Day: May 5, 2024

The Dube TradePort Corporation (DTPC) has officially launched the second phase of the highly successful industrial precinct and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) adjacent to the King Shaka International Airport, the Dube TradeZone 2.

The business entity of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government recently hosted a ribbon-cutting event where they also previewed two factories worth over R180 million which are currently under construction within the precinct.

DTPC Board Chair, Mpumelelo Zikalala, said despite the constrained economic environment over the past two years, the corporation has secured seven private sector investors for Dube TradeZone 2.

Four of these investors have begun constructing their facilities.

The total private sector investment value secured in Dube TradeZone 2 amounts to R1.8 billion and is expected to create 600 jobs within the next five years.

Dube TradeZone 2 will target investors in the manufacturing, logistics and automotive sectors while facilitating the planned expansion of several ph
ase one-based enterprises.

The launch of the second phase of the TradeZone follows the successful implementation of Dube TradeZone 1, which has 50 investors and full tenants. These include international companies such as Samsung, Mahindra, DHL, Chem Energy and PepsiCo-Futurelife.

Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, Siboniso Duma, welcomed the investment as he reflected on the 30 years of freedom and democracy.

He noted the establishment of SEZ as one of the achievements of a democratic government.

He cited this investment as an indication that SEZs are instruments for job creation and economic development.

‘As government, we are focusing on SEZ for a good reason. They are designed for specific developmental purposes, to develop export-orientated industries, attract foreign direct investment and technology transfer and achieve the generation of employment opportunities.’

The MEC said SEZs are an effective instrument to resolve ‘disturbing’ levels of inequality, poverty and unempl
oyment, which are strongly marked by spatial, racial, class and gender factors.

In addition to job creation, Duma said SEZs are broadening the municipal revenue collection base to improve the quality of life in the municipal areas, as well as the quality of municipal services.

‘This makes SEZs one of the key instruments for municipal economic growth and development,’ the MEC explained.

To date, the 26-hectare TradeZone 1 has attracted more than R2.8 billion in private sector investment from enterprises focused on air-related logistics, distribution and light manufacturing.

It includes the Dube TradeHouse, a dedicated facility for freight forwarders and shippers with airside access via an overhead conveyor air bridge to the adjacent, state-of-the-art Dube Cargo Terminal.

Dube TradeZone 1 is home to notable exporters that service the sub-Saharan African market as well as markets in Asia, Europe, and the United States.

In 2023/24, Dube TradePort tenants exported goods worth R610 million.

Dube TradeZone 2,
will open an additional 45 hectares of industrial land for development and brings to market another 23 fully serviced sites, which range in size from 3 000m² to 57 000m².

It will also include three Dube TradePort-owned warehouses, one of which will accommodate medium-sized businesses enabling the expansion of small businesses located in the mini factories.

The two factories include the R166-million Yangtze Optical Africa Cable plant and R17.5 million development by HRMP, a 100% Black South African-owned logistics company that specialises in the warehousing and distribution of graphite electrodes. This new facility was funded by Ithala Development Finance.

Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal (TKZN) CEO, Sihle Ngcamu, welcomed further foreign investment by Yangtze Optical Africa Cable, which is already producing optical fibre cables and home solution cables for the local, Zambian, Namibian and Botswanan telecommunications markets at its facility in TradeZone 1.

This latest investment is expected to deliver a
further 250 jobs over the next five years.

To date, Dube TradeZone has attracted a total of R4.6 billion in private sector investment and created more than 5 000 permanent jobs.

Source: South African Government News Agency

A woman has been arrested after allegedly decapitating her 18-year-old son in the Leshikishiki village in the Lebowakgomo policing area in Limpopo.

According to a statement by the South African Police Service (SAPS), the 48-year-old mother was arrested on Friday after a report was lodged at around 13:00.

‘Upon arrival of the police at the scene next to a local tavern, they found the decapitated body of an 18-year-old man lying on his wheelchair and his head on the ground. Shockingly, there were no people found on the scene,’ the statement read.

The police began their initial investigations and the deceased’s mother was located.

‘After thorough investigations, she was positively linked to the murder of her son and arrested,’ said police.

The SAPS seized a knife at the scene believed to be used by the suspect to cut off the victim’s head.

Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe said she was deeply shocked by the incident.

‘This is a heartbreaking incident that has deeply affec
ted our community and the SAPS family.

‘While the police are duty bound to protect and serve the public, parents have a critical role to nurture and protect their children. This horrendous act by the senseless mother is condemned… The law will take its course without fear or favour,’ she added.

Police have opened a case of murder and the motive behind the gruesome attack is not yet known.

The suspect will appear before the Thabamoopo Magistrate’s Court in due course.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has praised officials from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) who refused to take a bribe at the Breitbridge port of entry.

The officials were offered R200 000 and R50 000 after a truck loaded with 614 boxes of semi-manufactured tobacco to the value of R6 million entered South Africa via Beitbridge port of entry.

‘These upright officials demonstrated honesty and bravery as well as an important trait of serving with integrity and ethical conduct, something that must be applauded.

‘Their ethical conduct also augurs well towards the professionalisation of the public service and should serve as a lesson to all public servants to give their selfless service to the people of this country,’ said the commission in a statement.

The Musina Regional Court last week sentenced Nthapeleng Adler Munyai, a former Pamdozi Cargo International CC clearing agent, and Tsumbedzo Priscilla Nemangani Mashito, who used to work as a SARS c
ustoms external verification officer, to an effective 15-year direct imprisonment term on counts of fraud, forgery, and two counts of corruption.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Munyai and Mashito, who are both 47 years old, were arrested for permitting an interlink truck with two trailers loaded with semi-manufactured tobacco to enter the country from Zimbabwe in 2016.

The pair used forged and fraudulent consignment clearance documents and processed them through the Beitbridge border control’s customs control area without compliance with the normal customs clearance process and procedures.

However, an RTMC officer stopped the truck at the weighbridge after noticing that the registration plates of the truck and trailers did not match with the licence discs and wanted to send the truck back to the customs control area for an inspection.

The RTMC officer then contacted his senior who was off duty and asked for his intervention which resulted in the truck being sent back to the Beitbri
dge border control’s customs ramp, under police and traffic officials’ escort for inspection.

However, Munyai offered a customs official R50 000 – which was later increased to R200 000 – which they turned down.

According to PSC, the officials demonstrated a high standard of professional ethics.

The commission encouraged all public servants across the country to uphold the constitutional values and principles, which calls for professional ethics and accountability.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Electoral Commission (IEC) will today participate in a National Day of Prayer ahead of the 29 May 2024 National and Provincial Elections.

Organised by the South African Council of Churches (SACC), the IEC has called on citizens to join the prayer service that will take place on Sunday, 5 May 2024, at Grace Bible Church in Soweto, Johannesburg.

The commission said the event is part of the ongoing partnership with different sectors of society to ensure a successful Election Day.

‘The service calls for a powerful moment of unity and prayer as we seek divine guidance for peaceful and safe elections,’ the SACC said.

SACC Acting General-Secretary, Reverend Mzwandile Molo, said told the SABC that the council has committed to working hard to make sure the country’s elections are done peacefully and in a non-intimidatory manner since 1994.

‘So, if there’s anybody who incites violence, that person needs all of us to ask them to refrain from that because the scars of violence that is caused by politics are too
deep and they have not healed right now. We all want to make sure that we do not remind ourselves of the violence of the past,’ said Molo.

The SACC is an association of affiliated Christian churches and organisations that come together in action for social justice.

As an instrument and servant of its members, the council said it was committed to expressing, through proclamation and programmes, the united witness of the church in South Africa, especially in matters of national debate.

‘Let’s come together as one nation in prayer,’ the SACC added.

For citizens who cannot be there physically, the service will be streamed live on the SACC Facebook page from 2pm or they can tune in to Radio Pulpit or Radiokansel.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says it is finalising preparations for the 78 092 South African citizens who applied to cast their special vote abroad.

Working with the Department of International Cooperation and Cooperation (DIRCO), the IEC said it has begun shipping voting materials. These include voting booths, ballot boxes and papers, stationery packs, and all the relevant lists.

The commission said voting out of the country will take place in 111 foreign missions.

South African citizens in Algiers, Amman, Cairo, Kuwait City, Jeddah, Ramallah, Riyadh and Tehran will vote on 17 May.

The rest of the 102 missions will make their mark on Saturday, 18 May 2024.

The voting stations will be open from 7am to 7pm, allowing 78 092 voters to exercise their right to vote in South Africa’s 2024 National Elections.

‘In respect of the mission in the United Kingdom, the commission has determined two days of special voting. These are Saturday and Sunday, 18 and 19 May 2024 from 7am to 9pm.’

The IEC e
xplained that the extended voting hours are intended to enable proper arrangements for the 24 535 voters registered to cast their vote at the mission.

‘Similarly, extended voting hours have been prescribed for the mission in Washington DC and New York. The voting hours are 7am to 9pm.’

As per IEC, the largest international voting stations by population are London (24 535), followed by Hague (6 659), Canberra (3 674), Dubai (3 266), Dublin (3 040), Wellington (2 292), Abu Dhabi (1 825), Washington DC (1 799) and Berlin (1 476).

Voters will need to be present in person at the mission where they are registered or where they successfully applied for by VEC 10 notice.

‘After the voting process, cast national compensatory ballots will be transported through a source channel back to the national office of the Electoral Commission for counting. The votes will be counted in the presence of agents presenting contestants.’

The IEC has since thanked its stakeholders, staff and employees from DIRCO for tirelessly wor
king to ensure that registered voters make their mark in the upcoming elections.

‘The commission is aware that voting is not possible in some countries for security reasons. DIRCO has confirmed that the missions in Sudan, Tel Aviv and Kyiv remain closed. Unavoidably and regrettably, voters registered at these missions will not be able to vote in the forthcoming elections if they were not able to make arrangements by the 22 April deadline to vote at another mission.’

Meanwhile, IEC said it will operate extended hours on both voting days abroad to assist voters with queries.

Source: South African Government News Agency