12 INVESTMENT
12 INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES CATALYTIC PROJECTS The Free State Province is a forward-looking entity, eager to attract investments to boost development, raise employment levels and take advantage of the province’s wonderful natural resources. A number of catalytic projects are at various stages of development in the Free State Province. These range from industrial parks, tourism and agroprocessing to urban regeneration and the creation of a mini-city on the site of Bloemfontein’s airport. The following pages detail the progress being made on projects, and outline where interested investors can participate and share in economic growth. Hamilton Industrial Park Well-located area suited to light industry. Location Developer Project description Near Vista Park 1 and 2, Bloemfontein, Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality The area is close to residential areas and is well served by transport routes. Intended zonings include General Industrial. The land is situated in an area consisting predominantly of light industries including the Coca-Cola bottling plant, Ram Couriers and Triton Express. A variety of uses is intended: warehousing, factory shops, light manufacturing, recreational, motor-vehicle workshops, truck and heavy equipment hire, food production, recycling depot, plant nursery. Bloemindustria Industrial Park Excellent development potential on the N8. 23km from Bloemfontein CBD on the N8 to Botshabelo, Thaba-Nchu and Lesotho Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality The site is a formal planned township which is partially serviced. Only six stands are currently developed or occupied. The municipality partly installed services such as water, sanitation, electricity and one tarred road on the first row of the development facing the N8. The municipality further erected nine factory shells which were later rented out. Project status Project stakeholders Issues to be addressed Interventions Project development cost Jobs to be created Industrial properties are available adjoining the existing Coca-Cola depot for the parties who can enter into a renewable 10-year lease with the municipality while providing their own reticulation infrastructure. Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, private investors Funding for engineering infrastructure upgrading (bulk and link) Incremental budgeting for infrastructure upgrading R2-billion 1 000 The township, as approved by the Surveyor General, includes 138 stands and measures approximately 212.7ha in extent. Various landuse zones are provided for but the earmarked area is primarily industrial, with some stands zoned as parks and a few commercial stands. Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, Free State Provincial Government, national government, private sector Funding of bulk and link infrastructure and funding of top-structure (factory shells) development Upgrading of bulk infrastructure R4-billion 1 000
13 INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY REDEVELOPMENT OF PHAKISA RACEWAY Getting racing back on track. Credit: Joe Neric, Unsplash LOCATION ERF 3410 and 3411 Odendaalsrus, Matjhabeng Local Municipality, Lejweleputswa District Municipality PROJECT DEVELOPERS DESTEA, through its entities (FDC and FSGLTA) and Matjhabeng Local Municipality. The intended project will redevelop the Phakisa Raceway and improve its standard in line with Motorsport South Africa (MSA) regulations. The Phakisa Freeway/Raceway is a motor-racing circuit located between the towns of Welkom and Odendaalsrus. It is the only oval speedway in Africa. The Phakisa Freeway/Raceway consists of a 4.242km road course and a 2.414km oval course. The road course uses the oval’s pit lane as its backstraight and crosses the oval’s backstretch twice. Credit: Michael Weir, Unsplash HISTORY The Phakisa Freeway hosted the penultimate leg of the 1999 Federation of International Motorcycling Grand Prix in 1999, just a few months after it opened. Regarded as very demanding on riders, the oval course is an exact replica of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Built on the site of the old Goldfields Raceway which hosted Springbok Series sports car racing from the 1970s, the modern track hosted three consecutive FIM World Motorcycle Championship Grand Prix, culminating in 2001. The last one was held in 2004. Although a return was promised in 2014, this did not happen. Testing and track day events are sometimes held at the venue, but regular racing such as used to draw large crowds is something that new investment will hopefully bring back. The Phakisa Freeway has a possible capacity for 60 000 spectators.
