Johannesburg's executive mayor Parks Tau says that entrepreneurship should be placed at the very heart of the city's future growth and development strategy, which is currently being crafted in consultation with residents.

Addressing business people in Sandton on Thursday as part of the 'Growth and Development Strategy (GDS) 2040' outreach programme, which was initiated in early August and should culminate in the publication of the strategy before year-end, Tau said that economic transformation needed to be extended well beyond the issue of black economic empowerment (BEE).

"We have to move beyond BEE, and the narrow confines of seeking to gain a 30% stake in what already exists, which I acknowledge is an important part of transformation. But we must now also build a cadre of entrepreneurs to help grow the economy," Tau said.

He lamented the fact that, during a recent engagement with young Johannesburg residents on the potential for economic growth in Africa's wealthiest city, the focus was on becoming "networked" with those in political power in order to make a success in business. This should not be the primary business model, because "without entrepreneurs and new enterprises we will not create jobs ... and we cannot move to the next level."

Crime, corruption and inappropriate skill levels remained the main "inhibitors" of economic growth and investment in the city and Tau appealed for a partnership with the private sector to address these constraints.

Partnerships were also important to deal with the current infrastructural deficits in the city, which was looking for solutions to both improve the living experience and to facilitate further growth- and job-generating investment.

Joburg was particularly keen to reviving manufacturing, while also growing its trade and services sectors, as well as financial services, construction and tourism sectors.

Tau also appealed for Johannesburg residents and the business community, in particular, to respond to The Presidency's submission to the GDS outreach programme for local input into macroeconomic policies and how these should be adapted to stimulate growth, job creation and poverty reduction at the municipal level.

Underlining the importance of the outreach, the mayor stressed that unless plans were outlined in the high-level GDS 2040 document, there would be no way of influencing the more detailed integrated development plans (IDP). "If it is not in the GDS, it will not be in the IDP and if it is not in the IDP it will not be in the city Budget."