32 minute read
Manufacturing
Mpumalanga’s natural resources support a diverse manufacturing sector.
Columbus Stainless’ factory. Image: Columbus Stainless
From steel to chemicals, petroleum and stainless steel to paper and fruit juice, Mpumalanga makes a wide variety of products. There is a distinct geographical divide. Fuel, petroleum and chemical production occurs in the southern Highveld region clustered around Sasol’s plants. The Sasol chemicals and liquid fluids complex at Secunda is a vital component of Mpumalanga’s manufacturing sector. The company has two propylene manufacturing plants and recently completed two major investments aimed at improving flows and expanding production.
Propylene is an input for polypropylene which is used in packaging, automotive components and textiles. The market is growing in South
Africa at 4% per annum, roughly the same rate as the global market.
The northern Highveld area, including Middleburg and eMalahleni (Witbank), is home to ferro alloy, steel and stainless-steel concerns.
In the Lowveld, agricultural and forestry products are processed while Sappi’s giant mill is close to the company’s forests south-west of the provincial capital, Mbombela.
Standerton has textile-manufacturing capacity in the form of
Standerton Mills. It is also home to several plants that use local raw materials: Nestlé has an infant-cereal manufacturing plant, RCL runs farms in the Carolina district and Early Bird is prominent. McCain and PepsiCo (Simba) have plants that use the province’s plentiful potato crop.
TSB Sugar runs two large mills and produces fruit juices through a subsidiary company. Nelspruit is the centre of the province’s food-processing cluster. Approximately 70% of jobs in the manufacturing sector are in food and forestry.
A Social Enterprise Development Programme has been designed by the Provincial Government of Mpumalanga
Sector Insight Food and forestry provide the most jobs in the manufacturing sector.
to assist township and rural manufacturing businesses in the steel fabrication sector. This will include manufacturers of finished products such as door frames, window frames and concrete products like paving bricks, building bricks and blocks.
A key objective of the provincial government’s Mpumalanga Economic Growth and Development Path (MEGDP) is to expand the industrial base of the provincial economy. To do this, policy-makers are focusing on beneficiation, agri-processing and value chain development.
A large agri-processing fruit hub is planned for the province. Located in the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone, the proposed hub, with an estimated value of R10-billion, would deal with the whole value chain from growing fruit through to processing, marketing and logistics. Having manufacturing facilities at the core of the hub will enable a variety of businesses to be established, both upstream (to supply the plant) and downstream (to deal with the products of the plant).
Steel
Middelburg-based Columbus Stainless is a major supplier of stainless-steel products to the domestic and international market. About 25% of the company’s production is sold domestically. The South African steel industry has endured tough times. According to the South African Iron and Steel Institute (SAISI), the sector has shown virtually no growth since 2013. The country produces about six-million tons annually, but costs are high and domestic demand is low. The industry has important strategic value and has about 190 000 employees. Creative thinking kicked in when Highveld Steel’s troubles reached a tipping point in 2015. Aside from the business rescue process, the 1 000ha property has been repurposed as a multi-purpose site for industry and commerce. Called the Highveld Industrial Park, the project promotes a wide range of manufacturing enterprises.
Stockpiles of coal and vanadium are being sold off, but two iron plants and a steel plant offer fully-equipped metallurgical and steelmaking facilities, supported by environmental monitoring services and metallurgical and chemical laboratories. The structural mill of Evraz Highveld Steel in Witbank was officially relaunched in June 2017 after ArcelorMittal South Africa signed a contract to supply blooms and slabs for the mill to make into heavy structural steel. The two-year contract had an option to renew but ArcelorMittal took the alternative option in July 2019 when it announced its intention to buy the mill.
Samancor Chrome (which runs Ferrometals) is the second-largest ferrochrome producer in the world with three plants, two of which are in Mpumalanga: eMalahleni (Witbank) and Middelburg.
Metals and machinery
The presence of Ferrometals (a Samancor company) in eMalahleni means that Mpumalanga is an important place for metals and machinery manufacturing. It produces charge chrome and is one of the largest ferrochome plants in the world. Joint ventures such as Crometals, Poschrome and Elkem Ferroveld operate from the site.
In the course of an upgrade, FLSmidth has also doubled the size of its Delmas Supercentre to 10 500m². The company makes equipment for materials handling and mineral processing. The centre also hosts a training facility and handles repairs for customers.
In Middelburg, Thos Begbie makes a variety of products at its heavy engineering works. Graphite Freezeline Solutions opened a new graphite facility within the Begbie property in 2018. Thos Begbie has announced an expansion into Zambia, where it will service and repair furnace components.
