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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
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