Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba announced a R144 million expansion to the People’s Market in Joburg.
The people’s market currently accommodates 71 informal traders and is linked and runs alongside the Joburg Market.
The mayor said that the Joburg People’s Market expansion project which will see an additional 28 stalls added to the existing 71 as well as numerous facility upgrades that will assist entrepreneurial, and therefore, economic growth in Johannesburg.
Mashaba was joined by the MMC for Economic Development, Cllr Leah Knott, and the Market’s CEO, Ayanda Kanana,
The development is also expected to create 262 jobs during and after construction.
The People’s Market currently totals around R250 million annual purchasing.
The Joburg Market, measuring a total of 65 000m2, serves about 5 000 farmers from across South Africa who send their fresh produce to be traded to a larger buyer base, averaging about 10 000 daily.
“Critical to the success of this project will be the development and incubation of entrepreneur development. There are a number of opportunities that will be created where the Market can facilitate the capacitation and up-skilling of a number of the tenants, apart from creating new business opportunities.
“Further upgrades to the Market include a new taxi rank, a new cold store, and generator plant, and upgraded road, electrical, and water infrastructure,” said Mashaba.
Mashaba added that the upgrades to this critical component of the Joburg Market are a clear demonstration of “this multi-party government’s commitment to bring Diphetogo to our residents, and especially our entrepreneurs and small business owners.”
He said this project will therefore also target women and youth when new stalls are allocated and when the entrepreneurship program is implemented.
“Our goal is clear, we want Johannesburg’s economy to grow by 5% per year, thereby creating more much-need jobs, especially among the youth. These upgrades are a commitment from the City to support the growth of businesses through implementing and upgrading basic infrastructure.”
