More Coega pressure as Billiton confirms that it's the preferred site

GOVERNMENT and Portnet are running out of excuses to delay work on Coega the harbour.
Billiton officials have now told East London officially that the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is the preferred site for a R2,7bn zinc refinery.
The news was broken by Billiton zinc project director John Taylor and the group's corporate affairs chief Tom Ferreira in a top level meeting recently.
Border-Kei Chamber of Business executive director, Peter Miles responded by warning that the Eastern Cape could lose out altogether on the zinc refinery if funds were not found to build the R1,5bn harbour at Coega.
It is the second time in a month that business and interests outside Port Elizabeth have called for more haste in the building of the port and industrial zone.
Portnet has responded to a call by P&O Nedlloyd to hasten the building of a deep-water container port at Coega to cater for the next generation of ships by saying that it still needs the commitment of a client in the IDZ.
Supporters of the Coega project point out that Billiton's public commitment to the Coega site, as well as a steel mill project announced by President Mandela, would seem to indicate that Portnet has the customers it needs.
Portnet also has the necessary access to funds. However, before work can commence, legislation has to be passed to alter the coast-line. Portnet says the necessary legislation is being prepared.
By Ed Richardson