The two-day conference will bring investors, industrial players, economists, business experts and academics to debate and bring about solutions for growing new industries, to thereby support job creation, aid in reducing poverty and contribute towards overall economic growth.

Limpopo Province has a keen interest in further encouraging and optimising private sector investment into the province.

Day 1 (30 October): View the livestream recording

Day 2 (31 October): Join the Livestream here

• Find out more: https://limpopoinvestmentconference.co.za/
• Register now: https://lic.lcxonline.co.za

Note: Online registration gives you access to the live stream & digital materials only. It does not include in-person seating.

The two-day conference will bring together investors, industrial players, economists, business experts, academics and other stakeholders, to debate and bring about solutions for growing new industries. Limpopo Province is endowed with natural resources and its economic strength in the primary sectors is an impetus contribution in the growth of manufacturing.

Register for the Live Stream, here: https://limpopoinvestmentconference.co.za/

The investment conference will further position the province’s investment and industrialisation discourse, emphasizing the opportunity to take advantage of the untapped and latent business opportunities flowing from traditional and new growth sectors imbedded in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone.

The two-day conference will bring investors, industrial players, economists, business experts, academics and others to debate and bring about solutions for growing new industries.

Limpopo has a keen interest in further encouraging and optimizing private sector investment into the province, with a promise to a long-term strategic plan focused on inclusive growth – in the wake of the 4IR (building on the strength of small businesses, industrialists, and new upcoming entrepreneurs).

Join the Live Stream: https://limpopoinvestmentconference.co.za/

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s invitation to join the 2024 Limpopo Investment Conference and invest in Limpopo:

Dilo di tjhentjhile (Things have changed) is the Premier’s service delivery brand promise to the people of Limpopo, the country and the world at large. During the consultative meeting with the conference planning team led by MEC Tshitereke Matibe of the Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET), Premier Ramathuba emphasized the need for this province to establish a back office beyond the conference to follow-up on all the pledges to ensure pledges reported during the conference comes to fruition.

The Premier said that these follow-ups will facilitate ongoing collaboration between the provincial government and the investors, to reduce bureaucratic redtape and barriers that delay the implementation of projects.

During the third instalment of the conference, R37.5-billion in pledges were committed by investors and the commitment by the planning team is to raise R30-billion in the fourth edition of the conference. “This conference has added a new chapter in our transformation & development journey to build a better South Africa for all,” continued the Premier.

Premier Ramathuba has all the reasons to celebrate this momentous occasion, given the steady progress on Limpopo Province as an investment destination as well as the international media attention the province receives globally during the conference.

The economic profile of Limpopo Province reflects growth of sectors that are relevant to global interests, such as agriculture, mining, and tourism. Whether the subject is food security, renewable energy or nature conservation and biodiversity, the province is endowed with all these natural resources.

Over the two days of the conference, which is modelled on plenary and panel discussions, the focus will be to unlock opportunities in mining, tourism, agriculture, energy, infrastructure & logistics, the automotive industry and the value chains and support provided by various government entities to investors.

Tourism, for example, is the biggest contributor to economies around the world and Limpopo should take advantage of the movement of local and international tourists that are attracted to its destinations, according to Premier Ramathuba.

The Waterberg and Vhembe districts are rich in biodiversity and game farms, including the Big Five. During the hunting seasons, these districts see unprecedented numbers of tourists from across the country and Europe. The commercialization of some of the parks is a positive step towards the transformation of the sector. Through this investment conference hope to have a multiplier effect for the growth of the tourism sector over time.

This investment conference ultimately seeks to create an ecosystem of companies through forward and backward linkages and integration, to beneficiate raw materials through value chain processes that will bring meaningful contribution to the industrialization agenda of the province.

The implementation of pledges into realized investment is a demonstration that the province is on the right track towards the stimulation of economic growth. From a broader perspective, the conference is a platform to achieve many objectives, such as to create awareness and exposure of the abundance of resources in the province, create synergy and cohesion of a single vision for private and public sector initiatives, and raise the profile of the province’s capacity to organize international conferences and events.

The Premier believes that the province should do more to raise its flag not only in the country, but the world over. She attributes the success of previous conferences to the number of international dignitaries, executives of multinational companies and senior executives from national and continental multilateral institutions who attended the conference, either physically or virtually.

Find out more: https://limpopoinvestmentconference.co.za/

The proliferation of mining activities in the Sekhukhune District and the expansion of Phalaborwa Mining Company is notable progress for job creation and wealth generation for the country. However, more jobs and wealth creation can be achieved if these products are beneficiated and packaged for distribution to markets globally.

