DURBAN – The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Bulelani Magwanishe will officially launch the completion of the first phase of the revitalised Nkowankowa Industrial Park in Tzaneen, on Monday, 29 April 2019.
Magwanishe is expected to be joined by the MEC for Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET), Seaparo Sekoati, the Mayor of the Mopani District Municipality, Councillor Nkakareng Rakgoale, the Mayor of the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality, Councillor Maripe Mangena and the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA), Dr Matata Mokoele.
The first phase of the upgrading of the Nkowankowa Industrial Park included the installation of the CCTV system, perimeter fence, pedestrian and vehicular gates, refurbishment of high mast lights and the provision of waste skip structures.
According to Magwanishe, the upgrading of the park was part of the dti’s Industrial Parks Revitalisation Programme which the department started to implement in 2016. The main objective of the programme is to promote industrialisation, accelerate economic growth, attract investment, promote transformation and encourage the establishment of black industrialists in the industrial parks. The programme is also aimed at supporting job creation in manufacturing and related sectors.
According to MEC Sekoati, the revitalisation of the industrial parks by the dti in Limpopo will contribute in attracting both domestic and foreign investors to the parks. the dti also upgraded the Seshego Industrial Park at a cost of more than R35 million. The revitalisation programme comes at the time when Limpopo Province is potentially attracting investment for Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone for beneficiation of the industrial base. Through this initiative, the province will expand manufacturing capacity in the province; scale up upstream and downstream value-chain integration in various industries to enhance competitiveness in the provincial economy.
“We are confident that the improvement of the security infrastructure as part of the first phase of the revitalisation programme will go a long way in providing a sense of safety and security to private investors. It will also provide a conducive environment for the companies that are already operating in the park to expand their operations and increase production. Attracting more investments to the park will create more job opportunities and assist in promoting economic transformation and boost our industrialisation efforts,” added Sekoati.
Mayor Mangena said that the renovation of the Nkowankowa Industrial Park is good news to the businesspeople in particular, and community of Greater Tzaneen at large.
“We expect the revitalisation process of the park to have positive spin-offs both within and outside the park. As more factories come to set up operations inside the park when investors realise that the security infrastructure is upgraded and their investment is safe and secure, more job opportunities will be created for members of our communities. Small enterprises and cooperatives that are operating in various parts of our municipality are also expected to benefit from the value-chains as manufacturing inside the park increases,” said Mangena.
SOURCE: BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE