KZN investment projects fabricate a contrast

The Deputy Ministers in the Presidency on Friday led a media tour to KwaZulu-Natal to showcase the South African investment projects taking place in the province.

The tour was led by Deputy Ministers Kenneth Morolong and Nomasonto Motaung to the Serenity Hills R800 million eco-estate and the R500 million Renishaw Coastal Precinct respectively.  

Speaking after the tour at the Renishaw Coastal Precinct in Scottburgh, Morolong said the community programmes that are linked with the two projects are making a significant impact in the lives of those who were unemployed previously.                                                                               

According to Morolong, the skills and entrepreneurial opportunities that have been created for young people at both projects are very impressive.

“The investments of both Serenity Hills and Renishaw Coastal will make a serious economic transformation for the country. Government is also committed to continue mobilising investment in order to create sustainable jobs for the future of this country,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal, Neville Matjie said he was pleased with the progress of the projects which are important for the province.

Open for business

“We have worked with both projects, coordinating the unblocking of bottlenecks in municipal processes so that the developments run smoothly and timeously,” Matjie said.

“As the provincial investment promotion agency, we confirm that KwaZulu-Natal is open for business. We will continue to work and showcase the province’s competitive advantage and position as a world-class investment destination,” he said.

The Serenity Hills R800 million eco-estate in Margate, is meant to attract foreign investment while uplifting local communities in the mid-South Coast. It has been included in the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan after being honoured by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the 5th South African Investment Conference in April this year.

The second project visited was the Renishaw Coastal Precinct, the 1 300 hectares mixed-use development on the KwaZulu-Natal mid-South Coast, is considered as one of the country’s biggest developments.

The projects have employed local communities who have benefited through skills development.

South Africa hosted its fifth South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) in April 2023 in Johannesburg. The conference was the final leg of the drive to attract R1.2 trillion into the country over a period of five years.

The target of reaching R1.2 trillion worth of investments was successfully reached.

These investments have resulted in new factories, call centres, solar power plants, undersea fibre optic cables, expansion of production lines and the adoption of new technologies.

Serenity Hills was selected for attracting both national and international interest, contributing significantly towards the country’s socio-economic goals of creating sustainable jobs, driving back inequality, and positioning the region as a key investment destination.

Serenity Hills launched Phase 1 in the second half of last year and has already sold 50% of its units, with national and international buyers also coming from Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Germany.

Community development

Through the Sweetdale Skills Centre, the development committed to investing in local communities to revitalise the area.

There are several community-driven projects already underway, with 100 jobs already created.

Forming part of the Centre is the Sweetbike Community Project, a non-profit organisation that provides vulnerable schoolchildren with bicycles.

Mxolisi Mthwana who fixes bicycles at the centre, told SAnews that his happy with what he is doing.

“It’s been five years now fixing bicycles, I love what am doing,” he said.

According Mthwana, the centre had already donated 50 bicycles to learners in nearby schools.

“We doing this to assist the learners to get to school on time and to encourage them not to abscond,” he said.

 Mlonde High School Principal Linda Mkhize told SAnews that there had been an improvement in school attendance since the school received the bicycles.

“I thank the centre with the bicycle donation because even school attendance has improved a lot, with learners no longer coming late,” she said of the bicycles donated to matric leaners.

Quality bicycles are imported from Europe and refurbished at the Sweetbike Workshop, employing and upskilling people from the local communities.

Once ready, these bicycles are donated to the learners attending rural schools from Umzumbe to Port Edward, with recipients given training in mechanics to maintain and look after the bikes. – SAnews.gov.za