Northern Cape Business 2025-26

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY І InfrastructureA Provincial InfrastructureMaster Plan will coordinatemajor investments across allmodes of transport.To transport locally produced goodsquickly and efficiently to the restof South Africa and beyond, theNorthern Cape is rapidly expandingits road, air and maritime infrastructure.Under the current administration, therehas been a surge in public-sector andprivate-sector investments in road, railand additional port and airport capacity,providing local businesses with a newplatform for domestic and international growth.“Aligned with the national government’sR940-billion (-billion) infrastructure rollout plan,we will leverage both public- and private-sectorinvestment to position the province as a key nodein the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),”Premier Dr Zamani Saul says.One of the largest projects under developmentis the expansion of the province’s largest airport,Upington International, and the associated UpingtonIndustrial Park. Using a public-private partnership,the airport operator plans to create an internationalhub for transport and trade at Upington.A designated Special Economic Zone (SEZ), thesite will serve as a multi-modal centre providingeasy access to international markets, above allfor the province’s light manufacturing andagricultural sectors.“We are expanding the Upington Industrial Parkand the Upington Airport to support logistics,manufacturing, and exports,” Premier Saul says.Other SEZs under development in the provinceinclude the Namakwa SEZ, the Kathu Industrial Parkand the Boegoebaai Port and Green Hydrogen Cluster.Combining attractive tax incentives, competitivelease costs and renewable energy supply, thesefacilities form a critical part of the Northern Cape’seconomic growth strategy.Road investments will also be key to achievingthe province’s ambitions. Major highways such asthe N14 are critical for the Northern Cape’s miningsector, connecting ports to SEZs and logistics hubsand linking mineral and agricultural production toexport markets.With road investment a continuing priority forthe government, there are significant opportunitiesto create public-private partnerships for roaddevelopment and logistics, says Fufe BohutsanaProvidence Makatong, Member of the ExecutiveCouncil for Roads and Public Works.Under Makatong, the Northern Cape hasstrengthened and redefined its relationship withthe state-run South African National Roads AgencyLimited (SANRAL), which manages major highwaysincluding the N14.Thanks to the enhanced partnership withSANRAL, which has recently opened a new officein Kimberley, Makatong has been able to free upfunds to invest in modernising and maintainingthe province’s vast network of rural roads. In thelast five years, the government has upgraded over105 000km of roads, improving mobility acrossthe province.In addition, a major round of infrastructureupgrades is underway ahead of a high-levelG20 meeting, covering not only roads but alsogovernment buildings.“It’s about shifting perception,” MEC Makatongsays. “When global eyes are on Kimberley, we wantthem to see potential.”Meanwhile, the province’s government aims toshift large-scale freight, especially mineral exports,off trucks and onto trains, in order to improve roadsafety and lower transport costs. Diverting freightfrom road to rail will reduce the wear on roads and cutcarbon emissions.“Rail is not just greener, it’s smarter,” says MECMakatong. Makatong’s plan for rail involves

| +27 53 833 1503.za | info@investsanc.co.zatsanc.co.zaorthern Cape: A Modern, Growing and Successful Province”2022/232022/06/01 13:03The Kathu traffic circlehas been widened. Majorroad works are underwayon the main corridorsof the Northern Cape,underpinning a drive toimprove infrastructure tosupport investment.PHOTO: SANRALreactivating existing, underused railway lines andbuilding new lines not just for freight but also forpassenger transport.The Northern Cape is also developing majorseaports such as the Boegoebaai project. Theseinvestments will reduce the province’s relianceon eastern ports, support high-growth industriessuch as renewables and logistics, and secure theprovince’s central position on the new map of globaltrade. The Boegoebaai port development has gainedrenewed momentum and a new dimension underthe administration of Premier Saul.To ensure coordination of all these majorinvestments across different modes of transport,the government is currently finalising an eagerlyawaited Provincial Infrastructure Master Plan 2040.“This Plan will serve as a strategic blueprint todirect infrastructure development in the NorthernCape,” Saul says.Job creation, sustainability and economic growthwill be at the heart both of the infrastructure planand the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP)managed by Makatong’s department.In line with this unwavering focus on inclusion,equity and shared prosperity, the governmentis embarking on a major land reform programmethat will transform unused governmentbuildings and other properties into valuable assetssuch as community centres, housing and localenterprise zones.“We want to be the province that shows howland reform can be done properly,” Makatong says.“With integrity, with law and with people at thecentre.”A major programme of investment in roads,rail, ports and industrial parks is enhancingtransport links, improving connectivity and socialmobility, creating new job opportunities, andcementing the Northern Cape’s place at the heartof the global economy. ■PHOTO: ACSAUpington International Airport is set to form the core of the Upington Industrial Park and serve as aninternational hub for transport and trade.