Northern Cape Business 2023/24

L 

NORTHERN CAPE 

BUSINESS 

2022/23 2023/24 EDITION 

NORTHERN CAPE 

BUSINESS 

THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN 

THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE 

THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE 

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Destination 

Northern Cape 

An extraordinary South African holiday experience. 

Kayak on the Orange River, follow in the footsteps 

of dinosaurs in Fraserburg. Discover 

the dark skies sanctuary in Kgalagadi, be 

enchanted by the sky lore of the Khomani 

San – or be fascinated by glimmering constellations 

at Sutherland. This is the Northern Cape 

where you can experience Real Culture, Real Nature 

and Real Adventure. Create your own “bucket list” 

experiences and make family memories to last a 

lifetime! Visit: www.experiencenortherncape.com 

Six “must do” reasons to choose the Northern 

Cape as your family holiday destination: 

Rewarding cultural adventures 

The distinct cultural groups that make up the 

Northern Cape are as rich as the country’s history. 

Unlock the secrets of the African bush in the 

company of the oldest human inhabitants of the 

region, the ‡Khomani San near the Kgalagadi 

Transfrontier Park, our newest World Heritage 

Site. Swim in the hot pools of Riemvasmaak, 

discover the ancient wisdom of the Nama of 

the Richtersveld, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Explore living villages, shop at craft markets, 

indulge in regional authentic cuisine at local 

eateries and be transported to the world of our 

ancestors through campfire storytelling and 

dancing. It’s the best way to experience the 

heartbeat of the province and to take some of the 

soul of the Northern Cape with you on your return 

journey home. 

Adventure off the beaten track 

For the active, it’s an ideal environment for 

exploration and adventure. We have an aweinspiring 

setting for any enthusiast. Whether you 

are stargazing in Sutherland, hunting for fossils 

in the Karoo or searching for San rock art deep 

in the caves of the Diamond Fields, experiencing 

the world’s richest floral offering in Namakwa, 

camping deep in the bush surrounded by 

wildlife and the famed black-maned lion of the 

Green Kalahari, or kayaking down the mighty 

Orange River, the Northern Cape is more than an 

adventure, it’s an enriching life experience.

Family adventure experiences 

The Northern Cape has always been a familyfriendly 

destination. Its mix of culture, adventure, 

wildlife and wide accommodation choices 

offers family fun that is both entertaining 

and educational. The province is home to six 

national parks and two of the country’s largest 

rivers, which makes it perfect for fun activities 

the entire family can enjoy. These include game 

safaris, bird-watching, dune-surfing, leisure 

hikes and walks to winery tours, museum visits 

and archaeological discoveries. 

Natural beauty and wildlife adventures 

The Northern Cape is arguably South Africa’s most 

beautiful and naturally real province. Visitors are 

hard-pressed to choose between our two UNESCO 

World Heritage Sites, two Transfrontier Parks, the 

Kgalagadi and the |Ai-|Ais Richtersveld with its 

red and golden sand dunes or the Augrabies Falls 

National Park with the mighty Augrabies Falls 

thundering down an 18km abyss. Not to forget 

the Mokala National Park near Kimberley and 

Namaqua and Tankwa Karoo National Parks in the 

Namakwa region. Alternatively explore any one the 

six Provincial Nature Reserves, Goegap, Witsand, 

Oorlogskloof or one of our many private game and 

nature reserves. Share the intimate bush knowledge 

of a Nama or San Bushman guide/tracker. The 

Northern Cape’s natural beauty is enhanced by 

its enigmatic wildlife. From the small five to the 

big five, watching wild animals at close range is 

something truly unforgettable. There are walking, 

horseback, 4x4, little five, glamping and many more 

wildlife experiences to incorporate in your trip. 

A floral adventure 

Each spring, the dormant and arid winter plains 

of the Northern Cape’s Namakwa region are 

transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour with the 

arrival of the flower season. The wildflowers of the 

Namakwa are a remarkable natural phenomenon 

and best discovered on foot, which makes it 

ultimately appealing to hikers and outdoor 

enthusiasts. The best time to visit for the floral 

splendour is from end July to early October.

Explore the Battlefields Route 

The Battlefields Route allows visitors to relive 

the war between Great Britain and the Boer 

Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange 

Free State from 1899 to 1902. The Northern 

Cape played a decisive role in the war with 

the famous Kimberley siege and you can 

relive the siege, its victories and the setbacks 

suffered by both sides at the Magersfontein 

and McGregor Museums. 

Explore the routes of the Northern Cape 

Cape Namibia Route 

The route meanders away from Cape Town 

along the N7 and includes small towns, each 

with its own local flavour and a story to tell. 

Visitors will encounter towns which capture 

the Nama heritage of the province. Slow down 

and appreciate the unique stories of the people 

of Garies, Kamieskroon, Springbok, Okiep, 

Steinkopf and Vioolsdrift. During spring time, 

this route takes visitors into the core of the floral 

kaleidoscope that is the Namakwa floral season. 

Don’t miss: River-rafting along the mighty 

Orange River. 

Namaqua Coastal Route 

The route includes hidden gems like Garies, 

Kamieskroon, Hondeklip Bay, Koiingnaas and 

Kleinzee. Dozens of adventure and leisure 

options are available: Namaqua National 

Park, nature reserves, some of the most 

remote hiking and 4x4 trails imaginable. 

Go succulent sleuthing with a botanical 

guide, hike the Springbok Klipkoppie for a 

dose of Anglo-Boer War history, explore the 

countless shipwrecks along the coastline. 

Breathtaking scenes of the Atlantic Ocean 

with sightings of dolphins and whales 

combined with great vistas of mountains and 

veld with endemic wildlife makes travelling 

in this area remarkable. 

Don’t miss: Slow-packing through the Namaqua 

National Park in early Spring (September) when 

the usually dusty plains are transformed into 

kaleidoscopic flower carpets of colour. 

Richtersveld Route 

The Richtersveld is South Africa’s only 

mountain desert and the route travels along 

rugged gravel roads to quaint towns such as 

Eksteensfontein, Sendelingsdrift, Lekkersing, 

Kuboes and Sandrift. The Orange River presents a 

more leisurely pace with river-rafting and the best 

wilderness fly-fishing in South Africa, while the 

entire Richtersveld is a mountain biker’s dream. 

Don’t miss: Learn about the lives of the nomads, be 

transported through dancing and storytelling. 

Quiver Tree Route 

Named after the indigenous quiver tree, the Quiver 

Tree Route stretches along the mighty Orange River. 

It features the quaint towns of Upington, Kakamas, 

Keimoes, Augrabies, Marchand, Kanoneiland, 

Kenhardt and Riemvasmaak. The route will appeal 

greatly to families, adventure and adrenaline seekers. 

Experience the hot springs at Riemvasmaak, riverrafting, 

fly-fishing, kayaking, river cruises, 4x4, hiking 

and MTB trails and excellent bird-watching. With 

the longest wine-producing area in the Southern 

Hemisphere there are many opportunities for worldclass 

wine and brandy tasting along the route. 

Don’t miss: A visit to the Augrabies National Park and 

the world’s sixth-largest waterfall.

life Towers, 

erley, 8309 

erley, 8300 

53 832 6805 

cape.gov.za 

ncpg.gov.za 

CAPE BUSINESS GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN THE NORTHERN CAPE 

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Livingstone, Henry Stanley and Richard Moffat. 

Relive the Anglo-Tswana and Anglo-Boer Wars, 

explore the Wonderwerk Caves between Kuruman 

and Danielskuil. Rediscover the Khoisan history in 

Wildebeest Kuil near Barkly West. 

NORTHERN Don’t 

CAPE 

miss: Kuruman Eye is a natural spring delivering 

about 20-million litres of clean, clear water daily. 

Karoo Oasis Route 

NORTHERN CAPE 

BUSINESS 

The route traverses the towns of Warrenton, 

Kimberley, Hopetown, Britstown and Victoria West 

BUSINESS 

along the N12. It is the perfect stopover for travellers 

between Johannesburg and Cape Town. Trace the 

THE GUIDE TO TO AND INVESTMENT AND INVESTMENT 

rich mining history of the region before stopping at 

THE IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE 

IN THE GUIDE NORTHERN TO CAPE AND PROVINCE INVESTMENT 

THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT one of the myriad national game and nature reserves 

IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE for game drives and world-class birding. Anglo-Boer 

IN THE NORTHERN GUIDE TO BUSINESS CAPE PROVINCE 

AND INVESTMENT IN 

THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE 

War enthusiasts can relive the tribulations of war at 

the McGregor and Magersfontein Museums and 

at Hopetown. Beautiful arts and crafts are for sale 

throughout the route and there are opportunities to 

meet local artists. 

Don’t miss: Hanover has South Africa’s largest 

privately-owned Karoo nature reserve, the Karoo 

Gariep Nature Reserve. Olive Schreiner, the author of 

The Story of an African Farm, lived in Hanover and 

her house is a museum. 


2022/23 

Kalahari Red Dune Route 

Discover the essence of the province in the heart 

of the Kalahari. Golden dunes, wide-open skies and 

flat-topped acacia trees epitomise the Kalahari Red 

Dune Route. Enjoy dune hikes at dawn, eagle-owl 

encounters, sand-duning and surfing in the red 

sand and close encounters with meerkats. Explore 

the Khomani San Cultural Landscape and join a 

guided walk with the San Khomani to rediscover the 

wisdom, customs and folklore of this ancient tribe. 

Don’t miss: In the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, 

magnificent oryx hold sway and you can discover the 

mighty Kalahari male lion. The largest conservation 

area within Africa, it is also one of only 10 Dark Skies 

NORTHERN CAPE 

BUSINESS sanctuaries in the world. 

THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT 

IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE 

2017/18 EDITION 

Go Ghaap Route 

Explore famous archaeological sites, historic towns, 

amazing architecture and a selection of nature and 

game reserves. Visitors can trace the early geological 

history (from three-billion years ago) which 

2020/21 2018/19 EDITION 

2022/23 2018/19 EDITION 

2019/20 

EDITION 

EDITION 

Karoo Highlands Route 

Enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the Karoo with its 

wide-open plains. The area was named by the Khoi and 

San people, who left their legacy as art on the rocks. 

Explore many unique experiences such as dinosaur 

hunting in Richmond, the SKA radio telescopes in 

Carnarvon, Karoo architecture and corbelled houses, 

Anglo-Boer War sites, rock art, ancient Palaeo Surfaces, 

farm stays and great Karoo cuisine and hospitality. This 

route includes several charming small towns – the 

heart of the Great Karoo. Nieuwoudtsville is your last 

stop before crossing the majestic Van Rhyns Pass en 

route to Cape Town. 

Don’t miss: Sutherland is famous for snowy winters, 

excellent stargazing and dramatic landscapes. It is 

home to the South African Large Telescope, the largest 

single optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Contact: 

Email: marketing@experiencenortherncape.com 

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CONTENTS 

CONTENTS 

Northern Cape Business 2023/24 Edition 

Introduction 

Foreword 7 

The Northern Cape’s unique guide to business and investment. 

Special features 

Kathu Industrial Park 5 

Proximity to mining operations is this project’s selling point. 

Regional overview 8 

Green hydrogen is expected to drive the creation of a deepwater 

port at Boegoebaai and stimulate investment in the province’s 

Special Economic Zones. 

Northern Cape takes the lead in green 

hydrogen. 10 

A dedicated Special Economic Zone seems imminent. 

Namakwa Special Economic Zone 14 

The catalyst for economic growth and integration in the 

western SADC. 

