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The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone, located along the biggest port of Richards Bay is investing millions of rands to ensure the development of skills required to drive socio-economic development in KwaZulu-Natal.

The public entity has joined forces with King Cetshwayo District Municipality to ensure that learners from previously disadvantaged communities are assisted to further their studies in institutions of higher learning.

Over the past two years alone, RBIDZ has invested more than millions of rand to ensure the acquisition of knowledge in sectors such as engineering, manufacturing, financial management, information technology and mining.

Today, the entity announced that a total of seven exceptional students benefitted from R700 000 which has been set aside from the bursary scheme. This follows a formal event in which King Cetshwayo District Mayor Cllr Nonhle Mkhulisi hosted the district’s learners who excelled during the 2018 academic year.

The District recorded 73.9% pass rate which ensured that KZN improved drastically from 73% recorded in 2017 to 76, 2% pass rate in 2018.

Acting RBIDZ Chief Executive Officer, Simangele Ngcobo remarked: “We want the entity to play an active and important role in ensuring that we can deliver on KZN Vision 2035, namely - to be a Prosperous Province, with a healthy, secure and skilled population, living in dignity and harmony, acting as a gateway to Africa and the World.”

Plans are underway to ensure that RBIDZ becomes as catalyst for foreign direct investments. To date, the entity has signed investments of more than R11 billion representing different key sectors of the economy.  The awarding of bursaries should be viewed within the context of ensuring the acquisition of any skill required to drive specific sectors of the economy in the zone.

Recently, MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Sihle Zikalala -  under whom RBIDZ reports – announced that over the past few years the provincial government has invested more than R 5 billion towards bursaries for needy students coming from all corners of the province.

Regarding the future of the entity, Zikalala pointed out recently: “The RBIDZ has a knowledgeable and competent management team that is working tirelessly towards finalising investments processes emanating from lead sectors of the economy. These include amongst others manufacturing, mining, infrastructure development, transport and logistics, clothing and textile (leather), energy and oceans economy.”

Issued by Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone