Mpumalanga Business 2022-23

MPUMALANGA
MPUMALANGA
BUSINESS
BUSINESS
THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN
MPUMALANGA PROVINCE
2022/23 EDITION
2021/22 EDITION
THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN
MPUMALANGA PROVINCE
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN MPUMALANGA
MPUMALANGA
BUSINESS
THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT
IN MPUMALANGA PROVINCE
2018/19 EDITION
INCLUDING MPUMALANGA INVESTMENT PROSPECTUS
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2018/19
MPUMALANGA

MESSAGE
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CEO Charles Molapisi
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CONTENTS
Mpumalanga Business 2021/22 Edition
Introduction
Foreword 6
Mpumalanga’s unique guide to business and investment.
Messages
A journey to a prosperous and
inclusive future 10
Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane.
A new era of investing in Mpumalanga 11
Department of Economic Development and Tourism
MEC Vusi Mkhatshwa.
Mpumalanga Investment Prospectus
Why invest in Mpumalanga 8
The perfect launch pad for Africa 12
The Mpumalanga economy 14
Key sectors: Forestry, Agriculture,
Mining, Minerals and Energy, Tourism 16-19
Investment opportunities
Tourism 22
Mpumalanga International Fresh
Produce Market 23
Nkomazi Special Economic Zone 24
Foreign trade 25
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
2

Technology is accelerating the
shift to sustainable fuels
Mercia Grimbeek, ENERTRAG South Africa’s Development Director, believes
that a collaborative approach is needed to achieve a Just Energy Transition.
INTERVIEW
Is the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement
Programme (REI4P) proceeding satisfactorily?
The REI4P has gained momentum after a significant hiatus. Industry has
seen the commitment from government to significantly deploy renewables
through the execution of Bid Rounds six and beyond.
Mercia Grimbeek
BIOGRAPHY
Mercia Grimbeek is a seasoned
development professional in the
energy and environment industry.
She has extensive local and
international experience in the
development of renewable projects.
She currently holds the position of
Development Director at ENERTRAG
South Africa. Mercia continues to
contribute to the development and
growth of the renewable industry and
serves as Director and Chairperson
of the South African Wind Energy
Association (SAWEA). She is an avid
champion for the development of
women and youth in the industry.
What are the biggest challenges in the sector in South Africa?
The most significant challenges relate to grid infrastructure. The country
has a supply of well-developed projects that can be executed but a lack
of transmission grid to evacuate power in certain geographical areas is a
major constraint. A second challenge is the regulatory environment. Once
again, as evidenced by the recent presidential announcements, there has
been positive movement to expedite certain processes. As industry we
now look forward to placing electrons on the grid with more streamlined
regulatory processes in place.
Does ENERTRAG believe a “Just Energy Transition” is possible?
ENERTRAG is fully supportive of a Just Energy Transition but we are mindful
that this can only be achieved through a collaborative process that includes
consultation with a multitude of stakeholders. We view the Just Transition as
the journey to low emissions and a climate-resilient economy, while engaging
to ensure that the transition is equitable. ENERTRAG acknowledges that the
transition is not only climate related but it addresses social and economic
issues that impact the competitiveness and livelihoods of South Africans.
Where are the company’s operations in Mpumalanga?
ENERTRAG has invested substantially in the development of projects
across the Mpumalanga province. Areas that have sufficient wind and
solar resource were identified and are being permitted for execution.
What is the point of difference that ENERTRAG offers?
ENERTRAG’s point of difference is its holistic-energy system approach.
We differentiate ourselves through the optimisation of technologies to
support the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. To this end we have
been operating a green-hydrogen production facility since 2010 and
provide fuels for heating and transportation that are completely green.
Are there new technologies that lie ahead which could help the world
move away from fossil fuels?
The advancements in electrolyser technology will shift the way the world
produces and consumes fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia. This will
support the acceleration away from fossil fuels and aid the production of
sustainable fuels. ■

MPUMALANGA
CONTENTS
Overview and Sector News
A regional overview of Mpumalanga 36
A new agency has been created to smooth the way to a greener
economy while Eskom makes land available for renewable projects.
Educational opportunities are
growing in Mpumalanga 42
A new university and active technical and vocational
colleges offer a wide range of qualifications.
Oil and gas 46
Air Liquide has increased its presence in the province.
Transport and logistics 47
Major roadworks are underway on strategic routes.
Water 48
The Loskop Bulk Water Project is to be accelerated.
Manufacturing 49
Enaex has teamed up with Sasol.
Tourism 50
A new European airline has added Kruger Mpumalanga
International Airport to its roster.
Banking and financial services 51
Mutual banks have been granted licences.
ICT 52
Mpumalanga has migrated to digital transmitters.
Development finance and SMME support 54
Trade and accommodation are popular sectors for startups.
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN MPUMALANGA
2021/22
MPUMALANGA
MPUMALANGA
BUSINESS
THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN
MPUMALANGA PROVINCE
THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN
MPUMALANGA PROVINCE
JOIN JOIN US US ONLINE
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN MPUMALANGA
2018/19
MPUMALANGA
BUSINESS
THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT
IN MPUMALANGA PROVINCE
2022/23 EDITION
2021/22 EDITION
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2018/19 EDITION
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ABOUT THE COVER:
Top left, then clockwise: Sasol’s octene plant at Secunda, Sasol; Textile techniques,
Standerton Mills; More than 500 bird species have been spotted in the Kruger
National Park, Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency; Some of the country’s
best architectural firms competed to design buildings for the University of
Mpumalanga; University of Mpumalanga; Macadamias, Freepik.com; Precision is
vital in mining, SASOL; Centre; Hot-air ballooning, MTPA.

MEGA is the Official Economic Development Agency
for Mpumalanga Province - South Africa
MBOMBELA HEAD OFFICE: T. +27 13 752 2440
www.mega.gov.za • trade-invest@mega.gov.za

FOREWORD
Mpumalanga Business
A unique guide to business and investment in Mpumalanga.
Credits
Publishing director:
Chris Whales
Editor: John Young
Managing director: Clive During
Online editor: Christoff Scholtz
Designer: Tyra Martin
Production: Yonella Ngaba
Ad sales:
Gavin van der Merwe
Sam Oliver
Gabriel Venter
Vanessa Wallace
Shiko Diala
Administration & accounts:
Charlene Steynberg
Kathy Wootton
Distribution and circulation
manager: Edward MacDonald
Printing: FA Print
The 2022/23 edition of Mpumalanga Business is the 13th issue
of this successful publication that since its launch in 2008
has established itself as the premier business and investment
guide for the province.
With messages of welcome to potential investors from both the provincial
premier and the MEC responsible for Economic Development and
Tourism, this edition of the journal also contains the official Mpumalanga
Investment Prospectus, a comprehensive survey of the province’s assets and
the potential of the region. Major catalytic projects such as the Nkomazi
Special Economic Zone (NSEZ) and the Mpumalanga International Fresh
Produce Market (MIFPM) are examined in detail, outlining how producers,
processors and logistics firms stand to benefit and where there is potential
for investment. In addition to the Prospectus, the journal contains a special
feature on education and a series of brief news briefs about some of the
most important sectors in the provincial economy.
To complement the extensive local, national and international
distribution of the print edition, the full content can also be viewed
online at www.globalafricanetwork.com. Updated information on
Mpumalanga is also available through our monthly e-newsletter,
which you can subscribe to online at www.gan.co.za, in addition to our
complementary business-to-business titles that cover all nine provinces,
our flagship South African Business title and the new addition our list of
publications, African Business, which was launched in 2020. ■
Chris Whales
Publisher, Global Africa Network Media | Email: chris@gan.co.za
DISTRIBUTION
Mpumalanga Business is distributed internationally on
outgoing and incoming trade missions, through trade and
investment agencies; to foreign offices in South Africa’s
main trading partners around the world; at top national
and international events; through the offices of foreign
representatives in South Africa; as well as nationally and
regionally via chambers of commerce, tourism offices, airport
lounges, provincial government departments, municipalities
and companies.
Member of the Audit Bureau
of Circulations
COPYRIGHT | Mpumalanga Business is an independent publication
published by Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd. Full copyright
to the publication vests with Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd.
No part of the publication may be reproduced in any form without
the written permission of Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd.
PHOTO CREDITS | Anglo American, Air Liquide, Enaex, Eskom,
Eurowings Discover, Gert Sibande TVET College, MEGA, Middelburginfo,
Motheo Group, PG Bison, Southern African Wildlife College, Ubank,
University of Mpumalanga.
PUBLISHED BY
Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd
Company Registration No: 2004/004982/07
Directors: Clive During, Chris Whales
Physical address: 28 Main Road, Rondebosch 7700
Tel: +27 21 657 6200 | Fax: +27 21 674 6943
Email: info@gan.co.za | Website: www.gan.co.za
ISSN 2222-3274
DISCLAIMER | While the publisher, Global Africa Network Media (Pty)
Ltd, has used all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information
contained in Mpumalanga Business is accurate and up-to-date, the
publishers make no representations as to the accuracy, quality,
timeliness, or completeness of the information. Global Africa Network
will not accept responsibility for any loss or damage suffered as a result
of the use of or any reliance placed on such information.

THE PLACE OF THE RISING SUN
MPUMALANGA
INVESTMENT PROSPECTUS
MPUMALANGA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS

WHY INVEST IN MPUMALANGA?
Companies in a wide range of sectors are already
invested in Mpumalanga – and are ramping up
the commitments with new investments
Mpumalanga’s diverse and resource-rich economy
makes it one of the most attractive trade and
investment destinations in South East Africa.
A large, growing domestic market and excellent
access, supported by world-class infrastructure,
to the East African and Indian Ocean markets
through Maputo Port makes Mpumalanga an
ideal investment location for export-driven
manufacturing and production.
Mpumalanga is one of South Africa’s most
productive and important agricultural regions and
through strategic investments in the Mpumalanga
International Fresh Produce Market (MIFPM) and
the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone (NSEZ) the
province is set to become a major force in food
production and distribution.
Mpumalanga’s sophisticated and well-segmented
tourism and hospitality sector in a post-Covid
world is ripe for investment and expansion.
Mpumalanga
68% of land area in the province
is used by agriculture
3
UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION
• Abundant resources: minerals and agricultural produce
• Established manufacturing infrastructure: smelters,
petrochemicals, food processing, paper, sugar
• Strategic location and access to regional and
global markets
• Tourism hotspots: the iconic Kruger National Park, worldclass
reserves, adventure tourism and new UNESCO
World Heritage Site
• Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market (MIFPM)
• Nkomazi Special Economic Zone (NSEZ)
• Newly established University of Mpumalanga
• Support for Green Economy research and investment
Mpumalanga’s three
biggest sectors are
manufacturing,
mining &
agriculture.

Mpumalanga’s STRATEGIC LOCATION makes it a valuable transport and logistics hub
A province in eastern South Africa, bordering
the nations of Swaziland and Mozambique
• Maputo Development Corridor
enhances logistics
• Preferential access to lucrative
EU market
• Proximity to South Africa’s
economic heartland
• Access to regional SADC
market: 360-million population
• Access to deepwater
Port of Maputo
Capital City
Mbombela (Nelspruit)
Main major towns
Ermelo
eMalahleni
Middelburg
Secunda
Airport
Kruger Mpumalanga
International Airport
Population
4.5-million people
MAPUTO DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR
The Maputo Development Corridor is South road, rail, Special Economic Zone, border
Africa’s leading Spatial Development Initiative posts, port and terminal facilities. The corridor
(SDI), linking Mpumalanga Province, Gauteng runs through the most highly industrialised
Province and the Nkomazi Special Economic and productive regions of Southern Africa.
Zone with the deepwater Port of Maputo in The Corridor has been extensively upgraded
Mozambique. This efficient corridor provides to international standards and links the
investors and exporters with good access industrial heartland of South Africa to its
to the export markets of South East Africa, nearest port in Maputo, Mozambique, which
the Indian Ocean Rim and Far East Asia. The is one of the fastest-growing countries in
Maputo Development Corridor comprises South East Africa.
SOUTH AFRICA
Lydenburg
Sabie
MOZAMBIQUE
Komatipoort
Middelburg
Belfast
Mbombela
MAPUTO
JOHANNESBURG
Carolina
SWAZILAND

A journey to a prosperous and inclusive future
Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane invites
investors to share in the growth of Mpumalanga, together
with the residents of a province rich in resources and talent.
On behalf of the
Provincial Government
and the people of Mpumalanga I wish
to welcome this opportunity for our
province to present its policies and
programmes, business opportunities,
and private sector success stories.
Despite what many consider an uncertain
global economic outlook, our province
has embraced a post-Covid ascendance
with bountiful opportunities that can be
tapped into through entrepreneurship
and collaboration.
Mpumalanga is the home
of more than 4.68-million
residents (7.8% of the
national population), and is
the fifth-biggest regional
economy in South Africa.
It has a diverse and
resource-rich economy
that makes it one of the
most attractive trade and
investment destinations
in South-East Africa.
This publication is intended
to expose potential
investors and business communities to
market opportunities in Mpumalanga
relating to identified sectors such as
agriculture, manufacturing, mining,
tourism and renewable energy.
We wish to welcome all interested
parties to join us in an inclusive growth
and sustainable development journey
through innovative flagship projects
such as the Mpumalanga Economic
Reconstruction and Recovery Plan
Premier Refilwe
Mtshweni-Tsipane
(MERRP), the Nkomazi Special Economic
Zone (SEZ), the Mpumalanga International
Fresh Produce Market (MIFPM) and many
more outlined in the following pages.
Private-public partnerships are bearing
fruit in the tourism sector, as illustrated
by the exciting Skywalk Project at God’s
Window an d a hotel and conference
centre under construction in Middelburg.
We are delighted to welcome direct
flights to our province from Eurowings
Discover, a division of Lufthansa.
A Just Energy Transition
and Climate Change
Working Group has been
established to guide policy
on these vital issues.
Our province is aggressively
pursuing the implementation
of strategies for economic
recovery from Covid-19 that
will also foster diversification
of its mineral-rich economy
and increase labour
absorption in its key sectors.
The provincial government,
together with districts, local
municipalities and state-owned enterprises,
has identified interventions that are aligned
with the national Economic Reconstruction
and Recovery Plan (ERRP). Mpumalanga has
adapted elements of the plan to ensure
relevance and effective implementation.
This will help our economy to grow
as we actively build back in a more
efficient manner. We invite investors
to join us on this journey to a more
prosperous and inclusive future.