Boegoeberg Special Economic Zone 15 

The GH2 hub of the western SADC. 

Three commercialisation lanes 16 

Underpinning the Northern Cape’s green hydrogen strategy. 

The green hydrogen value chain 17 

The competitive advantages of the Northern Cape. 

Upington Industrial Park 18 

Location is key. 

NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2023/24 

4

NC Business.indd 50 2022/06/01 13:03 

CONTENTS 

Economic sectors 

Agriculture 22 

Climate change is presenting new challenges. 

Water 25 

Infrastructure is under pressure from multiple sources. 

Grapes and wine 26 

Extra measures are producing high-quality fruit for select markets. 

Mining 30 

Copper and zinc are fuelling increased investment. 

Energy 38 

Green hydrogen is the next big thing. 

Tourism 42 

Dark skies make for great star gazing. 

Engineering 44 

The country’s first CSP power plant presents engineering challenges. 

Development finance and SMME support 47 

Small businesses are getting a head start in renewable energy. 

Education and training 48 

Birthday gift boosts university access. 

Banking and financial services 54 

Retail banking has taken on a new meaning. 

ICT 55 

Radio astronomy is driving demand for data analysts. 

References 

Fast-tracking projects 

Key sector contents 20 

Overviews of the main economic sectors of the Northern of doing business Cape. 

he Northern Cape Economic Development 

Agency (NCEDA) is the host of the Northern 

Cape InvestSA One Stop Shop. 

T The InvestSA One Stop Shop initiative (the dtic) 

is geared towards providing investors with services 

to fast-track projects and reduce government red 

Northern Cape Provincial Government tape when establishing a business. It is part of the 58 

government’s drive to become investor friendly by 

A guide to the provincial government departments 

process easier. 

of the Northern Cape. 

and lowering the cost 

improving the business environment by lowering 

the cost of doing business as well as making the 

One Stop Shops house government entities 

such as the South African Revenue Service (to help 

with customs and tax), Home Affairs, Environmental 

Affairs, Eskom and the Companies and Intellectual 

Properties Commission under one roof. 

An investor can make an appointment, meet a 

government representative and be guided by the 

representative through the process of setting up a 

business. The One Stop Shops simplify administrative 

procedures for issuing business approvals, permits and 

licences and thereby remove bottlenecks that investors 

may face in establishing and running businesses. 

The offering includes, but is not limited to: 

Participating national government entities 

• InvestSA is a division of the South African 

Department of Trade, Industry and Competition 

• Business registry: Companies and Intellectual 

Property Commission (CIPC) 

• Tax authority: South African Revenue Service (SARS) 

• International Trade Administration Commission 

(ITAC) 

• National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications 

(NRCS) 

• Public electricity utility: Eskom 

• Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) 

Visa facilitation 

Visa and permit applications can be made at Visa and 

Permit Facilitation Centres. Applications are then assessed 

by the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria. Non-South 

Africans with a legal residency permit in South Africa can 

apply for a visa or permit at these centres. 

There are centres in every province. In the 

Northern Cape there is a facility in Kimberley. The 

South African government is reviewing its critical 

skills list as well as taking steps to make it easier for 

people who qualify to apply. 

• Providing an accessible entry point for investors 

in need of regulatory compliance. 

The Northern Cape invitation 

ABOUT THE COVER: 

• Enhancing regulatory and legal processes. The Northern Cape InvestSA One Stop Shop and NCEDA 

• Improving approval turnaround timeframes. team advise you on investment opportunities and 

• Providing information on incentives (tax, land, assist investment and trade opportunities from the 

Solar power, SCATEC; wind power, BTE Renewables; hydrogen training, power, free trade zones, Anglo etc). American. same offices. The Northern Cape Bottom 

team is committed 

• Providing pre-approval information (market and qualified to assist and guide you from concept to 

data, costs, incentives, project approval, local investment phase. 

left and far right: Wärtsilä is a leader in efficient power solutions partners, on etc). land and sea; We a look wind forward to hearing from turbine 

you and partnering 

• Providing post-approval information (facilitation 

of permit approvals, information relating to 

with you to make your investment a success! ■ 

import of equipment and raw materials, central 

from above, Karel Vh on Unsplash; a fuel cell at Minerals Council SA headquarters. 

bank profit repatriation, etc) to investors. 

Contact details 

Mr Hendrik Louw, Acting CEO, NCEDA 

Address: DCS Office Block, Floor 1, 69 Memorial Road Kimberley, 8301 

Tel: +27 87 086 0350 | +27 53 833 1503 

Email: ceo@nceda.co.za | info@investsanc.co.za 

Website: www.investsanc.co.za 

“The Northern Cape: A Modern, Growing and Successful Province” 


2022/23 

2022/23 2023/24 EDITION 

NORTHERN CAPE 

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GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN 

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Northern Cape Business 

A unique guide to business and investment in the Northern Cape. 

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 

Shiko Diala 

Gabriel Venter 

Vanessa Wallace 

Graeme February 

Tahlia Wyngaard 

Tennyson Naidoo 

Administration & accounts: 

Charlene Steynberg 

Kathy Wootton 

Sharon Angus-Leppan 

Distribution and circulation 

manager: Edward MacDonald 

Printing: FA Print 

DISTRIBUTION 

Northern Cape 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. 

The 2023/24 edition of Northern Cape Business is the 13th issue of 

this highly successful publication that has, since its launch in 2009, 

established itself as the premier business and investment guide for 

the Northern Cape Province. 

Officially supported and used by the Northern Cape Department of 

Economic Development and Tourism, Northern Cape Business is unique as a 

business and investment guide that focuses exclusively on the province. 

Specific investment opportunities are treated in detail in this journal, 

with a focus on geographic hotspots that are due to become the focus of 

sector-focused infrastructure development. Green hydrogen is the subject of 

a special feature in the early pages of the journal, but the subject comes up 

again in the Energy Overview. This is a subject that is increasingly going to 

play a larger role in the regional and national economy. The Northern Cape 

is almost uniquely qualified to play a lead role in the development of the 

country’s green hydrogen economy, given its bountiful resources of land, 

wind and sun. The blending together of an earlier idea to develop a deepwater 

port at Boegoebaai with the creation of a Special Economic Zone devoted 

to green hydrogen production is particularly exciting. 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 

under e-books. Updated information on the Northern Cape 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 as well our flagship South African Business 

title. In 2020, the inaugural Journal of African Business joined the Global Africa 

Network stable of publications. ■ 

Chris Whales 

Publisher, Global Africa Network | Email: chris@gan.co.za 

FOREWORD 

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 

Postal address: PO Box 292, Newlands 7701 

Tel: +27 21 657 6200 | Fax: +27 21 674 6943 

Email: info@gan.co.za | Website: www.gan.co.za 

Member of the Audit Bureau 

of Circulations ISSN 2074-0654 

COPYRIGHT | Northern Cape 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 | Images supplied by Anglo American; Beefmaster; 

Big Tree Copper; DEDAT; Department of Water and Sanitation; E-Kalahari; 

Grinaker-LTA; The Karsten Group; Kangnas Wind Farm; Kathu Solar Park; 

Northern Cape Rural TVET College; SARAO; Savage + Dodds Architects; 

TymeBank. 

DISCLAIMER | While the publisher, Global Africa Network Media (Pty) 

Ltd, has used all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information 

contained in Northern Cape 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. 

7 NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2023/24

A REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF 

NORTHERN CAPE 

PROVINCE 

The main courtyard of Sol Plaatje University, which celebrates a 10th birthday in 2023. Credit: Savage + Dodds Architects 

Green hydrogen is expected to drive the creation of a deepwater port 

at Boegoebaai and stimulate investment in the province’s Special 

Economic Zones. 

By John Young 

Sol Plaatje University will celebrate its 

10-year anniversary in 2023. For the 

2023 academic year a total of 28 454 

applications were received. This is an 

increase of just under 9 000 compared to 2022. 

The university intends increasing the number of 

students enrolling in Natural and Applied Sciences 

and Economic and Management Sciences. 

The university excels in teacher training, but an 

expanding curriculum speaks both to being able to 

exploit the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope 

link through subjects such as ICT and data science 

and an appreciation of the past via heritage studies 

and paleo-sciences. The university’s location in an 

arid region gives it a locational advantage in studies 

of agriculture in water-stressed conditions. 

Building on the campus, which will eventually 

cover 190 000m², is expected to continue for 

another decade. The fine buildings which have 

been created so far were the result of a series 

of architectural competitions. Some of the 

completed buildings went on to win national 

and international awards. Expenditure on the 

university’s infrastructure since 2013 has amounted 

to R2.2-billion. In 2022, R350-million was spent. 

“Infrastructure investment is the backbone of a 

thriving economy,” says Northern Cape Premier Dr 

Zamani Saul. Provincial priorities are schools, health 

facilities, roads, housing, energy, water and sanitation. 

Over the three years to February 2023, R10-billion was 

spent by the Northern Cape Provincial Government, 

R4.2-billion of it on social infrastructure. Invest SA, 

through the National Department of Trade, Industry 

and Competition (dtic), has established a provincial One 

Stop Shop for investors, lowering the cost of investing 

and helping to iron out any bureaucratic delays. Another 

angle for attracting investors to the province is to be part 

of the drive to improve infrastructure. 

Special Economic Zones 

One of the most important types of infrastructure in 

the Northern Cape is Special Economic Zones. 

Various articles in this journal highlight the 

special focus of each of the Namakwa Special 


8

SPECIAL FEATURE 

Economic Zone (with Vedanta Zinc International as 

the core tenant), the Upington Industrial Park, the 

Kathu Industrial Park, the De Aar Logistics Hub and 

the Boegoebaai Port and Green Hydrogen Cluster. 

The Northern Cape, as a dry province that 

relies heavily on agriculture, has adopted a 

Northern Cape Climate Change Adaptation 

Response Strategy. This allows for a framework 

to tackle climate change issues. Floods, droughts 

and fires are becoming more frequent and more 

severe; planning can at least mitigate the negative 

outcomes to some extent. 

Other support for agriculture will come in the 

form of infrastructure at the Upington Industrial 

Park, which will act as a services centre for road, rail 

and air transport, agriculture, agro-processing and 

manufacturing. 

Farmers and agro-processors are increasingly 

drawing attention to the need for good roads for 

the delivery of their products to market and they 

will be hoping that these parks will help to provide 

the necessary infrastructure. 

In a similar vein, the Namakwa SEZ in 

Aggeneys will become an industrial cluster for 

mining and agriculture services, beneficiation and 


The Boegoebaai Port and Green Hydrogen 

Cluster has the potential to be transformative, 

especially as it might signal a real and significant 

step towards the establishment of a green hydrogen 

market in South Africa, and therefore a step towards 

a cleaner, greener energy environment. 

Bid Window 6 of South Africa’s Renewable 

Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement 

Programme (REIPPPP) was launched in April 2022, 

promising to bring a further 2 600MW to the 

national grid. However, it has been found that 

the national grid, especially in provinces like the 

Northern Cape where many projects have already 

been rolled out, lacks capacity to accommodate 

new projects. In the short term, this means 

that provinces like Mpumalanga will receive 

proportionally more projects while grid constraints 

are sorted out. 

Since the first bid was finalised, a total of 66 756GWh 

of renewable energy has been procured, much of it in 

the Northern Cape which has a particularly strong suit 

in solar power projects. 

Mining 

The single biggest mining investment in South Africa 

is moving ahead smoothly near Aggeneys where 

Vedanta Zinc International has been extracting zinc 

since 2018. 

The impact of large mining projects was made 

clear by Premier Dr Zamani Saul in his 2023 State 

of the Province Address. He highlighted the social 

and community efforts being made by Vedanta 

Zinc International over and above the investments 

in the two phases of the Vedanta Mine. The mining 

investment amounts themselves are considerable: 

phase one, R6-billion (2 700 permanent jobs) and 

phase two (R7-billion; about 3 500 jobs and many 

opportunities for SMMES). The company has also 

contributed to the construction of an oncology 

treatment centre in Springbok. The centre is designed 

to strengthen support for cancer patients on the way 

to referral pathway to the tertiary hospital in Kimberley. 

New manganese projects are being undertaken 

in the eastern part of the province with the new mine 

near Hotazel, Mokala, one of the most prominent. 

Interest in copper mining (and retreatment) is 

growing, not least because copper has a role to 

play in the green economy. Electric vehicles are 

dependent on copper and it can transmit and help 

store energy. 

The province’s vast iron-ore mines continue 

to produce huge quantities of material, subject 

only to the capacity of the rail network run by 

Transnet to deliver what is produced to the 

country’s ports. Minerals Council South Africa, the 

industry’s employer organisation, estimates that 

the opportunity cost to the minerals sector of bad 

transport logistics in 2022 was about R50-billion. ■ 

Credit: DEDAT 

9 

NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2023/24

Northern 


Cape takes the 

lead in green hydrogen 

With provincial and national plans in place and the support of Sasol, 

a dedicated Special Economic Zone seems imminent. 

One of the Northern Cape’s biggest companies, Anglo American, is pioneering hydrogen-powered 

trucks. Credit: Anglo American 

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that can be made 

from any number of sources. The prospect 

of producing hydrogen from clean, 

renewable sources is exciting scientists, 

investors and governments all over the world. 

Electrolysers split water into oxygen and 

hydrogen. If the power that is used to run the 

electrolyser is clean, then the resulting hydrogen is 

said to be “green hydrogen”. 

The Northern Cape has everything that is needed 

to make green hydrogen in large quantities: great 

solar and wind resources, lots of land and provincial 

and national governments eager to harness the 

energies of the private and public sectors. 

The National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell 

Technologies Research, Development and 

Innovation strategy (Hydrogen South Africa) was 

established in 2008. South Africa currently uses fossil 

fuels to make two types of hydrogen: “brown” (coal) 

and “blue” (gasification with carbon capture). 

Studies have started to appear about the 

creation of hydrogen valleys in parts of South 

Africa and there has been an understandable 

focus on areas that produce platinum group 

metals. Platinum is a vital part of hydrogen fuelcell 

technology because of its ability to tolerate 

high temperatures and to act as a catalyst for 

generating electricity. 

However, one of South Africa’s key points of 

difference in the competition to become a global 

green hydrogen hub – and there will be lots of 

competition – is access to renewable energy 

resources (a Northern Cape strength) and Sasol. 

Sasol is a chemicals and energy company with 

a large global footprint and a history of innovation. 

One of the key projects that Sasol is putting its 

weight behind is in the Northern Cape. 

The company has signed a Memorandum 

of Agreement (MOA) with the Northern Cape 

Development Agency (NCEDA) to lead the feasibility 

study to explore the potential of Boegoebaai as 

an export hub for green hydrogen and ammonia. 

The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is 

involved in funding the study. 


10


One of the province’s biggest investors, 

Anglo American, is running a project to power 

its trucks with green hydrogen and rolled out the 

first massive truck at one of its mines in another 

province. Its intention is to get its truck fleet 

running on hydrogen at all mines, including in 

the Northern Cape. 

The Northern Cape Green Hydrogen strategy 

was announced in 2021 at COP26. A master plan 

for a green hydrogen Special Economic Zone (SEZ) 

is being developed, which aims to support 40GW 

of electrolyser capacity by 2050. 

The Boegoebaai project is one of several 

green hydrogen, ammonia and power-to-X (P2X) 

potential projects which Sasol is assessing as part of 

a new strategy. The process of pre-qualification has 

begun, with consortiums entering bids to develop 

the port. One such grouping includes logistics 

operator Newyln Group, who are teaming up with 

international partners. 

As Priscillah Mabelane, Executive Vice President 

for Energy at Sasol, says, “We believe that Southern 

Africa is well positioned to play in the global 

green hydrogen economy due to key structural 

advantages. In particular, our proprietary Fischer- 

Tropsch technologies and renewable endowments 

are some of the best in the world.” 

Fischer-Tropsch refers to the technology 

that creates synthetic oils and fuels from coal, 

natural gas or biomass through 

gasification. Sasol has decades 

of experience in this field. 

wind resources and the expected cost reductions 

over time in solar PV, wind and electrolyser 

equipment allows green ammonia produced 

in South Africa to be delivered to Japan in 2030, 

meeting the Japanese cost target.” 

Germany will only generate 14% of the green 

hydrogen it will need to meet its decarbonisation 

targets. Namibia and South Africa are in its sights. 

Three German federal ministries are funding 

projects that involve the CSIR to develop the green 

hydrogen economy in South Africa. 

Local partnerships were to the fore at the 

signing of a Memorandum of Understanding 

between the provincial governments of the 

Northern Cape and the Western Cape in 2022. 

The aim is to develop a green hydrogen corridor 

stretching along the west coast. 

Four of the nine projects published as part 

of the Green Hydrogen National Programme 

(GHNP) are in the Northern Cape: the Prieska 

Power Reserve, the Ubuntu Green Energy 

Hydrogen Project, the Upilanga Solar and Green 

H2 Park and the Boegoebaai Green Hydrogen 

Development Programme. 

The national Just Energy Transition 

Investment Plan has committed R1.6-billion 

over five years to pilot Skills Development Zones 

SDZs in the Northern Cape, Mpumalanga and 

the Eastern Cape. ■ 

Foreign and local partnerships 

Council for Scientific and Industrial 

Research (CSIR) research into 

green hydrogen shows that from 

2030 Japan intends importing 

about 300 000 tons of hydrogen 

per year (at a target price of $3 

per kilogram), rising to between 

five-million and 10-million tons of 

hydrogen per year by 2050. 

As the Principal Research 

Engineer of CSIR, Thomas Roos, 

states: “CSIR modelling has 

shown that the combination of 

South Africa’s excellent solar and 

The renewable energy sector will require a lot of training in new 

skills. Credit: Future Africa/Nepoworx

FOCUS 

Green hydrogen: Driving the energy 

transition and decarbonisation 

Green hydrogen is a game-changer in the global pursuit of 

decarbonisation and renewable energy adoption. 

Thomas Roos, CSIR Senior Researcher. 

The global shift towards renewable energy 

sources and decarbonsation is gaining 

momentum, and one of the key players 

in this transition is green hydrogen. Green 

hydrogen, produced through the electrolysis of 

water using renewable electricity, has emerged 

as a promising solution for achieving the goals 

set by international agreements like the Paris 

Agreement and the European Green Deal. In this 

thought leadership article, we will delve into the 

significance of green hydrogen and its potential to 

revolutionise the energy landscape. 

The power of green hydrogen 

Green hydrogen offers a sustainable alternative to 

traditional fossil fuel-based energy sources. While 

the term “green hydrogen” is often used broadly to 

describe hydrogen produced from any non-fossil fuelbased 

source, its strict definition pertains to hydrogen 

produced through electrolysis using renewable 

electricity. Essentially, green hydrogen represents 

renewable electricity stored in chemical form, 

enabling long-term energy storage and facilitating 

decarbonisation efforts. 

Addressing global decarbonisation goals 

The importance of green hydrogen lies in its ability 

to support the decarbonisation goals outlined in the 

Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal. While 

direct renewable electrification is the most efficient 

and cost-effective decarbonisation approach in many 

cases, there are scenarios where it is not always feasible. 

One such scenario involves regions with high energy 

demand but limited renewable electricity supply, as 

exemplified by Japan. Japan, facing energy constraints 

and limited natural resources, plans to transition its 

economy towards hydrogen-based solutions, including 

fuel-cell vehicles, fuel-cell-powered homes, and 

combined-cycle power stations fuelled by green ammonia. 

South Africa, with its abundant solar and wind 

resources, can seize the opportunity to export green 

ammonia to Japan, thus supporting both countries’ 

decarbonisation efforts. 

Decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors 

Green hydrogen also holds immense potential in 

decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors, particularly 

heavy-duty, long-range transportation and carbonintensive 

industrial processes. Battery-powered 

solutions face limitations in terms of range, power 

density, weight and charging time, making green 

hydrogen itself a viable option for long-distance 

trucking. Green hydrogen is used to make sustainable 

aviation fuel (e-kerosene) for commercial aviation and 

green ammonia or green methanol as sustainable 

bunker fuel for maritime shipping. Additionally, 

carbon-intensive industries like iron and steelmaking, 

cement production, ammonia manufacturing and 

plastics production can benefit from green hydrogen 

and its derivatives, including green ammonia and 

green methanol, to decarbonise their operations. 


12

FOCUS 

CSIR: Driving renewable energy in South Africa. 

Germany’s green hydrogen journey 

Germany, in pursuit of its decarbonisation targets, 

acknowledges the crucial role of green hydrogen. 

The National Hydrogen Strategy of the German 

Government highlights the need for 2.7-million to 

3.3-million tons of green hydrogen annually by 2030, 

with only a fraction of this amount producible domestically. 

Germany will rely on imports, including from 

renewable-rich countries like South Africa, to meet its 

demand. Multiple German Federal Ministries are actively 

funding projects to develop the green hydrogen 

economy in South Africa, creating a symbiotic development 

relationship. The oversubscription of recent 

funding initiatives demonstrates the growing market 

appetite for green hydrogen projects. 

The CSIR’s role in the energy transition 

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) 

is well-positioned to support the energy transition and 

the development of green hydrogen. Leveraging its 

extensive capabilities, the CSIR plays a crucial role in 

various projects and collaborations, driving research, 

implementation and policy development related to 

green hydrogen. 

Green hydrogen is a game-changer in the 

global pursuit of decarbonisation and renewable 

energy adoption. With its ability to store renewable 

electricity in chemical form, green hydrogen offers 

solutions to address challenges in energy demand, 

hard-to-abate sectors, and international decarbonisation 

targets. ■ 

This thought leadership article was written by Thomas Roos, M Eng (Mech), 1995, Stellenbosch, a senior 

researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa. 

Invest in green hydrogen and drive the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable world. Together, we can 

make a difference, one hydrogen molecule at a time. 

Email: THroos@csir.co.za

15 NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2022/23

KEY SECTORS 

Overviews of the main economic 

sectors of the Northern Cape 

Agriculture 22 

Water 25 

Grapes and wine 26 

Mining 30 

Energy 38 

Tourism 42 

Engineering 44 

Development finance and SMME support 47 

Education and training 48 

Banking and financial services 54 

ICT 55 

Everything about the Sishen mine near Kathu is big. The open-pit mine is 14km long and the jig plant 

is the largest in the world. In 2022, the mine produced 22-million tons of iron ore. Together with its 

other mines, Kumba Iron Ore is the largest iron-ore producer in Africa. Credit: Anglo American

OVERVIEW 

Agriculture 

Climate change is presenting new challenges. 

SECTOR INSIGHT 

Upington Industrial Park will be 

a services centre for the sector. 

Mosplaas Citrus at Keimoes on the Orange River produces earlyseason 

fruit for the Karsten Group. Credit: The Karsten Group. 

After many years of drought, Northern Cape farmers have 

been battered by floods. 