This investment conference ultimately seeks to create an ecosystem of companies through forward and backward linkages and integration, to beneficiate raw materials through value chain processes that will bring meaningful contribution to the industrialization agenda of the province. The multiplier effect will be enormous to manufacturing SMEs in the province.

Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba takes a global view of the Limpopo Province.

The Limpopo economic spectrum is diverse and is characterized by traditional and new growth sectors across the five districts. The potential strength of these sectors to drive growth is hampered by low level of infrastructure. Infrastructure investment is required to match all untapped economic development opportunities at the scale equivalent to these sectors.

“We need to take a broader view of the province to create traction around Limpopo’s unique proposition not only to the country, but the world at large. Economic growth should not be narrowly defined as the function of investment promotion; however, it should broadly be seen through integration and harmonization of culture, a diverse knowledge system and our natural resources,” said Premier Ramathuba during the International Tourism Day address hosted in the province.

The Premier places Limpopo Province’s unique and rich cultural diversity as key ingredient to re-positioning the province as preferred destination for world travellers.

Tourism remains the biggest contributor to economies the world over. It exposes world travellers and holiday makers to unique offerings of different countries. The province of Limpopo is not only a melting pot for cultural diversity, blending three ethnic groups, but also home to two World Heritage sites, Mapunguve and Makapan Vally. The packaging of Limpopo should deliberately reflect these saliant points so that our envisioned tourism growth leverage immensely on these aspects.

“It must be noted,” continued Premier Ramathuba, “that the province has made huge strides in terms of promoting the mining sector opportunities in China. However, the proportion of Chinese tourists visiting Limpopo compared to other provinces, such as Gauteng and Western Cape, is low. China is very big on culture, huge on numbers and should be used to the benefit of the province.”

Having worked as technocrat, accounting officer, etc. in government and later member of the Executive Council, Premier Ramathuba is a well-rounded law maker who understand the socio-economic imperatives facing the province. She understands and appreciates that ordinary people of the province are its heritage, that the province’s economy can only be said to be moving forward if it is inclusive and contribute to the growth of enterprises in the length and breadth of the province.

In her interaction with stakeholders, and business communities in particular, Premier Ramathuba continuously articulated her vision for the province and the immediate focal points on economic recovery plans. Throughout her interaction with senior management echelons across government departments and agencies, she appealed for efficiency and diligence in the execution of service delivery mandates.

“Our endeavour is to create a conduce environment for businesses to thrive and open markets for emerging businesses to accelerate enterprise development and promote manufacturing of products for domestic and export markets.”

Refurbishment of Seshego and Nkowankowa Industrial Parks will further enhance the province’s township and rural economy revitalizations. Manufacturing is key to driving SMME development into the mainstream economy. “Our industrial parks should be the breeding ground for large scale industrial players – as we embark on the industrialization of the province towards beneficiation of the industrial base, we have to create a pool of industrialists through these parks to ensure that we are able to facilitate meaningful backward / forward integration with multinationals investing in the province,” concluded Premier Ramathuba.

As the province embarks of the economic recovery the Premier calls for a single vision across agencies and for public and private sector entities to collaborate in a coordinated effort to promote the province as a unique product with diverse selling points and to fix the damage caused by sluggish economic growth.

Find out more about the upcoming Limpopo Investment Conference: 
https://limpopoinvestmentconference.co.za/

The Lekgotla provides a platform where government officials gather to discuss the progress made by all spheres of government regarding the implementation of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004) (AQA). 1.2.

The Air Quality Governance Lekgotla provides an opportunity for government officials to share experiences, best practices and to agree on possible solutions/mechanisms in addressing common challenges faced by government in air quality management field, hence continuous capacity building at the local authority for the effective implementation of the Air Quality Act. 1.3.

The Lekgotla will deal with, amongst others, the ambient air quality monitoring, strategy development, the Atmospheric Emission Licensing (AELs), Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement and Capacity building.

To find out more about the Lekgotla, go to: https://www.dffe.gov.za/event/deptactivity/17thannualairquality2023governancelekgotla

The Lekgotla takes place over a three (3)-day period, followed by a two (2)-day conference of the National Association of Clean Air (NACA).

The NACA Conference is a paid event and Lekgotla participants wishing to attend this conference should please obtain further information on how to register at https://nacaconference.co.za/ and facilitate own arrangements to attend this conference.

