Three more agreements totalling R300 million are commitments from the newest investors that will be making the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (SBIDZ) their home.
The Western Cape Government said in a statement that with this new crop the number of signed investors in the Development Zone has grown to 11.
“The SBIDZ has also recently launched several new developments,” David Maynier, MEC of Finance and Economic Opportunities, said in the statement.
“This will contribute to the growth of the economy and create jobs in the West Coast region, and I want to congratulate CEO Kaashifah Beukes and her team for the excellent work done to make these a reality.”
Members of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament’s standing committees on Finance, Economic Opportunities and Tourism also conducted an oversight visit to the SBIDZ on Monday.
Construction on the first investment, a specialised corrosion protection facility, has already started, while plans for two more projects have been submitted. These additional projects involving specialised manufacturing and fabrication as well as partial assembly and manufacturing of components, which are currently being imported into South Africa.
According to Maynier the SBIDZ has a robust investor pipeline that continues to grow, not only in manufacturing and warehousing facilities but also in new-build port infrastructure.
The local IDZ has a focus on the marine, and the oil and gas sector. Several feasibility studies that demonstrate demand for repair, maintenance and equipment servicing facilities linked to the Oil & Gas and Marine Services sectors, have already been untaken by private investors.
The announcement in regards to these investments are expected “very soon” Maynier says.
The Saldehco Offshore Supply Base, which will be at the Saldanha Port, is a sector-specific project that has made progress, with construction on the facility due to commence in fourth quarter.
“This facility will offer internationally competitive services to vessels passing along our coastline and to projects looking to undertake surveys, exploration and production activity on the West Coast,” Maynier explained.
Work on the Access Complex Building, which will be a commercial office facility, is also on track for completion in April.
The existing temporary Project Leasing Facility is another development by the SBIDZ that already delivers value in assisting with strategic government energy projects. The 6,5 ha facility located in the south-east property, accommodates projects with a duration shorter than 24 months assisting tenants with an easy-to-access facility near the port infrastructure.
The Project Leasing Facility is currently assisting the Transnet National Ports Authority with temporary storage for wind blades, nacelles and tower sections in support of the national Renewable Energy IPP Programme (REIPPP), and more projects related to REIPPP is anticipated this year, along with several oil and gas projects linked to equipment certification and maintenance.
“These investments will not only create jobs through the construction of the tenant facility, but as these projects open their doors, there will be more opportunities for jobs in the oil and gas, Maritime Fabrication and Repair industries and related support services industries, making the SBIDZ a vibrant hub of opportunity, job creation and sustainable growth for the Western Cape.”
Maynier says the SBIDZ has long been recognised as a catalyst for growth and job creation in the region, and is quickly becoming a reality.