For livestock farmers whose infrastructure has not been 

destroyed by overflowing rivers, the rain at least has the 

effect of reviving the veld to the point where sheep can graze again. 

Farmers dependent on irrigation, of whom there are many in the 

Vaalharts region and along the banks of the Orange River, face the 

additional uncertainty of the supply of electricity being unreliable 

as Eskom struggles to keep its power stations functioning optimally. 

And then the locusts swarmed, a regular occurrence. 

The fact that charities have been created with names such as 

“Save a Farm” and “Save the Sheep” is indicative of tough times. Both 

provincial and national government have reacted to the severity of 

the situation 

The Northern Cape MEC of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, 

Rural Development and Land Reform, Mase Manopole, told the 

website Food For Mzansi that she 

was working around the clock 

together with the provincial 

government to ensure that the 

province remains food secure. 

Farmers’ concerns on a range of 

issues would be addressed. 

The MEC has met with 

farmers and representatives of 

Eskom to find ways to mitigate 

the power supply issue. A task 

team has been established by 

the National Department of 

Agriculture, Land Reform and 

Rural Development (DALRD), 

where four sub-committees will 

report to the minister. 

In response to the death 

of several farm workers from 

what appeared to be heatstroke 

in January 2023, another 

national minister, the Minister of 

Employment and Labour Thulas 

Nxesi, joined the MEC on a tour 

of three farms in the Kakamas 

area. He warned that food 

security would be affected if the 

preservation of the livelihood of 

farmworkers was not prioritised. 

The Provincial Government of 

the Northern Cape has announced 

that the Upington Industrial Park will 

act as a services centre for road, rail 

and air transport, agriculture, agroprocessing 

and manufacturing. 

In a similar vein, the Namakwa 

SEZ in Aggeneys will become 


22

OVERVIEW 

an industrial cluster for mining and agriculture services, 

beneficiation and manufacturing. 

Farmers and agro-processors are increasingly drawing 

attention to the need for good roads for the delivery of 

their products to market and they will be hoping that these 

parks will help to provide the necessary infrastructure. 

Premier Dr Zamani Saul referenced all of these 

problems in his 2023 State of the Province Address but 

added sinkholes and severe fires to the list. As he said in his 

speech, “The effects of climate change have been felt very 

close to home.” 

Dr Saul went on to list dealing with the effects of 

climate change as one of the priorities of the provincial 

administration for the 2023/24 period. In attempting to 

improve food security, the provincial government has 

pledged to help recipients of farms in terms of the land 

reform process to increase production and to supply 

technical and advisory services. Subsistence farmers 

receive garden starter packs and equipment. 

The Unemployed Agriculture Graduate Programme 

places candidates in a commercial business for a two-year 

period. The next intake will be in 2023/24 when about 80 graduates 

will be placed. 

Agricultural assets 

Occupying 36-million hectares, the Northern Cape is the largest 

province in the country, almost a third of South Africa’s total land 

area. Although the province is a predominantly semi-arid region, 

agriculture is a major component of the regional economy and the 

province’s farmers contribute 6.8% to South African agriculture. 

The agricultural sector also plays a vital role in the broader 

economy of the Northern Cape, employing about 45 000 people. 

This represents about 16% of employment, a much higher figure 

than the national figure of 5.5% 

Agricultural development takes place along defined corridors 

within the province. In the Orange River Valley, especially at Upington, 

Kakamas and Keimoes, grapes and fruit are cultivated intensively. 

High-value horticultural products such as table grapes, sultanas 

and wine grapes, dates, nuts, cotton, fodder and cereal crops are 

grown along the Orange River. Wheat, fruit, groundnuts, maize and 

cotton are grown in the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme in the vicinity 

of Hartswater and Jan Kempdorp. The Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme 

Northern Cape MEC of Agriculture, 

Environmental Affairs, Rural Development 

and Land Reform, Mase Manopole, has 

vowed to help farmers and farmworkers. 

is one of the biggest systems of 

its kind in the world. Ranging 

over more than 30 000ha, it 

has transformed a semi-desert 

zone into a productive area that 

sustains cotton, wheat, maize, 

lucerne, citrus, peanuts, fruit, 

grapes, olives and pecan nuts. 

Vegetables and cereal crops 

are farmed at the confluence of 

the Vaal River and the Orange 

River in the vicinity of Douglas. 

Of the nearly 40-million 

10kg bags of onions produced 

in South Africa (outside of 

linked production chains set 

up by supermarkets), about 

10-million 10kg bags come 

from the Northern Cape. 

Wool, mohair, karakul, 

Karoo lamb, venison, ostrich 

meat and leather are farmed 

throughout most of the 

23 


OVERVIEW 

province. The province is second only to the Eastern Cape in terms 

of the number of sheep farmed and it is the fourth-largest woolproducing 

province based on annual sale of producer lots. The 

Beefmaster abattoir in Kimberley is one of three abattoirs in South 

Africa to export frozen beef to China. The company processes and 

packages about 30 000 tons at the abattoir. 

Niche markets 

Rooibos has not yet made a big dent in the 200 000 tons of tea 

consumed by Japan every year, but sales are growing steadily. 

Introducing a new variety to a country of tea aficionados is easier 

than tackling a nation of coffee drinkers. A total of 2 000 tons was 

shipped to Japan from South Africa in 2018. 

Rooibos is competing in the “Healthy Tea” segment and a 

popular restaurant chain’s decision to use the tea as a complement 

to its pork bone broth has helped to promote the product. Brazil is 

being explored as a potential market. 

About 6 000 tons of tea is exported to more than 30 countries 

and domestic consumption is about 8 000 tons. The South African 

Rooibos Council states that more than 5 000 people are employed 

in the rooibos industry. 

Another niche product of the Northern Cape is karakul pelt, 

which is a speciality of the Gordonia district of Upington. Agricompany 

KLK is the only organisation that handles these pelts in 

South Africa. Glove-makers in Milan are among the international 

clients to whom farmers of the dorper sheep breed sell the 

wrinkle-free skins of their sheep, at good prices. Horse stud 

breeding provides yet another exclusive niche. This is a speciality 

of the area around Colesberg, where the cold evenings and warm 

days combine to drive out disease and promote strong growth. 

Companies 

KLK is based in Upington and does much more than karakul pelts. 

The company’s interests include 19 retail outlets, 12 petrol stations, 

four Build it franchises and a 

strong auction division. 

KLK runs three abattoirs 

in Calvinia, Carnarvon and 

Upington that slaughter lamb 

and beef carcasses. SA Dorper 

manages the production and 

export of dorper skins and the 

production of cattle hides. 

GWK is another company 

with its headquarters in 

the Northern Cape, in this 

case the town of Douglas. 

Senwes is one of the country’s 

biggest agri-companies and 

its Northern Cape area of 

operation is mostly around the 

Vaalharts irrigation area, which 

is close to the headquarters 

just over the provincial border 

in North West, at Klerksdorp. 

Storage and handling of grains 

and oilseeds are the speciality 

of Senwes. 

OVK controls the large 

Gariep abattoir at Strydenburg, 

which has a daily capacity of 

1 300 sheep, 100 cattle and 

either 250 ostriches or 750 

small game animals. OVK also 

has trade branches, vehicle 

dealerships, a finance division 

and manufacturing facilities for 

maize meal and wheat meal. 

Kaap Agri, a Western Cape 

company, has a significant 

presence in the Northern Cape 

and Namibia. ■ 

ONLINE RESOURCES 

Agricultural Research Council: www.arc.agric.za 

Red Meat Producers Organisation: www.rpo.co.za 

South African Pecan Nut Producers Association: www.sappa.za.org 

South African Rooibos Council: www.sarooibos.co.za 


24

OVERVIEW 

Water 

Infrastructure is under pressure from multiple sources. 

The small town of Danielskuil was in the news in October 

2022 – for running out of water because it had rained 

too much. 

Huge thunderstorms overwhelmed the town’s systems, 

already under pressure because of electrical outages and theft. 

The story, by Keamogetswe Thomas, appeared 

on the IOL website and had its own interesting 

backstory: it was produced through the Youth 

Citizen Journalism Fellowship, an initiative of 

the Rural Action for Climate Resilience project, 

which is co-funded by the EU and the Heinrich 

Boll Foundation. 

Places like the normally dry Northern Cape 

will increasingly be the focus of attention as the 

earth warms and extreme events become more 

common. Municipalities in the Northern Cape 

have consistently struggled to supply good 

services to citizens. With the declaration of the 

entire province as a Priority Human Settlements 

Development Area by the National Department of Human 

Settlements, this situation could improve. 

Progress has been made in terms of fixing leaking and burst water 

pipes and dealing with major blockages in the sewerage system. Six 

municipalities have been identified for the eradication of informal 

settlements. Land has been purchased on the N12 near Kimberley where 

houses will be built once provision for bulk capacity has been made. 

In 2023 it was announced that National Treasury had allocated 

R1.9-billion to the Sol Plaatje Municipality to improve water and 

sanitation services. Phase one of the important Vaal-Gamagara Bulk 

Water Scheme (pictured) has been completed. The scheme supplies 

water to several towns and mines in the province’s mining corridor. 

Two of South Africa’s great rivers meet in the Northern Cape at a 

point south-west of Kimberley. After absorbing the Vaal River, the Orange 

River continues westwards to the Atlantic Ocean and provides the basis 

for agriculture along its path. 

North of Kimberley, the confluence of the Vaal and the Harts rivers 

encompasses one of South Africa’s most intensely irrigated areas. The 


National Department of Water and Sanitation: dws.gov.za 

South African Association of Water Utilities: www.saawu.org.za 

Water Research Commission: www.wrc.org.za 


Nearly R2-billion has been 

allocated to fix Kimberley’s 

water systems. 

Credit: Department of Water and Sanitation 

Vaalharts irrigation system is 

one of the most productive in 

the country, covering about 

38 000 hectares with a variety 

of crops. Two of South Africa’s 

biggest dams, the Gariep and 

Vanderkloof, also provide water 

for irrigation and hydro-electric 

power. Many parts of the province 

are dry with sections of the north 

and north-west classified as 

semi-arid and arid. The southern 

Kalahari Desert receives rain but 

the fact that mining is a primary 

economic activity in the dry 

regions of the province presents 

many challenges. The town of 

Kuruman is an exception in that 

it has a natural and prolific spring, 

the Eye of Kuruman. 

One of the major private 

suppliers of water in the province 

is Sedibeng Water. ■ 

25 


OVERVIEW 

Grapes and wine 

Extra measures are producing high-quality fruit for select markets. 


Raisin production in the 

region is into its 

second century. 

The Northern Cape has just 3% of South Africa’s vineyards but 

18% of the nation’s white wine grapes are cultivated along 

the Orange River. Within the region, about 64% of grapes are 

white seedless and about 21% are red seedless (SATI). 

A final table grape crop national estimate for the 2022/23 

season estimated that volumes would be significantly down on the 

previous season. 

Although volumes were expected to be as much as 18% down on 

the 2021/22 figure, the country would still export about 63.6-million 

4.5kg equivalent cartons in the 2022/23 shipping season. 

The final production figure for the Orange River Region for 

2022/23, where the season finished slightly earlier than other areas, 

was 16.4-million cartons produced, down from the 22.3-million cartons 

packed the year before. 

Exports of South African grapes and wine to China have been on 

an upward trend for several years but South Africa’s wine exports are 

still subject to tariffs on entering China, despite both countries being 

members of BRICS. 