A new era of investing in Mpumalanga
There are many varied and exciting opportunities for investment in
Mpumalanga. Department of Economic Development and Tourism MEC
Vusi Mkhatshwa outlines the dynamic investment climate in the province.
Mpumalanga Province is increasingly
being seen as an investment
destination of choice and we are
working hard to market it as such.
Quarterly investment roundtable
discussions in each of the province’s
three districts have been held and
international visits are promoting
the province’s qualities. The
Investment Summit is a culmination
of this process, but it will also
continue beyond the Summit.
The private sector has
announced huge investments
in the province, targeting
projects in solar energy, wind
energy, biomass, battery
storage, gas, wood-bonding
material, hybrid fuel rods,
waste gas from ferrochrome,
land rehabilitation,
reclamation of mine water
and sustainable agriculture.
We are proud to announce
that the Mpumalanga Green
Cluster has been granted
membership of the ICN
(International Cleantech Network). This
gives the province access to over 15 000
tech companies, providing opportunities
for information, knowledge, technology
and business exchange, further
boosting Mpumalanga’s prospects for
job creation and investment attraction.
These sorts of structures and
partnerships are relatively new and are
a way to ensure that the best aspects
of government, business and academia
can be applied towards development
that unlocks jobs and investment.
We see the Green Cluster as a key
mechanism for the implementation
of enabling investment in the Green
Economy. Several energy projects have
been launched. For example, investment
commitments to the value of R75-billion
in wind energy have been secured,
which have the potential to create over
13 000 jobs. Municipalities are aware
of the work that must be done to grow
MEC Vusi
Mkhatshwa
the Green Economy.
In support of potential new
investments and working
with the Office of the
Premier, our department
has successfully
hosted an Energy
Summit at eMalahleni,
with the objective to
create pathways for
a “Just Transition”.
Rebooting the economy
to accommodate the
Green Economy in a
just way will create
tremendous opportunities for
creative investors in Mpumalanga.
As an indication that we are on the right
track, the Nkomazi Special Economic
Zone already has an investment pipeline
worth over R10-billion in the agroprocessing,
green energy
and logistics sectors.
We invite other investors
to join the new wave of
investing in Mpumalanga!

ABOUT MEGA
The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) is the official Economic
Development Agency for the Mpumalanga Provincial Government.
MEGA’s primary mandate is to foster the sustainable growth and development of
Mpumalanga’s economy through its operational activities of Trade and Investment Promotion,
Development Funding, Equity Investments, and Property and Infrastructure Development.
The Agency remains accountable to the Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development
and Tourism (DEDT).
MEGA is the foreign investor’s or trader’s first point of contact for doing successful business
in Mpumalanga Province. Through the Trade and Investment Promotion Division, the Agency
provides a variety of services to potential investors and trading partners.
MEGA services
MEGA staff will go out of their way to make the process
of investing in Mpumalanga or starting a business in the
province easy. MEGA is focussed on customer needs and
provides innovative solutions with a high level of service.
Services include:
• Foreign Trade Promotion
• Investment Promotion
• Funding
• Property Management and Infrastructure Development
Planning the way forward
National government has articulated a Nine-Point Plan which seeks to prioritise
projects that will tackle key economic issues. MEGA is aligned with the plan, which
include issues relevant to growing the provincial economy:
• revitalise agriculture and the agro-processing chain
• advancing mineral beneficiation
• implementing the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) effectively
• unlocking the potential of SMMEs, cooperatives and township and rural enterprises
• resolving the energy challenge
• stabilising the labour market
• upscaling private investment
• investment in science and technology, water and
sanitation, transport and broadband connectivity

AfCFTA FAST FACTS
Africa’s exports could increase by $560-billion and some
experts predict that continental business and consumer
spending could reach $6.7-trillion by 2030.
$450
BILLION
AfCFTA could
boost regional income
by 7% or $450-billion
(Source: the World Bank)
AfCFTA could lift
30
-million
people
out of poverty, according
to the World Bank
AfCFTA
could
boost
10%
wages
by up to
* World Bank estimate
ABOUT SADC
South Africa is a member of one of Africa’s
oldest regional organisations, the 16-member
Southern African Development Community,
(SADC). This enables duty-free trade within
a growing market of more than 360-million
people. All goods shipped under SADC
Certificate of Origin receive duty-free status.
Duty-free trade
within a GROWING MARKET
of more than
360million
people

MPUMALANGA’S ECONOMY
The provincial economy of Mpumalanga is exceptionally diverse. Established industries
in the province include Mining, Stainless Steel, Petrochemicals, Pulp and Paper, Ferro-
Alloys, Energy Generation, Tourism, Agriculture and Agro-Processing, among others.
Companies in these sectors include
global giants in their industries such as
Sasol (energy and chemicals), Sappi
(paper, packaging, pulp and forests),
Samancor Chrome (ferrochrome),
Sibanye-Stillwater and Glencore (mining).
The province’s commercial farmers are
among the most efficient in the world,
exporting huge quantities of everything
from citrus to macadamia nuts. Columbus
Stainless is the only stainless-steel
manufacturer on the continent.
District GVA by district
38% 34%
Nkangala
Ehlanzeni
28%
Gert
Sibanda
AGRICULTURE 3%
COMMUNITY
SERVICE 19%
FINANCE
14%
MINING 20%
TRANSPORT 6%
MANUFACTURING
15%
ELECTRICITY 7%
TRADE 14%
CONSTRUCTION
2%
Governance
The province has three district municipalities
and 17 local municipalities. Several
agencies which promote the regional economy
report to the Mpumalanga Provincial
Government. Large parts of the province
comprises extensive rural villages that form
part of areas run by traditional authorities.
Transport
Two airports at Hoedspruit (Eastgate Airport) and Mbombela (Kruger Mpumalanga International
Airport, KMIA) plus many airfields. Extensive freight rail network, busiest in South Africa.
N4 highway (Maputo Corridor) is an east-west spine of highly-developed road system.
PRETORIA
N4
N12
JOHANNESBURG
Middelburg
N17
N11
Ermelo
N2
Lydenburg
Belfast
N4
Carolina
N17
R36
R37
Mbombela
Barberton
Sabie
R40
N4
SWAZILAND
MOZAMBIQUE
Komatipoort
MAPUTO

ABOUT MEGA
The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) is the official Economic
Development Agency for the Mpumalanga Provincial Government.
MEGA’s primary mandate is to foster the sustainable growth and development of
Mpumalanga’s economy through its operational activities of Trade and Investment Promotion,
Development Funding, Equity Investments, and Property and Infrastructure Development.
The Agency remains accountable to the Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development
and Tourism (DEDT).
MEGA is the foreign investor’s or trader’s first point of contact for doing successful business
in Mpumalanga Province. Through the Trade and Investment Promotion Division, the Agency
provides a variety of services to potential investors and trading partners.
MEGA services
MEGA staff will go out of their way to make the process
of investing in Mpumalanga or starting a business in the
province easy. MEGA is focussed on customer needs and
provides innovative solutions with a high level of service.
Services include:
• Foreign Trade Promotion
• Investment Promotion
• Funding
• Property Management and Infrastructure Development
Planning the way forward
National government has articulated a Nine-Point Plan which seeks to prioritise
projects that will tackle key economic issues. MEGA is aligned with the plan, which
include issues relevant to growing the provincial economy:
• revitalise agriculture and the agro-processing chain
• advancing mineral beneficiation
• implementing the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) effectively
• unlocking the potential of SMMEs, cooperatives and township and rural enterprises
• resolving the energy challenge
• stabilising the labour market
• upscaling private investment
• investment in science and technology, water and
sanitation, transport and broadband connectivity

KEY SECTORS AGRICULTURE
Agriculture in Mpumalanga is responsible for 3% of the
province’s gross value added by region (GVA-R) and can
be divided into the following categories (see map, right).
REGIONAL PRODUCE
Lowveld
Mpumalanga Province is one of South Africa’s most productive
and important agricultural regions and plays a key role in the
export profile of South Africa, primarily in fruit and nuts. The
:1
province’s economic diversity extends
into the agriculture sector where the
natural topography of the province
divides this sector between the
Highveld and Lowveld Regions.
Mpumalanga’s ratio of
commercial farmers to
small-scale farmers
AGRICULTURE
SUMMER CEREALS &
LEGUMES
MAIZE Maize meal
SOYA Meal, Edible oil
CANOLA Edible oil
SUNFLOWER Edible oil
TROPICAL &
SUBTROPICAL FRUIT
CANE SUGAR Sugar /
confectionery
CITRUS Juice & concentrate
MANGOES Dried, frozen,
juice & concentrates
LITCHIS Dried, frozen,
juice & concentrates
AVOCADOES Avocado oil
GUAVA Dried, frozen,
juice & concentrates
MACADAMIA NUTS
Processed & confectionery
Highveld
Highveld Region: Summer cereals
and legumes: maize, soya, canola,
sunflower. Animal products: bovine
meat, swine, sheep and poultry.
Lowveld Region: Subtropical and
citrus fruits, nuts and cane sugar.
The Highveld Region in the west of the province is at an elevation
of between 4 000 and 6 000 feet above sea level. This allows for
the large-scale and commercial production of cereals and legumes
like maize, soya, canola and sunflower.
The subtropical region of the Mpumalanga Lowveld plays a key role
in the agricultural export profile of the province, primarily in fruit and nuts.
Mpumalanga Province is one of the world largest producers and exporters
of citrus fruit. Duty-free exports of South African citrus to the USA under the
African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) reached
a peak of 91 000 tons in 2020 ($94.9-million) and
are expected to continue their strong annual growth
as the USA is still considered a premium market.
Mpumalanga Province is the world’s largest producer
and exporter of macadamia nuts. The province
earned $207-million in exports in 2019, $76-million
of this to the US. There have been major new
investments in processing facilities in Mpumalanga.
Mpumalanga’s rich agricultural produce is utilised
by companies such as McCain, Nestlé and PepsiCo.
$94.9-million
The value of the duty-free exports of South
African citrus to the USA under AGOA in 2020, a
record 91 000 tons
4 000ha
Of macadamia nut trees are newly planted in
South Africa every year, mostly in Mpumalanga
and neighbouring Limpopo
70
Seats on each of the six staff buses, together with
50 trucks and refrigerated trailers, run by banana
farmers Umbhaba Estates

KEY SECTORS FORESTRY
Forestry is a key driver for the development of
Mpumalanga’s rural economy and a major provider
of job opportunities. About 40% of SA’s sustainable
forests are located in Mpumalanga Province.
The industry comprises logging, saw-milling, wood
products, wood board, pulp and paper as well as
specialised cellulose.
Specialised cellulose is a sought-after
natural, renewable fibre with a wide range
of uses in the textile, consumer goods,
foodstuff and pharmaceutical industries
and is produced in large quantities at
Sappi Ngodwana.
PG Bison has recently invested
R560-million in a new front-end dryer for
its particleboard plant in Mkhondo (Piet
Retief). The company is also building a new medium-density fibreboard
(MDF) plant at its Mpumalanga plant.
SAFCOL/Komatiland is the state forestry
company with commercial and non-commercial
operations covering a land area of 187 320ha.
R9.5
billion
Amount invested in the foresty industry
40%
R560-million
Mpumalanga has
processing
39
out of 148 in South Africa
18
plants
MAIN EXPORTS
PULP
PAPER
SPECIALISED CELLULOSE
SAWN LUMBER
WOOD CHIPS
WATTLE EXTRACT
MAJOR COMPANIES
SAPPI
SAFCOL
SONAE ARAUCO
PG BISON
YORK TIMBERS
FX GROUP
Sonae Arauco is a Portuguese investment.
A new entrant, local BEE company the
FX Group, is commissioning a greenfield
particle board plant in Lothair in the Gert
Sibande District.
Of South Africa’s sustainable forests are located
in Mpumalanga and it leads the nation in hectares
planted and export earnings
PG Bison’s recent investment in a new front-end
dryer for its particleboard plant in Mkhondo
(Piet Retief)
Softwood saw-log plantations run in three
provinces by Komatiland Forests, a subsidiary of
state-owned enterprise SAFCOL