The Manganese Metal Company in Nelspruit is the largest producer of pure electrolytic manganese metal in the world. Delta EMD, in the same town, is one of the biggest producers of electrolytic manganese dioxide, a material used in the manufacture of alkaline batteries. ■
Online Resources
Highveld Industrial Park: www.highveldindustrialpark.co.za Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency: www.mega.gov.za South African Iron and Steel Institute: www.saisi.co.za
Columbus Stainless
The future of manufacturing.
Columbus Stainless, a member of the Spanish based Acerinox SA Group of Companies, is South Africa’s and Africa’s only producer of stainless-steel flat products. Founded in 1966, Columbus Stainless is the only fully integrated, technologically advanced, single site stainless-steel producer in Africa. The plant based in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, produces a wide range of Austenitic, Ferritic, Utility and Duplex grades of stainless steel suitable for most applications and has melting capacity of 1 000 000 tons per annum to supply stainless-steel flat products (coils, plates and sheets) to various final customers, distributors, engineering shops and mines globally (in Africa, Europe, the United States, Asia, etc).
The company supports the livelihoods of 1300 employees and 600 contractors. Through its BBBEE programme, Columbus Stainless actively promotes doing business with small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) owned or controlled by black entrepreneurs who are able to supply quality products and services in a timely and competitive manner. These businesses have created more than 100 sustainable jobs in the last five years.
Columbus produces many grades of stainless steel, which include the three main families of stainless-steel grades: • Austenitic Grades: Popular grades include 304 and 316 which are used in applications demanding high hygienic and cleanability properties such as equipment used in dairy processing and meat-handling, water storage tanks; catering and hospitality (cooking utensils, food processing equipment, cold storage) and healthcare industries. • Duplex Grades: These include 2304 and 2205 which are used in the chemical, petrochemical and mining industries due to their excellent corrosion resistance properties in very harsh conditions for various types of processing equipment and holding tanks. • Ferritic Grades: Popular grades include 430 and 441 which are used in general kitchenware and catering applications as well as automotive applications, ranging from exhaust systems to highly visible trim. The ferritic grades also include the very versatile and popular 3CR12®. 3CR12® is a low-cost utility ferritic stainless steel developed by Columbus Stainless and used widely throughout the South African mining industry as a cost-effective solution to mild corrosion environments in a wide range of structural applications. It offers excellent properties in sliding wet-abrasion conditions due to its superior corrosion resistance and slideability characteristics when compared to carbon steels. Applications are widespread and include materials handling environments in mines and coal wash plants. It is used for applications such as ore cars and wagons, chutes and launders as well as shaft
Columbus Stainless’ factory.
steel work, chimney stacks, ducting, roofing and cladding (most commonly poultry and piggery buildings), walkways including grating, hand rails, stairs, electrical boxes and security fencing. It is also widely used in sewage processing plants and municipal water storage tanks.
Mpumalanga boasts a wide variety of large industries, including power generation, mining, farming and manufacturing. To support these diverse industries throughout South Africa, the steel industry lies at the helm. Stainless steel has proven itself as a multi-functional and adaptable metal of choice and has proven successful and offers great value to the manufacturing industry.
The manufacturing industry as a whole is under great strain, especially in this tough economic climate. With this in mind, one has to consider the financial attributes of any project, structure or equipment. Life-cycle costing is therefore an invaluable tool that takes into consideration the initial material cost, fabrication costs, maintenance and refurbishment costs, lost production costs due to downtime and possible replacement cost over a defined product’s lifespan. Stainless steels generally have higher input cost compared to some competing materials, yet they are proving to be the most cost-effective long-term choice. The case study related to coal rail wagons in the South African market clearly illustrates these principles.
Case study: coal wagons
In 1985, trial coal wagons were manufactured out of 3CR12 material in the hot rolled and annealed (HRA) surface finish. These wagons are used to transport coal between Ermelo and Richards Bay. They have a payload of 80 tons and make the journey roughly five times a week. Before 3CR12, the wagons were made from Cor-Ten, but these only lasted 8-12 years, with refurbishment required after five years.
Over the years, inspections of these coal wagons have been conducted after 27 years of service. Such a study was done in 2012. The wall thickness of these coal wagons was measured using accurate ultrasonic measurement equipment. The mild-steel wagons recorded corrosion-abrasion wear loss of 160 micrometres per annum (160μ/yr). This is attributed to the surface rust or iron oxide being removed, exposing fresh steel. The fresh steel in an oxidising environment reverts back to its natural iron-oxide state, forming a continuous corrosion cycle. Compared to mild steel, stainless steel forms a very thin, tenacious oxide layer which gives it its characteristic corrosion resistance. The metal loss of 10μ/yr was recorded for 3CR12 wagons in this application. From these measurements, 3CR12 coal wagons in this environment have a predicted total life of 65 years. Mild-steel wagons would have to be replaced eight times in this time period, increasing costs and potential lost production time.