Dippenaar Choice Fruit, an Orange River region grape producer 

which is headquarted in Kakamas, already exports to seven countries 

in South-East Asia and the Far East, including China and Singapore. 

The region as a whole has 5 688ha of vines and the Orange 

River Producer Alliance represents its farmers. According to the 

Credit: Carpe Diem Raisins 

SATI, the grape industry in the 

Northern Cape employs 1 215 

people permanently, with a 

further 12 415 people finding 

seasonal work. Harvesting 

happens from early November 

to early February. 

Almost a third of South Africa’s 

table grape crop is produced 

in the fertile region. The South 

African table grape industry has 

been investing in hardier varietals 

which produce a better yield. 

Raisins 

About a quarter of raisins 

exported by South Africa go to 

Germany, and in the 2022/23 

season, extra attention was paid 

to that market in terms of the 

quality of fruit, with the aim being 

to produce fruit with few residues. 

Industry body Raisins SA 

is leading efforts to improve 

farming practices with a view to 

improved products. Specific areas 

of focus include improved soil 

preparation, drying infrastructure 

and trellis systems and using 

water more efficiently. 

The recent adoption of SA- 

GAP (derived from the Global 

Good Agricultural Practices) 

will help to raise and maintain 

standards with the sector. The 


26

OVERVIEW 

is geared for growth. In 2022 the 

total marketable volume of raisins 

produced was 67 000 metric tons. 

Wine 

Groblershoop Cellars is one of five facilities owned and run 

by Orange River Cellars. Credit: Orange River Cellars 

SA-GAP Certification Programme is a set of practices that address 

environmental, economic and social sustainability for on-farm 

processes and results in safer and higher quality food and non-food 

agricultural products. 

With certification, small growers and producers are more easily able 

to have to access to international markets. 

One of the Northern Cape’s and the country’s biggest producers is 

Carpe Diem Raisins which processes and markets about 25% of South 

Africa’s total raisin production annually. The company farms 400ha of 

organic grapes for producing raisins and there are plans to develop a 

further 400ha by the end of 2025. 

Most of the raisins produced by the company are these varietals: 

Thompson Seedless, Golden Sultanas, SA Sultanas and Flame Seedless. 

About 5% of production is sold into the domestic market with 

the balance exported to buyers in Europe, the UK, North America, 

Scandinavia, Australasia, the Middle East and Asia. 

Carpe Diem uses an interesting variation on drying techniques, the 

dried-on-vine method (pictured). Grape clusters and their shoots stay 

attached to the trellis system despite being cut loose from the vine. 

This helps to protect the fruit from rain, reduces contaminants and the 

amount of handling of the fruit. 

In the centenary year of the raisin sector in the Orange River region, 

2019, a record 74 830 tons was harvested from 13 085ha (Western Cape 

and Northern Cape combined). Hopes of reaching more than 81 000 tons 

were dashed in 2020 by too much rain at the wrong time, but the industry 


Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, 

Rural Development and Land Reform: www.agrinc.gov.za 

Raisins South Africa: www.raisinsa.co.za 

SA Wine Industry Information & Systems: www.sawis.co.za 

South African Table Grape Industry: www.satgi.co.za 

The Northern Cape’s Orange 

River wine region accounts for 

25.6% of South Africa’s Colombard 

vines and 10% of Chenin blanc. 

The focus is on Colombard and 

Hanepoot grapes. Orange River 

Cellars (ORC) is the region’s biggest 

producer, sourcing its grapes from 

850 grape producers in the area 

known as the Green Kalahari. ORC 

has a winery at its head office in 

Upington and a further four at 

Keimoes, Groblershoop, Kakamas 

and Grootdrink. 

Orange River Concentrate 

Producers (part of the ORC 

group) produces about 

7.5-million litres of white grape 

juice concentrate, a percentage 

of which is exported to Japan 

where the Itochu Corporation 

uses it in soft drinks and food. 

The Douglas Wine Cellar 

produces about 6 000 cases per 

year. Together with the Landzicht 

cellar (just over the border in the 

Free State), the Douglas Wine 

Cellars is a GWK company. The 

Douglas cellar crushes 7 000 

tons of grapes every year and 

produces 5.6-million litres of 

wine. Hartswater Wine Cellar is 

a part of the region’s other big 

agricultural company, Senwes. 

Two wine brands (Overvaal 

and Elements) are produced 

in the Hartswater irrigation 

area north of Kimberley. Vinpro 

represents 2 500 South African 

wine grape producers, wineries 

and wine-related businesses. ■ 

27 


INTERVIEW 

Supporting transformation and raising 

the quality bar 

New funds for new growers, a new training academy and improved standards 

are all on the agenda of this dynamic sector, reports Raisins SA’s Chief Executive 

Officer, Ferdie Botha. 

How many members does Raisins SA represent? 

Raisins SA represents approximately 700 growers. The main 

areas for raisin production are in the Orange River Valley 

(Northern Cape) and Olifants River Valley (Western Cape). The 

Northern Cape produces 84% of South African raisins: the 

climate is hot and dry, with ample water and land to grow the 

finest raisins globally. 

Ferdie Botha, Chief 

Executive Officer 

BIOGRAPHY 

Ferdie is an experienced agricultural 

economist with 16 years’ experience 

in the agri-sector. He joined the driedfruit 

industry in 2017 to concentrate 

on his career as an agricultural 

economist and expand his skills set. 

He has played an instrumental role 

in the restructuring of the driedfruit 

industry. Once this reform 

was successfully implemented, he 

was tasked to refocus the national 

raisin industry association, Raisins 

SA, setting a new vision and driving 

strategic priorities. 

Do farmers specialise, or do they have both table grapes 

and raisins? 

Most farmers are diversified, growing various crops such as 

raisin, table and wine grapes. Dedicated grape cultivars are 

used for the production of the aforesaid product categories. 

Raisin production comprises different product types which 

include Thompson raisins (dark brown), goldens (bright 

golden, pictured), OR raisins (light brown to greenish) and 

currants (small berries, primarily used for baking). 

How is the sector improving sustainability? 

Sustainability addresses how a sector or industry positions 

itself in terms of People, Profit and Plant (PPP), hence 

following a balanced approach in its quest to grow and 

develop over time. 

Raisins SA’s strategy addresses all three spheres 

of sustainability. Firstly, understanding that its natural 

resources water and land are key production factors that 

should be preserved and used efficiently. Research on water 

quality and soil health are among the industry’s priorities. 

From a people perspective, industry comprehends the 

importance of the social wellbeing of its community. 

Various enterprise, skills and socio-economic development 

activities are performed by the organisation. Importantly, 

economic viability is key to having a thriving local economy 

that can support both job and wealth creation. Strong 

research and a market-orientated approach is fundamental 

to ensuring that the South African raisin value chain 

remains competitive internationally. 


28

What are the areas where quality is being 

improved? 

Quality starts at farm level, where emphasis is 

placed on best practices to ensure vineyards are 

healthy and free of pests and diseases. Pruning 

and harvesting techniques are world class 

to ensure that optimal production levels are 

achieved, coupled with quality fruit. In 2017, SA 

GAP, a certification programme, was introduced to 

the SA raisin industry. This aims to uplift the drying 

facilities and to improve traceability, enhance food 

safety and ensure best practice in terms of hygiene. 

Which countries are the biggest markets for 

SA raisins? 

The main export destinations for South African 

raisins are Europe, the USA and Canada. 

Has the Russian invasion of Ukraine affected 

export volumes? 

We have not seen a material, direct effect on our 

export volumes due to the invasion. The indirect 

effects of the invasion (inflation, economic crises) 

have had a more substantial impact at grower 

level, through rising input costs. Furthermore, 

the war has created uncertainty globally and 

has placed consumers under pressure from a 

purchasing power perspective. Hence, reduced 

demand as rising fuel prices have impacted 

disposable incomes. 

Do you have programmes to support small 

growers and transformation? 

Yes, 20% of our annual levy income is earmarked for 

transformation in the industry, as recommended 

by the National Agriculture Marketing Council. 

The transformation portfolio mainly focuses on 

enterprise development, skills development and 

socio-economic development. Raisins SA has been 

successful in securing approximately R50-million 

additional funding for its emerging growers over 

the next five years from funding partners. 

Do you have any special projects? 

A new strategic industry-led initiative called 

the Vine Academy and Model Farm has been 

developed over the past 24 months. Raisins SA has 

identified two key challenges, namely: humanresource 

capabilities for the general labour market 

and young professionals entering the sector, as 

well as research and development capabilities. 

The Vine Academy will have the first intake 

of students on 17 July 2023. Accredited courses 

focusing on vineyard management from NQF 

level 2-7 will be offered, with various short 

courses and practical training incorporated into 

the programme. 

There are various trials already in process on the 

Model Farm, including rootstock trials, research on 

various drying methods, irrigation trials and cover 

crops in vineyards. 

For more information on the Vine 

Academy and Model Farm, please contact 

marketing@vamf.co.za 


OVERVIEW 

Mining 

Copper and zinc are fuelling increased investment. 


Orion Minerals has 

secured an $87-million 

funding package. 

The town of Nababeep is the site of renewed interest in 

copper. Credit: Big Tree Copper 

Copper is one of the most important elements needed 

to power the renewable energy transformation and so 

it’s no surprise that areas mined historically for that 

mineral are now back in the news. 

Batteries need copper, as do systems used to transmit energy from 

solar or wind sources. Electric vehicles contain an average of 85kg and, 

according to the CEO of newly-formed Copper 360, Jan Nelson, the 

world had a stock of copper equal to only three weeks supply at a 

certain point in February 2023 (Financial Mail, 23 February). 

Copper 360 was formed in November 2022 following a reverse 

takeover of copper producer Big Tree Copper (a producer of copper) 

and SHiP Copper (a mining company). The company was due to 

list on the AltX of the JSE at the end of February but at the time of 

writing, it had not yet listed. 

Copper 360 produces 1 200t/y of A-grade copper cathode and 

has set a target of achieving 7 700t/y inside two years. Three new 

copper flotation plants are being built at a cost of R280-million. 

With 280 new employees over the last two years and plans to 

recruit a further 1 000 staff members in the next two years, global 

copper demand is clearly also good 

news for the town of Nababeep. 

Founded in 1860 by the Okiep 

Mining Company, Nababeep is in 

the Namakwa District Municipality 

just north of Springbok. 

An old zinc mine at Prieska 

that produced a million tons of 

zinc and 430 000 tons of copper 

before it closed in 1991 is being 

revived by Australian miner 

Orion Minerals. Orion Minerals 

has secured a funding package 

of $87-million from subsidiaries 

of Triple Flag Precious Metals. 

The funding is conditional on 

the rest of the plan for the mine’s 

development also receiving 

funding and on the approval 

of South Africa’s regulatory 

authorities. 

Another funder of the early 

development of the mine is 

the Industrial Development 

Corporation (IDC), one of the 

country’s largest institutional 

investors. The IDC has identified 

key opportunities for the national 

economy on the path to zinc 

industrialisation: 

• fertiliser phospates: sulphuric 

acid as a byproduct can enable 

the establishment of a sulphuric 

acid plant in the Northern 

Cape in support of agriculture 

in the lower Orange River 


30

Our History 

We are located at the Kimberley Diamond Jewellery Centre in the Northern Cape Province of 

South Africa. We have entrenched ourselves as the only incubator in the Precious Stones 

exchange, shared infrastructure and technology support services to the unemployed, 

Our Clients 

have work experience or informal sector businesses. 