KEY SECTORS MINING, MINERALS AND ENERGY
Mining is the province’s largest single sector providing employment to 5.2% of the
province’s workforce and making up 20% of gross value added by region (GVA-R).
Coal: 83% of South Africa’s coal production, 50% of national coal
reserves, third-largest coal-exporting region in the world. Coal
3%
is the lifeblood of provincial economy, fuelling 11 Eskom power
plants, which produce
80% of South Africa’s
electricity. Coal is
of South Africa’s
Mpumalanga’s single
coal production
largest export product,
shipping mainly to India and Pakistan.
MINERALS
COAL Waste briquettes
GOLD JEWELLERY
CHROME
PLATINUM
IRON ORE
VANADIUM
MANGANESE
GRANITE Building cladding
& tombstone
CLAY Porcelain & ceramics
Electrical insulators
0%
of South
Africa’s
national
coal
reserves
Other minerals: Gold mining takes place in Evander, Pilgrim’s Rest and
Barberton. Gold is the second-largest export from the province.Platinum and
chrome ore mining is located in the Steelpoort and Burgersfort areas in the
north of the province and make up part of the Bushveld Igneous Complex.
The mining services and technology industry is an important subsector in
Mpumalanga. With over a century of commercial mining operations in the
province, homegrown technologies are now exported globally.
National utility Eskom will spend R3.3-billion on the revival of the Matla coal
mine. Exxaro Resources will manage the project and do the mining while major
companies such as DRA, Worley, Sandvik and WBHO will also be involved.
Other companies engaged in expansion of life-of-mine projects are Pan
African Resources and Evander (Elikhulu tailings), Exxaro Resources
(Leeuwpan) and South32, which is spending about R4.3-billion at Klipspruit.
Platinum is an important mineral for the modern economy. Two Rivers is a
joint venture between Implats (46%) and African Rainbow Minerals which is
located on the southern part of the eastern limb of the Bushveld Igneous
Complex, 35km south-west of Burgersfort in Mpumalanga.
Lydenburg is home to the Lion ferrochrome smelter that is a joint venture
between Glencore and Merafe Resources.
R3.8-billion
To be spent by Exxaro on its Belfast coal mine,
one of five assets in Mpumalanga
69 000
People were employed in the mining industry in
Mpumalanga in 2021 (StatsSA)
16
Platinum group metals (PGMs) projects are
underway in the province, home to part of the
eastern limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex

KEY SECTORS GREEN ECONOMY AND JET
Mpumalanga has historically been at the heart of the
South African energy and industrial complex and is still
heavily reliant on the mining and burning of fossil fuels.
The Mpumalanga Provincial Government has been
proactive in exploring opportunities in the Green Economy
and pursuing a just transition to a low-carbon
economy which secures the future and
livelihoods of workers and their communities.
Achieving such a just transition would
require an integration of economic opportunities
in sectors outside of energy and mining.
Mpumalanga has
11
ESKOM POWER
plants
A Just Energy Transition (JET) to a
Green Economy presents the
following opportunities:
• Renewable energy: solar, biomass, natural
products
• Gas and associated industries
• Sustainable smart agriculture:
environmentally-friendly agriculture
and agricultural processing
• Circular Green Economy: waste recycling,
water reclamation, land rehabilitation
• Soft infrastructure: reskilling and
institutional capacity-building for a
carbon-neutral future
• Hard infrastructure: investment and
expertise are needed in urban planning,
water and waste management
• Building technologies: greener and more
energy-efficient
• Transport and logistics: greener and
more energy-efficient
Specific opportunities include:
• There are plans for the decommissioning
of 11 000MW of Eskom’s coal-fired
capacity by 2030. Opportunities are
presented by repurposing land.
• The vast new fields of natural gas found
off the coast of Mozambique could
have a big impact on the Mpumalanga
economy.
• A Renewable Energy Development
Zone (REDZ) is planned for eMalahleni /
Witbank where coal jobs are at risk.
25MW
One
18
The biomass energy plant at Sappi’s Ngodwana
Mill started producing in March 2022 and can get
through 35 tons per hour of biomass
Pilot site of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage
(CCUS) project near power stations and chemicals
complex, run by Council for Geoscience
Winning bids from an auction among independent
power producers (IPPs) to use Eskom land to
generate 1 800MW of renewable energy

KEY SECTORS MANUFACTURING
Three primary pillars of the manufacturing sector in Mpumalanga account for
more than 60% of the output of the manufacturing sector, which overall makes up
15% of gross value added, regional (GVA-R).
Fuel, petroleum and chemical products are manufactured at the Sasol Secunda plant in
Secunda, Gert Sibande District. It is one of the world’s largest synthetic fuels facilities,
producing 60-million litres of liquid fuel a day. Products produced include petroleum,
paraffin, jet fuel, creosote, bitumen and waxes.
The ferro-alloy and stainless-steel industries are based in the Nkangala
District. Columbus Stainless in Middelburg is Africa’s only producer of
stainless-steel flat products. Samancor Chrome (Ferrometals), the world’s
second-largest ferrochrome producer, has two plants in Mpumalanga.
MAIN EXPORTS
STAINLESS STEEL
Cutlery
Catering equipment
Surgical instruments
Automotive components
STEEL White & grey goods
Pipes & tubes
Wire
PETROCHEMICALS
Plastic products
Recycling plastics
Artificial rubber products
Paint & vanish
Inks & dyes
FOOD PROCESSING
Maize meal
Machinery
Frozen & dehydrated
VEGETABLES Preserves,
pickles & condiments
Nuts
PAPER Recycling
SUGAR Confectionery
MINING Machinery
and services
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Solar and biofuel
Biomass
Agro-processing is mainly based in the Lowveld Region and consists of
manufacturing forestry products (pulp, paper and cellulose), sugar at the
Selati RCL Foods plants in Nkomazi and processing subtropical fruit and nuts.
The province’s flourishing macadamia nut industry has a number of
large processing facilities based around the provincial capital Mbombela.
Subtropical fruits like mango, banana, papaya and citrus are processed into
juice concentrate or dried for export.
There is a geographical divide in the manufacturing sector. Fuel, petroleum
and chemical production occurs in the southern Highveld Region clustered
around Sasol’s plants.
The northern Highveld area, including Middelburg and eMalahleni (Witbank),
is home to ferro-alloy, steel and stainless-steel concerns. Creative thinking
kicked in when Highveld Steel’s troubles reached a tipping point. The
1 000ha property in Emalahleni has been re-purposed as a multi-purpose
site for industry and commerce. Called the Highveld Industrial Park, the
project promotes a wide range of manufacturing enterprises.
In the Lowveld, agricultural and forestry products are processed while
Sappi’s giant mill is close to the company’s forests south-west of the
provincial capital, Mbombela.
1
90 000
200
Five
Square feet (8 361m²) of floor space at McCain’s
food-processing plant in Delmas where French
fries are made
Textile machines work 24-hour days overseen by
500 employees at Standerton Mills making yarns
and fabrics
Small business incubators run by Seda in
Mpumalanga in renewable energy, furniture,
floriculture, agriculture and stainless steel

KEY SECTORS TOURISM
The importance of tourism to the economy of
Mpumalanga cannot be overstated. The effect of
the Covid-19 pandemic has been strongly felt.
Mpumalanga received only 340 000 international visitors
in 2020, down from 1.6-million international visitors
in 2019. The key source countries were Mozambique,
eSwatini, the USA, Germany, France and the UK.
.6
MILLION
MILLION
Number of visitors
ANNUALLY pre-COVID-19
21billion
Rand value of tourist
spend in Mpumalanga…
before COVID-19
Domestic tourism has steadily increased. The total tourist White crested hawk
foreign direct spend (TTFDS) in Mpumalanga for 2020 was
R7.5-billion, down from over R21-billion in 2019. The sector
accounts for 6% of gross value added, by region (GVA-R).
The announcement in 2022 by Eurowings Discover, a new
division of Lufthansa, that it would start flying three times a
week to Mbombela from Frankfurt, via Windhoek, will give a
certain boost to tourist numbers visiting Mpumalanga.
The Kruger National Park is Mpumalanga’s most famous
tourist asset and safaris and hunting are major tourist
attractions. The Manyeleti Reserve, a 23 750-hectare
game reserve sharing a fenceless border with the Kruger
National Park, is operated and
managed by the Mpumalanga
Tourism and Parks Agency
(MTPA). God’s Window and the Blyde River Canyon Reserve are
other provincial treasures attracting investment.
Business travel, including conferencing, adventure, heritage
and cultural tourism, all hold huge growth potential in
Mpumalanga, but require investment in infrastructure and
product development.
A hotel and conference centre project in Middelburg is
making progress and should be completed in 2023.
3.7km
500+
13
Length of one of Eastgate Airport’s runways at
Hoedspruit, which doubles as an airforce base.
The other runway is 2.1km
Bird species recorded in the Kruger National Park,
including the Kori Bustard, Martial Eagle, Southern
Ground Hornbill and Lappetfaced Vulture
Nature reserves are run by the Mpumalanga
Tourism and Parks Agency and Kruger National
Park is run by SANParks

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES TOURISM
Selected Strategic High Impact Projects:
BOURKE’S LUCK POTHOLES HOTEL
This natural water wonder is a major tourism attraction
in the Mpumalanga Lowveld. This project presents an
investment opportunity for a five-star hotel and a
top-quality restaurant.
Feasibility study: completed
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): commenced
Model: Joint Venture (JV), Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)
Value: R100-million
BLYDE RIVER CANYON
CABLE CAR PROJECT
The Blyde River Canyon is the largest and deepest
green canyon in the world and offers a spectacular
opportunity to build a cable car transporting tourists
from the top of the canyon to the peninsula below.
Feasibility study: completed
EIA: commenced
Model: JV, BOT
Value: R500-million
GOD’S WINDOW SKY WALK
The project to build a “Sky Walk”, an incomegenerating
tourism attraction off the edge of the 700m
God’s Window cliffs, giving 360-degree panoramic
views out and down through a glass floor.
Feasibility study: completed
EIA: commenced
Investors secured
Model: JV, BOT
Value: R100-million

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES PRODUCE MARKET
Selected Strategic High Impact Projects:
MPUMALANGA INTERNATIONAL FRESH PRODUCE MARKET
MEGA is establishing a R1.2-billion fresh
produce market facility located in Mbombela, the
Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market
(MIFPM). To date the province has invested an
estimated R540-million in the project.
Mpumalanga is one of South Africa’s most
productive and important agriculture regions.
It is home to predominantly tropical and
subtropical crops and vegetables owing to its
conducive climate. The tropical and subtropical
crops consist of avocado, banana, citrus, ginger,
granadilla, guava, litchi, macadamia nut, mango,
papaya and pineapple.
The vegetables produced include potatoes,
tomatoes, pumpkins, sweet corn, onions,
sweet potatoes, beetroot, carrots, green peas,
cauliflower, cabbages and green beans.
The market will offer:
• Open trading halls for fruit and vegetables
• A meat, fish and flower market
• Complementary cold storage, ripening facilities
and pallet handling
• Processing facilities
• An export hall
• Bulk-breaking facilities for retail outlets
• Links with statutory organisations such as
customs, PPEBC and EuroGap
• Transport and logistics enterprises
• Shared collation and pack house facilities for
SMMEs
• Commercial services including banks and
restaurants
• A food bank for NGOs
Site: The site is in Mbombela on a 248ha
plot less than 10km from the Central
Business District. It is situated within the
Maputo Development Corridor (MDC), linking
Mpumalanga, Gauteng Province and the Nkomazi
Special Economic Zone with the deepwater Port
of Maputo in Mozambique.
The market: The market will give local farmers
access to local, regional and international fresh
produce markets and will aid in ensuring food
security for the region.
The infrastructure of the MIFPM will attract
international as well as the large domestic food
retailers as a key processing and distribution
point. It will also secure Mpumalanga’s position
in the regional export market in fresh produce.
Feasibility study: completed
EIA: completed
Bulk infrastructure: completed
Top structures: underway
Model: JV, BOT
Value: R1-billion

MPUMALANGA – NKOMA
H
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES NKOMAZI SEZ
Selected Strategic High Impact Projects:
H
NKOMAZI SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE
The Nkomazi Special Economic Zone has
Recreation
been officially designated and MEGA has
Centralised Facilities
been appointed to establish the entity.
SEZs are geographically designated
areas set aside for specifically targeted
Convenience Retail
economic activities that are supported
through special tax incentives. An SEZ
Accommodation
aims to be an economic development tool
to promote rapid economic growth by
using various support measures to attract targeted foreign and domestic investments
and technology. The main goal is to support the implementation of South Africa’s industrial
development programme.
2022/03/23
Strategically positioned in the border town of Komatipoort, the SEZ offers a multi-sector
base of operations along the Maputo Development Corridor which provides exporters with
MPUMALANGA – FOREIGN T
Distance to:
► Johannesburg – 449km
► Mbombela – 103km
► Maputo – 99km
► Mbabane – 186km
good access through Maputo Port to the export markets of South East Africa, the Indian
MPUMALANGA – NKOMAZI SEZ
Ocean Rim and Far East Asia.
The Nkomazi SEZ will target investment from the agriculture, agro-processing,
nutraceuticals and fertiliser production sectors, as having a strong focus on logistics and
trade services.
The NSEZ offers the investor a unique and incentivised base of operations on the Maputo
Development Corridor running through the most highly industrialised and productive regions
of Southern Africa.
The Maputo Corridor is bound to develop even more as the Maputo harbour improves
its handling and scheduling capacity. In the event that a second rail line to Maputo to
complement the current rail link is developed, the shipment of mining products and
MPUMALANGA – FOREIGN TRADE
Distance to:
► Johannesburg – 449km
► Mbombela – 103km
► Maputo – 99km
► Mbabane – 186km
Manufacturing
agricultural produce to and from the Limpopo and
Mpumalanga provinces will increase.
The NSEZ is set to provide One-Stop-Shop
services, incentives, innovation platform, a
competitive and transparent market environment,
and timeous and efficient responses to investors’
market requirements.
Logistics

ZI SEZ
RADE
FOREIGN TRADE
Mpumalanga is proving to be a key player in the local
economy as well as internationally.
TOP EXPORTS 2021
Ferroy-alloys R33-billion ($2.2-billion)
Stainless steel R8.9-billion ($593.3-million)
Platinum R8.7-billion ($580-million)
Gold R7.3-billion ($486.7-million)
Macadamia nuts R4.2-billion ($280-million)
Coal R3.7-billion ($246.7-million)
Chrome ore R2.2-billion ($146.7-million)
Manganese R1.2-billion ($80-million)
Fuel wood R1-billion ($66.7-million)
Citrus fruit R604-million ($40.3-million)
TOP 10 EXPORT MARKETS 2021
UAE R9.9-billion ($664-million)
People’s Republic of China R9.8-billion ($663.3-million)
USA R8-billion ($533.3-million)
Mozambique R7.4-billion ($493.3-million)
Japan R5.5-billion ($366.6-million)
Korea R3.8-billion ($253.3-million)
Netherlands R3.3-billion ($220-million)
eSwatini R3-billion ($200-million)
Indonesia R2.9-billion ($193.3-million)
17
United Kingdom R2.7-billion ($180-million)

