A REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF
FREE STATE Both the Botshabelo Industrial Park and the Maluti-A-Phofung Special Economic Zone (MAP SEZ) are attracting investors to the country’s most centrally-located province. Covid-19 hit the tourism sector hard, but the province’s miners are enjoying good commodity prices and the Virginia Gas Project is steaming ahead. By John Young
T
Other good news came in the form of news that the Maluti-A-Phofung Special Economic Zone (MAP SEZ), the strategically located area on the N3 highway, is attracting new investment to the Free State Province. Sectors prioritised at the MAP SEZ include logistics, ICT, automotive, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and agro-processing. The 1 000ha site has four zones: agro-processing, light industrial, heavy industrial and a container terminal. Control of the project now rests with the provincial Department of Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA).
he announcement in 2021 by Renergen, the owners of the Virginia Gas Project, that it had signed an agreement with Consol, one of the country’s leading glass manufacturers, gave new impetus to the country’s only onshore gas project. Having previously targeted the logistics sector for offtake agreements, and successfully concluded several agreements together with a joint venture to roll out gas supplies to filling stations across the country with TotalEnergies, the Consol pact marked a significant new customer for the gas explorers and potentially opens up a new market. Renergen said in 2021 that their findings continued to confirm early reports of substantial reserves. One of the key facts to emerge is that the gas contains helium of up to 12%, a good percentage. FREE STATE BUSINESS 2022
Infrastructure Other areas that are being upgraded to provide infrastructure to encourage manufacturing are the Phuthaditjhaba Industrial Park and the Botshabelo Industrial Park, where a foreign firm has started
10