Our Purpose 

Our Vision 

Our Mission 

Our Values 

To be the premium 

incubator in the diamond 

and precious metal 

• Provide an enabling 

environment that gives 

access to technology 

and business 

development; 

• Assist entrepreneurs 

• Integrity; 

• Innova 

• Transparency; 

• Reliability; 

• Customer centric. 

and sustainable. 

Our Partners

OVERVIEW 

• zinc-coated steel: availability of zinc concentrate 

provides opportunities for South African 

steel plants 

• battery storage: zinc is cheaper than lithium 

when deployed in battery technology. The 

New Industries unit of the IDC has developed 

a strategy for zinc-bromide redox flow batteries. 

• copper smelter plant: potential for copper 

smelter plant in the Namakwa Special Economic 

Zone (NAMSEZ), which would further stimulate 

exploration and mining. 

The National Department of Mineral 

Resources and Energy, in collaboration with 

the Northern Cape Provincial Government, 

hosted the Northern Cape Mining and Minerals 

Investment Conference in March 2022 in 

Kimberley. The department’s stated goal is that all 

South Africans should derive sustainable benefit 

from the country’s resources. The province’s 

considerable mineral wealth was outlined to 

potential investors and plans for infrastructure 

development (such as industrial parks and Special 

Economic Zones) were highlighted. 

The Kathu Industrial Park is particularly well 

placed to support the mining sector as it is close 

to the Postmasburg-Hotazel iron-ore/manganese 

belt (or Gamagara Mining Corridor) and is easily 

accessible from the N14 highway. 

The Namakwa SEZ in Aggeneys is being 

envisioned as an industrial cluster for mining 

and agriculture services, beneficiation and 


The biggest new mine in the country is a 

zinc mine at Aggeneys, the Gamsberg project 

of Vedanta Zinc International, which will 

deliver 600 000 tons of zinc when phase three 

is complete. The provincial government is 

using the mine’s location (and possible future 

smelter) as the basis for a new Namakwa Special 

Economic Zone. The SEZ forms part of a larger 

“multi-nodal” corridor envisaged for the province. 

Afrimat continues to expand its commodities 

portfolio with the purchase for R300-million of 

Coza Mining, an iron-ore mining company in the 

Northern Cape. 

The Afrimat transaction includes the share 

previously held by ArcelorMittal SA, which will 

receive iron ore from Coza in terms of a supply 

agreement. Coza’s three mines, Doornpan, 

Driehoek and Jenkins, are close to Afrimat’s 

exisiting Demineng Mine, which is south-west 

of Kuruman. 

Mining assets 

The Northern Cape Department of Economic 

Development and Tourism’s “Economic and 

Investment Profile” reports that the province is 

responsible for: 

• 95% of South Africa’s diamond output 

• 97.6% of alluvial diamond mining 

• 13.4% of world lead exports. Aggeneys, in 

the Namaqualand district, is responsible for 

approximately 93% of South Africa’s lead production 

• 80% of the world’s manganese resource 

• 25% of the manganese used in the world 

• 100% of South Africa’s tiger’s eye 

• Largest national production of sugilite (a semiprecious 

stone). 

Away from the underground kimberlite 

pipes and fissures, river and coastal deposits of 

diamonds are also present in the Northern Cape. 

Diamonds have been recovered along the Orange, 

Buffels, Spoeg, Horees, Groen, Doom and Swart 

rivers in the province, while coastal deposits have 

been found from the mouth of the Orange River 

to Lamberts Bay. ■ 


Minerals Council South Africa: www.mineralscouncil.org.za 

National Department of Mineral Resources and Energy: dmre.gov.za 

Northern Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism: 

www.northern-cape.gov.za/dedat 


32

markets dependent on Small Medium Enterprise phase. 

Phase Title Timeline 

3. Graduates/Exits SME Support Services Contract (GSSSC) Ad-Hoc contract 

CLIENT 

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY INCUBATOR 

MODEL 

GRADUATE/EXITS SME 

SUPPORT SERVICES CONTRACT 

(GSSSC) PHASE 3 

INCUBATION PHASE 2 

SME PERFORMANCE PROGRESSIVE PROGRAM (ISPPP) 

24MONTH CONTRACT 

PRE-INCUBATION PHASE 1 

PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN(PIPDP) 

3-6MONTH CONTRACT 

RECRUITMENT CYCLE 

or volunteer services please email us on info@kdji.org 

25 Villiers Street, Kimberley, 8301 info@kdji.org +27(0)53 831 1570

FOCUS 

Transforming communities 

Reimagining mining to improve people’s lives 

Sishen Mine looks back at 70 years of making a difference. 

Andre Roux, Sishen Mine GM 

Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen Mine, located 

in Kathu, Northern Cape, celebrates its 

70th year of operation in 2023. Originally 

a diamond-drilling programme in 1947, 

it transitioned to an iron ore operation in 1953 

and has played a substantial role in contributing 

towards the economic, infrastructural and social 

development of the area. 

André Roux, the mine’s General Manager, reflecting 

on the anniversary, says when Sishen first began mining 

in the area, “it opened up a world of opportunities for 

generations to come – and continues to do so today. 

And the work to shape a better future for all remains 

a key driver of our mine.” 

Sishen is one of the largest employers in the 

Northern Cape Province, with the majority of its 

employees hailing from the surrounding communities. 

Over the past 70 years, thanks to Anglo American’s 

Sustainable Mining Plan, which is implemented by all 

the businesses in the group, including Kumba, Sishen 

now mines in a smarter, safer and sustainable way. 

“With an enduring shared value of R63-billion 

created in the first half of 2023, Kumba is dedicated 

to supporting sustainable economic development 

in its host communities beyond the lifespan of our 

mines,” says Roux. “Guided by our Purpose and Values, 

we’re constantly working to improve the lives of the 

people in our communities – Kumba’s priority focus 

areas in our socio-economic plan are education, 

youth skills development, health and wellness, 

connectivity, water and sanitation underpinned by 

creating alternative livelihoods.” 

Another community focus has been the Sishen 

Iron Ore Company-Community Development Trust 

(SIOC-CDT), established in 2006 by Kumba. The 

trust also focuses on Sishen’s host communities, 

among others, and has invested more than 

R1-billion in socio-economic and community 

development projects. 

Kumba has also set ambitious targets for its mines: 

by 2030, for instance, it aims to create five jobs offsite for 

every job onsite. Since 2018, Kumba has facilitated over 

29 000 offsite jobs through various initiatives ranging 

from our inclusive procurement, enterprise and supplier 

development programmes in collaboration with Zimele 

and SIOC-CDT as well as education and CSI projects 

arising out of the Social Labour Plans. It also supports the 

Youth Employment Services (YES) programme, placing 

previously disadvantaged, unemployed youth from 

local communities into 12-month work experience and 

training opportunities at the mine. 

“We support local SMMEs and provide advice and 

support for their business activities,” says Roux. “During 

2022, Kumba spent R5.4-billion on host community 

suppliers. Altogether we spent around R18-billion with 

BEE business suppliers, thereby making a significant 

contribution to the economic transformation of the 

Northern Cape region where we employ 81% of our 

employees, including contractors. Our community 

healthcare initiatives also continue to improve access to 

quality medical and healthcare services. We continue to 

strengthen community health systems. Our programmes 

are aligned to the UN’s SDG 3 targets, and are focused on 

HIV/Aids, gender-based violence and substance abuse. 

Our education programme aims to ensure that 

schools in our host communities perform among the 


34

top 30% of public schools by 2025 and in the top 20% 

by 2030. In 2022, almost 81% of our participating high 

schools performed above the national matric pass rate. 

We have made good progress and now support 45 

schools and 48 Early Childhood Development Centres. 

Over 16 000 learners were reached in phase 1 of the 

programme and a further 11 000 are being supported 

in phase 2. Many students who might otherwise not 

have had the opportunity to have a tertiary education 

have benefitted from the bursary programme. 

In the first phase of the programme, Kumba has 

seen the average mathematics pass rate improve 

from 74% in 2021, to 81% in 2022. The second phase 

launched earlier in 2023 added 20 schools and 20 

early childhood development centres. Kumba is 

also investing in libraries to enhance educational 

resources and supporting matriculants through 

bursary schemes and many other training and 

development opportunities. 

Sishen Community Bursary Programme 

The Sishen Community Bursary Programme assists 

students in the John Taolo Gaetsewe district to 

pursue tertiary studies and minimise their exclusion 

on the basis of not having the requisite funding for 

their fees. The programme helps students in their 

first, second, third or fourth year of study who are 

unemployed and between the ages of 17 and 35 

and there are currently 26 beneficiaries. 

Sishen also offers a driver’s licence programme 

to empower unemployed youth in Mapoteng. This 

gives them an added boost when they are applying 

for jobs, as many positions require that applicants have 

a driver’s licence. “There are currently 60 participants 

on the programme,” says Roux. “Mapoteng is one of 

Beneficiaries of the General Manager’s Incentive 

Bursary Scheme 

SMME support at Market Day 

our doorstep communities and unemployment is 

very high, so we want to ensure young people have 

the best possible chance of finding work.” 

“Kumba’s investment in the community continues 

to bring about positive change,” says George Benjamin, 

Sishen Corporate Affairs Manager. “ It’s been gratifying 

to see communities in our host municipality of 

Gamagara, our adjacent labour sending areas in JTG 

and its people not only becoming more prosperous 

but also more inspired and provided with more 

opportunities. Kathu has grown from a small mining 

town to an economic hub. 

“People are an important part of our business 

and we engage our stakeholders to involve, consult 

and collaborate in decisions that will impact them. 

Through our world-class stakeholder approach 

guided by the International Finance Corporation 

performance standards and our Social Way Policy 

we aim to remain transparent and build trust. 

“The mine has for years supported growth in 

the Northern Cape, which is celebrated in the 70th 

anniversary theme of grace, growth and generosity,” 

he continues. “The mine has shown growth on the 

safety, technology and culture fronts. Every day we 

witness the grace of the people who have been the 

heart of this operation for 70 years. And every day 

we see generosity in action in big and small ways, as 

we work to create thriving communities in the areas 

where we operate.” 

“This is a very significant milestone for us,” Roux 

concludes.“ And even though we are celebrating the 

anniversary and what we’ve achieved, we know there 

is still a great deal of work to do. Transformation is not 

a destination, it’s a journey, and we are committed 

to transforming not just our mine, but everyone that 

our mining affects, whether that be local government 

or the communities our employees live in, and the 

country as a whole. 

“We hope that by the time our next big anniversary 

arrives, in a decade’s time, that we will have an even 

better story to tell, a story of thriving communities 

that we have helped to co-create. This is how we are 

reimagining mining to improve people’s lives.” ■

FOCUS 

Prieska Copper Zinc Project 

Prieska Copper Zinc Mine (Pty) Ltd (PCZM) is developing the Prieska Copper Zinc 

Mine Project near Prieska in the Northern Cape. 

The mine is located in Copperton, 60km 

south-west of the town of Prieska. 

PCZM plans to open the old Prieska 

Copper Mine, active between 1971 and 

1991, in order to exploit the previously unmined 

open-pit, old pillars and deep sulphide mineral 

resource at depth. 

The focus of the project is on: 

• Exploration and development to mine copper 

and zinc 

• By-products include gold, silver, pyrite and barite 

In order to adapt to the current local and global 

economic challenges, PCZM instituted a number 

of financial and technical studies to consider the 

viability of various scenarios for accelerating early 

cashflow. This resulted in the current plan to start 

the operation on a smaller scale and ramp-up to 

the final development scenario. Work has begun 

and the project remains positive. 

Work with the local mine community and proactive 

up-skilling programmes continue, working 

towards local provision of many of the required skills. 

