PEDI

About us

ABOUT US

PEDI is a not-for-profit company that works to promote economic growth and development in the Philippi Industrial area and the Philippi Horticultural Area. PEDI’s mission is to transform the area into a thriving urban hub where businesses choose to invest and grow, and where people choose to live, work and play.

Working with project developers and service providers, PEDI is driving the dialogue between all parts of the community, creating partnerships and formulating strategies to pull Philippi out of the rut it slipped into over decades of neglect. PEDI believes Philippi can be a shining example of how disadvantaged communities in South Africa can become thriving economic hubs.

PEDI’s role in Philippi puts it in a position to promote and facilitate acceleration of economic growth. Over a billion rands worth of projects are now in process and this will see opportunities to rebuild and grow Philippi. These projects will see significant job creation, which will drive social development, education and safety. By actively building a knowledge base through commissioned research, PEDI has become a key player in shaping a collective vision for the future of the area. Investors and community leaders have agreed that a holistic approach to the redevelopment of Philippi is needed.

PEDI recognises that certain catalysts can fundamentally alter the future for economically disadvantaged areas. Here at PEDI we are making it our business to find the right ones, and to link entities who are keen to work together to have even greater impact than they can alone.

In addition to our role as a facilitator of development, we have recently identified specific job-creation projects we believe will create sustainable change in the area. We are partnering in these, both through direct investment and through fund-raising to take them to scale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highlights

HIGHLIGHTS

Emerging Farmer Urban Agriculture Training Academy

 

(http://pedi.org.za/partnership-paves-the-way-for-tunnel-farm/)

PEDI is presently focusing on its most exciting project to date: a project to develop skills and create jobs in the agricultural sector through the establishment of the PEDI Urban Agricultural Training Academy, for emerging farmers, with committed support from provincial Department of Agriculture and CPUT Wellington Campus. It is hoped that the tunnel-farming academy will be established over the next few months. Already 2500 square metres of tunnels, sponsored by the Dhladhla Foundation, have been erected for the purpose adjacent to the Philippi Fresh Produce Market. Discussions with tertiary agricultural training institutions are under way to align a curriculum to existing training and to obtain accreditation as a TVET institution. Ultimately the training of emerging farmers in Philippi will support the sustainability of the Philippi Horticultural Area as a key component of Cape Town’s food security. It will also assist in building the agri-processing sector for Philippi East that has been identified as having significant potential to grow the area’s economy. The sector would also be highly valuable to Cape Town’s future as an Aerotropolis city. 

Building the waste economy

 








 


(http://pedi.org.za/waste-to-food/)

At Waste to Food, food waste that is destined for landfill sites is fed it to earth worms in order to generate high-quality vermi-compost which increases the fertility of the soil and facilitates plant pest and disease control.

The project has been piloted successfully using ten industrial-scale earthworm composting systems – called Worm Hammocks – to process fruit and vegetable waste together with garden waste into rich vermi-compost. The business model is commercially viable at a larger scale and more investment will see an exponential increase in its impact and success.

PEDI has invested its own funds in the venture and is partnering with the Ackerman Pick n Pay Foundation’s Melisa Trust, Don't Waste Services, Waste to Food and the Industrial Development Corporation to ensure that this business can be scaled up to become a sustainable training ground for entrepreneurs and a net job creator.

Research outcomes:

(http://pedi.org.za/demacon-reports/)

The research reflecting job creation potential in Philippi through economic development is available in the Demacon Report commissioned by PEDI. This report is available for download from the PEDI website at http://pedi.org.za/demacon-reports/. The report speaks to the period spanning from 2015 to 2023, and forecasts:

  • 60,000 jobs during construction
  • 52,000 jobs after construction
  • Potential R8.1 billion - company taxes annually
  • Potential R700 million - property rates annually

 

Building the business community


 

 

 

 


(http://pedi.org.za/br-e/)

One of PEDI’s major focus areas has been to identify the factors that affect business retention in the area. The Business Retention and Expansion survey was conducted to identify the needs and priorities of local businesses, and to help develop agreement around plans for business growth. The aim was to make local business more competitive, to identify opportunities for business growth, and to create and implement strategic action plans that would lead to economic development.

A business confidence survey (the BR&E survey) conducted by PEDI together with the City of Cape Town’s Economic Development Department in 2015 identified crime and lawlessness, and local government service delivery as key concerns for businesses.

At a 2016 BR&E summit of businesses PEDI brought businesses into contact with opportunities through the national Department of Trade and Industry. Director of Cluster Development in the dti, Gavin Adams, presented to the PEDI business summit on the department’s incentive scheme to promote the development of industrial clusters within defined areas. He invited potential candidates of rate scheme to make application. 

PEDI also facilitated a presentation to businesses on the findings of a City of Cape Town survey that assessed industrial areas across the city and identified opportunity and risk in each. The survey revealed that large parcels of industrially zoned land in Philippi currently had no economic activity on them, suggesting that Philippi was well placed to capitalize on significant portions of industrial land available for new businesses.

Understanding informal trader needs

 

 

 


(http://pedi.org.za/pedi-hosts-informal-traders-meeting/)

PEDI recently initiated a process to understand informal trader needs in the Philippi East area, particularly in light of infrastructure changes in the area that will affect their business operations.