SPECIAL FEATURE
Establishing a business
in South Africa
South Africa has eased the barriers to doing business for locals as well as
international companies and individuals.
new legislation, no new Close Corporations can
be created but CCs can convert to companies.
Registration of company
The company must be registered with the
Companies and Intellectual Proper ties
Commission (CPIC) in Pretoria within 21 days of
the company being started. There are a range of
administrative procedures that need to be fulfilled.
Bank account
A business bank account must be opened in the
company’s name with a bank in South Africa.
Autobody repair is a thriving subsector. Credit: Seda
South Africa has a sophisticated legal,
regulatory and banking system. Setting
up a business in South Africa is a relatively
straightforward process with assistance
being offered by organisations such as the
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition
and provincial investment agencies like the
Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA).
South African law regulates the establishment
and conduct of businesses throughout the
country. Tax, investment incentives, regulations
governing imports, exports and visas are uniform
throughout the country.
The particular environment varies from
province to province with regard to the
availability of human and natural resources, the
infrastructure and support services, business
opportunities and the quality of life. In this
respect, MEGA can offer specific advice about the
business environment in the province.
Business is regulated by the Companies Act
and the Close Corporation Act, which cover
accounting and reporting requirements. Under
Registration with the receiver of revenue
• As a Provisional Taxpayer
• As a VAT vendor
• For Pay As You Earn (PAYE) income tax payable on
money earned by employees
• For Standard Income Tax on Employees
Registration with the Department of Labour
Businesses employing staff will have to contact the
Department of Labour regarding mandatory contributions
to the Unemployment Insurance Fund
(UIF). Register with Compensation Commissioner
for Compensation Fund: Files with the Compensation
Fund (in the Department of Labour) for
accident insurance (Workmen’s Compensation).
Registration with the local authority
Relevant only to businesses dealing in fresh
foodstuffs or health matters.
Other procedures
• Checking exchange control procedures (note
that non-residents are generally not subject to
exchange controls except for certain categories
of investment).
MPUMALANGA FREE STATE BUSINESS 2021 2022/23
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23 2620
26

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2021/22
2018/19
2018/19
MPUMALANGA
SPECIAL FEATURE
• Obtaining approval for building plans
• Applying for industry and export incentives
• Applying for import permits and verifying import
duties payable
• Registering as an exporter if relevant and
applying for an export permit.
Business entities
There are a variety of forms which businesses can
take, including private and public companies,
personal liability companies, non-profit companies,
state-owned companies and even branches of
foreign companies (or external companies).
Branches of foreign companies fall under
Section 23 of the Companies Act of 2008 and are
required to register as “external companies” with
the CIPC. An external company is not required
to appoint a local board of directors but must
appoint a person resident in South Africa who
is authorised to accept services of process and
any notices served on the company. It must also
appoint a registered local auditor and establish a
registered office in South Africa.
Patents, trademarks and copyrights
Trademarks (including service marks) are valid for
an initial period of 10 years and are renewable
indefinitely for further 10-year periods. Patents are
granted for 20 years, normally without an option
to renew. The holder of a patent or trademark
must pay an annual fee in order to preserve its
validity. Patents and trademarks may be licensed
but where this involves the payment of royalties
to non-resident licensors, prior approval of the
licensing agreement must be obtained from
the dtic. South Africa is a signatory to the Berne
Copyright Convention.
Permits for foreign nationals
Work permits
In considering whether or not to grant a work
permit, the Department of Home Affairs will first
evaluate the validity of the offer of employment
by conducting a number of checks to confirm the
following:
• Has the Department of Labour been contacted?
• Has the position been widely advertised?
• Is the prospective employer able to prove that he
or she has tried to find a suitably qualified local
employee prior to hiring a foreigner?
• Is the prospective employee appropriately
qualified and do they have the relevant
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experience?
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Business permits
Foreign nationals who wish to establish their own
business or a partnership in South Africa must,
apart from having sufficient funds to support
themselves and their family, be able to invest at
least R2.5-million in the business.
FDC IS ZERO TOLERANCE TO FRAUD AND CORRUPTION.PLEASE REPORT FRAUD AND
CORRUPTION The INCIDENTS funds TO THE FRAUD HOTLINE must 0800 212 154 originate overseas, be
transferable to South Africa and belong to the
applicant (ie emanate from the applicant’s own
CORRUPTION INCIDENTS TO THE FRAUD HOTLINE 0800 212 154
bank account). The business must also create
jobs for South African citizens. After six months
to a year, proof will have to be submitted that the
business is employing South African citizens or
permanent residents, excluding family members
of the employer.
Applications for work permits for selfemployment
can only be lodged at the South
African Consulate or Embassy in the applicant’s
country of origin. The processing fee is US$186. The
applicant would also have to lodge a repatriation
guarantee with the consulate/embassy equivalent
to the price of a one-way flight from South Africa
back to his or her country of origin.
This guarantee is refundable once the
applicant has either left South Africa permanently
or obtained permanent residence. Any application
for an extension of a business permit may be
lodged locally. The processing fee per passport
holder is R425. Some countries also need to pay
R108 per return visa.
A list A list of of countries to to which this applies is
available from from the the Department of of Home Affairs.
MEGA MEGA assists assists investors in in applying for the
relevant work permits to to conduct their business.
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FDC IS ZERO TOLERANCE TO FRAUD AND CORRUPTION.PLEASE REPORT FRAUD AND
What can MEGA do for you?
MEGA will help new businesses by assisting in
project appraisal and packaging, putting investors
in touch with relevant agencies and government
departments, alerting investors to investment
incentives and setting up joint ventures where
required. ■
27
MPUMALANGA FREE STATE BUSINESS BUSINESS 2022/23 2021
27 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23

SPECIAL FEATURE
South African
investment incentives
The South African government, particularly the Department of Trade, Industry
and Competition, has a range of incentives available to investors, existing
companies, entrepreneurs and co-operatives across many sectors.
Tourism is a popular investment sector. Thebe Tourism Group has invested Zindoga a luxury Trading hotel and on Projects.
the
Skukuza bridge. The Kruger Shalati Development is in the Kruger National Image: Credit: Park. Seda Roger Bosch/Brand SA
South Africa wishes to diversify its economy
and incentives are an important part
of the strategy to attract investors to
the country.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition
(the dtic) is the lead agency in the
incentives programme, which aims to encourage
local and foreign investment into targeted
economic sectors, but the Industrial Development
Corporation (IDC) is the most influential funder of
projects across South Africa.
There are a variety of incentives available and
these incentives can broadly be categorised
according to the stage of project development:
• Conceptualisation of the project – including
feasibility studies and research and develop-
ment (grants for R&D and feasibility studies,
THRIP, Stp, etc)
• Capital expenditure – involving the creation
or expansion of the productive capacity of
businesses (MCEP, EIP, CIP, FIG, etc)
• Competitiveness enhancement – involving the
introduction of efficiencies and whetting the
competitive edge of established companies and
commercial or industrial sectors (BBSDP, EMIA,
CTCIP, etc)
• Some of the incentives are sector-specific, for
example the Aquaculture Development and
Enhancement Programme (ADEP), Clothing
and Textile Competitiveness Improvement
Programme (CTCIP) and the Tourism Support
Programme (TSP).
MPUMALANGA MPUMALANGA BUSINESS BUSINESS2021/22 2022/23 2020/21
28 14 10

Manufacturing
Key components of the incentive programme are
the Manufacturing Incentive Programme (MIP) and
the Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement
Programme (MCEP). The initial MCEP, launched in
2012, was so successful that it was oversubscribed
with almost 890 businesses receiving funding.
A second phase of the programme was launched
in 2016. The grants are not handouts as the
funding covers a maximum of 50% of the cost
of the investment, with the remainder to be
sourced elsewhere.
The Enterprise Investment Programme (EIP)
makes targeted grants to stimulate and promote
investment, BEE and employment creation in the
manufacturing and tourism sectors. Aimed at
smaller companies, the maximum grant is R30-
million. Specific tax deductions are permissible for
larger companies investing in the manufacturing
sector under Section 12i of the Income Tax Act.
Other incentives
Other incentives available to investors and existing
businesses in more than one sector include the:
• Technology and Human Resources for Industry
Programme (THRIP)
• Support Programme for Industrial Innovation (SPII)
• Black Business Supplier Development Programme
(BBSDP), which is a cost-sharing grant offered to
black-owned small enterprises
• Critical Infrastructure Programme (CIP) that covers
between 10% and 30% of the total development
costs of qualifying infrastructure
• Co-operative Incentive Scheme, which is a
90:10 matching cash grant for registered primary
co-operatives
• Sector Specific Assistance Scheme, which is a
reimbursable 80:20 cost-sharing grant that can be
applied for by export councils, joint action groups
and industry associations.
Incentives for SMMEs
A lot of emphasis is placed on the potential role
of small, medium and micro enterprises in job
creation and a number of incentives are design-
Investments in infrastructure can attract rebates.
The PG Bison Highveld are investing Industrial heavily Park in hosts expanding factories manufacturing
different Gladtidings capacity. Credit: sectors. Interiors PG Bison CC. Image: Seda
ed to promote the growth of these businesses.
These include:
• Small Medium Enterprise Development
Programme (SMEDP)
• Isivande Women’s Fund
• Seda Technology Programme (Stp).
• Seda is the Small Enterprise Development Agency,
an agency of the Department of Small Business
Development that exists to promote SMMEs.
Trade-related incentives
The Export Marketing and Investment Assistance
(EMIA) Scheme includes support for local
businesses that wish to market their businesses
internationally to potential importers and
investors. The scheme offers financial assistance
to South Africans travelling or exhibiting abroad
as well as for inbound potential buyers of South
African goods. ■
Online Resources
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition:
www.thedtic.gov.za
Industrial Development Corporation:
www.idc.co.za
Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency:
www.mega.gov.za
Official South African government incentive
schemes: www.investmentincentives.co.za
29 11 15 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23 2020/21 2021/22

SECTOR NEWS
A guide to the latest sector news.
A regional overview of Mpumalanga 36
A new agency has been created to smooth the way to a greener
economy while Eskom makes land available for renewable projects.
Special feature
Educational opportunities are growing in
Mpumalanga 40
A new university and active technical and vocational colleges offer
a wide range of qualifications.
Sector news
Oil and gas 46
Air Liquide has increased its presence in the province.
Transport and logistics 47
Major roadworks are underway on strategic routes.
Water 48
The Loskop Bulk Water Project is to be accelerated.
Manufacturing 49
Enaex has teamed up with Sasol.
Tourism 40
A new European airline has added Kruger Mpumalanga
International Airport to its roster.
Banking and financial services 51
Mutual banks have been granted licences.
ICT 52
Mpumalanga has migrated to digital transmitters.
Development finance and SMME support 54
Trade and accommodation are popular sectors for startups.
The University of Mpumalanga is growing fast and has the potential to help the regional economy grow by
developing the skills base of the province and through targeted research. More than 40% of the academic staff
complement of the university have doctoral degrees and research is encouraged with various internal awards.

INTERVIEW
Mapping for safety and
economic growth
Dr Taufeeq Dhansay, Manager of the Minerals and Energy Geoscience Mapping
Programme, explains how important geoscientific mapping can be for every
aspect of society and gives a progress report on the Council for Geoscience’s
carbon capture research.
Dr Taufeeq Dhansay, Manager,
Council for Geoscience
BIOGRAPHY
After earning a bachelor’s degree in
Geosciences from the University of
Cape Town, Taufeeq spent time at
the International Institute for Applied
Systems Analysis in Austria on his way
to a Master’s, where his focus was
geothermal energy. Another overseas
experience was at the Structural
Geology and Tectonics Research Group
at Jena University in Germany. Nelson
Mandela University awarded Taufeeq a
PhD in Geosciences in 2017.
In recent mapping, what have you found in Mpumalanga?
Mpumalanga is very rich is terms of its geological variety. You
find some of the earth’s oldest rocks that tell you about how
the earth evolved and formed. Many international scientists
visit the province to investigate these rocks, some that are
more than four-billion years old. You also find some of the
youngest rocks, so that variety from the oldest to youngest
means that you have the entire history of the earth’s processes
within the province. Some of these processes include how
various minerals systems formed and evolved.
This implies that it is a very rich province in terms of its natural
resources. This includes, coal, gold, platinum and other types
of critical minerals that are needed to sustain future energy like
renewable resources and batteries.
Now we are looking at integrated research. What happens as
we shift away from coal in the province? Does it mean that the coal
was the only drawcard of the province in terms of its economy? We
are finding that the answer is no.
Is coal the province’s only resource?
There are other mineral resources that can also be looked at. That
is a primary focus at the moment. More than two thirds of the
province’s economy is now reliant on coal so this brings into
context the idea of the just transition.
We are asking what geoscience can tell us about a transition
in terms of sustainability.
Coexistence between mining and agriculture only
happens if you understand the geology. We have to maintain
the integrity of the groundwater in such a way that you can
have mining and agriculture existing perfectly in harmony.
We are finding that this is possible. Secondly, if you can
identify an area where you might find a fossil fuel on the
surface like coal, then you can dig a bit deeper and find
gas. Deeper still and you might find gold. That means that
in terms of the valuation and the investment potential, the
land is looked at differently, both for the GDP and for the
sustainability of life in the province.
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
32