Targeted sectors 

The project focuses on the following sectors: 

mining and renewable energy. 

Investment value 

As of end July 2022, R623-million had been spent 

on the project. The R4.1-billion announced to construct 

the mine will be in addition to this amount. 

Job creation 

Initially around 100 jobs are anticipated to be 

created, scaling up to more than 1 500 employees 

and contractors during construction, with a 

steady-state employment estimate of 840. This 

excludes new jobs created for service provision 

to the mine and its employees. 

Project financed by 

Public-private-partnership (PPP); equity 

investors and offtake related / prepayment 

funding; BBBEEE-equity partners and investors; 

service providers. 


36

Prieska 

De Aar 

Project status 

The mine concluded a positive Bankable Feasibility 

Study in May 2020 and is currently in the late 

financing stage and early construction stage in 

anticipation of receiving the remainder of the 

requisite funding. 

• Project feasibility and business case complete 

• Government approval and procurement stage 

• Financial close and start of construction 

• Trial mining and dewatering of the mine has 

commenced 

Reasons for investing in the Northern Cape 

Orion consciously chose to invest in the Northern 

Cape because of the potential of the province 

with abundant natural resources and its reliable 

infrastructural advantages. The Northern Cape offers 

knowledgeable and experienced service providers. 

The central location of the project within 

South Africa with access to all the main ports and 

transport-distribution hubs is advantageous. ■ 

Partnerships 

The PCZM Project falls under the auspices of 

Orion Minerals Limited which is dual listed on 

both the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) 

and the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX), allowing 

for equity participation by South Africans. In 

addition to the BBEEE partnerships, the project 

has also procured funding from the Industrial 

Development Corporation of South Africa Ltd 

(IDC) as well as from TFR&S Canada Ltd and Triple 

Flag Ltd (together, Triple Flag). 

Main project contacts 

Orion CEO: Errol Smart 

Orion CFO: Peet van Coller 

Email: info@orionminerals.com.au 

Website: www.orionminerals.com.au 


OVERVIEW 

Energy 

Green hydrogen is the next big thing. 

Credit: Kangnas Wind Farm 

Green hydrogen is the next big thing. The topic is dealt with 

in detail in a special feature elsewhere in this journal, but 

the implications to the energy landscape for South Africa 

and the Northern Cape in particular cannot be overstated 

– this could be a genuine game-changer. 

Efforts are underway to create a Western SADC Green Hydrogen 

Corridor, encompassing Namibia and the three Cape provinces of 

South Africa, Northern, Western and Eastern. In 2022 a Memorandum 

of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the Northern Cape Provincial 

Government and the Western Cape Provincial Government to firm up 

these commitments; more are expected to follow. 

The province has a Green Hydrogen Strategy, which was launched 

at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 and a national programme, the Green 

Hydrogen National Programme (GHNP), has been gazetted. A 

series of projects located across the country are expected to attract 

investments of close to R600-billion. Of the nine projects identified by 

GHNP, four are located in the Northern Cape: 

• Prieska Power Reserve 

• Ubuntu Green Energy Hydrogen Project 

• Upilanga Solar and Green H2 Park 

• Boegoebaai Green Hydrogen Development Programme. 

All of these projects have been registered with Infrastructure South 

Africa (ISA), the body within the national presidency which is keeping track 


The Northern Cape Solar 

Energy Business Incubator 

is to be established. 

of and promoting infrastructure 

development in the country. 

Another project in the Northern 

Cape, the Enertrag Postmasburg 

Project (ammonia), is in the ISA 

pipeline, awaiting approval. 

Wind and solar 

While green hydrogen is 

generating a lot of excitement 

and plans are being put in place, 

the country’s pursuit of solar and 

wind power is continuing. 

Expanding the grid’s capacity 

in the Northern Cape must be 

a national priority. In the round 

announced in 2021, the Northern 


38

OVERVIEW 

Cape was allocated 450MW in approved bids. In less than a decade, 

an entirely new sector has been created through legislation that 

invited local and foreign investors to bid for and then build renewable 

energy generation plants. South Africa’s National Development Plan 

(NDP) requires 20 000MW of renewable energy by 2030. 

However, the latest bid window (Round 6) for the most recent 

round of the national Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer 

Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) in December 2022 came up 

against the fact that the country’s transmission grid can only cope with 

so much new capacity. As a result, only 860MW of solar capacity was 

awarded to projects in the North West and Free State provinces. 

The first project to reach commercial operations from an 

earlier bid window, Round 4, was the Kangnas Wind Farm 

(pictured), a 140MW project near Springbok. Somewhat delayed 

by the Covid-19 lockdown, the project ultimately provided 550 

jobs when construction work peaked and reached a local content 

level of 45%. This included the mega-transformer and the windturbine 

towers. 

In a similar way in which each of the province’s Special Economic 

Zones (SEZs) and industrial parks is being aligned with renewable 

energy in some way (either generation or manufacturing), the 

Boegoebaai Port and Rail Development project has now been 

expanded to include the adjacent Hydrogen SEZ. The Boegoebaai 

Port and Green Hydrogen Cluster is regarded as a key priority 

programme, coordinated by the Northern Cape Economic 

Development Agency (NCEDA) and ISA. 

Four of the 11 Renewable Energy Development Zones (REDZs) 

planned for South Africa are located in the Northern Cape. 

REDZs will encourage localisation through the development of 

manufacturing hubs that can make components for the sector. The 

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) being phased in across the Northern 

Cape will complement this trend. REDZs are being developed in 

support of the implementation of the national Integrated Resource 

Plan (IRP 2019). One of the Strategic Transmission Corridors 

identified at national level, the Northern Corridor, begins at 

Springbok in the west and runs through Upington and Vryburg on 

the way to Johannesburg in Gauteng. Each of those towns will be 

the focus of an REDZ, with the other REDZ in the province located 

in the provincial capital of Kimberley. 

Small businesses are getting help from the provincial government 

to enable them to participate in the renewable energy economy. 

A renewable energy strategy 

focussing on rooftop solar 

PV installation has seen more 

than 50 SMMEs receive PV 

Green Card training and, with 

the launch of the Northern 

Cape Solar Energy Business 

Incubator (NOCSOBI), training 

will be available to smallbusiness 

owners to learn how 

they can make their businesses 

compliant so that they can bid 

for power-purchase agreements 

and get loans from banks to buy 

solar systems. 

Approximately 60% of the 

projects so far allocated have 

been in the nation’s sunniest 

province. Projects such as Kathu 

Solar Park, a concentrated 

solar power project, and the 

Roggeveld Wind Farm are 

indicative of the large scale of 

most of the energy generation 

that is being rolled out. 

The Northern Cape is the natural 

home for the generation of solar 

power. Long-term annual direct 

normal irradiance (DNI) at Upington 

is 2 816kWh/m2, according to 

a survey done for Stellenbosch 

University by Slovakian company 

GeoModal Solar. To assist investors, a 

One Stop Shop has been launched 

in the Northern Cape. 

Invest SA, through the 

Department of Trade, Industry and 

Competition (dtic), will provide 

investing companies with advice 

and services to fast-track projects 

and reduce red tape. ■ 


IPP projects: www.ipp-projects.co.za 

South African Photovoltaic Industry Association: www.sapvia.co.za 

South African Renewable Energy Council: www.sarec.org.za 

South African Wind Energy Association: www.sawea.org.za 

39 


FOCUS 

Quiver Biomass 

Industries 

Harvesting biomass for charcoal and energy. 

Quiver Green Group (Pty) Ltd is classified as 

an ecosystem-based adaptation business. 

As a bio-economy sector enterprise it 

operates throughout the various value 

chains of the green economy in South Africa, with a 

primary focus on the Northern Cape. 

The business focuses on harvesting biomass for 

firewood, woodchips, charcoal production and for the 

establishment of a bioenergy generation plant. 

Plants are to be located in the towns of Barkly West 

(Frances Baard District Municipality), Prieska and Carnarvon, 

both of which fall under the Pixley ka Seme District 

Municipality. Quiver Biomass Industries as a project is active 

in both downstream and upstream economic opportunities 

of the biomass value chain utilising and beneficiating 

biomass sourced from clearing invasive alien plant species 

and bush-thinning of woody species. The benefits from 

this biomass beneficiation project are significant as they 

contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation and result 

in various other benefits such as: economic benefits in 

the bioeconomy; environmental benefits which speak 

to biodiversity and ecological benefits; and social impact 

benefits that are aligned to driving a Just Energy Transition. 

Products 

Quiver Biomass Industries will produce value-added 

products for the following domestic and international 

markets: 

• Energy market: pellets and woodchips 

• Pyrolisis market: charcoal and activated-carbon 

products 

• Agricultural input market: soil additives and animal feeds 

• Carbon/compost market: biochar and sequestration 

products 

• Restoration market: landscape clearing and 

restoration products 

• Timber/fibre market: eco-furniture and innovative 

green building materials 

• Niche markets: biofuels and chemicals 

Quiver Green Group (Pty) Ltd is currently looking 

for future export markets to sell 10 000 tons of environmentally-friendly 

charcoal per annum, as well as 

export markets for its woodchips. 


Primary: green economy and bioeconomy 

Secondary: cross-cutting sectors through value addition 

in manufacturing, trade and energy sectors 


Phase 1: R50-million 

Phase 2: R100-million 

Job creation 

Minimum of 16 rural micro-enterprises and 256 to 

500 direct and indirect jobs within five years from 

establishment. 


Public-private-partnership (PPP); equity partners 

and investors; commercial companies; industrial 

companies. Advisors still required. 


Prieska 

De Aar 

• Project feasibility and business case complete 

• Government approval and procurement stage 

Partnerships 

Northern Cape Department of Economic 

Development and Tourism and the Northern Cape 

Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, 

Rural Development and Land Reform. 

Project contacts 

Department of Economic Development 

and Tourism 

Director: Trade and Investment: R Warie 

Tel: 079 877 2828 

Quiver Green Group (Pty) Ltd 

Managing Director: P du Toit 

Tel: 078 600 5156 

Email: polycarpd@gmail.com

FOCUS 

Prieska Power Reserve 

Renewable energy will power an ammonia plant. 

The project, located within the industrial 

area of Prieska, was initiated by the Central 

Energy Corporation (CENEC) during 

2018 and developed in partnership with 

Mahlako A Phahla Investments (Pty) Ltd and the 

Industrial Development Corporation. 

The Prieska Power Reserve Project has been 

gazetted under Infrastructure South Africa as a 

Strategic Integrated Project (SIP). 

Description of the project 

The first phase of the project involves producing 

more than 77 000 tons of green ammonia per year, 

with a green hydrogen content of approximately 

13 800 tons per year from 2026. 

The project makes use of renewable energy 

sources, including 180MWp solar, fixed-tilt and 

single-axis tracking, 130MWp of wind and 110MWh 

of battery storage. 

Construction of the ammonia-production 

facility will begin in 2023 and will include a 140MW 

electrolyser and 300mtpd Ammonia Synthesiser, 

which will be operational in 2026. 

The project intends to incorporate next-generation 

technology that is more affordable and more 

efficient, hence unlocking additional economies of 

scale that will make the selling price competitive 

when compared to grey ammonia/hydrogen. 


The project focuses on the following sectors: renewable 

energy; hydrogen fuel and ammonia fertiliser. 


Total value: R 10.7-billion 

Job creation 

Permanent employees: 300 post construction, supported 

by 25 young professionals and 75 artisans 


Equity partners and investors; BBBEE equity partners 

and investors. 


