The first phase of the revitalisation of the Babelegi and Vulindlela industrial parks in Hammanskraal (Gauteng) and Mthatha (Eastern Cape) is nearing completion, according to the Department of Trade and Industry’s (dti).
It’s part of the dti’s ‘Revitalisation of Industrial Parks Programme’ with phase one focusing on fencing, street lighting, a security infrastructure upgrade and critical electricity requirements for which R40 million was budgeted for Babelegi and R22 million for Vulindlela.
The “revitalisation” programme is designed to attract investments that will help to address the challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality in South Africa, according to minister of trade and industry, Dr Rob Davies.
In January the dti announced that it had set aside R216 million for the first phase of the upgrades of five industrial parks located in the North West, Free State, Limpopo and Gauteng.
“The revitalised parks have stimulated a lot of interest among businesspeople who want to locate their companies in the parks. Some companies that had thought of relocating from the parks due to security concerns have abandoned those ideas and are planning to invest and grow their businesses inside the parks,” said Davies.
President Jacob Zuma said last week that industrial parks and Special Economic Zones would be used as “instruments of boosting jobs and inclusive growth, and also to decentralise economic activities away from the usual urban centres as part of economic transformation”.