The 2023 Lekgotla is scheduled to take place 4–6 September 2023 at the Ranch Resort and Conference Centre, Polokwane. The NACA Conference will take place 6–8 September at the same venue.

#TogetherForCleanAir

The SMME Roadshow has since its inception in 2014 supported small business by providing a platform to address issues that hinder small business growth and development such as funding and regulatory compliance.

To address the urgent need for SMME support, Global Africa Network initiated a highly successful virtual version of the SMME Roadshow in 2021. With over 1 800 online registrations, the Roadshow focused primarily on access to funding for small businesses, accessing markets, technology for small business, business training, and business support and assistance.

The 2023 SMME Virtual Roadshow, brought to you by Global Africa Network, will again take the form of presentations and collateral hosted on a custom platform. As such, the SMME Virtual Roadshow will be an important driver of economic growth and job creation in 2023.

Why a virtual event?

• Increased flexibility and access
• Greater opportunity for interaction
• Monitoring and recording of attendance and interaction

Small business enablers at the event:

• Access to funding for start-ups
• Access to funding for established small businesses
• Doing business with government
• Skills and development training
• Banking for small business
• Compliance – practical solutions
• Internet and telecoms solutions for small business
• Small business success stories

Participation

Attendance will be free of charge, and companies that register will be required to provide relevant information about their business, their objectives, and their requirements.

Sponsors, Thought Leaders and Presenters

The 2023 SMME Virtual Roadshow will take the form of an online event targeted at specific needs of the participants, which will vary across levels of development and support
requirements.

The event presents many opportunities for sponsors, thought leaders and presenters to engage with the SMME sector.

Seven Focus Hubs will structure the Roadshow:

• Access to funding for start-ups
• Access to funding for established small businesses
• Doing business with government
• Skills and development training
• Banking for small business
• Compliance – practical solutions
• Internet and telecoms solutions for small business
• PLUS: Small business success stories

Delegates will be able to interact with sponsors, thought leaders and presenters.

For information on sponsorship opportunities, email info@gan.co.za

Sponsors

“Our aim is to significantly enhance access and open the door to new digital opportunities for many more people across the province. Our investment is specifically targeted at increasing network coverage, improving throughputs, and connecting the previously unconnected,” says Kagiso Moncho, General Manager: Northern Region from MTN South Africa.

The MONZA rollout in the two provinces will include improvement and modernisation of 230 sites, and 76 new site builds to add to the existing 1,850. The extension of MTN’s 5G connectivity includes rolling out 58 new sites in 2022 to add to the existing 53.

Another major highlight of the expansion drive will be rural connectivity to help close the digital access gaps in South Africa. According to the GSM Associations 2021 Mobile Economy report: Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 700 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa remain offline and at risk of exclusion from the emerging digital economy.

“We have extensive plans to drive growth and connectivity solutions into under-serviced areas, including Mtititi and Ga Marishane village in Jan Furse. With unemployment in South Africa reaching new peaks, it is critical to focus on harnessing digital solutions to drive the recovery, especially in those areas that were hardest hit,” Moncho adds.

“An important point is that the pandemic has underscored the value of mobile networks, which remain the only form of internet access for many. MTN’s investments are directly targeted at accelerating the recovery and significantly enhancing growth and job opportunities,” says Moncho.

One stumbling block to growth remains the activity of criminals and syndicates. Due to high incidences of vandalism and battery theft MTN has partnered with Bidvest Security and set aside an additional R101-million in 2022 to combat this criminality.

“Ensuring users receive quality and network stability is our number one aim, but the fight against battery theft and vandalism remains a major hindrance. I am pleased that our ongoing efforts to make a dent in these criminal acts are seeing change, but all South Africans are requested to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity,” says Moncho.

“We have big targets this year in Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Every completed project, or success achieved against battery theft, ensures our clients can take that one step forward and benefit from the magic of the modern, connected world,” concludes Moncho.

About the MTN South Africa

Launched in 1994, MTN South Africa is a subsidiary of MTN Group, a leading emerging market operator with a clear vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to our customers. We are inspired by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code ‘MTN’. Our strategy is Ambition 2025: Leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress.

Follow us:
www.twitter.com/MTNza
www.linkedin.com/company/mtn

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are the key tools within our Economic Reconstruction plans to ensure that we create sustainable job opportunities for all. This applies to both the Fetakgomo-Tubatse SEZ as well as the Musina Makhado SEZ.