As the country grapples for sustainable infrastructure development for the future in energy, water and sanitation, transport, digital infrastructure, human settlements, agriculture and agroprocessing, stainless steel is the material of choice due to its durability, low maintenance and sustainability.
Columbus Stainless is proud to have contributed to the development of this material over five decades and will continue to do so as Africa and the world continues to grow. Indeed, the future of manufacturing is Stainless. ■
Transport and logistics
Mpumalanga is the country’s busiest rail province.
There is more freight rail traffic in Mpumalanga than in any other province. This is principally because of the transport of coal, but there are also large volumes of chrome, ferrochrome, forestry products, chemicals, liquid fuels and general freight.
The Balfour North to Volksrust section of the Gauteng to Durban mainline carries the largest volumes, most of which is long-haul freight passing through the province. The busiest internal provincial Transnet Freight Rail section is the Maputo Corridor which runs west to east from Pretoria to Maputo.
Despite these high rail volumes, a huge amount of mineral product (mainly coal) is transported by truck around and out of the province. This puts immense pressure on Mpumalanga’s roads network, particularly in the Gert Sibande District and the Nkangala District. Road improvement plans aim to simultaneously fix rural roads and make better connections between rural and urban areas.
The statistics relating to coal haulage in Mpumalanga are stupendous. In one 12-hour period, 34 198 tons of general freight were recorded for the section of the N4 highway between Nelspruit and Komatipoort. On the R50, Leandra to Standerton, the volume was 25 615 tons (Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport). Mactransco’s website states that its trucks serving Tshikondeni Coal Mine travel 3.7-million kilometres per year, working all day for six days a week. The fleet of ABF Legend Logistics, a Super Group company, contains more than 200 superlink coal haulage trucks while another company in the group, SG Coal, claims to have one of the biggest fleets of coal haulage trucks in Africa. Coal Tipper Resources operates out of Bethal.
The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has presented its long-term vision, Horizon 2030, as part of its contribution to the National
Sector Insight Coal haulage companies truck vast quantities every day.
Development Plan 2030. Road improvements which have boosted the transport infrastructure of Mpumalanga include the upgrades to the R570 (linking Malelane on the N4 to Swaziland), the N11 (Hendrina-Middelburg) and part of the vital R573 Moloto Road, which carries huge volumes of traffic to Gauteng and Limpopo. Sanral’s three-year plan for the R573 allocates R1-billion to the project.
A clause in Sanral’s contract ensures that small companies are involved. Raubex Construction has formed a joint venture with Biz Afrika, Khuluphala Tradings and Themolo Business Enterprise.
The R573 forms part of the Moloto Corridor, which connects the province with Gauteng Province. The longterm aim is to create a coordinated road and rail corridor including rapid rail facilities. With about 50 000 motor vehicles using the route every day, it is one of the busiest parts of South Africa’s road network. The plan to upgrade the corridor is one of 18 national Strategic Infrastructure Projects (SIPs).
The first phase of the Moloto Corridor Development Programme, which involves the upgrading of road infrastructure is nearly complete. Accidents have been reduced as a result of the R3.7-billion first phase.
A new flight has been added to SA Airlink’s connections between Limpopo and Cape Town. In addition to the regular early-morning flights out of Nelspruit Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) with a late-afternoon return flight, an early morning Saturday flight has been added. This leaves Nelspruit KMIA at 7h40 and arrives in Cape Town at 10h05 and is targeted at the leisure traveller.
Nelspruit KMIA is the province’s main airport, serving both the capital and being a convenient entry point to the southern part of Kruger National Park. Airlink has direct flights to and from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Livingstone in Zimbabwe.
Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport is a popular destination for travellers on their way to private game lodges and is also near the Orpen Gate of Kruger Park. Middelburg Airfield is one of the larger alternate airports in the province, boasting a 1.9km runway that can accommodate a 737. The annual Middelburg Air Show is held in June. Many game lodges have airstrips and helipads. SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service operates out of the old Nelspruit airport just south of the city.
The Maputo Development Corridor is Africa’s most advanced spatial development initiative (SDI) comprising road and rail infrastructure, border posts, and port and terminal facilities. Run by the Maputo Development Corridor Logistics Initiative (MCLI), the corridor runs from just outside Pretoria in Gauteng, through Witbank, Middelburg and Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, and on to Maputo in Mozambique.