The geological profile beneath Leandra, Mpumalanga.
If you draw a cross-section through Mpumalanga,
within the top four kilometres we have found a
number of mineral resources and natural resources
such as groundwater. Secondly, this is a good natural
laboratory where you can study and look into the
issue of sustainability.
Mpumalanga is also the site of your Carbon
Capture Utilisation Storage (CCUS) project. How
is that progressing?
Mpumalanga has the highest CO2 emissions
in the country, which is no surprise because
this is where we have the bulk of the coal-fired
energy plants.
We were challenged as scientists to look at the
issue. We have to transition towards a low-carbon
economy. This is known. If tomorrow you had to
turn off coal what would happen to the 150 000
people directly employed by the coal industry? The
challenge is how to manage this transition in a way
that actually enables sustainability. This is where the
just transition comes in.
Council for Geoscience scientists logging
borehole core from Mpumalanga.
The problem is CO2, carbon dioxide.
Technologies exist where you can capture the carbon
dioxide. You do not release the carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide has many uses.
There are a number of things that you can do with
the carbon dioxide. Many industrial processes require
carbon dioxide: we drink sparkling water, we drink
fizzy cooldrinks. Those products use carbon dioxide,
for example.
We had assumed that South Africa’s larger
storage potential for carbon dioxide was generally
near-shore, so we were looking at coastal provinces
and offshore. That’s because the relevant rocks
are very spongy, or absorbent of CO2. Now we
have gone back to Mpumalanga and we have
looked underground to find if there are additional
geological areas where you can viably and safely
store the CO2. This is what we have found. We
have recently published a paper that shows these
rocks could very likely support the injection and
sequestration of CO2.
Would the gas disappear or would it stay there
forever?
The idea would be that we take the gas and convert
it into a solid. When CO2 reacts with certain metals,
it forms a new mineral that just has the carbon
incorporated. By the way, this actually happens
in nature. We stop the gas from going into the
atmosphere, and put it in the ground. It reacts
naturally with other types of minerals which are very
reactive and then it forms a new mineral and it stays
in the ground forever. That is the principle.
How far advanced are you along that road?
The first step is that we have identified the
potential reservoirs. Everything comes down to
33 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23

INTERVIEW
The hyperspectral core scanner in use at the Council for Geoscience National Core Library.
making this financially viable so it is important to
mention that these areas are below the current
coal fields. You would not need to transport the
CO2 very far to be stored.
The type of storage is quite critical. At a depth
of about 1km you find saline aquifers. That holds
the type of water that you can’t necessarily use for
anything. If you pump the CO2 into that salty water,
the CO2 slowly reacts with the salt in the water but
it can take up to thousands of years before the CO2
becomes immobile. However, if you store the CO2 in
the type of rocks that we are looking at, that reaction
can theoretically happen much quicker. The sooner
you convert the gaseous CO2 into a solid CO2, the
sooner it is rendered immobile. Then it cannot move
around and get back into the atmosphere.
What effect would these processes have on the
environment?
A lot of our work so far has been specifically on
environmental monitoring. This is a critical point.
Before we actually develop this technology, we
are doing a significant amount of environmental
research to make sure that we can understand the
baseline environmental conditions on the ground.
We want to get a footprint of the area – the flora, the
fauna, the chemistry of the groundwater, the amount of
groundwater there is – all of that information.
Are CGS staff excited about the CCUS project?
Yes. It is a very big project. The principle is that it’s
a challenge. There are a lot of different opinions
around the transition. Some say we are not moving
fast enough. Others say we are moving too fast.
This is the nice thing about being pragmatic – a
fundamental scientist if you like – being practical and
finding solutions that will be sustainable.
Our technology for renewables is still developing;
we are not there entirely yet. It’s a big challenge and
we need to buy ourselves some time. For the first
time in a long time, the issue is being looked at
directly by scientists, not necessarily only by policymakers.
We have to guide them, we need to show
what is possible, scientifically and empirically. How
do you present empirical data that has passed peer
review? That is the principle that we are focusing on.
The carbon capture project is a large, integrated
project. The project is funded both by the South
African Government and the World Bank and the
entire project budget is about $23-million.
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
34

INTERVIEW
We have to be very unbiased in terms of the
type of research we do. We will be doing full
Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs)
before we do any type of sub-surface investigation.
Our data portal is available to the public online.
At the CGS you will find somebody who is
working on hydrogeology, while another person is an
environmental geologist, who might be interested in
what this is going to do for the environment.
What is the nature of new mapping CGS is doing?
The first thing to touch on is that what we are doing is
very much geoscientific mapping, not just geological.
The second thing is that the scale is very important.
We have generally mapped to a scale of 1:250 000,
so that means if a hill is less than 250 metres, it will
not appear on the geological map. We have shifted
to the 1:50 000 scale. South Africa was only covered
to 4% in terms of 1:50 000-scale maps. After about
five years, we are now moving up to a figure of 12%.
People often think that mapping is for minerals
only. What other functions does it have?
We have not exclusively focused on minerals. We’ve
been able to identify certain zones and certain
geological features where specific types of geohazards
are concentrated. We are researching that
further to mitigate possible natural disasters or loss
of human life.
The recent landslides in KwaZulu-Natal are an
example. Many of the landslides are due to specific
geomorphology and geological controls. If we
don’t have the map resolution required, we can’t
necessarily create the necessary mitigation scenarios.
The same is true in Gauteng. A large portion of
Gauteng is built on dolomite, the type of rock that
forms sinkholes. The state spends a lot of money on
infrastructural development and the risks can be
mitigated if we understand the geology.
There are many areas in the country where the
dams are not efficient in supporting farming, so we
look at groundwater resources. To understand those
resources, you need to understand the geology of
very specific structures, essentially pathways that
allow the water to flow. The other aspect that is
not necessarily being considered is the surface of
the earth. This is where all of our food comes from.
In areas where we want agricultural sustainability,
you need to understand the geology of those
areas. Similarly, you cannot build a large solar plant
on soil that might sustain agriculture. We want
to avoid sterilising the ground and ruling out the
possibilities of groundwater or minerals.
Tell us more about groundwater.
We have been very successful in identifying
significant groundwater resources, especially in the
Karoo. We have been able to find, test and research
many groundwater aquifers that can sustain
groundwater resources in those areas.
And what are the new maps showing in terms of
mineral resources?
We have focused on specific areas where we
anticipate there to be some investment in
exploration. Some of the mineral resources
we are also looking at in terms of our
developmental needs. We have to look for the
type of minerals needed to sustain renewable
energy, including batteries.
A number of mineral resources can support
battery development. Specifically, mobile devices
have lithium ion batteries and some of our mapping
has discovered that South Africa has quite a
significant quantity of lithium that can possibly be
extracted and researched.
Where is lithium found?
It is mostly in the Northern Cape and it is also found
in KwaZulu-Natal. We also found lots of vanadium,
which is a critical metal needed for larger-format
batteries. So mapping goes far beyond mining, it’s
vital to every aspect of the economy.
Development hinges on earth science. We
need to understand the earth. When we map, we
try as hard as possible to look as deep as possible.
Humans generally interact with the top five
kilometres of the earth. We have gold mines that
touch four kilometres. If you go to any province
the geology you see just below your feet is not
necessarily the geology that you will see at a
kilometre below your feet. The Karoo might be dry
but if you had to go down several hundred meters
you would find significant natural resources to
sustain socioeconomic development, such as
water and minerals. ■
35 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23

A REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF
MPUMALANGA
PROVINCE
Repurposing facilities as part of the Just Transition. The workshops of Komati Power Station are to be turned into a factory
for the manufacture of components for containerised mini-grids. Credit: Eskom
A new agency has been created to smooth the way to a greener
economy while Eskom has made land available for renewable projects.
By John Young
Opinion in government and civil
society has been turning sharply
against fossil fuels for several years.
Successive international conferences
have been setting global targets for weaning
economies off coal and oil but Russia’s invasion
of Ukraine has changed that. Rich countries are
bringing coal plants back on stream and nuclear
plans have been reactivated.
With Mpumalanga’s economy being so strongly
geared towards coal (in mining and for energy
generation) this trend has significant implications
for regional planning in the short term. More than
80% of South Africa’s coal is currently sourced
in Mpumalanga and it is the third-largest coalproducing
region in the world.
However, the province is not sitting on its laurels.
Nor is it imagining that it can stop the world. Rather,
the Provincial Government of Mpumalanga has
established the Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency
to bring together government, academia and
industry to create the environment for businesses
to develop in a green economy.
The agency has already published a series of
market intelligence opportunity briefs to highlight
current opportunities for investors such as carbon
capture, cleaner aviation fuel, energy storage and
green hydrogen. The key working groups show
the agency’s focus: sustainable agriculture, circular
economy, energy and water. One of the tasks is
to transition to a new economy in a way which
creates jobs.
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
36

SPECIAL FEATURE
The Cluster, an initiative of the Mpumalanga
Department of Economic Development and
Tourism with the support of GreenCape and
the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), has joined the International
Cleantech Network, a group that has 15 000
businesses affiliated to it across the globe.
National utility Eskom is also moving into the
new era, partly through a process whereby the
entity will be broken into three more competitive
units, but more immediately through the
announcement in July 2022 of 18 winnings bids
from independent power producers (IPPs) for
renewable projects on Eskom land, 4 000ha of
which the utility has made available for this first
phase. Eskom owns 36 000ha in the province. A
total of 1 800MW will become available to the
grid and it will be cheaper to transmit because
the solar or wind plants will be right next to the
existing Eskom transmission lines.
Ten coal plants are due to be closed by 2040,
with four Mpumalanga plants (Hendrina, Grootvlei,
Camden and Komati) first in line. Eskom is
undertaking studies to assess the potential impact
on local communities of these closures. Options to
get these plants producing energy again include
gas, biomass and hydrogen but it is possible they
might be used for something quite different. Eskom
wants to be a net-zero company by 2050.
Another major player in the energy market
in Mpumalanga (and the world), Sasol, has
announced plans to start producing 1 200MW
of renewable energy by 2030. An integrated
oil, gas and chemicals company with more
than 30 000 employees and operations in 31
countries, Sasol runs several plants at Secunda.
Products manufactured at the complex
include synthetic fuel, petroleum, paraffin, jet
fuel, creosote, bitumen, diesel and lubricants.
The primary feedstock for synthetic-fuel
production is coal, and the plant is in the
heart of Mpumalanga’s coalfields.
Sasol regularly spends tens of millions on
upgrades and improvements at the complex. The
Sasol Synfuels refinery is the only commercial coalto-liquid
fuel plant in the world and constitutes a
key component in South Africa’s oil and gas sector.
National government’s Renewable Energy
Independent Power Producer Procurement
Programme (REIPPPP) has seen the investment into
this totally new sector of more than R200-billion
since 2012 and South Africa is now home to 112 IPPs,
whereas just 12 years ago there were fewer than 40
in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The relaxation by national government of the
rules regarding setting up a power plant of 100MW
or less is well suited to the requirements of big
timber-processing companies such as Sappi and
PG Bison and all the large mining concerns that are
active in Mpumalanga.
Investment options
Several infrastructure investment projects in
the tourism sector have been put forward by
the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency
(MEGA). There is a special focus on BRICS
countries and the province was glad to welcome
the announcement of a new flight into Kruger
Timber firm and board manufacturer PG Bison has
been investing heavily in its Mpumalanga assets.
Credit: PG Bison
37 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23

SPECIAL FEATURE
Mpumalanga International Airport in 2022 by
the tourist division of Lufthansa, Eurowings
Discover. The TRILAND partnership with Eswatini
and Mozambique is another avenue, as is the
collaboration with KwaZulu-Natal, Eswatini,
Mozambique and the Seychelles. The latter
project is called east3ROUTE Tourism Initiative
and proclaims “Experience, Adventure, Scenery
and Trade” between the participating provinces
and countries.
MEGA is an equity investor in a number of
Mpumalanga concerns, including Afrimat, Highveld
Fruit Packers, Kangwane Anthracite, Loopspruit
Winery and Tekwane Lemon Farm.
In the Nkangala District Municipality, a publicprivate
partnership is due to deliver a hotel and
conference centre in the town of Middelburg in the
Steve Tshwete Local Municipality.
It may seem ironic that R350-million is to be
spent on a Radisson-branded hotel in the aftermath
of Covid-19 but conferences and tourism will return.
Elsewhere, mining and timber companies are
making large investments in increased production
or in extending the life of mines.
A major concern for provincial planners
is to diversify the economy and to grow the
manufacturing sector. The Mpumalanga Economic
Growth and Development Path (MEGDP)
identifies beneficiation, agro-processing and the
development of value chains as priorities. Various
industrial parks are planned which will focus on
agriculture and forestry, mining and metals and
petrochemicals. An International Fresh Produce
Market in Nelspruit and the planned Nkomazi SEZ
(Special Economic Zone) are other priorities.
Steel and associated manufacturing remains
one of the province’s strong suits and Mpumalanga
has rich and varied mineral resources and fertile
soil that support diverse farming operations, agroprocessing
and forestry. The province also hosts
large companies in the manufacturing sector such
as Middelburg Ferrochrome and the Manganese
Metal Company.
The province’s rich agricultural produce is used
by companies such as McCain, Nestlé and PepsiCo
and there are also pulp and paper plants (Sappi
and Mondi), with PG Bison set to start producing
more than 1000m³/d per annum at its Mkhondo
particleboard plant after two investment injections
of R600-million (on a press and forming line) and
R560-million (on a front-end dryer).
York Timbers is another forestry company and
the sugar mills and refinery of RCL Foods (formerly
TSB Sugar) along with fertiliser facilities and textile
manufacturing concerns are all contributors to the
provincial economy.
The southern half of the eastern limb of the
platinum-rich Bushveld Igneous Complex runs
south towards the towns of Lydenburg and
Machadodorp. Deposits of chromite, magnetite and
vanadium in this area are the basis of the ferro-alloy
complex in Witbank-Middelburg and Lydenburg.
The town of eMalahleni is the centre of the
coal industry. Other minerals found in the province
include gold, platinum-group minerals, chromite,
zinc, cobalt, copper, iron and manganese.
Middelburg is home to Columbus Stainless,
South Africa’s only producer of stainless steel, and
several big engineering works. It is about 130km
from Pretoria and less than three hours’ drive from
the Malelane Gate of the Kruger National Park.
Visits to game reserves and nature reserves
have shown signs of recovery from the lockdowns
associated with Covid-19 but for a province where
7% of GDP is derived from tourism, the recovery
can’t come soon enough.
The Kruger National Park remains the province’s
most visited asset but the decision by UNESCO to
afford World Heritage Site status to the Makhonjwa
Mountains near Barberton will boost geological
tourism to the province and supports the efforts of
the province to diversify its offerings. Major projects
to improve tourist experiences are underway at
the Graskop Gorge (where a transparent lift takes
tourists into the depths of the gorge), a Skywalk is to
be built at God’s Window and a cable car is planned
for Three Rondavels.
The international body’s decision has also
had the effect of expanding the curriculum at the
relatively new University of Mpumalanga. On the
basis of the UNESCO ruling, UMP has a new offering
in geology as part of a BSc degree. ■
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
38

