The Select Committees on Economic Business Development and Trade and International Relations continued with their oversight visit to Mpumalanga by visiting three projects set up to economically benefit the people in the province.
The projects visited were the Ekandustria Industrial Park, Zithabiseni resort and the recently renovated Verena police station, all in the vicinity of the former homeland of KwaNdebele. The Committee also received a briefing on the Moloto Rail development.
A representative of the Ekandustria Industrial Park told the Committees that demarcation, maintenance and budget are among the challenges the park is grappling with. The representative said that the industrial park falls under Gauteng and sources water from the City of Tshwane. This has its challenges. The park has always been one of South Africa’s key economic hubs, the representative said, and hosts diverse portfolio of manufacturers, including food, timber, leather and steel products. About 6 000 people are employed by the tenants operating from the park.
The representative said the park required a minimum amount of R200 million to address its needs, such as fencing and security, upgrading and licensing of the waste water treatments plant, compliance of the solid waste landfill site and general infrastructure maintenance.
The Co-Chairperson Mr Eddie Makue said Mpumulanga’s potential has not been fully exploited, especially at the industrial parks. “These are parks that were constructed during the apartheid era and many of them have become dilapidated. Government’s approach to look into how they could be revitalised is spot on,” Mr Makue said.
He said the Department of Trade and Industry plan, firstly, to refurbish the industrial parks and, secondly, to develop the special economic zones was correct if South Africa wanted to achieve economic transformation and job creation.
Members asked questions about the park’s viability and if its capacity had been reduced following the burning down of factories.
Committee Member Mr George Mthimunye said the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency must think “outside the box” to radicalise the economy of the region. “You should begin to unlock economic opportunities in this region. The strategic location of this region should be to the advantage of the people from here,” Mr Mthimunye said.
He also said the area should be declared a special economic zone.
Mr Makue said it was important to convene a session with economic development agencies from both Gauteng and Mpumalanga, so that they can report to Parliament on plans to create synergies in the provinces with regards to the Ekandustria Industrial Park.
Sibongile Maputi
30 March 2017
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