Rail
An infrastructural development that should boost trade is Transnet’s planned Swaziland Rail Link (SwaziLink) project. A 146km railway line between Lothair in Mpumalanga and Sidvokodvo in Swaziland will allow for better movement of freight between the countries and provide an alternative route for freight to Richards Bay.
Transnet Freight Rail is the main operator and the chief freight movements are coal, fuel, chemicals, timber, iron and chrome ore, fruit, maize, animal feed, wholesale and retail goods, steel, building supplies, fertiliser and consumer goods. The port of Maputo in Mozambique is an attractive option for freight. The coal terminal at Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal receives the majority of the coal that is mined in the province.
Private rail operators Sheltam service the coal mining and ferrochrome-metal industries from regional headquarters in Witbank. The company runs systems, hauls raw materials and rebuilds and refurbishes locomotives. ■
Online Resources
Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport: www.kmiairport.co.za Maputo Corridor Logistics Initiative: www.mcli.co.za Middelburg Airfield: http://middelburgaeroclub.com Railroad Association of South Africa: www.rra.co.za South African National Roads Agency Ltd: www.sanral.co.za
Tourism
Tourism makes up 7% of provincial GDP.
Kruger National Park. Image: Wikipedia
The importance of tourism to the economy of Mpumalanga cannot be overstated. It makes up approximately 7% of provincial gross domestic product (GDP) and is a major source of employment. The effect of the Covid-19 epidemic will be strongly felt. The total number of international tourists increased by about 100 000 between 2017 and 2018 (to 1.6-million). The key source countries were Mozambique, eSwatini, the USA, Germany and the United Kingdom. Domestic tourism did even better in 2018, rising to 2.9-million, compared to 2.2-million in 2017.
The Kruger National Park is Mpumalanga’s most famous tourism asset and it falls under South African National Parks (SANParks). Other notable landmarks include God’s Window and the Blyde River Canyon but there are several noteworthy sites run by the provincial government.
Among these provincial assets is Andover Nature Reserve, which is tucked into a game triangle with Timbavati and Thornybush reserves nearby to the north, Sabi Sands to the south and the Orpen Gate to the east leading to the mid-section of the Kruger Park. The Manyeleti Game Reserve, another provincial park, is 15km away within the Kruger Park.
Andover Nature Reserve is a bushveld conservancy. It has all the plains game but no elephants or big cats. Self-catering lodges and caravan sites are available.
The province’s newest asset is in fact ancient. A three-billionyear-old micro-fossil found in the Makhonjwa Mountains near Barberton and the border with Swaziland is thought to be the oldest sign of life on the planet. The Makhonjwa Mountains, themselves somewhere between 3.2-billion and 3.6-billion years old, have been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational‚ Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The tourist area in the vicinity of Barberton is now the Genesis Route.
This brings to 10 the number of World Heritage Sites in South Africa and opens up the possibility of a new type of niche tourism for Mpumalanga. Funds for conservation of the area will be made available from the World Heritage Fund.
Although the province already caters for motor-rally enthusiasts, cyclists, runners, walkers, fishers, horse-riders, treegliders, abseilers, white-water rafters and rock climbers, there is still potential for more investment in the ecotourism and adventure tourism subsectors.
Sector Insight Andover Nature Reserve is at the centre of a Game Triangle.
Thebe Tourism has three projects in the province, the Kruger Shalati (a luxury train on the Selati Bridge), the Blyde Canyon Community Project and a proposed development for Lisbon Estate which is adjacent to Kruger Park. The Lisbon development will comprise two hotels, retail, hospitality and dining facilities and staff housing.
At Blyde Canyon, Thebe has signed an agreement with local communities with land claims in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve which will involve them as shareholders in the new developments. God’s Window is to receive a Skywalk, the facilities at Bourke’s Luck Potholes will be rejuvenated, a cable car project is planned for Three Rondavels and another hotel is planned to boost accommodation options in the area.
The Provincial Government of Mpumalanga is looking for more private partners to invest in a range of ambitious projects to boost an already active sector that has several superb tourism assets, ranging from about 70 parks and reserves to bird-watching, music festivals, motor-car rallies and casinos.
The provincial investment agency, MEGA, has packaged many tourism investment opportunities. The underlying principle is a form of public-private partnership where the agency would assist in getting land-use and other legal requirements, and perhaps in seeing that basic infrastructure was laid on, then the developer would build and manage a tourism facility.
Protea Hotels by Marriott has three properties in Mpumalanga, including Protea Hotel Kruger Gate, Nelspruit and Hazyview. At White River, Premier Hotel The Winkler is 20 minutes’ drive from the Numbi Gate of the Kruger National Park.