PEDI, in association with SubCouncil 13, hosted a meeting of informal traders to give them an opportunity to express their views. Among those present were representatives of the City of Cape Town’s Economic Development Department who had come to listen to concerns.

Further meetings will be held with the traders to take the discussion forward.

Understanding infrastructure needs

 



 

 

 

 

 


(http://pedi.org.za/planners-focus-on-philippi/   http://pedi.org.za/hho-infrastructure-demand-report/)

PEDI commissioned research by HHO Africa to assess the infrastructure needed for industrial and residential development in the Philippi area. The outcome of the research suggested the economic values predicted in the earlier survey by Demacon Market Studies was conservative, and that with the right ingredients, Philippi can become a major economic hub.

The research showed that more investment in infrastructure was needed in electricity supply, storm water management, and water pressure management. Some work also needed to be done to improve foul water systems in the area.

PEDI hosted a summit of City of Cape Town line department officials to present the outcomes of the HHO Infrastructure Demand Analysis (IDA) for Philippi to provide assistance for infrastructure and service planning for the area.

No post available
Project

PROJECTS

PEDI has driven several significant research projects to inform and guide infrastructure interventions that will create the enabling environment for economic development to thrive in the area. First PEDI commissioned research to assess the economic potential of the area, in particular the job creation potential in Philippi (http://pedi.org.za/demacon-reports/).

This research was followed by an assessment of the social infrastructure such as clinics, ECD centres and faith institutions, required for the area. The body of knowledge collected through both processes has become a powerful tool for decision-making.  (http://pedi.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Demacon-Philippi-Social-Facilities-Report-January-2014.pdf)
 
Additionally, starting from the premise that the success of project interventions depends on minimum infrastructure (such as power, sanitation, water, roads access), PEDI set about assessing what infrastructures exists in the area, and what is required. (http://pedi.org.za/planners-focus-on-philippi/ ; http://pedi.org.za/hho-infrastructure-demand-report/)

 

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Further information-building has been undertaken with local businesses in the formal sector, as well as among informal traders. In both sectors PEDI is well-positioned to facilitate engagement with decision-makers in local government. 

 

 

 

 


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PEDI drove the successful implementation of a pilot rent-a-cop programme for the area to address safety and security concerns of businesses. This project functioned extremely well while it was funded by the City of Cape Town but has since been suspended due to the non-allocation of funds from the City. (http://pedi.org.za/peace-officer-project-launch/)

 

 

 

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PEDI has been working to drive catalytic interventions that can function as game changers for the area. Several multi-million rand projects are under way in the TRANSPORT sector; a new focus on AGRICULTURE is set to be catalyst for job creation and skills training; INDUSTRY per se is set to take off with concerted efforts to cluster value chains in the area; Philippi’s proximity to the airport becomes catalytic when it is considered in the context of efforts to position Cape Town as an AEROTROPOLIS city; the WASTE sector is a value chain that has enormous potential to catalyse an economic sector for the area; the CONSTRUCTION industry is a further catalyst for economic transformation; PEDI itself is functioning as a major CATALYST for transformation. (http://pedi.org.za/game-changers/)

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PEDI is presently focusing on its most exciting project to date: a project to develop skills and create jobs in the agricultural sector through the establishment of the PEDI Urban Agricultural Training Academy, with committed support from provincial Department of Agriculture and CPUT Wellington Campus. It is hoped that the tunnel-farming academy will be established over the next few months. Already 2500 square metres of tunnels, sponsored by the Dhladhla Foundation, have been erected for the purpose, adjacent to the Philippi Fresh Produce Market. (http://pedi.org.za/partnership-paves-the-way-for-tunnel-farm/)

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The project will work hand in hand with an allied enterprise that is already established at the site – a pilot vermiculture (worm compost) business called Waste to Food which is getting set to expand to allocate franchise opportunities for trainee vermiculture entrepreneurs. PEDI is an investor in this project alongside the Melisa Trust, established by the Ackerman Pick n Pay Foundation; Don’t Waste Services; and the Department of Trade and Industry (http://pedi.org.za/waste-to-food/)

 

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PEDI has a thoroughly researched plan for the cleaning and greening of the area that will transform its attractiveness to investors, businesses and residents alike, adding not only to its visual appeal but also its security. This is yet to be funded but PEDI is hoping this will roll out in the next year. (http://pedi.org.za/waste/)

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PEDI is also in dialogue with the Airports Company of South Africa to identify synergies for the inclusion of Philippi in the airport city of the future, and to develop Cape Town as a future Aerotroplis City. Already an approach by PEDI has facilitated the realignment of the N2 at the Borcherd’s Quarry interchange so that a new access road will provide a direct link from the highway – and the airport – to Philippi. This will be a game changer for the area, which is presently isolated from the economy of the city by virtue of poor roads access. (http://pedi.org.za/aerotropolis/ ; http://pedi.org.za/game-changers/ ; http://pedi.org.za/borcherds-quarryn2-interchange-upgrade/)

 

 

 

 

 

  
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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