City Press reports that thousands of jobs are on the cards for the Eastern Cape, with plans to develop the Wild Coast special economic zone in Mthatha now gaining momentum.
The zone will be developed at the Mthatha Airport development precinct, just 10km away from Mthatha, the seat of the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality, which covers Mthatha and Mqanduli towns. The project, which will take advantage of the newly revamped Mthatha Airport, will result in a number of government departments and entities, including the private sector, working together to make it a reality. The zone falls under the trade and industry department’s Coega Development Corporation, the economic development department, the environmental development and tourism department, the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality and the OR Tambo district municipality. Nero Lisani, spokesperson for the economic development, environmental affairs and tourism department, said in the first phase of construction it was anticipated that 6,420 direct job opportunities would be created and then 2,578 operational jobs. The zone would focus on developing value chains in the agro sector taking into account the comparative and competitive advantage of the region, Lisani indicated. All that was left now was for economic development, environmental affairs and tourism department MEC Oscar Mabuyane to submit a final application for the economic zone to Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies for consideration.
- Read this report by Lubabalo Ngcukana in full at Fin24
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