Maile: Gauteng pledges must translate into jobs and growth
Gauteng Finance MEC Lebogang Maile has urged that investment pledges secured at provincial and municipal summits must be swiftly converted into tangible projects that create jobs and drive economic growth.
Speaking at the City of Tshwane’s inaugural Investment Summit on Wednesday, Maile said the province cannot afford for conferences to become ceremonial events with little practical impact.
Instead, he said, they should serve as platforms where government and the private sector collaborate to unlock real opportunities.
"This investment summit is a marketplace where ideas should attract investment… It is not a ceremonial summit, but a platform… where investment must engage with opportunities to drive real outcomes."
The MEC pointed to April’s Gauteng Investment Conference, where the provincial government secured pledges worth R312 billion across advanced manufacturing, ICT, infrastructure and other strategic sectors.
Of the 60 projects pledged, 11 have already been implemented, representing R53.4 billion in investment.
Maile stressed the importance of converting these commitments into action.
"If Gauteng was to grow at 3%, you need to have an investment of about 300 billion. We have already secured pledges of 312 billion. So what it means is that if those pledges were to be converted, we will be able to grow at 3% in Gauteng, and we'll be able to create about 115,000 jobs."
He further emphasised Tshwane’s economic significance, noting that the city contributes 28% of Gauteng’s GDP and is home to a quarter of the province’s population.
With a strong base in manufacturing, automotive and services, Tshwane is being positioned as a hub for investment, particularly in new energy vehicles and high-value industries.
"Investors must leave this summit convinced that Tshwane is not only investment-ready, but investment-serious," Maile said.
Turning to the challenges of infrastructure backlogs, zoning delays, energy constraints and red tape, the MEC said Gauteng was working to convert them into opportunities.
Public-private partnerships, streamlined approvals, and blended finance tools are being deployed to fast-track projects in renewables, housing, and smart city developments.
“The energy crisis has been turned into an investment drive for renewables, with solar, wind and storage projects accelerating… We are pragmatic. We acknowledge the constraints, but we are aspirational. We see in those very constraints the seeds of new growth,” Maile said.
The summit, themed Partner. Invest. Revitalize, also underscored Tshwane’s role in attracting both domestic and international investors. Of the R312 billion pledged in April, 57% came from local companies, with the remainder from the United States, France, and India.
Maile concluded by calling for urgency and accountability in delivering on commitments.
"We shouldn’t just have these conferences and summits for PR and photo opportunity. We should have them so that we are able to discuss and understand what are the problems, how do we resolve them, how do we work together, and that way we can be able to build our nation."
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