Date: 05/04/2005
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Mashatile: Opening of the Innovation Hub
Speech by Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Affairs, Paul Mashatile, on the occasion of the official opening of The Innovation Hub
Programme Director;
Honourable Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom; Honourable Premier of Gauteng, Mbhazima Shilowa; Mr Sten Gunnar Johansson, Board member of the International Association of Science Parks; The CEO of Blue IQ, Ms Nomhle Canca; Dr Neville Comins, the CEO of the Innovation Hub management company;
Honoured guests; Ladies and Gentlemen.
Today marks an important day in our ongoing endeavour to make Gauteng an even smarter Province. The opening of the Innovation Hub will go a long way in ensuring that we create an environment where innovation flourishes, where our high-tech enterprises receive vital support necessary for them to grow and an environment conducive for technological advances.
The Innovation Hub will create a unique environment for innovation and technological development both of which are important in our effort to improve global competitiveness of our industries, stimulate economic growth and create jobs. The Hub will also contribute towards ensuring that Gauteng remains the economic engine of South Africa and that it continues to play a significant role in the African Continent.
As we all know, the Innovation Hub is one of the 11 projects of the Blue IQ initiative. Through Blue IQ, we as the Gauteng Provincial Government have invested about R318 million in infrastructure, land and buildings for this project. We have no doubt that this is a worthy investment as it will contribute massively towards the achievement of our objectives of job creation, stimulating the development of SMMEs particularly in the IT sector and attracting foreign investment.
In line with its founding mandate, Blue IQ continues to be a vehicle we use to make strategic investments in economic infrastructure with a view to stimulate economic activity in certain targeted areas. Blue IQ projects, including the Innovation Hub, have succeeded in creating an environment conducive for the private sector to partner government in major infrastructure projects.
In the true spirit of Public Private Partnerships these projects have combined the resources of both the public and private sectors in order to create opportunities for economic expansion, growth of industries, broad based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and SMME development.
We are encouraged to note that in the development of the Hub, over 40% of infrastructure spend was done through BEE companies. While we applaud this, we believe that there is still room for improvement. We are also encouraged by the fact that as part of the activities that will be undertaken at the Hub, special programmes have been started to facilitate the involvement of knowledge workers from the historically disadvantaged communities.
The promotion of broad based BEE, SMME development and the creation of opportunities for those who were previously marginalized are among the major strategic objectives of our government.
We have a responsibility to ensure that our people share in the benefits our economy has to offer. This we must do as part of our comprehensive response towards addressing the challenges of the second economy.
Programme Director; with the core infrastructure now in place, we believe an opportunity exists for private sector companies to get involved in the Innovation Hub with confidence. The establishment of the Innovation Hub has proceeded according to plan both financially and in terms of time scales.
We have made remarkable progress since last August when we held a roof wetting at the completion of concrete work on these buildings.
I wish to congratulate the entire team involved in the Innovation Hub for their professionalism and hard work which have made it possible for us to reach these milestones.
Congratulations also to Sappi on the completion of their technology centre. We wish them success in their endeavours.
In conclusion I am pleased to announce that; the next three tenants to move into the Hub have taken a decision in principle to do so and they are currently in their planning stages. We will make further announcements in the near future.
As the demand for services offered by the Innovation Hub grow, we as government and our partners in this project stand ready to respond.
I thank you.
Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
5 April 2005
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Mashatile: Opening of the Innovation Hub
Speech by Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Affairs, Paul Mashatile, on the occasion of the official opening of The Innovation Hub
Programme Director;
Honourable Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom; Honourable Premier of Gauteng, Mbhazima Shilowa; Mr Sten Gunnar Johansson, Board member of the International Association of Science Parks; The CEO of Blue IQ, Ms Nomhle Canca; Dr Neville Comins, the CEO of the Innovation Hub management company;
Honoured guests; Ladies and Gentlemen.
Today marks an important day in our ongoing endeavour to make Gauteng an even smarter Province. The opening of the Innovation Hub will go a long way in ensuring that we create an environment where innovation flourishes, where our high-tech enterprises receive vital support necessary for them to grow and an environment conducive for technological advances.
The Innovation Hub will create a unique environment for innovation and technological development both of which are important in our effort to improve global competitiveness of our industries, stimulate economic growth and create jobs. The Hub will also contribute towards ensuring that Gauteng remains the economic engine of South Africa and that it continues to play a significant role in the African Continent.
As we all know, the Innovation Hub is one of the 11 projects of the Blue IQ initiative. Through Blue IQ, we as the Gauteng Provincial Government have invested about R318 million in infrastructure, land and buildings for this project. We have no doubt that this is a worthy investment as it will contribute massively towards the achievement of our objectives of job creation, stimulating the development of SMMEs particularly in the IT sector and attracting foreign investment.
In line with its founding mandate, Blue IQ continues to be a vehicle we use to make strategic investments in economic infrastructure with a view to stimulate economic activity in certain targeted areas. Blue IQ projects, including the Innovation Hub, have succeeded in creating an environment conducive for the private sector to partner government in major infrastructure projects.
In the true spirit of Public Private Partnerships these projects have combined the resources of both the public and private sectors in order to create opportunities for economic expansion, growth of industries, broad based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and SMME development.
We are encouraged to note that in the development of the Hub, over 40% of infrastructure spend was done through BEE companies. While we applaud this, we believe that there is still room for improvement. We are also encouraged by the fact that as part of the activities that will be undertaken at the Hub, special programmes have been started to facilitate the involvement of knowledge workers from the historically disadvantaged communities.
The promotion of broad based BEE, SMME development and the creation of opportunities for those who were previously marginalized are among the major strategic objectives of our government.
We have a responsibility to ensure that our people share in the benefits our economy has to offer. This we must do as part of our comprehensive response towards addressing the challenges of the second economy.
Programme Director; with the core infrastructure now in place, we believe an opportunity exists for private sector companies to get involved in the Innovation Hub with confidence. The establishment of the Innovation Hub has proceeded according to plan both financially and in terms of time scales.
We have made remarkable progress since last August when we held a roof wetting at the completion of concrete work on these buildings.
I wish to congratulate the entire team involved in the Innovation Hub for their professionalism and hard work which have made it possible for us to reach these milestones.
Congratulations also to Sappi on the completion of their technology centre. We wish them success in their endeavours.
In conclusion I am pleased to announce that; the next three tenants to move into the Hub have taken a decision in principle to do so and they are currently in their planning stages. We will make further announcements in the near future.
As the demand for services offered by the Innovation Hub grow, we as government and our partners in this project stand ready to respond.
I thank you.
Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
5 April 2005
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