True development is about people

When South Africa achieved democracy nearly three decades ago, who would have dreamed of a Special Economic Zone in the Steelpoort area. But today, a Special Economic Zone is our new reality.

The proposed FTSEZ is gearing up to become a centre of excellence for green energy manufacturing, agro-processing and mineral beneficiation. The SEZ is positioned to be a game-changer in shaping and adding momentum to the industrialisation growth path as espoused in the socio-economic recovery plan of Limpopo Province.

It is strategically located in the industrial hub of Steelpoort between two huge mining establishments, the Samancor smelter and the Lion ferrechrome smelter, which are strategic landmarks for the establishment of the SEZ.

The Fetakgomo-Tubatse SEZ will not only play the role of a consumer of hydrogen in the Special Economic Zone but will strive to become a producer of hydrogen and other clean energy technologies.

In Limpopo we see the Hydrogen Economy as a potential game-changer to reindustrialise the provincial economy.

For the Fetakgomo-Tubatse SEZ, the Hydrogen Valley platform has the potential to drive the demand for mining inputs supplies, thereby creating an opportunity for large-scale industrialisation for both the manufacturing of mining inputs and the beneficiation of mining outputs.

The efforts which we have put into Fetakgomo-Tubatse SEZ have so far led to us acquiring:

• 1 220 ha of land.
• An EIA process is currently underway.
• The application for a Record of Decision (RoD) process has commenced.
• The SEZ Master Plan (Development Framework) and layout is complete with full infrastructure designs and costs in readiness for infrastructure roll-out.
• 16 companies have shown a keen interest in the SEZ by signing letters of intent (combined investment value of approximately R38-billion).
• Four companies have shown a readiness to locate inside the SEZ by 2022. A due diligence process is underway.

We envisage creating 8 000 jobs in the short term and 20 000 jobs in 10 years. The main objective of this SEZ is to develop a low-carbon green economy which will offer promising opportunities not only to fight climate change, but to enhance energy security and develop local industries.

The strategic aim of the SEZ is to develop a green primary energy supply for localised manufacturing of both upstream and downstream activities of the platinum group metals and chrome value chains.

Our passion in ensuring operational Special Economic Zones within local municipalities as well as working with various private partners is a clear indication that we are committed to “Building better communities together”.

SECURE YOUR PLACE HERE

Brought to you by Resources 4 Africa, the Junior Indaba is a lively and engaging forum which will tackle critical questions facing the exploration and junior mining sectors in Africa. We have assembled a high level gathering of CEOs and senior representatives of mining companies, government, investors and advisory firms and are pleased to announce some of the very latest additions to the line-up:

• We are pleased to welcome for the very first time Caroline Donally, Managing Partner at Sprott Private Resource Streaming and Royalty in the USA – a global leader in precious metal investments – who will share her thoughts on international investment and how international investors view South Africa as a destination for junior miners. She will be joined by David Twist, Partner at AMED Funds in the UK and Mametja Moshe, Founder and CEO of Moshe Capital, to debate current investor sentiment towards junior mining projects.
• Otsile Matlou, COO at ENSafrica, will lead a high-level panel discussion on what South Africa still needs to do to become a world class exploration and junior mining destination. He will be joined by Errol Smart, Managing Director & CEO at Orion Minerals, Adv. Thabo Mokoena, Director General at the DMRE, Paul Miller, Director at AmaranthCX and Mosa Mabuza, CEO, Council for Geoscience.
• Nolitha Fakude, Chairperson of the Management Board, Anglo American in South Africa, will be giving a revealing and insightful address on her journey and experiences in the mining industry.
• Andries Van Heerden, CEO of Afrimat, Mark Summers, CEO of Kropz and Lili Nupen, Director of NSDV, will offer some advice for aspiring miners and reveal how junior miners in South Africa can successfully navigate regulatory, financial and operational challenges.
• Clare Hanna, Senior Analyst at CRU Group in the UK, will reveal how commodity prices have responded to the pandemic and which commodities have fared best and why.

To view the latest programme, please click here.

Gold Projects

This year’s showcases feature a number of gold projects from across Africa, including: Mako Gold, which is focused on the discovery of large high-grade gold deposits in highly prospective and under-explored terrains in the Ivory Coast; the Sanankoro Gold Project in southern Mali – Cora Gold’s flagship project – and shows an 107%IRR and US$41.5m NPV (8% discount rate) at a gold price of US$1,500/oz; Caledonia Mining in Zimbabwe, a company in ascendance, with an increasing dividend, gold production and asset portfolio; and Segilola gold project in Nigeria – Thor Explorations’ flagship project which comprises a proposed open pit gold mining project based on a probable reserve of 518,000 ounces of gold grading at 4.02 grams per ton.

