ELIDZ creates blueprint for rest of the country

Fast-tracking solutions to prevent delays Simphiwe Kondlo … ‘The ELIDZ will benefit from better infrastructure at the port such as gantries and a deeper vessel draught.’ KEVIN MAYHEW THE EAST London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) has reached the stage of tidying up processes and systems with various departments and authorities which will provide a streamlined procedures blueprint for the rest of the country’s IDZs. CEO of the ELIDZ, Simphiwe Kondlo, says that they have realised the need to fast-track solutions to prevent delays that involve among others South African Revenue Service (SARS) and municipal processes which hamper the settlement of investors. “At the same time that this is happening we are achieving visible progress on the ground as buildings take shape and investors commit. A continuing challenge is the limitations of East London port in handling the appropriate sized vessels using modern equipment and providing an adequate stacking area for the projected demand,” Kondlo said. He added that the ELIDZ was working in support of the initiative by the National Ports Authority to get the funding to develop the harbour to the point where it will become a strong selling point for the IDZ. “The ELIDZ will benefit from better infrastructure at the port such as gantries and a deeper vessel draught,” he said. The zone has successfully attracted four investors to the value of R288m to date. Three of those – an abalone factory, a transport and logistics firm and an automotive component manufacturer – are already installing infrastructure on their sites. The fourth, a glass manufacturing plant, is due to start earthworks at the beginning of next year.