Deputy minister of Trade and Industry, Bulelani Magwanishe, officially launched the revitalised Phuthaditjhaba Industrial Park in QwaQwa yesterday.
Security infrastructure- including fencing, street lighting, installation of boom gates and CCTV cameras – has been upgraded to the value of R50 million.
“The industrial park is expected to boost the local economy and create jobs for members of the local communities,” said Magwanishe.
The project was carried out under the Department of Trade and Industry’s Parks Revitalisation Programme, and is in line with its economic transformation initiatives aimed at ensuring that all regions and enterprises in the country are able to participate meaningfully in the economy.
“Significant milestones have been achieved through the implementation of the first phase of the industrial parks revitalisation programme across the country,” added Magwanishe. “The objective of the programme is to revitalise state-owned industrial parks in order to promote industrialisation and increase their contribution to job creation and the country’s economic growth.”
Free State MEC for Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Limakatso Mahasa, said that the more secure industrial park would attract new investors and help retain current tenants.
“We want to see the occupancy rate of our industrial parks increasing to full capacity as new tenants occupy them and those that are already operating from there expand their businesses knowing that the government is committed to improving the infrastructure,” she said.