Boost for Limpopo and
Mpumalanga
SPECIAL FEATURE
General Manager Kagiso Moncho shares good news for the region as MTN SA
invests R820-million into network modernisation and infrastructure.
Kagiso Moncho, MTN General Manager,
Northern Region
MTN SA is ramping up investment to
modernise existing and deploy new
network infrastructure across Limpopo
and Mpumalanga. The R820-million
investment will go toward MTN’s “Modernisation of
Network South Africa project” (MONZA) as well as
expanded rural reach, 5G expansion and restoration
of vandalised network infrastructure.
“Our aim is to significantly enhance access
and open the door to new digital opportunities
for many more people across the province. Our
investment is specifically targeted at increasing
network coverage, improving throughputs, and
connecting the previously unconnected,” says
Kagiso Moncho, General Manager: Northern Region
from MTN South Africa.
The MONZA rollout in the two provinces will
include modernisation and new sites. The extension
of MTN’s 5G connectivity includes rolling out new
sites in 2022.
Another major highlight will be rural
connectivity to help close the digital access gaps
in South Africa. More than 700-million people in
Sub-Saharan Africa remain offline and at risk of
exclusion from the emerging digital economy.
“We have extensive plans to drive growth and
connectivity solutions into under-serviced areas.
With unemployment in South Africa reaching new
peaks, it is critical to focus on harnessing digital
solutions to drive the recovery, especially in those
areas that were hardest hit,” Moncho adds.
“An important point is that the pandemic,
loadshedding and the prevailing economic
environment have underscored the value of
mobile networks, which remain the only form
of Internet access for many. MTN’s investments
are directly targeted at accelerating recovery
and significantly enhancing growth and job
opportunities,” says Moncho.
One stumbling block to growth remains
the activity of criminals and syndicates. Due to
high incidences of vandalism and battery theft,
MTN has partnered with Bidvest Security and
set aside an additional R101-million in 2022 to
combat this criminality.
“Ensuring users receive quality and network
stability is our number-one aim, but the fight
against battery theft and vandalism remains a
major hindrance. I am pleased that our ongoing
efforts to make a dent in these criminal acts are
seeing change, but all South Africans are requested
to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity,”
says Moncho.
“We have big targets this year in Limpopo
and Mpumalanga. Every completed project, or
success achieved against battery theft, ensures
our clients can take that one step forward and
benefit from the magic of the modern, connected
world,” concludes Moncho. ■
39
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23

SPECIAL FEATURE
Educational opportunities are
growing in Mpumalanga
A new university and active technical and vocational colleges
offer a wide range of qualifications.
The northern edge of the city of Mbombela has a striking
new architectural addition – the University of Mpumalanga.
On a hill north of the Crocodile River a complex of
department headquarters and residence buildings is taking
shape as home to the province’s first university.
By building on existing institutions such as teacher training
colleges, the university has progressively offered more courses
and taken on more students over the last few years. The official
launch was in October 2013 with the first cohort of 169 students
registered in just three programmes in 2014. By 2020, the university
was offering 26 qualifications to 4 200 students.
The university currently offers 48 programmes in three faculties:
Education; Agriculture and Natural Sciences; and Economics and Business
Sciences. There are plans to add new programmes at both undergraduate
and postgraduate levels and to establish the faculty of Humanities
and Social Sciences and the School of Law. By 2024, the plan is to offer
approximately 70 qualifications to over 8 000 students. That is the year in
which the university’s first doctoral graduates will be capped. Research
relevant to the needs of the province can now be done at local level. Issues
such as acid mine water leaking from abandoned mining sites and new
applications for products in the timber industry are among the kinds of
research that will boost economic
productivity in Mpumalanga, and
lead to better socio-economic
conditions for citizens.
As with the country’s other
new university, in Kimberley in the
Northern Cape, the establishment
of a new institution opened the
door for generating new buildings
of outstanding quality by means of
a competitive bidding process. The
first round of winners comprised
four architectural companies,
namely Cohen and Garson, Conco
Bryan Architects, TC Design Group
(Pty) Ltd and Gapp Architects and
Urban Designers (Pty) Ltd. They
were chosen from an early field of
147 companies.
University of Mpumalanga
students have distinguished
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
40

SPECIAL FEATURE
themselves in competitions run by ENACTUS, an international
organisation that works with leaders in business and higher
education to mobilise university students to make a difference in
their communities while developing the skills to become socially
responsible business leaders. Mpumalanga students have won
first place in categories such as LED Challenge, Triple Bottom
Sustainability and Community Development. Among the anchor
sponsors are Barloworld, Ford, Harmony Gold, MTN and Nedbank.
Training institutions
Mpumalanga has three Technical and Vocational Education and
Training (TVET) colleges, with an enrolment of over 36 000. UNISA,
the Tshwane University of Technology and the Vaal University of
Technology also have satellite campuses in the province.
The TVET colleges are located in each of the province’s three
District Municipalities: Gert Sibande (four campuses and a skills
academy), Nkangala and Ehlanzeni, which has six campuses, a skills
centre and a satellite campus.
Ehlanzeni TVET College offers 10 National Certificate
(Vocational) programmes including ICT, Finance, Economics and
Accounting, Engineering and Related Design and Tourism. There are
also a number of shorter skills courses on offer: automotive repairs
and maintenance, computer practice, entrepreneurship, municipal
administration and communications management.
Nkangala TVET College offers Civil Engineering and Building
Construction at its CN Mahlangu campus and Electrical Infrastructure
Construction at three of its five campuses, among its seven NCV
academic programmes.
The Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust (MRTT) is a Section 21
company active in skills training. It has several sites in the province,
including a Hospitality and Tourism Academy at Karino, just outside
Nelspruit. The corporate head office is in eMalahleni and other
MRTT training centres are at Bronkhorstspruit (Ekandustria Training
Centre) and White River (Kabokweni Training Centre).
The Fluor Training Centre in Secunda offers training in fields
such as fitting, welding, pipefitting and other building trades.
Over the years, more than 30 000 people have studied at the
centre, which is accredited with the Metal and Engineering
Industries Training Board, the Construction Education & Training
Authority (CETA), and the Chemical Industries Education and
Training Authority (CHIETA).
ONLINE
The
RESOURCES
Southern African Wildlife College, offering diploma and
short courses in conservation, is a joint World Wide Fund for Nature
South Africa (WWF-SA) and Peace Parks Foundation initiative.
SAWC claims more than 20 000 alumni active in conservation in
56 countries worldwide. The college’s training departments are
not predetermined, but rather chosen after consultation with
conservation organisations
in the SADC region about
what is most relevant. Courses
routinely include modules
such as Natural Resource
Management. The college is
located near the Orpen Gate
on the edge of the Kruger
National Park.
Sasol is a major supporter
of research and training in
the province. A group of
Mpumalanga teachers has
had the opportunity to train as
master teachers for Robotics
and Coding, courtesy of Sasol.
The Sasol Foundation has also
donated multimedia resources
for teachers and pupils in Science,
Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM). Awards for
students who achieve in science
and mathematics are regularly
given and Sasol supports
many students on bursaries at
universities and colleges. The
Sasol SGS Global Learning SHE
Academy is located in Evander. ■
The Southern African Wildlife
College has a dog unit known as K9.
Credit: SAWC
41
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23

FOCUS
University of Mpumalanga
Creating opportunities for sustainable
development through innovation.
The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) was
established in 2013 and it enrolled the
first cohort of 169 students in February
2014. Thereafter, the University has been
experiencing rapid and gratifying growth. The
University now offers 48 qualifications and has a
total of 7 100 students enrolled in 2022. UMP is a
comprehensive University which offers variety of
undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the fields
of Agriculture, Nature Conservation, Hospitality and
Tourism Management, Information Communication
Technology, Development Studies, Early Childhood
Education, Arts, Administration and Economics.
Among some of the key highlights that UMP
has been able to succeed with, in line with our
strategic key focus areas, includes broadening
access to higher education and promoting equity
of access and with a fair chance of success. The
student population at UMP is predominately from
previously disadvantaged communities and female.
Of all the students enrolled this year 62.8% are
female and only 37.8% are male.
Teaching and Learning: taking centre stage to
advance the academic project
Teaching and Learning at UMP focusses on the
development of our students as independent and
critical thinkers with a passion for knowledge and
its application. UMP has been able to attract and
retain established academics in various disciplines.
Currently 47.1% of UMP academic staff have
doctoral degrees. As part of student support, First
Time Entering students (FTEN) are supported
in the transition from school to university by a
well-developed Orientation Week and a First Year
Experience (FYE). Ongoing support is provided
by peer mentors and tutors. As a result of these
interventions, student success is generally high with
more 85% success rate annually.
The University seeks to produce quality
graduates who are: resourceful, responsive and
responsible; innovative and entrepreneurial; confident
and effective communicators; ethically and sociallyaware
change agents; adaptable and have sound
discipline knowledge.
Annually UMP holds a graduation ceremony to
celebrate the achievements of students who have
completed their qualifications during the past academic
year. This year, a total of 1 112 students were awarded
qualifications during the seventh graduation ceremony
of the University. Some of the notable achievements for
this year’s graduation included:
• Tree-planting ceremony of the umkhanyakude indigenous
tree by the Chancellor of the University of
Mpumalanga, Justice Mandisa Maya
• 25 different qualifications will be awarded during
the graduation ceremonies and among the 25
qualifications, six of them are new
• A total of 15 Master’s degree to be awarded
• 40 students will be awarded their qualifications with
a Cum Laude (distinction)
• A total of 33 recipients of the Vice-Chancellor’s
Scholarship will be graduating
• 13 students who are recipients of the UMP Excellence
Awards will be graduating
• Graduating students are from five different countries,
including South Africa
• Member of Parliament, Mr Timothy Mashele (MP)
will be graduating with a Bachelor of Development
Studies Honours
Research and Innovation: generating new
knowledge in support of social and economic
development
As a new University, UMP has built its research project
from a zero base and has made good progress. Active
researchers are supported through the Research Office
and staff without a PhD are supported to complete
their doctorate. The University has identified seven
research focus areas and has set aside funds and
supported the appointment of Postdoctoral Fellows
to promote these. Our research focus areas are Ethics
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
42

Prof Thoko Mayekiso, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mpumalanga with recipients of the Vice-Chancellor Scholarship
and Governance, Information Communication and
Technology for Development, Youth Development
and Empowerment, Environmental and Socioeconomic
Sustainability, Post-harvest Management
and Food Security, Biodiversity Conservation and
Development, Early Childhood Development and
Education and Training.
The research focus areas are linked to one
or more Millennium Development Goal and are
of relevance to the province, the nation and the
continent. The University has eight NRF-rated
researchers with two C1, three C2, two C3 and
one Y2 categories. The Vice-Chancellor of the
University, Prof Thoko Mayekiso, is leading by
example as she is a C3-rated researcher.
Engagement and Partnerships: drivers and
enablers of achieving our vision
As an engaged institution, UMP places great value
on partnerships and networks as both drivers and
enablers in achieving our vision. The University
of Mpumalanga has successfully established
partnerships with reputable institutions and
government entities. Among some of the notable
partnerships are:
• Partnerships with South African National
Parks and hotel chains for Work Integrated
Learning of students studying the Diploma in
Hospitality Management and the Diploma in
Nature Conservation.
• The University of Mpumalanga has signed an
MoU with Ehlanzeni District Municipality to
enable work-integrated learning opportunities
while promoting research and strengthening
service delivery within the municipality.
State-of-the-art Infrastructure: conducive
environment for the academic project to thrive
The University has been able to build state-ofthe-art
infrastructure which includes lecture
venues, laboratories and computer labs to create a
conducive environment for the academic project
to thrive.
Earlier this year, UMP launched a four-star
Tfokomala Hotel and Conference Centre. Located
in the Mbombela Campus of UMP, the hotel
is wholly-owned by the University, envisioned
as a “hotel with a purpose”, for teaching and
learning. The hotel focuses on “Learning by Doing”
for students to gain hands-on experience in
operational roles in the restaurant, kitchen and all
other hotel divisions. Students from the University’s
School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
are placed to work at the hotel as part of the
work-integrated learning (WIL) programme and
practical orientation. ■
43 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23

