Ludo Investments, a black-owned company focusing on urban development conceptualisation, in partnership with 500Y BPEBP and the landowners Tshehla Development Trust, have embarked on a project to develop a barren land along De Hoop Farm into a world class transformation project to be developed into a megacity in the middle of the rural area located in the Sekhukhune district.
The company’s CEO, Patrick Moraka, said the project had been in the making for three years and part of its objective was to focus on offering residential and business opportunities to address immediate demand from the already existing mining industry.
“We plan to address employment projects to uplift livelihoods and to provide unemployed citizens with new hope that life would change for communities,” said Moraka, adding that the area, De Hoop Farm, had been earmarked to be transformed into a new city to be known as City of Tshehla – “an epitome for unemployment alleviation and tourists’ attraction project”.
Moraka said the price tag attached to the project was in the region of R50-billion. He described the project “to be the next big thing since the discovery of platinum and chrome in the region”. The area around De Hoop Dam, said Moraka, would be explored for mineral extraction. Moraka said the investment company was eager to increase employment and ensure that members of the community would not have to travel long distances to work once the new city had been fully constructed.
He said they were focused on offering residential opportunities to address immediate demand from the already existing mining industry. This includes a regional shopping mall, fast development residential and schools in the first phase, which is expected to be under construction for the next 10 years at a cost of at least R20-billion.
“This development will offer industry-specific residential investment opportunities. “Industries in the area are struggling with business sites for offices, workshops, and distribution centres,” said Moraka. Moraka said the second phase would extend over a further 10-year period with a further R30-billion investment allocation, and the 2000 hectares land utilised for development to include medical centres, retail facilities, residence, government institutions and auto-related industries.
“We also understand that the dam was designed to be a hydroplant and this gave us an idea that since there was 90% sunshine in this area, we can rely mostly on solar energy for businesses and homes purposes. “We look forward to this hydro-energy to power the new city,” said Moraka.
Tshehla Development Trust chairperson Tshehla Hlaodi said the family was excited about the project and to have their land transformed into an attraction city.
“There is nothing of this sort in Limpopo. “I am excited to announce this project as the first of its kind, run by black entrepreneurs who are geared to bringing change, and create more opportunities for more emerging entrepreneurs out of this contemplated new city. It still looks like a forest for now, but a lot is to be done in the future. “I am really looking forward to economic transformation because I believe poverty will be eliminated.
“We have a shortage of health and education infrastructure, but all this will be a thing of the past when the projects begin to roll,” Hlaodi said.
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