On 19 March 2025, the Gauteng Provincial Government, in partnership with the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) and Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ), hosted the Northern Corridor Logistics Roundtable at the Premier Hotel in Midrand.
The event brought together industry leaders, government officials, and stakeholders to address positioning infrastructure development as a cornerstone for economic transformation in the province’s logistics and automotive sectors.
In his keynote address, Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, emphasised the province’s commitment to revitalising transport networks, ports, and road systems to bolster the logistics sector.
The roundtable highlighted the urgent need to address port inefficiencies, rising fuel costs, and security risks, citing the R98-million daily economic loss due to port delays in 2024. Ms Stineke Jensma from the IDC Industrial Zone Programme reported that R2-million is allocated to revitalise the North-South Corridor railway line for the automotive sector logistics.
In closing, the Chairperson of the AIDC, Ms Meloney van Eck Motsepe, addressed the challenges of transformation in the automotive sector and emphasised the need to provide access to women and minority groups in the automotive industry.
The roundtable featured a panel discussion with representatives from Transnet Freight Rail, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), and Naamsa, among others.
A notable announcement included a joint Gauteng-Limpopo railway project to enhance regional trade links through Beitbridge Border Post.
Key deliberations centred on leveraging digital technologies, improving rail connectivity, and fostering public-private partnerships to strengthen supply chains. A notable announcement included a joint Gauteng-Limpopo railway project to enhance regional trade links through Beitbridge Border Post.
With Gauteng contributing 4.3% to South Africa’s GDP through its automotive sector – the nation’s fifth-largest export industry – participants emphasised the province’s pivotal role in advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The discussions also aligned with preparations for the Inaugural Gauteng Investment Conference on 3 April 2025, which aims to secure R800-billion in infrastructure and industrial investments over three years.
