Saldanha IDZ on track

Construction at the Saldanha
Bay Industrial Development
Zone (IDZ) – where South
Africa is developing a worldclass
multi-faceted oil and
gas hub – is progressing well.
According to a spokesman
for the IDZ, some of the
work in the first phase of
the project – such as the
design and infrastructure
master plan, as well as the
completion of land use
zoning and environmental
impact assessments – has
been concluded.
“We estimate that
construction will continue
for another two years,
including completion of
the existing upgrades to
important bulk municipal
infrastructure such as the
wastewater treatment works
and new water reservoir,
roads, sewerage and
electricity networks within
the centre. Essentially, we are
servicing the land to unlock
investments within the
centre,” said the spokesman.
“Through our Ease Of
Doing Business unit (EODB),
we are working closely
with various government
departments – such as the
Western Cape’s Red Tape
Reduction Unit and the dti’s
Interdepartmental Clearing
House – to develop a “onestop-
shop’’ model comprising
both public and private
sectors to offer value-added
support. Our aim is to ensure
that we reduce red tape and
are able to offer our investors
the same international
standard of support they see
in similar facilities across
the world – and position
ourselves as a globally
competitive oil and gas and
marine engineering centre.”
It is hoped that the project,
which is receiving increased
attention under the Oceans
Economy initiative, will
transform the Western Cape
economy significantly.
Western Cape authorities
maintain that even though
the oil price has significantly
dropped the facilities and the
development of an oil and gas
hub in the Western Cape are
imperative.
“Within the context of the
global oil and gas industry,
the oil price fluctuations have
placed the industry under
considerable strain. However,
many of our investors are
focused on infrastructure
investments and look at
the market from a longterm
perspective,” said the
spokesman.
“The majority of our
existing investors in the
Saldanha Bay IDZ are also
focused around logistics and
fabrication or equipment
servicing – many of these
companies have order books
of 10-15 years, as well as a
diversified focus on different
clients which ensures that
they remain sustainable
through downturns.”
CAPTION
The Port of Saldanha Bay.