Chaired by Bernard Swanepoel, our exceptional speaker line-up also includes:

Jacques Badenhorst, CEO, Maatla Resources
Matthews Bagopi, General Manager, Acting, Morupule CoalMine
Roger Baxter, Chief Executive, Minerals Council South Africa
Morne du Plessis, CEO, Minergy
Sandra du Toit, Head of M&A, Africa, EY
Johan Ferreira, CEO, Khoemacau Copper Mining
Tim George, CEO, Pensana Metals
R. Michael Jones, CEO, Platinum Group Metals
Boris Kamstra, Director, Pangea
Luke Knight, Director, Amed Funds
Naseem Lahri, Managing Director, Lucara Botswana
Peter Major, Director: Mining, Mergence Corporate Solutions
Anton Mauve, CEO, Consolidated Nickel Mines
Sean Meadon, COO, Platinum 1
Mpumelelo Mkhabela, Chairman, Menar
Fortune Mojapelo, CEO, Bushveld Minerals
Brandon Munro, CEO, Bannerman Resources
Eugene Nel, CEO, Vanadium Resources
Prince Nyati, CEO, Lemur Holdings
Andries Rossouw, Director/Partner, PwC
Maritz Smith, CEO, Alphamin Resources
William (Bill) Witham, CEO, Australia-Africa Minerals and Energy Group

View the confirmed speaker list here.

Our online platform offers significant branding opportunities for our sponsors. If you are interested in finding out more, please email Stuart Alderson-Smith on sponsorship@resources4africa.com

Sponsors of the Junior Indaba include:

Mining Industry Partners: Arnot OpCo, Minerals Council South Africa,
Orion Minerals
Networking Sponsors: African Sun Mining, DRA Global, ENSafrica,
Fraser Alexander, Wood

Make sure you guarantee your place and book today!

Members

NAFCOC, Black Management Forum (BMF), Businesswomen’s Association (BWA), Progressive Professionals Forum (PPF), South African Women in Construction (SAWIC), Seshego Business Quorum, Forum of Limpopo Entrepreneurs (FOLE), Small Business Empowerment Unity (SBEU), Limpopo ICT Forum and the African Farmers’ Association of SA.

Objective

To collaborate and partner with public and private organisations in promoting and advancing the interests of members. LUBF further forms part of the social compact comprising business, government and civil society in order to grow the economy of Limpopo, contribute to the creation of jobs, reduce inequality and eradicate poverty.

Programme of action

Address challenges that affect small businesses. These include access to information, access to finance, access to markets and access to skills development and training. Late payments by government departments are a threat to the survival of small businesses. LUBF is lobbying the Provincial Treasury and the Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism Department (LEDET) to deal decisively with departments that continuously disadvantage small businesses. LUBF is looking forward to the Public Procurement Bill which will create a better legislative framework for local empowerment.

In responding to the challenges that are currently facing SMMEs, LUBF has in the past two months engaged with the Minister of Small Business Development, Khumbudzo Ntshaveni, MEC for LEDET, Thabo Mokoni, CEO for Musina-Makhado SEZ, Lehlo-gonolo Masoga, and the MEC for Public Works, Dickson Masemola in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Economic Transformation Unit of the ANC in Limpopo.

Survival and opportunity

• Businesses are struggling due to the stagnant economy, a situation that has now been exacerbated by the unprecedented pandemic. Limpopo has lower than average household income and low ICT connectivity. Small businesses have to continue creating jobs to save the economy.
• LUBF has intensified its programme of action and has recently engaged many relevant stakeholders. The objective is to assist SMMEs to gain access to Covid-19 relief programmes and access business opportunities.
• Intervention is vital for the survival of businesses but it is also true that the new economy presents opportunities for small businesses to create new jobs and maintain current ones.
• LUBF’s role is therefore to ensure access to available programmes and assist entrepreneurs to take their space in the new normal of digitisation, innovation and manufacturing.
• The leadership remain committed to uniting the voice of business.

Contact details:

Address: 1st Flr, Terminal Bldg, Polokwane Airport, Gateway Drive, Polokwane
Tel: +27 15 296 0654
Administrator: Abram Luruli Cell: 084 451 9923 Email: Lubfreception@gmail.com
Facebook: Limpopo United Business Forum-LUBF

Described as “major catalytic projects”, the Musina-Makhado SEZ (approved and forging ahead), the Tubatse SEZ (proposed) and several industrial parks (either being revived or established) are central to the strategy to grow Limpopo’s manufacturing capacity.

As of February 2020, Shaanxi CEI Investment Holdings had committed to a $5-billion investment in a vanadium and titanium smelter project at the Musina-Makhado SEZ (MMSEZ) and a further $1.1-billion had been pledged from other sources.

The focus of the first phase of the SEZ is on energy and metallurgical processes but agri-processing, logistics and general manufacturing are expected to follow in short order. An investment conference targeting the northern side of the SEZ was held in November 2019 and a South African company has announced it will manufacture products in the electric vehicle field, new energy solar system products, energy storage systems and high-density polyethylene water pipes.

Most of the planning for both sections of the SEZ is complete and the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) are nearly finished. Projections for employment opportunities at the MMSEZ have been revised upwards to 26 000.

Plans for the proposed Tubatse SEZ have been amended and were to be submitted to national government in the course of 2020 (at time of the original article publication – read more). The SEZ in Tubatse will focus on the beneficiation of platinum group metals (PGM) and mining-related manufacturing. Phase one of the project would see a 280 ha site developed to accommodate a mining suppliers park, light manufacturing, heavy manufacturing, logistics, a solar energy cluster and a PGM beneficiation cluster.

A good example of an attempt to derive greater benefit from an agricultural product is the plan to create a Marula Industrial Park. The Marula Industrial Hub envisaged for the Phalaborwa area will provide a platform to further exploit the tasty marula fruit, which has a high vitamin C content and is already produced as a beer and a liqueur. The Limpopo Department of Economic Development and Tourism (LEDET) is encouraging research into the uses of marula and the development of commercial products such as cosmetics and jams. The University of Limpopo is making good progress with a marula wine.

Facilities at the hub will include a centre for research and processing facilities to create more value from the raw product. Advisors will be available to help small-scale farmers and SMMEs enter the formal economy.

The Marula initiative is consistent with the broader agricultural sector plans for Limpopo. The provincial government has identified five Agricultural Development Zones (ADZs) across the province, including the Mopani District within which the Marula Hub is located. Programmes to increase productivity have been presented to small-scale farmers. Small-scale producers are receiving support in the form of irrigation infrastructure, livestock infrastructure and other production inputs.

The University of Venda has its own commercial offshoot, the Univen Innovative Growth Company (UIGC) which is solely owned by the university. Services are offered to the public by a range of consultants and trainers via five programmes, including the Animal Production Programme, the Farm Equipment Programme, the Univen Commercial Unit and the Univen Consultancy Unit.

Targeted plans

The SEZ and industrial parks being promoted in the province are conceptualised within a broader framework. The Limpopo Development Plan (LDP) targets three broad areas for improvement and development: socio-economic, infrastructural and institutional. Every department of the Limpopo Provincial Government has targets within the LDP which are translated into actionable programmes to be implemented within time-frames.

The plan is supported by strategies relating to a spatial investment framework in public and private sector infrastructure, an integrated public transport policy and policies on land development.

Key elements of the Limpopo Development Plan are: industrialisation (beneficiation of mining and agricultural products and produce); mining (local suppliers, improved training and access to sector for entrepreneurs); infrastructure development; agri-processing; SMME promotion and ICT and the knowledge economy (establish a WAN footprint).

The Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA) is the key driver of the provincial government’s drive to boost the economy through investment. LEDA is an agency of LEDET. LEDA’s brief is to contribute to accelerated industrialisation in Limpopo by stimulating and diversifying the industrial base of the regional economy. The focus is on high-impact projects that will spark growth in a variety of sectors and create employment opportunities.

Land, property and infrastructure development (including business parks and industrial parks) are vital components of the plan. As these targeted areas grow, the infrastructure and associated industries should act as a magnet for other businesses and industries in the same sector, and service industries.

Mining is currently the most important part of the provincial economy. Recent platinum mining developments on the eastern limb of the Bushveld Complex have increased this effect but global commodity prices have been uncertain in recent years.

One of the goals of the LDP is to see more beneficiation from the mining sector, which will support the goal of further industrialising the province’s economy. Related to this is an emphasis on the goal of developing manufacturing capacity, and this is where the role of SEZs is so important.