Tsogo Sun has six hotels in the province, ranging from two StayEasys to Southern Sun The Ridge, which is attached to the Ridge Casino in Witbank (eMalahleni). Tsogo runs a further two resorts in Hazyview (Sabi River Sun Resort) and White River (Pine Lake Resort).
Forever Resorts has a big presence in the province, catering to many caravans and campers and holiday-makers wanting to stay in chalets. There is also a four-star Forever Resorts Mount Sheba. The Graceland Hotel Casino and Country Club is a Peermont resort in Secunda.
Kudu at Andover NR Training
A graduation ceremony in early 2020 saw 289 young people complete a year-long hospitality learnership with an NQF Level 3 CATHSSETAaccredited National Certificate in Fast Food Services.
These were members of Mpumalanga Hospitality Youth Training Programme (HYTP), a programme that opens up career opportunities within the local tourism sector in fields such as catering, hotel and accommodation management, restaurateur and other food services, general tourism and guide services, adventure and leisure facilities and local cultural and heritage tours.
The Hazyview Project is an offshoot of the Travel and Tourism Excellence Academy. The programme is jointly sponsored by Amadeus, a travel technology company, Economic Development Solutions and the Thebe Tourism Group.
Hazyview is near the Kruger National Park and the students are expected to be employed at a new hotel at Skukuza when they graduate. The Good Work Foundation (GWF) is running the programme at its Hazyview Digital Campus, in partnership with the South Africa College of Tourism. ■
Online Resources
Mpumalanga Gaming Board: www.mgb.org.za Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency: www.mtpa.co.za South African National Parks: www.sanparks.co.za South African Tourism: www.southafrica.net South African Tourism Services Association: www.satsa.com
Banking and financial services
Banking customers are being offered more choice.
All of the big retail banks (Nedbank, Absa, Standard Bank, Capitec and First National Bank) are present in the province’s major towns. Agriculture is an important focus area for banks, and most have specialised divisions such as Nedbank Agribusiness.
TWK Agri offers financing and insurance together with the usual suite of agricultural services. Afgri, one of the country’s biggest agricultural companies, offers financial services (financing and insurance) under the brand Unigro.
Another source of funding for farmers is the Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank), a development-finance institution that falls under the Ministry of Finance.
In 2017 Tyme Digital received a licence to run a bank. By early 2019, TymeBank was available in 500 Pick n Pay and Boxer stores and more than 50 000 customers around South Africa had an account. Tyme stands for Take Your Money Everywhere and refers to the fact that the bank does not have a branch network. The bank is targeting the lowerincome segment and promises speedy transaction and approval times.
Second to market among the country’s new banks was Discovery Bank, which officially launched in March 2019. Discovery Bank applies the behavioural model it uses in its health business to reward good financial behaviour.
The revitalised African Bank, which was put under curatorship in 2014 by the Reserve Bank, is making a play for new customers with an interesting offering that does not rely so much on digital wizardry as on presenting the customer with enhanced banking facilities.
African Bank has created an account that allows up to five additional accounts to be set up in the name of the main account. Fees are only charged for drawing cash or at the time of a transaction. There are no monthly fees for any of the accounts which can be either for saving or transactional. Each user has his or her own card and monies can be moved between accounts, ideal for families.
Sanlam has entered two partnerships in the insurance market. African Rainbow Life has launched life cover policies in the low- and middle-income market, in association with Sanlam and African Rainbow Capital. Sanlam is also in a venture with Capitec. In 2019 Financial Mail quoted Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie saying that the bank was selling 3 000 funeral policies a day.
eMbalenhle has a new Ubank branch. Situated at the Mall@Emba, the branch will serve customers from Secunda and other areas such as those that used to bank at a branch at the Kinross mine, which has been closed.
In line with modern trends towards digital banking, the new Ubank branch has internal and external facing digital walls. The screens promote new products and campaigns, give customers information and provide financial education. A feature that is designed to support local artists is the Feature Wall.
Banks are working hard to offer products to the previously unbanked. Nedbank has partnerships with shops such as Boxer Stores and Pick n Pay where customers can have access to financial services in previously unserviced areas. ■
Online Resources
Financial Sector Conduct Authority: www.fsca.co.za Public Investment Corporation: www.pic.gov.za South African Reserve Bank: www.resbank.co.za Sector Insight African Bank is competing for new customers.
Ubank, eMbalenhle
Education and training
Robotics and Coding are now part of teacher training.
Image: Sasol Foundation
Agroup of Mpumalanga teachers has had the opportunity to train as master teachers for Robotics and Coding, courtesy of Sasol. The Sasol Foundation has also donated multimedia resources for teachers and pupils in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
An amount of R40-million was allocated by the Mpumalanga Provincial Government for the 2020/21 financial year in support of the Youth Development Fund, which was seeded the previous year with funding of R10-million.
The Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust (MRTT) is a Section 21 company with several sites in the province, including a Hospitality and Tourism Academy at Karino outside Nelspruit. The trust’s constructiontraining facility is accredited as a Construction Centre of Excellence. The Southern African Wildlife College is located near the Orpen Gate on the edge of the Kruger National Park.
A public-private partnership, MRTT intends increasing graduate numbers and is aiming for 50 000 young people to be trained in courses such as plumbing, painting, electrical, bricklaying and plastering in the three years to 2023.
A provincial bursary scheme has assisted more than 3 334 students who are studying in fields such as medicine, veterinary science, information technology, aviation, education and engineering. The artisan development programme in partnership with Hydra Arc is progressing well, with Sasol having committed to taking on all qualified apprentices from the academy in Secunda.
The University of Mpumalanga enrolled 3 220 students in 2019, a marked increase on quiet beginnings in 2014 when the university started life with 167 students. The university has added bachelor’s degrees in arts and commerce to its initial offering of academic courses in education and agriculture and a diploma in hospitality. Geology will soon be offered as part of a BSc. The main campus is at Mbombela with satellites at Siyabuswa (a former education college) and KaNyamazane, which hosts hospitality studies.
Mpumalanga has three Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges, with an enrolment of over 36 000. UNISA, the Tshwane University of Technology and the Vaal University of Technology also have satellite campuses in the province.
A sixth rural boarding school, Thaba Chweu Boarding School in the Ehlanzeni District, has opened and a further six are due for construction. These schools make access to education easier for rural children who would otherwise have to travel long distances. ■
Online Resources
Mpumalanga Department of Education: www.mpumalanga.gov.za/education Sasol bursaries: www.sasolbursaries.com Southern African Wildlife College: www.wildlifecollege.org.za University of Mpumalanga: www.ump.ac.za Sector Insight R40-million has been allocated to the Youth Development Fund.
Development finance and SMME support
Entrepreneurship training is offered at new youth centres.
Nelspruit; Ehlanzeni TVET College Rapid Incubator Renewable Technologies, Nelspruit.
Entrepreneurship Development is one of the subjects on offer Seda is a subsidiary of at 90 Youth Development Centres which are being established the National Department of throughout Mpumalanga. Other courses include accredited train- Small Business Development ing in computer skills and life skills, with workshops on job pre- (DSBD). Seda is not a financial paredness and career guidance. The centres are part of Mpumalanga’s re- agency, focussing rather on sponse to the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention Programme. training and administrative
The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) is the support, although the agency implementing agent of the provincial government’s SMME support will help SMMEs get in touch policy. An agreement has been with financial bodies. Assistance signed by Standard Bank and Image: Seda by Seda with a business plan
MEGA to launch an SME Fund was the spur that helped Renabo with a capitalisation of R500- Plastics Moulders and Furniture million. MEGA has also overseen (pictured) get access to financing the rehabilitation of industrial which led to growth in turnover premises in former homelands and the addition of three new and formed partnerships with staff members. financial institutions for funding. Sappi’s long-term Ngodwana
Examples of township busi- mill project will spend more than nesses supported by the Department of Economic Development R600-million on procuring goods and Tourism (DEDET) are an agreement with Sumitomo Rubber and supplies from broad-based-
SA to promote local tyre enterprises and financial support for the black-economic-empowered commissioning of a sanitary towel plant by the Ntirhisano Sanitary companies, of which R51-million
Worker Co-operative in Bushbuckridge (and support for business will go to SMMEs. development and access to market). Other companies supporting
Research done by the Small Enterprise Development Agency SMMEs through their buying (Seda) shows that a high percentage of SMMEs in Mpumalanga are in chain include Woolworths and the trade and accommodation sector. Whereas the national figure is Anglo American. Woolworths about 43%, in Mpumalanga it is closer to 50%. funds TechnoServe to ensure
Seda supports several incubators in the province: Furntech, that small tomato growers can furniture manufacturing, White River; Mobile Agri-Skills Develop- grow produce that will meet ment & Training (MASDT), agricultural training, Nelspruit; the demanding standards of the
Mpumalanga Stainless Initiative (MSI), stainless steel processing, retailer, and to help them expand
Middelburg (with Columbus Stainless); Timbali, floriculture, production. Anglo American’s Zimele runs four enterprise development and investment funds. Zimele runs hubs related to the supply chains of platinum, thermal coal and, with Mondi, forestry. ■
Online Resources
Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency: www.mega.gov.za Mpumalanga Stainless Initiative: www.mpstainless.co.za National Department of Small Business Development: www.dsbd.gov.za Small Enterprise Development Agency: www.seda.org.za Sector Insight Trade and accommodation are leaders in SMME employment.
