For the first time in three years‚ Gauteng black business will be able to see and touch the township economies the province has been preaching about.In her budget for the 2016/17 financial year‚ Finance MEC Barbara Creecy announced that R1.3-billion had been allocated to the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (DED) to drive growth in the province.This amount includes R195-million set aside to enhance local economic activity by establishing and refurbishing existing industrial zones in townships.These include Orlando Industrial Park‚ Saulsville Industrial Park‚ Residentia Industrial Park‚ Khutsong Business Hub‚ Hammanskraal Skills Centre‚ Mabopane Skills Centre‚ Ennerdale Skills Centre‚ Alexandra Industrial Park‚ and KwaThema Business Park.When Gauteng Premier David Makhura took over in 2014‚ he committed his administration to building township economies and ensuring the rise of black industrialists in the province.However‚ this commitment was constrained by a lack of efficiencies within agencies that would drive these township economies.Among these was the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller‚ which last year was forced to place a moratorium on funding for new applications as it was millions of rands in the red. This agency has since turned the corner and is now taking applications.To help further boost township economies‚ provincial government has allocated all procurement deals worth less than R500000 to township businesses.Despite these interventions‚ there was little tangible movement in a number of townships in the province which would make township economies a reality.The industrial zones and skills centres are expected to become the base on which township economies would be stimulated.Furthermore‚ the DED received R95-million to fund eKasi Labs and other business incubation programmes. - TMG Local Government Team..