The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has made headway in clearing 54.62 hectares of land in Zone 1 of the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) in preparation for the biggest automotive investment in Africa in the last 40 years – the R11-billion automotive manufacturing plant by the Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) and South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).
According to Dr Ayanda Vilakazi, CDC unit head marketing & communications, progress on site has seen several milestones achieved in preparation for the handover of the site to BAIC for the construction of the 8 500-sqm plant facility.
Vilkazi said the BAIC site was now fully cleared and ready for construction. “It is important that the BAIC investment positions the Eastern Cape as an automotive hub of SA and has the potential of deepening the component supply chain, job creation and economic development for the province,” she pointed out, adding that more than 10 500 employment opportunities would be created by this investment throughout the value chain.
