Airport features in Coega IDZ’s long-term plans

Six investors signed up this year ED RICHARDSON THE ADVANCED state of the basic infrastructure of the Coega Industrial Development Zone has made it possible for the Coega Development Corporation to sign six investors so far this year – with a good chance that the corporation will reach its target of 10 for 2006, according to spokesperson Vuyelwa Qinga-Vika. Investments signed by the CDC include an R85-million expansion and relocation project by a local investor, Cerebos; R1.1 billion chlorine and water desalination plants; R1.6 billion steel precision strip mill. Alcan, is expected to make its final decision on a R12 billion aluminium smelter in the Coega IDZ shortly. Various investment projects are at EIA stages. The stainless steel precision strip mill recently got its environmental green light and the EIAs for Cerebos and two other projects, which are still in confidential stages until the investors move on site, are pending. Infrastructure in place includes the second tier of bulk services in selected areas of the 11 500 hectare IDZ. “All investor facilities would be serviceable within a six-month construction period by the end of 2007,” says Qinga-Vika. A second phase of the upgrading of the N2 road and access routes between the Coega IDZ zones and the deep water port of Ngqura, including a Coega River bridge, are currently under way. Transnet has announced environmental impact assessment for the equipping of the container berths and the administration of a craft basin in the port of Ngqura. This follows announcements by the South African Ports Authority that it plans to have Ngqura operational in 2008. There are also plans for an upgrade of the railway line between the Northern Cape and the Coega IDZ. For security within the zone, the CDC has installed an IP-based Surveillance Camera System. The CDC’s Labour and Business Management Services enable it to identify employees, arrange and run customised employee training programmes while its job-seekers database has more than 60 000 skilled and semi skilled potential employees. Its zone labour agreement with trade unions protects employees from suffering financial losses when there are disputes between workers and employees. Coega is strategically positioned within global shipping routes and it is equidistant to European, American and Asian markets. It is also fully integrated to Southern African freight transportation corridors. The long-term plans for the Coega IDZ include an international airport to handle high value freight as well as passengers.