Special Economic Zone (SEZ) development for Komati approved

KOMATIPOORT – The Nkomazi Local Municipality (NLM) approved the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone (SEZ) development last week.
If the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency and all stakeholders meet the conditions of approval set by the Nkomazi Local Municipality, Komatipoort may soon become a changed landscape, unlocking development and creating jobs.
This small Onderberg town was identified as an agricultural and industrial business zone by the government years ago.
Drought and reduced sugar cane prices have cost agricultural Nkomazi dearly. So did the International Monetary Fund intervention to general trade when it prohibited transfer of money from Mozambique into South Africa from
May 2016.

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The need for added value in Nkomazi is urgent. Therefore the approval in principle of the Proposed Township Establishment on Portion 58 of the Farm Komatipoort Townlands 182-JU, which will be known as Komatipoort Extension 20, is important to everybody. This development could serve well to invite business to the region.
Although the developer assured that all relevant demands or pre-conditions for the development have been well considered and are or will be met, the following conditions of approval have been made applicable to the development.

• Proof of a water-user license indicating that sufficient water is available to the township prior to any construction. The on-site water purification and storage facilities will be installed to the satisfaction of NLM and the Department of Water and Sanitation prior to any construction.
• Sufficient electricity provision exists and will not impact electricity provision to the existing and developing Komatipoort. Electricity can be provided by Eskom to supplement and complement the proposed waste-to-energy plant of the development.
• The wastewater treatment works will be installed to the satisfaction of NLM and the Department of Water and Sanitation prior to any construction.
• Adequate provision has been made for the parking of trucks and large vehicles from a traffic-flow and customs point of view at the entrance and exit to the proposed industrial park.
• Phasing of the township must be clearly defined prior to proclamation of any part thereof.
• The services agreement to be entered into with NLM should clearly outline the services to be provided for and maintained by the developer, defining the extent to which the development will be self-contained with respect to services.
• The developer clearly indicates the manner in which SARS and Customs, as organs of the State, will be accommodated on-site.

Local businesses are thankful that the process has reached this point. The conditions contained in the letter of approval in principle provide that the existing demand for services will not be further burdened.
The hope is that once the SEZ takes off these matters may become more important to deal with proactively and not, as it presently happens, by means of crisis management.
According to Jan Engelbrecht and John O’Reilly, Komatipoort business owners, as much as the hard work of the deployed staff is appreciated, more is necessary.
“That is why we, in conjunction with the Malalane and Nkomazi Business Chamber in the Nkomazi Business Alliance, requested the introduction of the City Improvement District mechanism to have a hand in matters that cannot wait indefinitely for municipal action,” said Engelbrecht.
The interim chamber in Komatipoort will no longer be known as Nkomazi East Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Association, but as the Komatipoort Business Chamber. The chamber will arrange a public meeting as soon as the CID invite has been accepted by NLM to inform and invite local owners to join the effort to improve the town.