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Upington, Groblershoop, South Africa: The Premier of the Northern Cape Province, Ms Sylvia Lucas, has today officially launched a Business Incubation Centre which will see about R2.3 million being invested over the next 18 months towards the development of Small-to-Medium Sized Enterprises in the Kheis Municipality.

The Incubation Centre is part of the ACWA Power Solafrica Bokpoort CSP corporate social responsibility programme which is aimed at advancing the previously disadvantage local to site entrepreneurs.

Speaking at the launch the Premier said she was proud that ACWA Power Solafrica Bokpoort CSP has taken a bold move in supporting the call by the government to support SMME’s. Through this intervention,we are able to unlock economic opportunities and in so doing achieve inclusive economic growth and sustainable employment, particularly for women.

The Premier said that the National Development Plan states that about 90% of jobs will be created through small and medium sized companies by 2030. With ACWA Power Solafrica Bokpoort already contributing meaningful towards the realisation of this important objective, the government will be partnering with the private sectors to ensure that such programmes are replicated across the country. ‘I therefore encourage all the men and women entrepreneurs in this programme to fully commit your energies and time in order to extract the maximum benefit out of it,” enthused the Premier.

Head of CSI and Human Capital, Mbuso Mbatha, who is responsible for programme said the initiative is part of the Bokpoort CSP commitment to ensuring that the Nelson Mandela legacy of better life for all is kept alive. “We see the growth of these SMME’s being well entwined with that of ours.

Mbatha said that the company already has eight companies that are already working on site and have signed contracts to participate in the Incubation Programme.  The selected businesses will be trained in amongst other things, financial management, quality assurance, customer services, project management as well as safety management and how to put business proposal together. The SMME’s will also be provided with day-to-day support and mentorship on the site to ensure that they execute their jobs to the best possible standards.

Mbatha added that the company has also identified various opportunities within its procurement systems to ensure that those companies who become ready are then able to start with work on site. “It will be unfair of us to train these companies but yet not be able to afford those opportunities available within our business first,” he emphasised.

Concluding, Mbatha said that over the 18 months period set for the programme, the company will extend the number of SMME’s in the programme and encourage the businesses to make maximum use of the services provided at the Business Incubation Centre. 

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The Northern Cape recorded the largest drop in unemployment in South Africa, with the official unemployment rate dropping from 30,4% to 27,4% in the Quarter 4:2024 alongside significant job gains in key sectors such as agriculture and finance.

The Province saw an increase of 18 000 jobs between the third and fourth quarter of 2024, bringing the total number of employed people to 355 000. This reflects a 5.3% in employment quarter-on-quarter positioning the Northern Cape among the top provinces that recorded positive employment rate.

Provincial government remains committed to working with the private sector to ensure that more jobs are created for the people of this Province.

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The Premier of the Northern Cape, Dr. Zamani Saul, on behalf of the Northern Cape Provincial Government welcomes the R7 billion investment by Vedanta Zinc International (VZI) into the Gamsberg Phase 2 project. This investment forms part of the second phase of the R21 Billion commitment pledged by VZI at the Inaugural Investment Conference held in 2019, in Gauteng.

This investment bodes well for the reduction of poverty and unemployment in the province and will positively contribute towards us realising our vision of a Modern, Growing and Successful province.

The Gamsberg Phase 2 expansion project will double the mine and plant capacity from 4Mt to 8Mt. This will make VZI and South Africa the largest zinc producer in Africa. The project will also bring significant Socio-economic benefits to the Northern Cape including 2000-2500 jobs during construction and 800 -1000 permanent jobs upon completion of the project. This is in addition to the 2700 people already employed at the mine.

The investment will significantly benefit the local community and enhance supplier and enterprise development.

The project will also form part of the Namakwa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and will contribute towards secondary industries and downstream beneficiation. Vedanta is also committed to produce green zinc from this expansion to make our province emission free.

The VZI investment and others announced in our State of the Province Address earlier this year demonstrates that the Province is a safe and reliable investment destination and as Government we will support all initiatives geared at economic growth and development in our province.

Working together with our socio-economic partners we will build a Modern, Growing and Successful province. The Northern Cape is open to investments.

Media Enquiries
Ms Bronwyn Thomas-Abrahams
Spokesperson to the Premier
Issued by the Office of the Premier
30 March 2022