Benefits of the Soweto Centre

Cultural boycotts against South Africa have ended. South African sports- men and women have been re-admitted into world sports.

In townships, the lack of adequate facilities where budding talent can develop and exhibit their true potential means that Soweto’s sport and cultural talent remains largely dormant. To this end, the centre would provide a womb for development, and a stage to generate enthusiasm to unleash the wealth of ability trapped within the community of Soweto.

The Soweto Centre will provide a broad support facility to all those hungry to advance and uplift themselves through education. The centre will promote the educational process by offering an environment that is conducive to learning through the provision of quiet study halls, classrooms, research and library facilities, fully functional and up-to-date equipment, various programmes for adult, trade and continuing education, and tutorial back-up for those studying education department syllabuses.

The construction and running of the centre holds major economic benefits for the Soweto community as well as the rest of the country. During construction, the Soweto Centre will sustain 3 500 full-time on-site jobs, and will directly employ 4 500 people on a full-time when it becomes operational.

The construction and operation of the centre holds spin-off benefit for over 250 000 families in Soweto. The supply of building materials, creation of casual and contract employment, the provision of retail opportunities for entrepreneurs, as well as the provision transport services, present examples of opportunities for employment and income generation for the Soweto community as a direct result of the centre. Through the development of each family unit, valuable resources are continuously interchanged, contributing to the overall upliftment of the community.

The multiplying compound effect from the operation of the centre translates conservatively to about R 1.2 billion of economic growth annually for the Gauteng region - without ratepayers’ funds being utilised. The many people who benefit from this economic surge will channel some of their increased benefit back into the economy, therefore adding to the regions growth and development. Above all, the centre will improve the quality of peoples’ lives. It will bring them together to interact with each other learning the value of teamwork. Through collective peaceful evolution, they will be able to contribute to the upliftment and development of themselves and those around them.