FOCUS
Why MTN Business
Seamless solutions for business.
mmunity to report The Covid-19 any vandalism pandemic has incidents forced
at they might organisations witness of all to sizes the to kick nearest their
digital transformation strategies into
PS branches. Our efforts are directed
high gear. Service providers with the
wards building capabilities and to offer maintaining a full digital platform a resilient have
frastructure been increasingly amidst in adversities. demand. We remain
MTN’s strategy is anchored in building the
mmitted
largest
to
and
proving
most valuable
a modern
platform business,
connected
with
ital life a for clear all,” focus says on Africa. Moncho.
MTN Business has partnered MTN’s with leading work
global service providers like BT, Securicom, Cisco,
in these provinces
also includes
CONTACT
programmes to help
Mpumalanga: Maria Lee 083 the 211 most 0808 vulnerable
Limpopo: Moshe Molepo 083 211 0787
particularly in the
deep rural villages.
Key stakeholder
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
partnerships with
government and
nicipalities will see ongoing support for learners
faster download speeds as well as uninte
streaming, surfing and the best in voice
when compared to other mobile operato
“We are working tirelessly to ens
customers enjoy their experience on ou
network, and our commitment to serv
customers with distinction will always b
core of what we do,” concludes Moncho.
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Dial 083 123 1800 Visit mtnbusiness.co.za Email getconnected@mtn.com

SECTOR NEWS
Oil and gas
Air Liquide has increased its presence in the province.
SECTOR INSIGHT
Sasol continues to reduce
debt by selling off units.
Air Liquide Large Industries South Africa Air is to start
operating 16 air separation units (ASUs) as a result of an
R8-billion purchase from Sasol. The company’s fleet now
comprises 17 ASUs in Secunda, with the 16 units having
the capacity to produce 42 000 tons per day of oxygen.
Sasol announced in 2021 that it was to sell a 30% in the Romco
natural gas pipeline that links Mozambique and South Africa. As part
of a global sell-off of assets to reduce debt, Sasol expects to earn more
than R5-billion from the transaction. The company will continue to be
the pipeline’s operator and maintains a 20% stake in the venture.
The Romco pipeline could carry far more gas in the future as
there have been big finds of new gas off the coast off Mozambique
which could be shipped as liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Maputo and
continue from there to the Sasol plant at Secunda.
The province is already equipped with energy and fuel
infrastructure and expertise.
The Liquefied Natural Gas Independent Power Producer
Procurement Programme (LNG IPPPP) is part of the broader
programme of the National Department of Mineral Resources and
Energy which encourages private investment in renewable energy,
namely the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer
Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). The total allocated to gas-topower
in the national power plan is 3 726MW, of which 3 000MW is
for LNG.
Three natural gas exploration permits have been awarded to
Tosaco Energy for the sandstone-rich area between Amersfoort
ONLINE RESOURCES
Independent Power Producer Programme: www.ipp-projects.co.za
Petroleum Agency South Africa: www.petroleumagency.co.za
PetroSA: www.petrosa.co.za
and Balfour in the western part
of the province by Petroleum
Agency South Africa (PASA).
PASA regulates exploration and
production activities, and acts
as the custodian of the national
petroleum exploration and
production database.
Tosaco Holdings has a 25%
stake in Total SA. Two methanegas
exploration rights have been
granted to Highland Exploration in
the Evander area.
The promoters of the
Nkomazi Special Economic
Zone believe that the fact that
the pipeline passes through the
SEZ is a big selling point. An
alternative would be for the LNG
to be shipped to Richards Bay
before being piped north.
Many of the big mining and
manufacturing concerns in
Mpumalanga have long-term
contracts for the supply of gas
with big gas companies. Afrox
and Air Liquide are two of the
biggest, with the latter having
3 500 national customers,
including Sappi and Sasol.
International chemicals and
energy company Sasol has several
large plants in Mpumalanga. Sasol
Gas is one of the four operations
at Secunda, supplying natural gas
to Sasol Synfuels and buying Sasol
Synfuels’ methane-rich pipeline gas
to sell to customers in Mpumalanga
and KwaZulu-Natal. ■
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
46

Transport and logistics
Major roadworks are underway on strategic routes.
SECTOR NEWS
SECTOR INSIGHT
Mechanised potholepatching
vehicles are to
be deployed.
Credit: Motheo Group
The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) will
spend R9-billion on road infrastructure in Mpumalanga.
The agency, which is responsible for national roads, is
concentrating on the upgrading of the N2 between
Ermelo in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal and the R40
between Hazyview and Bushbuckridge.
Trans Africa Concessions (TRAC), the toll road company, will
spend R248-million on expanding capacity on the bridge over the
Crocodile River and creating an upgraded roads junction at the
Montrose interchange. Two new bridges will be built to provide
access over the Elands Valley section of the road.
The Motheo Group, in a joint venture with WBHO, has been
working on the N4 (pictured) for TRAC, which has also parcelled
out some work to Raubex Construction.
Heavy rains and heavy traffic have put a strain on the roads
feeding coal mines and power stations. The Provincial Government
of Mpumalanga has purchased mechanised pothole-patching
vehicles in response to this problem. It is expected that many jobs
will also be created in this attempt to improve the strategic road
infrastructure network, which includes tourism routes.
Sanral has announced a three-year project which will provide
work for small contractors in and around the City of Mbombela.
More than R26-million has been allocated to subcontracting which
will cover things like litter and minor works, minor maintenance,
vegetation and bush clearing. There is more freight rail traffic in
Mpumalanga than in any other province. This is principally because
of the transport of coal, but there are also large volumes of chrome,
ONLINE RESOURCES
Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport: www.kmiairport.co.za
Maputo Corridor Logistics Initiative: www.mcli.co.za
Railroad Association of South Africa: www.rra.co.za
South African National Roads Agency Ltd: www.sanral.co.za
ferrochrome, forestry products,
chemicals, liquid fuels and
general freight.
The Balfour North to
Volksrust section of the Gauteng
to Durban mainline carries the
largest volumes, most of which
is long-haul freight passing
through the province. Despite
these high rail volumes, a huge
amount of mineral product is
transported by truck around
and out of the province. This
puts immense pressure on
Mpumalanga’s roads network,
particularly in the Gert Sibande
District and the Nkangala District.
The statistics relating to
coal haulage in Mpumalanga
are stupendous. In one 12-
hour period, 34 198 tons of
general freight were recorded
for the section of the N4
highway between Nelspruit
and Komatipoort.
Mactransco’s website states
that its trucks serving Tshikondeni
Coal Mine travel 3.7-million
kilometres per year, working all day
for six days a week. The fleet of ABF
Legend Logistics, a Super Group
company, contains more than 200
super-link coal haulage trucks while
another company in the group,
SG Coal, claims to have one of the
biggest fleets of coal haulage trucks
in Africa. Coal Tipper Resources
operates out of Bethal. ■
47 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23

SECTOR NEWS
Water
The Loskop Bulk Water Project is to be accelerated.
Loskop Dam. Credit: Middelburginfo
More than 13 000 households in two water-scarce local
municipalities in Mpumalanga will soon start receiving
improved water services.
The provincial government is working together with
the National Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to accelerate
the implementation of the Loskop Bulk Water Project. Work to be
undertaken includes construction of abstraction works at the Loskop
Dam, a treatment module, a 40km bulk pipeline, four booster pump
stations and a storage reservoir.
Among other projects that were undertaken in 2021, water supply
and sanitation at 176 schools was upgraded. The installation of bulk
services at Siyathuthuka Ext 12 has been prioritised.
The Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant is being used to fix the
Embalenhle Bulk Sewer Line. The grant will be used to supply the
treatment plant at Weltevreden and to accelerate the link from the
Loskop Dam to the communities living in the Thembisile Hani Local
Municipality.
Progress towards the selection of a site for a City of Mbombela
Dam is being made. In response to the Covid-19 crisis, the National
Department of Water and Sanitation delivered 500 water tanks and 56
water trucks to several Mpumalanga municipalities.
The Operations and Maintenance Division of Nafasi Water is
responsible for large water treatments plants at Middelburg and
eMalahleni. Nafasi is a rebranding of Aveng Water which was
purchased by Infinity Partners for R95-million in 2019.
The Middelburg Water Reclamation Plant (MWRP) produces no
brine and avoids energy-intensive methods, a world-first for a mine
water treatment plant. Phase 2 of the eMalahleni project produces
ONLINE RESOURCES
Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency: www.iucma.co.za
Komati Basin Water Authority: www.kobwa.co.za
National Department of Water and Sanitation: www.dwa.gov.za
SECTOR INSIGHT
Water supply and sanitation
at 176 schools was upgraded
in 2021.
drinking water after treating mine
water from one of the collieries of
Anglo American Thermal Coal.
Acting on a disturbing report
published by the Centre for
Environmental Rights on the way
some mining companies are using
water, a provincial Environmental
Management Committee has
been appointed to conduct
environmental impact analysis and
assess climate change threats.
NuWater was contracted to
reduce waste at the water treatment
plant for eMalahleni Municipality. An
ultra-filtration technology was used
to reduce waste from 20Ml/day.
A joint project with Eskom
related to rain-water harvesting will
also create jobs. The Siyasebenza
Job Creation Initiative is intended
to create 900 jobs in the Nkangala
District Municipality.
The Imkomati-Usuthu Catchment
Management Agency covers
Mpumalanga, parts of Limpopo and
part of the Kingdom of Swaziland
and is responsible for water usage
issues relating to the following
river catchment areas: Sabie-Sand,
Crocodile, Komati, Nwaswitsontso
and Nwanedzi.
The Komati Basin Water Authority
(KOBWA) is an important agency in
controlling water resources in the
region. Formed out of a cooperation
agreement between South African
and Swaziland, the agency has built
two large dams and is responsible for
their upkeep. ■
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
48

Manufacturing
Enaex has teamed up with Sasol.
Enaex Africa, the new joint venture comprising Enaex and
what used to be Sasol Explosives, will spend R16-million on
a facility to assemble detonators in Secunda.
The facility is intended to produce 800 000 detonators
per annum. Enaex, a subsidiary of the Sigdo Koppers Group, is the
controlling partner in the JV.
A key objective of the provincial government’s Mpumalanga
Economic Growth and Development Path (MEGDP) is to expand
the industrial base of the provincial economy. To do this, policymakers
are focusing on beneficiation, agro-processing and value
chain development.
From steel to chemicals, petroleum and stainless steel to paper
and fruit juice, Mpumalanga makes a wide variety of products. There
is a distinct geographical divide. Fuel, petroleum and chemical
production occurs in the southern Highveld region clustered around
Sasol’s plants. The Sasol chemicals and liquid fluids complex at
Secunda is a vital component of Mpumalanga’s manufacturing sector.
The northern Highveld area, including Middelburg and eMalahleni
(Witbank), is home to ferro-alloy, steel and stainless-steel concerns.
In the Lowveld, agricultural and forestry products are
processed while Sappi’s giant mill is close to the company’s forests
south-west of the provincial capital, Mbombela. PG Bison is in the
process of spending more than R2-billion on increasing capacity at
its Mkhondo plant.
TSB Sugar runs two large mills and produces fruit juices through
a subsidiary company. Nelspruit is the centre of the province’s foodprocessing
cluster.
Approximately 70% of jobs in the manufacturing sector are in food
and forestry.
Steelmaking is a key strategic industry for South Africa,
representing 1.5% of the country’s GDP and accounting for about
190 000 jobs. According to the South African Iron and Steel Institute
(SAISI), the South African steel industry value chain multiplies the value
of local iron ore by a factor of four. The country produces about sixmillion
tons annually, but costs are high and domestic demand is low.
Middelburg-based Columbus Stainless is South Africa’s only
producer of stainless-steel products. A significant portion of
ONLINE RESOURCES
Highveld Industrial Park: www.highveldindustrialpark.co.za
Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency: www.mega.gov.za
South African Iron and Steel Institute: www.saisi.co.za
SECTOR INSIGHT
SECTOR NEWS
Secunda is the site of a new
assembly plant for detonators.
A new joint venture will assemble
detonators in Secunda. Credit: Enaex
sales are domestic and export
volumes are flexible, depending
on local demand.
A first national Furniture Sector
Forum has been held, where
government incentives and ideas
about how to reduce the cost of
expensive machinery through coownership
and partnerships were
shared. The forum was co-hosted by
the South African Furniture Initiative
(SAFI), Proudly South African, PG
Bison and the Department of Trade,
Industry and Competition (dtic).
The dtic’s Agro Processing
Support Scheme (APSS) includes
furniture manufacture as a core
sector for future growth and
support. Average employment
per manufacturer is 13 people
per facility. Furntech White River
is a part of the Seda Technology
Programme of the Small Enterprise
Development Agency (Seda). ■
49 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23

SECTOR NEWS
Tourism
A new European airline has added Kruger Mpumalanga
International Airport to its roster.
Credit: KMI Airport
Eurowings Discover, a new division of Lufthansa, announced
in 2022 that it would start flying three times a week to
Mbombela from Frankfurt, via Windhoek, in November.
This will give German tourists direct access to the Kruger
National Park.
Eurowings Discover was launched in July 2021 as a long-haul
leisure airline, not to be confused with the low-cost airline, Eurowings.
In May 2022 the airline had 16 aircraft.
The hotel and conference centre project in Middelburg is making
progress and should be completed in 2023. The R350-million fourstar
facility in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality is a public-private
partnership. Akani Properties, a black-owned property development
company, will work with the Radisson Hotel Group to deliver the 150-
bed hotel and convention centre.
The Provincial Government of Mpumalanga is looking for more
private partners to invest in projects to boost an already active sector
that has several superb tourism assets, ranging from about 70 parks
and reserves to bird-watching, music festivals, car rallies and casinos.
A total of R475-million in public and private investments has so far
been raised for the Skywalk project at God’s Window in the Blyde River
Canyon Nature Reserve. The community that owns the land will be a
shareholder.
The Kruger National Park is Mpumalanga’s most famous tourism
asset and it falls under South African National Parks (SANParks). Other
notable landmarks include the Blyde River Canyon and the Makhonjwa
Mountains, which have been declared a World Heritage Site by the United
ONLINE RESOURCES
Mpumalanga Gaming Board: www.mgb.org.za
Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency: www.mtpa.co.za
South African National Parks: www.sanparks.co.za
South African Tourism Services Association: www.satsa.com
SECTOR INSIGHT
R475-million has been raised
for the God’s Window
Skywalk project.
Nations Educational‚ Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Although the province already
caters for motor-rally enthusiasts,
cyclists, runners, walkers, fishers,
horse-riders, tree-gliders,
abseilers, white-water rafters
and rock climbers, there is still
potential for more investment in
the ecotourism and adventure
tourism subsectors.
Tsogo Sun Hotels has taken
over the Hazyview Sun, which
brings its total in the province
to nine properties, ranging from
two StayEasys to Southern Sun
The Ridge, which is attached
to the Ridge Casino in Witbank
(eMalahleni) and the Southern
Sun Emnotweni in Nelspruit.
Tsogo runs the Pine Lake Resort
in White River and a further two
resorts in Hazyview.
Protea Hotels by Marriott has
two properties in Mpumalanga,
Protea Hotel Kruger Gate and
Nelspruit. At White River, Premier
Hotel The Winkler is 20 minutes’
drive from the Numbi Gate of the
Kruger National Park.
Forever Resorts has a big
presence in the province, catering
to caravanners, campers and
holiday-makers wanting to stay
in chalets. There is also a four-star
Forever Resorts Mount Sheba.
The Graceland Hotel Casino and
Country Club is a Peermont resort
in Secunda. ■
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
50

