Trade, industry & competition minister Parks Tau has designated the Fetakgomo-Tubatse special economic zone (FTSEZ), formally launching a new industrial drive to deepen mining-linked manufacturing in Limpopo’s Sekhukhune district.
The designation, issued through a Government Gazette on Friday under the Special Economic Zones Act, establishes the FTSEZ over about 1,000ha in a region dominated by platinum and chrome mining activity, with the government betting on industrial clustering to attract investment.
“The FTSEZ will make a meaningful contribution towards industrial growth, facilitating industrial clustering and leveraging strategic economic advantages to attract targeted investments,” Tau said.
The zone will focus on mining and agricultural input manufacturing, mineral beneficiation, renewable energy, logistics and broader manufacturing, positioning it firmly in existing mining value chains.
It is located between major chrome smelting operations, including Samancor and the Lion ferrochrome smelter along the R555 corridor, and adjacent to the Mining Input Suppliers Park owned by Glencore, giving it direct access to established industrial infrastructure.
The department of trade, industry & competition said this proximity will lower entry barriers for investors while strengthening localisation and supply chain integration in the mining sector.
Investor interest is already building, with pipeline figures pointing to significant long-term commitments, Tau said.
“There are currently 46 companies on the investment pipeline with a combined investment value of about R52.6bn, and these companies envisage creating 8,000 jobs in the short term and more than 20,000 jobs in 10 years,” he said.
“Nine companies successfully completed due diligence by the Industrial Development Corporation in 2024. Eight new companies were identified in 2025.”
He added that the zone is expected to play a broader developmental role beyond large-scale industrial investment.
“The SEZ will further support small business development, job creation, skills development and technology transfer in the previously marginalised area of the country. It will also catalyse development by providing support systems for innovation, enterprise development and local economic development, which will include vulnerable groups,” he said.
The FTSEZ will be implemented under a revised model that increases private sector participation and strengthens co-ordination between national, provincial and local governments, aimed at improving delivery and execution.
The department has pointed to the Tshwane vehicle special economic zone as a reference point for the model, citing faster infrastructure rollout and early job creation as evidence of improved implementation capacity.
Noxolo Majavu
www.businessday.co.za
