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The revitalisation of the Botshabelo Industrial Park is contributing significantly in boosting the confidence of potential investors and creating employment which will result in the betterment of the lives of the people of the sprawling Free State Township. This is the view of the Divisional Executive of Core Operations at the Free State Development Corporation, Ms Grace Shaba.

She was responding to the announcement made by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) last week that it was in the process of completing the first phase of upgrading the industrial park as part of its Revitalisation of Industrial Parks Programme.

The objective of the programme is to revitalise state-owned industrial parks across the country in order to promote industrialisation and increase their contribution to job creation and the country’s economic growth.  Of the six industrial parks that the department has prioritised for revitalisation during the first phase, the Botshabelo park is the first to be completed, at a cost of R24 million.

“As provincial economic developing agency responsible for providing support to small businesses and co-operatives and attracting investment to the province, we are excited about the revitalisation of the park. We are even happier that even before the project is completed, we are already experiencing its positive impact as a result of the significant difference it is making to the image and infrastructure of the park,” says Shaba.

She adds that the erection of the security fence and installation of high mast lights in the park has boosted the confidence of the owners of companies located in the park, and changed their perception about the park.

“The safe environment that the security upgrading has created in the park has encouraged companies to consider investing more in their businesses in order to grow them. Even those that were planning to leave the park due to security concerns have decided to stay as a result of the developments that are taking place. More importantly, the park’s occupancy rate has increased since the upgrading started early this year. More companies are showing interest in locating their businesses in the park and that is evidence of the positive impact of the upgrading of the park,” says Shaba.

She says the main reason for the park’s existence is to create employment for the people of Botshabelo and surrounding areas, promoting the growth of small businesses and co-operatives, attracting investments, and encouraging manufacturing.  Currently, 90% of the space is occupied by companies doing business in the park. More than 9 500 people are employed.

“Even though we are completing the first phase of the revitalisation, we are confident that the park will soon be fully occupied as more companies are interested in locating there. In partnership with other government agencies such as the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) we are providing financial and non-financial support to the small businesses and co-operatives located in the park, mostly those that are in the manufacturing sector. This is in line with our efforts to promote industrialisation in order to grow the economy of the province with the aim of creating jobs for the people,” says Shaba.

According to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, the dti identified a need to revitalise industrial parks located in various parts of the country, mainly the former homelands, as part of efforts to promote industrialisation, manufacturing and job creation.

Issued by the Department of Trade and Industry