Mpumalanga Local Government
A guide to district and local municipalities in Mpumalanga.
EHLANZENI DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY Physical address: 8 Van Niekerk Street, Nelspruit 1201 Postal address: PO Box 3333, Nelspruit 1200 Tel: +27 13 004 0291 | Fax: +27 13 759 8539 Website: www.ehlanzeni.gov.za Bushbuckridge Local Municipality Tel: +27 13 004 0291 | Fax: +27 13 799 1865 Website: www.bushbuckridge.gov.za City of Mbombela Local Municipality Tel: +27 13 759 9111 | Fax: +27 13 759 2070 Website: www.mbombela.gov.za Nkomazi Local Municipality Tel: +27 13 790 0245 | Fax: +27 13 790 0886 Website: www.nkomazi.gov.za Thaba Chweu Local Municipality Tel: +27 13 235 7300 | Fax: +27 13 235 1108 Website: www.tclm.co.za
GERT SIBANDE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY Physical address: Cnr Joubert and Oosthuise streets, Ermelo 2350 Postal address: PO Box 1748, Ermelo 2350 Tel: +27 17 801 7000 | Fax: +27 17 811 1207 Website: www.gsibande.gov.za Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality Tel: +27 17 843 4000 | Fax: +27 17 843 4001 Website: www.albertluthuli.gov.za Dipaleseng Local Municipality Tel: +27 17 773 0055 | Fax: +27 17 773 0169 Website: www.dipaleseng.gov.za Govan Mbeki Local Municipality Tel: +27 17 620 6000 | Fax: +27 17 634 8019 Website: www.govanmbeki.gov.za Lekwa Local Municipality Tel: +27 17 712 9600 | Fax: +27 17 712 6808 Website: www.lekwalm.gov.za Mkhondo Local Municipality Tel: +27 87 630 0180 | Fax: +27 17 826 3129 Website: www.mkhondo.gov.za Msukaligwa Local Municipality Tel: +27 17 801 3500 | Fax: +27 17 801 3851 Website: www.msukaligwa.gov.za Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality Tel: +27 17 734 6100 | Fax: 086 630 2209
NKANGALA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY Physical address: 2A Walter Sisulu Street, Middelburg 1055 Postal address: PO Box 437, Middelburg 1050 Tel: +27 13 249 2000 | Fax: +27 13 249 2056 Website: www.nkangala.gov.za Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality Tel: +27 13 973 1101 | Fax: +27 13 973 0974 Website: www.moroka.gov.za Emakhazeni Local Municipality Tel: +27 13 253 7600 | Fax: +27 13 253 2440 Website: www.emakhazeni.gov.za eMalahleni Local Municipality Tel: +27 13 690 6911 | Fax: +27 13 690 6207 Website: www.emalahleni.gov.za Steve Tshwete Local Municipality Tel: +27 13 249 7000 | Fax: +27 13 243 2550 Website: www.stlm.gov.za Thembisile Hani Local Municipality Tel: +27 13 986 9100 | Fax: +27 13 986 0995 Website: www.thembisilehanilm.gov.za Victor Khanye Local Municipality Tel: +27 13 665 6000 | Fax: +27 13 665 2913 Website: www.victorkhanyelm.gov.za
INDEX
Africa Biomass Company (ABC) ..................................................................................................................... 3, 9
Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency …....................................................................24
MTN...................................................................................................................................................................................IFC
Kruger Lowveld Chamber Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism The voice of business in Ehlanzeni. of Business and Tourism The voice of business in Ehlanzeni. Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism
The voice of business in Ehlanzeni.
