OR Tambo International Airport will no longer just be known as the busiest and biggest airport in Africa but a multi-nodal, multi-functional enterprise with major commercial development set to benefit the region, the province and the country as a whole.

This will be the result of the City of Ekurhuleni’s new growth plan known as the aerotropolis.

This was affirmed by Professor John Kasarda, the academic who coined the phrase “aerotropolis” – the concept of building the economy around the airport, after recently spending some days in the City to meet business, political leaders, academics and youth formations to discuss the municipality’s new growth path.

“All commercial development in and around the airport will lead to urban growth because of the significant employment opportunities, shopping, trade and business. The OR Tambo International will develop a brand image that attracts non-airport linked businesses,” Prof Kasarda said.

This answers the frequently asked question as to how the aerotrpolis will benefit a person in Tsakane because while highly skilled personnel is required on major enterprises, semi-skilled and non-skilled personnel are equally needed.

Prof Kasarda further explained that the Aerotropolis will benefit an ordinary person in Daveyton who uses an iPhone or the lady in Boksburg who receives fresh flowers that have been flown miles away.

Speed is an integral part of the Aerotropolis and this is the generation that embraces the survival of the fastest and the airport offers that kind of speed through its connections to the world.

On the business aspect, Prof Kasarda said despite the video conferencing phenomenon business remains a contact sport where people prefer not to seal a business deal unless they look at the business partner in the eye.

“Business people will still need to fly to different parts of the world to initiate and seal business deals,” he said, adding that between 2010 - 2030 worldwide commercial air passenger traffic will increase from 4.9 billion to 13.3 billion while the world air cargo traffic is expected to triple.

“This means airports have become 21st century business magnet,” prof explained. However, that being said doesn’t make every airport city an Aerotropolis.

“Just as you have central cities (municipalities) and greater metropolis (Metropolitan Municipalities), you have airport cities and greater Aerotropolis,” he explained.

This, he said is attributed to the fact that connectivity is key to Aerotropolis as much as speed is.  Ekurhuleni also boasts connectivity to the other major cities in the country and cities of the world through rail, road and air infrastructure that makes mobility agile, quick, reliable and accessible.

“We have said before that this new growth path is a young people’s economy and to achieve our dream we need to be a digital city that attracts the best companies in the world; accommodation, office and related real estate infrastructure; and a conferencing infrastructure. Our young people must begin to look at their careers in these fields,” said executive mayor, Mondli Gungubele.