Opening of the Radisson Destiny Hotel and Conference Centre Precinct, Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni
By Phumzile Mavimbela
President Cyril Ramaphosa joined and addressed the public at the prestigious event of the opening of the Radisson Destiny Hotel and Conference Centre Precinct in Kempton Park. He said For much of this year, the world has borne the social and economic devastation of the coronavirus pandemic. South Africa has not been spared. The economy has been plunged into turmoil, people have lost their jobs and many promising investments have been put on hold or shelved.
The opening of this Hotel and Conference Centre precinct is therefore about so much more than what we see before us.
It is a practical demonstration of the resilience of our home-grown companies, and of their determination to press ahead with developments that will have a lasting impact on the city, the province and the country. Akani Properties, in partnership with the Radisson Group, have built a world-class facility right here in Ekurhuleni.
Ramaphosa explained that given the hotel's proximity to OR Tambo International Airport, this refurbished hotel will tap into the valuable business tourism market and the adjacent conference centre will attract opportunities in the conferencing, convention and exhibition hosting sector. When the President announced the national Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan in Parliament earlier this month, he said that fast-tracking infrastructure projects – both public and private – is critical if the country is to get the wheels of economic activity turning again.
It is vital that we do so to recover the jobs that have been lost during the pandemic and create new ones. I am pleased to note that around 1,500 annualised construction jobs were created over the 21 months it took to build the hotel and that 565 direct full-time jobs will be created once it opens its doors. In this sense, this development is a lifeline to the people of Ekurhuleni.
This hotel and conference centre forms part of the Ekurhuleni Aerotropolis Master Plan. Ramaphosa congratulated the developers for completing the work within the Master Plan timelines. The President said he has no doubt that having now opened your doors, you will soon be attracting business travellers, domestic travellers and residents of the city. I congratulate the developers once more for having reached this milestone and for showing us the future that lies beyond this pandemic. As a country, we are determined to build back better.
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Hotel and Conference Centre
OR Tambo International Airport
Africa
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South Africa
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