Access to services has
Access to services has been greatly improved in the three decades since 1994, but much still needs to be done in the water sphere. consistently contributed more than 20% to GDP, with the peak coming in 2019, at 25.6% (SOPA). The mineral wealth of the province is quite well spread out between different areas, with much of the rich Bushveld Igneous Complex falling with Limpopo’s borders: diamonds and coal in the north, platinum group metals (PGMs) in the south and along the western and eastern limbs of the Complex. Phosphates and copper are found in the east and other minerals include chromium, iron ore, antimony, phosphate, as well as mineral reserves such as gold, emeralds, scheelite, magnetite, vermiculite, mica and silicon. Several mining companies are breaking new ground, although in the case of De Beers at its Venetia Mine in the province’s far north, it is not so much new ground as old ground that is being mined in a different way. What used to be a surface mine is in the process of being transformed into an underground mine, a long and expensive project that began in 2012 and is now about 70% complete. A significant landmark was achieved in 2023 with the beginning of production at the facility that employs 4 300 people and is expected to produce four-million carats of diamonds annually. Among the other investments being made in the Limpopo mining sector is the expansion project at Northam Platinum’s Metallurgical Complex which has linked increased volumes with better efficiencies and a cleaner process from an environmental point of view. Less water and power are used by the newly installed machines and a high-tech two-stage chilling system has been introduced to control the reaction of leaching operations. One the province’s biggest companies is using its recently constructed packing facilities to prepare tomatoes and avocados for export. The fact that ZZ2 is venturing into the avocado market is big news for the agricultural sector. The manufacturing sector growing the fastest is food and beverage, with its share of regional GDP having increased from 26% in 2005 to 33% in 2020 (TIPS). The province is home to some of the biggest agricultural and agro-processing companies in the country, including ZZ2 and Hans Merensky Holdings. Three major national parks – Kruger National Park, Mapungubwe in the north and Marakele in the Waterberg – are run by South African National Parks (SANParks) and attract large numbers of tourists every year. The province’s private game reserves and lodges enjoy a reputation for luxury and excellence of service that attracts tens of thousands of international visitors. The combined land area of Limpopo’s national, provincial and private game and nature reserves is 3.6-million hectares. The provincial government has committed to enhancing the value of Limpopo’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Makapans Valley and Mapungubwe, where the superbly crafted little golden rhinoceros, a relic from medieval times, was found in 1932. This is also a priority programme in the National Tourism Sector Strategy. The Waterberg Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO protected site. Some Limpopo nature reserves are to be commercialised using private-public partnerships. Among the first reserves to be part of the programme are Masebe, Rust de Winter and Lekgalameetse. The Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) is responsible for 53 provincial nature reserves. ■ Virtual reality has come to Letaba TVET College’s Modjadji Campus in Ga-Kgapane with the opening of the CHIETA SMART Skills Centre. VR will assist with digital-artisan training and the centre will act as a hub for training and supporting SMMEs. LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2024/25 12 PHOTO: GIC | PHOTO: CHIETA
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