As the official representative body of business and tourism in the Kruger Lowveld (Ehlanzeni District), our main mandates are to promote the region as a tourism and investment destination, to provide a diverse suite of networking and marketing opportunities for our members, and to represent and speak s the official representative body of business and tourism in the Kruger Lowveld (Ehlanzeni District), our main mandates are to promote the region as a tourism and investment destination, to provide a diverse suite of networking and As the official representative body of business and tourism in the Kruger Lowveld (Ehlanzeni District), our main mandates are to promote the region as a tourism and investment destination, to provide a diverse suite of networking and maron behalf of the business and tourism community of our area. We do this by building and maintaining meaningful relationships with all marketing opportunities for our members, and to represent and speak keting opportunities for our members, and to represent and speak on behalf of the business and tourism community of our area. We do spheres of government as well as like-minded organisations, and by on behalf of the business and tourism community of our area. We do this by building and maintaining meaningful relationships with all acting as liaison between these entities and the business community. KLCBT’s president is Mr Oupa Pilane (pictured). this by building and maintaining meaningful relationships with all spheres of government as well as like-minded organisations, and by spheres of government as well as like-minded organisations, and by acting as liaison between these entities and the business community. KLCBT’s president is Mr Oupa Pilane (pictured). acting as liaison between these entities and the business community. Area of operation LCBT’s president is Mr Oupa Pilane (pictured). Area of operation
Area of operation
The Kruger Lowveld covers the Ehlanzeni District of Mpumalanga, The Kruger Lowveld covers the Ehlanzeni District of Mpumalanga, including the following local municipalities: City of Mbombela, Thaba including the following local municipalities: City of Mbombela, Thaba Chweu, Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge, as well as the southern part of Kruger National Park and the surrounding private nature reserves. Chweu, Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge, as well as the southern part of Kruger National Park and the surrounding private nature reserves.
on large shopping chains, engaging large chains to buy Member benefits Listing on website, Pay-to-Play participation in various marketing services and projects, weekly newsletter, invitations to all KLCBT events, advocacy and Promote home-grown businesses through education processes, research, maintaining a database, lobbying for stricter regulations on large shopping chains, engaging large chains to buy local and to spend their CSI budgets locally. The Kruger Lowveld covers the Ehlanzeni District of Mpumalanga, including the following local municipalities: City of Mbombela, Thaba Chweu, Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge, as well as the southern part of Kruger National Park and the surrounding private nature reserves. Promote home-grown businesses Member benefits Listing on website, Pay-to-Play participation in various marketing services and projects, weekly newsletter, invitations to all KLCBT events, advocacy and representations made by KLCBT on behalf of members, access to preferential arrangements negotiated by KLCBT local and to spend their CSI budgets locally. Local Economic Development: We are assisting with incubation in seven main corridors, mainly adding additional tourism products.representations made by KLCBT on behalf of members, access to preferential Local Economic Development: through education processes, rewith service providers, brochure display at Crossing Centre office, Member benefits arrangements negotiated by KLCBT with service providers, brochure display at Crossing Centre office, various sponsorship options, access to tender information. We are assisting with incubation in seven main corridors, mainly adding additional tourism search, maintaining a database, lobbying for stricter regulations various sponsorship options, access to tender information. We are actively involved in the following advocacy campaigns: Anti-corruption: Several successful initiatives reduced roadside corruption. We are actively involved in the following advocacy campaigns: Service delivery: products. on large shopping chains, engagService delivery: Public participation in various forums where government engages with stakeholders regarding budgets, planning and legislation. Anti-corruption: Several successful initiatives reduced roadside corruption. Listing on website, Pay-to-Play participation in various marketing services and projects, weekly newsletter, invitations to all KLCBT events, advocacy and ing large chains to buy local and to spend their CSI budgets locally. Public participation in various forums where government engages with stakeholders regarding budgets, planning and legislation. Promote home-grown businesses through education processes, Water: Bulk-water supply faces a future crisis and lobbying for the increase of storage capacity Water: Bulk-water supply faces a CONTACT DETAILS representations made by KLCBT on behalf of members, access to preferential Local Economic Development: research, maintaining a database, lobbying for stricter regulations is beginning to show success. Physical address: KLCBT House, Crossing Centre, Nelspruit Postal address: Private Bag X 11326, Nelspruit 1200 Tel: +27 13 755 1988 Fax: +27 13 753 2986 Email: business@klcbt.co.za and tourism@klcbt.co.za Website: www.klcbt.co.za arrangements negotiated by KLCBT with service providers, brochure display at Crossing Centre office, various sponsorship options, access to tender information. We are actively involved in the following advocacy campaigns: Service delivery: Public participation in various forums where government Physical address: KLCBT House, Crossing Centre, Nelspruit Postal address: Private Bag X 11326, Nelspruit 1200 Tel: +27 13 755 1988. Fax: +27 13 753 2986 Email: business@klcbt.co.za and tourism@klcbt.co.za Website: www.klcbt.co.za Contact details future crisis and lobbying for the increase of storage capacity is beginning to show success. Roads and public attractions: Require upgrades and investment. Safety and security: A concern for all regions in SA. We are assisting with incubation in seven main corridors, mainly adding additional tourism products. Anti-corruption: Several Roads and public attractions: Require upgrades and investment. Safety and security: A concern for all regions in SA. ■ engages with stakeholders regarding budgets, planning and legislation. successful initiatives reduced 53 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2017/18MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2019/20roadside corruption. CONTACT DETAILS Water: Bulk-water supply faces a future crisis and lobbying for the
