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South Africa to establish special economic zones
CAPE TOWN, Feb 21, 2013 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --
The South African government, in
partnership with Limpopo Province, will establish two Special
Economic Zones (SEZs) to attract more investment and boost
economic growth, it was announced on Thursday.
Among the country's nine provinces, Limpopo will be the first
to set up Special Economic Zones, according to the Government
Communication and Information System.
"We are happy to report to this House that we are the only
province to receive provisional approval for two Special Economic
Zones," Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale told the National Assembly.
The Department of Trade and Industry released its draft Special
Economic Zones Policy and Bill in 2012 and invited the country's
nine provinces to submit proposals for the establishment of
Economic Zones. But only Limpopo has got approval from the
government.
The first Special Economic Zone, Mathale said, will be at the
border town of Musina, a strategic geographic location that serves
as the entry port to the rest of Africa.
This will be a huge benefit to the people of the province,
Mathale said.
He said this economic zone will focus on logistics and the
beneficiation of coal, while the second economic zone will be in
Greater Tubatse Municipality, where it will explore the
possibilities in the Platinum Group Metals value chain.
He said currently, there is a feasibility study underway with
support from Anglo-Platinum which seeks to establish a hydrogen
fuel cell industry in the province.
The project, according to Mathale, will have several benefits,
including the possibility of providing a reliable source of
electricity to communities in the province who are currently
connected to the electricity grid of public electricity utility
Eskom.
The Premier said the establishment of the hydrogen fuel cell
industry will also create an additional demand for platinum.
"What is more interesting and encouraging is that work has
already begun to institutionalize these two Special Economic
Zones.
"In Tubatse, this includes the Department of Science and
Technology, the private sector and our two universities in the
province, while in Musina negotiations have started with Transnet
and the land owners in order to ensure that we maximize the full
potential of this mineral rich area," he said.
Mathale said the two special economic zones will add the
necessary impetus to the development of the identified Growth
Points of Greater Tubatse, Musina and Makhado.
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