Construction work has begun on a new city in north-eastern Johannesburg, dubbed Zendai Modderfontein. The first phase of the road network began in December, said Zendai company spokesperson Ann Sun. She added that the residential development is still in the industrial design phase and has not yet begun.

The site

In November 2013 Chinese firm Shanghai Zendai bought 1600 hectares of land in Modderfontein. The property, formerly belonging to chemical and explosives company AECI, cost them R1.06 billion, reported Business Day. This transaction is one of South Africa’s largest single foreign direct investments.

The site is located between Sandton’s CBD and OR Tambo International Airport.

The plan

The development will take 15 to 20 years and between 30 000 and 50 000 housing units of different sizes and types will be built, Zendai chief operating officer Du Wenhui told The Star. The full development plan requires an R 84 billion investment.

“The project will be market driven, and depending on what our clients or developers want, the sky is the limit. Twenty years ago, nobody would have imagined that Sandton would look like it does today with its multiple skyscrapers,” Wenhui was reported as saying.

The development plans to include a financial hub, an educational centre, churches, hospital and medical facilities, a library, a sports and international conference centre, and low-cost housing.

The city will provide jobs for 100 000 people and residence for another 100 000.

Some scepticism

“It will become the future capital of the whole of Africa,” Zendai’s chairman Dai Zhikang said at a press conference in November 2013.

“This will be on par with cities like New York in America or Hong Kong in the Far East.”

After artists’ impressions of the city were released showing what it would look like in 20 years time, the project was met with skepticism, Wenhui was reported saying.

Many Facebook users have expressed outrage:

“Why don’t we see if we can get the basics right first. Like electricity, roads, healthcare and education?” commented one Facebook user.

“Zuma is selling us out downriver. we’re going to be a Chinese colony in a few years,” said another user.

But there have been positive comments about the fact that jobs will be created in the process.

A Facebook user commented: “Hopefully they rename it! Modderfontein doesn’t have a nice ring to an ultra modern city. Good for job creation, let’s add a spin and make it a self sustainable city please. Generate own electricity and water filtration. Roof vegetable gardens living walls etc. Now that would be visionary.”

Gauteng Provincial Government spokesperson Nino Zama believes that there is possibility for collaboration with local contractors.

“There will be jobs created, there will be business opportunities for local people and after stages of the development are completed, there will also be new opportunities created.”

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