Banking and finance
Mutual banks have been granted licences.
SECTOR NEWS
SECTOR INSIGHT
Ubank has been placed
under curatorship.
Ubank, with a history of catering to mineworkers, was
found by the South African Reserve Bank to have an
unacceptable capital adequacy ratio in May 2022 and was
consequently placed under curatorship.
Teba Trust Fund, which owns Ubank, was actively seeking
a strategic investor when the curatorship was announced. The
administrators of the fund are the National Union of Mineworkers
(NUM) and Minerals Council SA. One of the banks being courted was
the South African arm of Nigeria’s Access Bank Group and Minerals
Council SA remains positive about the future of the bank.
Despite the collapse of VBS Mutual Bank in 2018, the appetite for
mutual banks is strong, given the nature of the South African market. The
Young Women in Business Network (YWBN) has been granted a mutual
bank licence and Bank Zero also intends to use the mutual model.
Tyme Digital went from acquiring a licence to running TymeBank
with services available in more than 500 Pick n Pay and Boxer stores
in less than two years.
Second to market among the country’s new banks was Discovery
Bank, which officially launched in 2019 and is experiencing rapid
growth in retail deposits. Discovery Bank is applying the behavioural
model it uses in its health business to reward good financial
behaviour. The Discovery group is already a giant on the JSE with
ONLINE RESOURCES
Financial Sector Conduct Authority: www.fsca.co.za
Public Investment Corporation: www.pic.gov.za
South African Reserve Bank: www.resbank.co.za
a market value of R83-billion and
access to millions of customers.
South Africa’s four big retail
banks (Nedbank, Absa, Standard
Bank and First National Bank)
have a solid presence in the major
towns in the province.
Agriculture is an important
focus area for banks, and most
have specialised divisions.
Piet Retief-based TWK Agri
offers financing and insurance
together with the usual suite of
agricultural services. Afgri, one of
the country’s biggest agricultural
companies, offers financial
services (financing and insurance)
under the brand Unigro.
Another source of funding for
farmers is the Land and Agricultural
Development Bank of South Africa
(Land Bank), a developmentfinance
institution that falls under
the Ministry of Finance.
African Bank has created
an account that allows up to
five additional accounts to be
created in the name of the main
account. Fees are only charged for
drawing cash or at the time of a
transaction. There are no monthly
fees for any of the accounts
which can be either for saving or
transactional. Each user has his or
her own card and monies can be
moved between accounts, ideal
for families. ■
51 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23

SECTOR NEWS
ICT
Mpumalanga has migrated to digital transmitters.
SECTOR INSIGHT
A WiFi hotspot project is
taking off.
Ian Troskie, Community Manager at Glencore Coal, and Shireen
Powell, Chief Operating Officer of Isizwe.
The national Department of Communications and
Digital Technologies (DCDT) has implemented the big
analogue switch-off in Mpumalanga.
In February 2022, the province became South Africa’s
fourth province to migrate to digital transmitters, part of an integrated
Broadcast Digital Migration plan to improve media channels.
Three years after starting to offer free WiFi in its operating areas,
Glencore Coal and partner Project Isizwe celebrated estimated
savings in data costs of more than R100-million. Having started
with 10 hotspots in Ogies and Phola in the eMalahleni Municipality,
the initiative was expanded to the Steve Tshwete and Emakhazeni
municipalities where 30 hotspots now function. Communities are
consuming more than 28 000GB of data for free every month.
Project Isizwe is a non-profit organisation that partners with
Internet Service Providers to provide equitable Internet access.
ICT has been chosen as one of the University of Mpumalanga’s six
ONLINE RESOURCES
Seda Technology Programme: www.seda.org.za
State Information Technology Agency: www.sita.co.za
Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa: www.usaasa.org.za
critical research themes. Operating
under the title of Information and
Communication Technology for
Development (ICT4D), it intends to
present easy adoption and use of
ICT resources for the betterment
of people’s day-to-day activities.
Sub-themes are ICT in education,
cybersecurity, Internet of Things
and data analytics.
The university offers a
Diploma in ICT in Applications
Development, a three-year course
carrying 360 credits and a level-six
qualification.
In a move to address a shortage
of critical skills, the Mpumalanga
Provincial Government is allocating
bursary funds for students in
specialist fields. One of these is ICT.
The MTN SA Foundation
supports several schools in
Mpumalanga as part of MTN’s
Back to School campaigns. Eleven
schools have multi-media centres,
each with 20 computer desks,
chairs and teacher stations. The
computer laboratories have one
server, a multifunctional printer,
an interactive whiteboard, a
data projector, a router and
data connectivity to MTN for
24 months. The province’s
new boarding school, Izimbali
Combined MST, also has a
40-seater laboratory courtesy of
the MTN SA Foundation. ■
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23
52

Bill
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SECTOR NEWS
Development finance and
SMME support
Trade and accommodation are popular sectors for startups.
SECTOR INSIGHT
SMMEs are getting help to run
their finances.
Credit: Anglo American
A
programme to assist small companies in the mining sector
has been launched by Anglo American’s Zimele Fund, in
collaboration with the South African Institute of Chartered
Accountants (SAICA). The idea is to boost the sustainability
of SMMEs through training in financial management, accounting
and office controls.
Zimele has been funding and supporting SMMEs in Anglo
American’s supply chain for more than 30 years. Zimele runs four
enterprise development and investment funds related to the supply
chains of platinum, thermal coal and, together with timber and paper
company Mondi, forestry.
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants Enterprise
Development (SAICA ED), which will run the programme, is part of
SACIA’s Learning and Development Division.
Research done by the Small Enterprise Development Agency
(Seda) shows that a high percentage of SMMEs in Mpumalanga are in
the trade and accommodation sector. Whereas the national figure is
about 43%, in Mpumalanga it is closer to 50%.
Seda is a subsidiary of the National Department of Small Business
Development (DSBD). Seda is not a financial agency, focussing rather
on training and administrative support, although the agency will help
SMMEs get in touch with financial bodies.
Seda supports several incubators in the province: Furntech,
furniture manufacturing, White River; Mobile Agro-Skills Development
& Training (MASDT), agricultural training, Nelspruit; Mpumalanga
Stainless Initiative (MSI), stainless-steel processing, Middelburg
(with Columbus Stainless); Timbali floriculture, Nelspruit; Ehlanzeni
TVET College Rapid Incubator
Renewable Technologies,
Nelspruit. TVET stands for technical
and vocational education training.
The Mpumalanga Economic
Growth Agency (MEGA) is the
implementing agent of the
provincial government’s SMME
support policy. An agreement has
been signed by Standard Bank
and MEGA to launch an SME Fund
with a capitalisation of R500-
million. MEGA has also overseen
the rehabilitation of industrial
premises in former homelands
and formed partnerships with
financial institutions for funding.
Examples of township businesses
supported by the Department
of Economic Development
and Tourism (DEDET) are an
agreement with Sumitomo
Rubber SA to promote local
tyre enterprises and financial
support for the commissioning
of a sanitary towel plant by the
Ntirhisano Sanitary Worker Cooperative
in Bushbuckridge (and
support for business development
and access to market).
A provincial programme to
repair potholes in roads promises to
create employment opportunities
and benefit SMMEs. The focus will
be on strategic roads and roads
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23 54

Kruger Lowveld Chamber
of Business and Tourism
The voice of business in Ehlanzeni.
As the official representative body of business and tourism in
the Kruger Lowveld (Ehlanzeni District), our main mandates
are to promote the region as a tourism and investment destination,
to provide a diverse suite of networking and marketing
opportunities for our members, and to represent and speak
on behalf of the business and tourism community of our area. We do
this by building and maintaining meaningful relationships with all
spheres of government as well as like-minded organisations, and by
acting as liaison between these entities and the business community.
KLCBT’s president is Ms Sandra Jacobs (pictured).
Area of operation
The Kruger Lowveld covers the Ehlanzeni District of Mpumalanga,
including the following local municipalities: City of Mbombela, Thaba
Chweu, Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge, as well as the southern part
of Kruger National Park and the surrounding private nature reserves.
Member benefits
Listing on website, Pay-to-Play participation in various marketing
services and projects, weekly newsletter, invitations to all KLCBT
events, advocacy and representations made by KLCBT on behalf of
members, access to preferential arrangements negotiated by KLCBT
with service providers, brochure display at Crossing Centre office,
various sponsorship options, access to tender information. We are
actively involved in the following advocacy campaigns:
Service delivery:
Public participation in various forums where government engages
with stakeholders regarding budgets, planning and legislation.
Promote home-grown businesses through education processes,
research, maintaining a database, lobbying for stricter regulations
Contact details
Physical address: KLCBT House, Crossing Centre, Nelspruit
Postal address: Private Bag X 11326, Nelspruit 1200
Tel: +27 13 755 1988. Fax: +27 13 753 2986
Email: business@klcbt.co.za and tourism@klcbt.co.za
Website: www.klcbt.co.za
Sandra Jacobs
on large shopping chains,
engaging large chains to buy
local and to spend their CSI
budgets locally.
Local Economic Development:
We are assisting with
incubation in seven main
corridors, mainly adding additional
tourism products.
Anti-corruption: Several
successful initiatives reduced
roadside corruption.
Water: Bulk-water supply faces
a future crisis and lobbying for
the increase of storage capacity
is beginning to show success.
Roads and public attractions:
Require upgrades and
investment.
Safety and security: A concern
for all regions in SA. ■
55
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2021/22

SECTOR NEWS
that carry tourists and is expected to create more than 40 000 jobs and
be administered by the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP).
By giving contracts to SMMEs, the intention is to involve them in the
mainstream economy.
The Gert Sibande Centre for Entrepreneurship in Evander hosts a
Rapid Incubator in partnership with Seda. The aim is to promote and
develop young entrepreneurs in the province.
The Incubator offers a variety of services, including mentorship
and coaching, training, advice on business compliance, network
and linkages as well as facilitating access to marketing and funding
opportunities. Infrastructure support is available in terms of office
space and boardroom, telephone and Internet connections and
printing services. The Centre was established in 2015 through a
partnership between the Gert Sibande TVET College, the DSBD and
the University of Johannesburg. The college has five other campuses
across the Gert Sibande District Municipality.
A new national programme to grow employment has received a
funding boost from the African Development Bank (AfDB). The National
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) has received
a R23.6-million grant to pursue four programmes, one of which is
focussed on encouraging enterprise development in TVET colleges.
The hope is that graduates will leave colleges with qualifications
and fully-functioning businesses that can start employing staff. The
college’s workshops will be open to local entrepreneurs to develop
and produce products that can be sold.
Entrepreneurship Development is one of the subjects on offer
at 90 Youth Development Centres which are being established
throughout Mpumalanga. Other courses include accredited training
in computer skills and life skills, with workshops on job preparedness
and career guidance. The centres are part of Mpumalanga’s response
to the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention Programme.
Private companies
Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane has paid tribute to private
companies for providing employment opportunities to local people
and for continuing to support small and emerging businesses. Bursary
programmes and training programmes were also acknowledged. The
company’s mentioned were Sasol, Exxaro, Eskom, Sappi, Columbus
Stainless, Samancor, RCL foods, Mondi, Safcol, Glencore, Standard
Bank, Absa Bank, Nedbank and First National Bank.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Gert Sibande TVET College: www.gscollege.edu.za
Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency: www.mega.gov.za
Mpumalanga Stainless Initiative: www.mpstainless.co.za
Small Enterprise Development Agency: www.seda.org.za
South African Institute of Chartered Accountants: www.saica.org.za
Skills Academy and Artisan Development
Centre, Evander Campus, Gert Sibande
TVET College
At Exxaro’s Matla Mine, a blackand
woman-owned business
has grown in leaps and bounds
with support from the mining
company’s Enterprise and Supplier
Development unit. Stenda Trading
won contracts to do underground
civil and underground cleaning
services at the mine. This included
building containment and
explosion-proof walls, installing
black brattices, reinforced brattices
and air crossings, building refuge
bays, concrete work and installing
specialised doors. Exxaro extended
a R9.2-million interest-free loan to the
enterprise to purchase equipment,
vehicles and a mobile office.
Sappi’s long-term Ngodwana
Mill project will spend more than
R600-million on procuring goods
and supplies from broad-basedblack-economic-empowered
companies, of which R51-million
will go to SMMEs.
Other companies supporting
SMMEs through their buying chain
include Woolworths and Anglo
American. Woolworths funds
TechnoServe to ensure that small
tomato growers can grow produce
that will meet the demanding
standards of the retailer, and to
help them expand production. ■
MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2022/23 56

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