Victoria Yards, Johannesburg, SA – traveling in search of local development and inspirations for local governments.

Marius Venter, next to whom I stand, is a superspecialist of local economic development and a real one-man-institution. He manages the African branch of Pascal International Observatory, as well as the national Centre For Local Economic Development. In addition, he chairs the Economic Development Council of South Africa and the state-owned Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda). And privately it’s a great man who devoted me a whole week to show me the best projects to support local development. Here we analyze the Victoria Yards project in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is a large post-industrial complex turned for a little money into a remarkable center of trade, services, culture, entertainment, recreation, gardening, crafts, education and gastronomy (all at once!). Cheap, but ingenious, and above all, successful revitalization – many of our municipalities/cities can learn and imitate. Thank you very much Marius!