Sustainable Development Goal 9 was formulated and adopted in view of Africa’s inefficacy to industrialize. This coverage intends to ‘build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation’. Industrial improvement is recognised as one of the nation’s top priorities, therefore numerous emerging alternatives abound for Africa to industrialize. To seize such opportunities, African governments are required to implement innovative approaches to industrial policy, considered one of which is an elevated give attention to the position of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and industrial parks as devices of business growth.
Industrial Parks and SEZ’s are two of the spatial interventions identified by the South African authorities and are subsequently aligned with global approaches. Industrial areas can be leveraged as catalysts for socio-economic improvement. All things thought-about, such areas are recognised as enablers and are therefore often managed as such, and not for rent-seeking purposes. Moreover, industrial parks and SEZs effectively lend themselves as areas for piloting and experimentation of new applied sciences and totally different approaches to industrial improvement, as well as for community and environmental programmes owing to the nexus between these three features.
Industrial parks and SEZs, as properly as related industrial areas, have the potential to develop the economic system because owing to the alternatives for employment and establishing new companies and value chains. This consequently develops the tax base and native financial activity which is crucial in facilitating social improvement. The myriad of interventions established through industrial spaces assist industrial and financial improvement, the transition to good cities and transformation to a green financial system as nicely as facilitate adoption of 4th Industrial Revolution options. What’s more, such interventions provide a platform for widespread engagement of multiple stakeholders that helps win-win outcomes serving financial, social and environmental interests. Accordingly, industrial parks and SEZ’s have the propensity to supply elevated worth, assuming the necessary planning and implementation is pursued proactively.
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There are at present an estimated 4000 industrial zones globally (SEZ’s, EPZ, FTZ’s etcetera), evidently demonstrating the validity of such mechanisms. There is, nevertheless, debate as to the success of those zones and analysis has subsequently recognized a quantity of success factors, such as governance, enabling regulatory frameworks, location and types of providers offered. Suffice it to say, it stays worthwhile to discover the learning gained in executing such areas and the impression on supporting financial activities in a sustainable manner that support positive industrial, social and environmental outcomes.
pressure gauge 10 bar and Industrial Parks Programmes of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) will play a critical position within the effectuation of South Africa’s economic reconstruction and recovery plan. This in the end stems from the SEZ Programme representing the core of the reimagined industrial technique, which is purposefully structured to stimulate native and overseas direct investments.
Notwithstanding the catastrophic influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on international economies, the worth of private investments in the South African SEZs noticed a R1.eight billion increase from March 2019 to March 2020, whereas the number of operational investments rose from 129 to 143 in the identical time frame. It is projected that the number and worth of operational investments will improve by nearly R10 billion when the subsequent monetary year ends.
Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones symbolize a key feature throughout the convention of the upcoming and eagerly awaited Manufacturing Indaba. The digital convention and exhibition, to be hosted between 22 – 25 November 2021, is set to assemble international industry consultants to handle technological improvements and evolving tendencies, while looking for actionable options to urgent challenges. The platform will empower thought leaders to change ideas, insights and experiences and serves to raise consciousness of emerging alternatives inside the realm that’s manufacturing.
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