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Free State Business 2019 edition

  • Text
  • Agriculture
  • Africa
  • Africa
  • Business
  • Investment
  • Gas
  • Mining
  • Zone
  • Sez
  • Provincial
  • Sasol
  • Tourism
  • Opportunities
  • Industrial
  • Province
  • Bloemfontein
  • Municipality
  • Manufacturing
  • Economic
Free State Business is a unique guide to business and investment in the Free State Province of South Africa. The Free State has several investment and business opportunities. The official launch of the Maluti-A-Phofung Special Economic Zone is a significant event for the economy of South Africa’s most centrally located province. Overviews on each of the key economic sectors provide up-to-date information on trends in the mining and tourism sectors, for example. Regular information about the size and nature of each sector is also included.

SPECIAL FEATURE

SPECIAL FEATURE Kimberley and Upington in the Northern Cape province. Several projects are underway in and around the provincial capital, including an Airport Node (logistics, supply chain, flats, shopping malls), Naval Hill (projected new hotel in the nature reserve), and the expansion of Hamilton Business Park. The city’s Fresh Produce Market is an important cog in the distribution of agricultural produce in the region while it is connected to all other centres by good rail and road links. There is a marshalling yard, a petroleum depot and two airports (one military). The national Supreme Court of Appeal is located in Bloemfontein and the National Museum has superb rock art exhibits. Xhariep District Municipality Towns: Trompsberg, Koffiefontein, Zastron, Philipollis, Edenburg, Fauresmith, Smithfield, Wepener The southernmost region of the Free State is a largely dry area with open grasslands predominating, although it is also home to the Gariep Dam, South Africa’s largest dam. Crops are produced in the northern parts of the district whereas sheep farming predominates in the south. Trompsberg has the second-biggest sheep-shearing barn in the country. Diamonds, gravel and clay are mined at Koffiefontein. Jagersfontein is one of the first places where diamonds were found, and it has its own version of the Big Hole to prove it. The town of Bethulie is a good stopping-over place for tourists wanting to experience the water sports available on the Gariep Dam. The dam is also the site of small hydro-power and aquaculture projects which are intended to create employment and tackle food security. The nearby Tussen die Riviere Nature Reserve and the Mynhardt Game Reserve have a variety of wildlife in spectacular settings. Jacobsdal’s Landzicht winery has proved itself as a worthy producer of wine. San rock paintings and Anglo-Boer War sites are plentiful. Fauresmith hosts an annual horse endurance race and Smithfield is the venue for a “Chill” festival every winter, the “Bibber Fees”. The steel bridge over the Caledon River at Wepener is a national monument. Lejweleputswa District Municipality Towns: Welkom, Virginia, Boshof, Christiana, Bultfontein, Bothaville Mining is the most important economic activity in this area, also known as the Free State Goldfields, but it is also the most important maize-growing area in South Africa. A large natural gas field has been discovered on what used to be gold turf. Bothaville is the selfproclaimed Mielie Capital of South Africa but it is a name that is apt. The town hosts the annual NAMPO maize festival and the headquarters of Grain SA. Mining town Welkom is the major urban centre in the district. The town of Virginia is the site of a jewellery school and it is intended that this will form the nucleus of a jewellery beneficiation hub and an IT hub. The area has tourist assets such as a holiday resort on the Allemanskraal Dam, the Goldfields Wine Cellar in Theunissen and the Willem Pretorius Game Reserve but there is potential for growth in the heritage sector. Fezile Dabi District Municipality Towns: Sasolburg, Parys, Kroonstad, Frankfort, Heilbron, Viljoenskroon The chemical complex at Sasolburg is the economic driver in the district, which shares a border with Gauteng province along the Vaal River. The town of Heilbron is another important industrial centre and Frankfort does important agricultural processing work. Kroonstad is the district’s second-largest town and has a number of engineering works and a railway junction. A new kraft paper factory has been planned for Frankfort. A good proportion of South Africa’s grain crop is sourced from this district and when the vast fields of sunflowers and cosmos flowers are in bloom, a marvellous vista is created. The Vaal River presents opportunities for yachting, rafting and resort-based enterprises. Parys is a charming town and Vredefort is home to a World Heritage Site – the Vredefort Dome where a meteor crashed to earth. FREE STATE BUSINESS 2019 10

FREE STATE PROVINCE Ulco Northern Cape N De Aar Warrenton KIMBERLEY N12 N8 Jacobsdal Petrusburg Koffiefontein Bloemhof Hoopstad Christiana Edenburg Trompsburg Potchefstroom Balfour Vereeniging Ottosdal Klerksdorp Parys Lethabo Sasolburg N12 Vredefort Wolmaransstad Viljoenskroon Villiers R30 N1 Heilbron North West Bultfontein Dealesville R64 Wesselsbron Welkom Virginia Theunissen BLOEMFONTEIN N1 Thaba Nchu Wepener Smithfield Bethulie Rouxville Bothaville Odendaalsrus Winburg Clocolan Zastron Kroonstad Ventersburg Marquard Botshabelo R26 Hobhouse Dewetsdorp N6 R70 R76 N5 Senekal Fouriesburg Ficksburg Ladybrand Frankfort R57 Reitz MASERU LESOTHO Eastern Cape Gauteng R26 N3 SPECIAL FEATURE Mpumalanga R34 Warden Standerton Vrede Bethlehem Clarens Phuthaditjhaba Golden Gate National Park Volksrust Newcastle Harrismith Van Reenen R74 N3 Winteron Underberg Motorway Main Road Railway Ladysmith Colenso Estcourt KwaZulu- Natal Fezile Dabi District Municipality is the biggest contributor towards the provincial GDP, contributing approximately 35%. The Fezile Dabi area is mostly dominated by the industrial power of Sasol, with the manufacturing of refined petroleum, coke and chemical products adding largely to its GDP. The establishment of ChemCity, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sasol, has also added a business incubator that allows SMMEs to feed off and diversify from the opportunities that prevail due to the energy consortium operating in the area. Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality Towns: Phuthaditjhaba, Bethlehem, Tweespruit, Ladybrand, Clarens, Harrismith, Vrede, Ficksburg Tourism and fruit farming are the two principal economic activities of this area which is characterised by beautiful landscapes: the Maluti and the Drakensberg mountain ranges, wetlands in the north, well-watered river valleys and the plains of the north and west. The most famous asset is the Golden Gate National Park. Industrial activity is undertaken at Harrismith and Phuthaditjhaba, where the Free State Development Corporation is promoting investment. The Maluti-a-Phofung Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Harrismith is a multi-modal transport and logistics hub. The commercial centre of the district is Bethlehem while Clarens and Ficksburg have become famous for their artists and cherries respectively. Marquard produces 90% of South Africa’s cherries. The north of the district has many sunflower seed farms. Tweespruit is a major sunflower seed production centre. The Basuto cultural village in Qwa Qwa offers beautifully made crafts, and rock paintings can be seen as illustrations of the artistic skills of much earlier inhabitants of the area. 11 FREE STATE BUSINESS 2019

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