Abstract
The need for infrastructural investment and development can be traced back to the first industrial revolution that
began the construction of the railway due to the steam engine. The steam engine also changed the production
systems and factory floors which heightened the need for infrastructure focused investments. In South Africa
townships were regarded as dormitories for workers that were employed in cities and towns. During apartheid
township living was second class and no industrial investment was directed towards these areas. Travelling long
distances to places of work is still a problem today for most working-class citizens besides the efforts of the South
African government that focus on building industrial parks in townships. There are obstacles to making industrial
parks work and these are explored on the paper. The objective of this study is to deliberate on the value of the
township based industrial parks funded by government with focus on those in the Gauteng City regions. Two case
studies are used to explain the value and themes. Practical implications of investing in the township based
industrial parks are identified and recommendations are made to address the obstacles experienced in the project
of developing these industrial parks.