabuza’s mandate to start a similar project in Carolina.

Maphanga is also Mabuza’s business partner as they are registered as co-directors of a company called Nelesco 85, according to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission.

He was working in Mbombela municipality and sat in meetings when the Mpakeni Tribal Authority mooted the project, which was approved and is part of the council’s IDP.

Mncwango said he did not know about the Carolina project.

http://www.news24.com/Archives/City-Pre ... t-20150429

[Richprins]

Looks like it will be called Mandela Gate...


http://lowvelder.co.za/241371/new-city-first-kind/

[Richprins]

http://afrikanvoice.co.za/2016/07/06/mp ... done-deal/

[nan]

a new city
with a new gate = lot and lot of people near by the park.... and Inside at last

kruger is circle

[stefan9]

Another gate for the south? Wouldn't it be better to add more gates to central and northern regions? We already have 5 gates in the south.

[Richprins]

Actually six gates already, Stefan, including Mjejane gate near Malelane!

The South is overfull!

[harrys]

If it goes on like this the South will be one big gate

All these people can do is mess up a wonderful place, just look at the rest of the country

[Lisbeth]

I wonder how/where they will find the money

[H. erectus]

Are we busy opening the gates so's the tide can settle in????!!!