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Northern Cape Investment Prospectus 2021

  • Text
  • Africa
  • Projects
  • Investment
  • Prospectus
  • Mining
  • Infrastructure
  • Opportunities
  • Sector
  • Renewable
  • Upington
  • Industrial
  • Economic
  • Cape
  • Northern

SECTORAL CLUSTERS AND

SECTORAL CLUSTERS AND KEY INFRASTRUCTURE GAMAGARA CORRIDOR: Mining contributes 23.4% to the Northern Cape economy and makes up nearly 7% of SA’s total mining value with significant deposits of iron ore, manganese, zinc, copper, lead, titanium, pig iron, zircon and gypsum. The availability of natural resources, labour and infrastructure (including the Sishen-Saldanha railway line), make Sishen the country’s most important iron-ore mine, where operations include extraction and four beneficiation plants. DE AAR RENEWABLE ENERGY: More than R200bn has been committed by the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) to renewable energy projects across South Africa (target: 13 225MW to the national grid by 2025); 60% of the projects are in the Northern Cape. The biggest solar farm in SA to date was launched in March 2016 at De Aar. SQUARE KILOMETRE ARRAY: Unimaginable amounts of data will be collected in this transformative radio telescope project in the Karoo, with an image-resolution quality to exceed that of the Hubble Space Telescope by a factor of 50. Made up of thousands of antennae throughout Australia and Africa, and centred on the area around Carnarvon in the Northern Cape, the scheme has wide-ranging implications for the province. There are 17 countries on the project, with the headquarters in Manchester, England. In Africa, a total of eight countries will host SKA antennae, including Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia. The 64-dish MeerKAT telescope, situated in Sutherland, will form part of the SKA, and the MeerLICHT telescope, part of the MeerKAT project, is a multinational project (South Africa, the Netherlands, the UK) involving scientists from six institutions and forming part of a broader National Department of Science and Technology multi-wavelength astronomy (MWA) strategy. VAALHARTS IRRIGATION SCHEME: In the north, the irrigated Vaalharts district covers 43 000ha and is home to a variety of food producers and processors, such as Olives South Africa, which has 200 000 trees and produces a variety of oils for local and foreign markets. In the east, OVK oversees Gariep Organic Meat Processors in Hopetown. Kimberley has a number of food-processing facilities catering for the urban population. MINERAL BENEFICIATION: Kimberley is the site of diamond beneficiation projects boosted by the signing of MOUs with Turkey and India for diamond cutting and polishing, and jewellery manufacturing at the Kimberley International Diamond and Jewellery Academy (KIDJA). 10

METAL MANUFACTURING: The mining sector is strongly represented in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, in which the towns of Kuruman, Kathu and Hotazel are situated. AGRI-PROCESSING: Wine, grapes and raisins, animal hides and abattoirs are among the processing operations along the Orange River in the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality. Other main towns are Groblershoop, Kakamas and Upington, with dates, olives, citrus and rooibos tea providing excellent growth potential. COASTLINE: Notwithstanding growth in the abalone, fishing and lobster industries, economic potential lies in the 313km coastline, encouraged by the national Oceans Economy programme, with Port Nolloth, Boegoebaai and Hondeklip Bay harbours targeted for development. The latter has already received investment in the aquaculture sector. The province has been allocated an increased quota for landing fish (primarily hake) which makes Port Nolloth attractive for investment in fish processing and abalone ranching. TOURISM: The Northern Cape boasts unparalleled spring flower displays, six national parks and five provincial reserves including the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (with Botswana) encompassing 3.7m hectares. Hunting is a lucrative subsector, contributing to the economic development of rural communities. The Diamond Fields region contains the Big Hole and portions of the famed Battlefields Route. General opportunities for investors in the sector include nature and game reserves, adventure tourism, upgrading of accommodation facilities, theme parks, and improvement of air transport networks. Specific projects in the pipeline include: STEAM ON TRACKS: Revival of the steam-train tourism industry of the province to deliver a tourism mix of diamond and mining history with other attractions as part of an integrated tourism package.ge SKA SCIENCE EXPLORATORIUM: The establishment of a multi-purpose facility including a Science Visitor Centre, SKA Information Centre, conferencing facilities and accommodation. SCIENCE TOURISM: Development of special interest tourism including exploration and adventure tourism with a scientific dimension, cultural tourism based on scientific knowledge, eco-volunteering and scientific research tourism. BLOODHOUND LAND SPEED RECORD, HAKSKEENPAN: Tourism and other spin-off opportunities emanating from the international initiative to set a new world land speed record. UPINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Upington International Airport’s 4.9km runway allows it to land the largest aircraft. Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is a partner in the application to run the Upington IP and has allocated 55ha for the creation of an aviation park to store and maintain aircraft, and a further 30ha for commercial development. The planned storage facility could also support a variety of related sectors such as modification and demolition, parts manufacturing and warehousing, and ground support equipment (GSE) repair. 11

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