The Prieska Power Reserve Project is a Strategic 

Integrated Project (SIP). The project is far advanced under 

Feasibility Study with the main focus areas being: 

• Legal and spatial: land and environmental rights 

and permits 

• Statutory: SPV, structure and governance 

• Technical feasibility: detailed technical design 

and capital expenditure costing 

• Bankable financial model and structuring and 

arranging of debt and equity funding 

• Marketing: off-take agreements 

Partnerships 

Private developers and project owners: Central 

Energy Corporation and Mahlako A Phahla 

Investments (Pty) Ltd 

Development finance institutions: IDC 

Local government (land owner): Siyathemba Local 

Municipality 

Main project contacts 

Prieska Power Reserve, CENEC 

Director: Cobus Vermeulen 

Tel: 082 444 2219 

Email: cobus@cenec.com 

Prieska 

De Aar 

41 


Tourism 

Dark skies make for great stargazing. 

The Northern Cape has long been known as the best location 

for astronomy. The town of Sutherland is the site of several 

huge optical telescopes that attract scientists and tourists 

every year. 

Even though the massive radio astronomy project under 

construction around Carnarvon, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), 

does not need dark skies, the huge number of dishes spread across 

the countryside will probably start attracting its own quota of tourists. 

Rather than darkness, the SKA needs minimal radio interference and 

actually operates in daytime. 

The best kind of star-gazing can be enjoyed without any 

telescopes at all in the Northern Cape, so spectacular are the nightly 

displays in the wide-open outdoors. The view is wonderful, whether 

one is setting up a simple campsite or visiting the intriguing address 

of the !Kaus Lodge, 91st Dune, off the Auob River Road, Kgalagadi 

Transfrontier Park (pictured). 

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (with Botswana) encompasses 

3.7-million hectares, making it one of the biggest conservation areas 

in the world. 

There are six national parks in the province, each with distinct 

geographical and biological features. Most of the province lies in the 

Nama-Karoo Biome and the annual display of spring flowers is spectacular. 

The Kalahari in the north-east is home to many of the province’s biggest 

mines, but also to great numbers of raptors, vultures and owls. 

The Diamond Fields region contains the spectacular Big Hole, the 

Mokala National Park and portions of the famed South African War or 

Battlefields Route. The Magersfontein War Memorial is an iconic attraction. 


Visitors are spoilt for 

accommodation choices on 

the N12 entrance to Kimberley. 

The Karoo region encompasses 

the south-eastern portion of the 

province. While most of the region 

is dry, the Vanderkloof Dam is a 

major tourism asset. 

The Namakwa region is 

famous for its flowers, but it 

also hosts the South African 

Astronomical Observatory, several 

historic mission settlements, 

the Namaqua National Park and 

the awe-inspiring Richtersveld 

Transfrontier Park. 

The Richtersveld Cultural and 

Botanical Landscape is a UNESCO 

World Heritage Site. Springbok 

and Calvinia are the two major 

towns in this huge district, which 

is also the only Northern Cape 

region with a coastline and soon 

to be the home of a new harbour. 


42

OVERVIEW 

Hotels 

Tourists approaching Kimberely from the south on the N12 highway 

(Memorial Road) are spoilt for accommodation choices. The 

Horseshoe Inn, with 63 rooms and two flats, is conveniently situated 

in terms of tourist amenities and the city centre. The Inn is wellknown 

as a wedding and conference facility and it is home to the 

Crazy Horse Steak Ranch. 

At the intersection with Landbou (the R31) is the Kalahari 

Lodge, with 30 rooms and further along the road is the Airport 

Hotel (52 rooms). 

The Flamingo Casino in Kimberley is run by Sun International and 

offers gaming tables, slot machines and conference facilities. The 

Protea Hotel by Marriott Kimberley has 117 rooms and three suites 

and is located next to the Big Hole. Also near the capital city’s biggest 

attraction is the historic Kimberley Club Boutique Hotel. Tsogo Sun 

has two properties in Kimberley: a 135-room Garden Court and a 64- 

room budget hotel, SUN1. 

With eight properties in the 

Northern Cape covering a range 

of accommodation options 

from camping to hotels, the 

investment strategy of Country 

Hotels has reached maturity. 

The group also has hotels in 

the northern Western Cape, 

catering to the same market 

of flower-lovers and tourists 

in search of the beauty of arid 

landscapes. 

The riverside town of 

Upington has a large number 

of guesthouses and bed-andbreakfast 

establishments, 

together with a 90-room Protea 

Hotel by Marriott. ■ 


Northern Cape Tourism Authority: www.northerncape.org.za 

Richtersveld: www.richtersveld-conservancy.org 

South African National Parks: www.sanparks.co.za 

World Wide Fund for Nature: www.wwf.org.za 

HORSESHOE INN – a Kimberley favourite 

The Northern Cape’s premier conference and function centre 

Country elegance, lush gardens and friendly personal 

service are hallmarks of the Horseshoe Inn. 

• Winner of the best conference and wedding centre in 

the Northern Cape for four consecutive years. 

• Close to The Big Hole and the Hoffe Park Stadium. 

• Safe undercover parking and airport transfers. 

We are famous for our top-notch pub lunches at the Crazy 

Horse Restaurant and the ladies’ bar. Guests can enjoy the 

pool, relax over cocktails or experience a typical Northern 

Cape BBQ at the Lapa. 

Accommodation 

Each of our 63 rooms and two spacious flats, which can 

accommodate 168 guests, was designed with maximum 

comfort in mind. Air-conditioning, en-suite bathroom with 

shower, flat-screen TVs with DStv and tea/coffee-making 

facilities are standard room features. 

Weddings and functions 

We have catered for brides from Namibia all the way to Cape 

Town. We are affiliated with the best wedding planners and 

our executive chef always delivers quality. We offer a wide 

range of services for every occasion from weddings to baby 

showers. We are the premier, all-inclusive conference, product 

launch and function centre in the province. Facilities are 

fully air-conditioned and equipped with TV monitors, video 

and overhead projectors, screens and flip charts. Our largest 

conference facility can accommodate 600 delegates cinemastyle 

and 350 people classroom-style. With more than 20382 

functions/conferences behind us, who can do it better? 

Contact us: Address: 101 Memorial Road, N12, Kimberley | Tel: +27 (53) 832 5267 | Email: recept@hsinn.co.za

OVERVIEW 

Engineering 

The country’s first CSP power plant presents engineering challenges. 


The Northern Cape Department of 

Roads and Public Works wants to 

build in-house capability. 

A 

complicated renewable energy construction contract near 

Postmasburg awarded to Grinkaker-LTA’s Civil Engineering 

division has given that company a foothold in the 

burgeoning new market. 

The Redstone Concentrated Solar Thermal (CSP) power plant 

project (pictured), the largest investment so far in terms of the 

South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer 

Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), has Saudi Arabian and Chinese 

lead investors. It was ACWA Power and SEPCOIII Electric Power 

Construction Limited which chose Grinaker-LTA for the work, which 

includes constructing several structures for the thermal power plant 

for steam generation and pumps for molten salt. Tanks for hot and 

cold salt, water treatment, effluent collection and fire protection are 

further elements to the scope of work. 

The concentrated solar thermal power plant is equipped 

with a molten-salt central receiver and the 100MW Redstone CSP 

plant is designed to have 12 hours of full-load energy storage. 

It will deliver electricity supply to more than 200 000 homes 

during peak demand periods. Commercial operation is set to 

Credit: Grinaker-LTA 

begin towards the end of 2023. 

Local artisans have built 

telescopes for a radio telescope 

array project in the Northern 

Cape. Drawn from the town of 

Carnarvon, the construction 

team grew to 20 at one point 

and has increased the skill levels 

of its members considerably. 

The 350-dish HERA project 

is led by the US National 

Science Foundation with the 

South Africa Radio Astronomy 

Observatory (SARAO) acting as 

the local partner, responsible 

for systems engineering and 

construction, among other 

duties. The Hydrogen Epoch 

of Reionization Array (HERA) 

is gathering data from a time 

in history further away from 

the present time than has ever 

been explored. The project 

should be complete in 2022 but 

data continues to be collected 

while construction continues. 

The HERA is a separate project 

to the much bigger Square 

Kilometre Array (SKA), which is 

under construction nearby. 

The construction timeline 

of the technically demanding 

and scientifically advanced SKA 

project is eight years, giving 

ample opportunity for specialist 

engineers to deploy their skills. 

International teams, including 


44

FOCUS 

Maintenance, repair 

and overhauling 

MRO planned for Upington Airport. 

Prieska 

An investor has identified a need to develop 

an MRO in South Africa and the viable 

location for it is Upington due to its arid 

climate, long airport runaway (5km) and 

other factors. MRO stands for maintenance, repair 

and overhauling. The establishment of an Industrial 

Park in Upington is also a critical factor which could 

lead to the success of this project as it offers lucrative 

incentives and other enabling factors. 

The investor intends to develop an aviation park 

to accommodate maintenance, repairs and overhaul 

of aircraft and research and development. These activities 

will also include airline storage, dismantling, 

scrapping, painting and internal refurbishment. 

Targeted sector 

Aeronautics 

Nick Fewings on Unsplash 


The total value that is requiredd for the project is 

R800-million. 

Job creation 

A total of 400 jobs will be created by this project. 


The project will be financed by the private 

sector with the government providing enabling 

infrastructure. 


The business case and feasibility studies have been 

completed. 

Partnerships 

Northern Cape Economic Development, Trade 

and Investment Promotion Agency (NCEDA) is the 

project leader. Partnerships are envisaged with the 

private sector, provincial government, local government 

and state-owned enterprises. 

Contacts 

Upington Industrial Park, NCEDA 

Contact person: Mr Hendrik Louw 

Tel: +27 87 086 0365 

Mobile: +27 60 997 7222 

Email: houw416@gmail.com 

De Aar 

45 


OVERVIEW 

South African engineers and scientists, have worked on the design 

phase of the latest in radio astronomy for many years, the result of 

which will see 197 dishes erected in South Africa (mostly around 

Carnarvon) and 131 072 antennas put up in Australia. South Africa 

has already erected 64 dishes, which make up the MeerKAT device. 

In South Africa, the South African Radio Astronomy 

Observatory (SARAO), a facility of the National Research 

Foundation, manages all radio astronomy initiatives and facilities 

in the country, including the MeerKAT in the Karoo. 

The SKA will be the world’s largest radio telescope. In 2021, 

the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) officially came 

into operation. The SKAO, with a head office in London, is tasked 

with delivering and operating the SKA. 

Local communities are getting exposure to engineering as 

a result of the SKA project. The SARAO started offering artisan 

bursaries in 2011. More recently, the Klerefontein Training Centre 

was opened in Carnarvon, giving local high school pupils access to 

an accredited electrical engineering apprenticeship programme. 

The training programme will provide the MeerKAT and SKA 

radio telescopes with qualified artisans for their operations and 

maintenance. 

The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and SKA 

are placing the recipients of bursaries in the data science 

programmes of Sol Plaatje University (SPU) and other students 

of astronomy are enrolled at Rhodes University. 

The South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) 

has launched a branch in Kimberley. The SAIEE Northern Cape 

Centre will attend to the needs of members and hold events of 

interest related to electrical or electronic engineering. SAIEE has 

6 500 members around the country and is registered as a nonprofit 

voluntary association with ECSA (Engineering Council of 

South Africa). 

Innovation 

Part of a project to remodel the Northern Cape Department 

of Roads and Public Works (DRPW) aims to ensure that it has 

adequate in-house technical and engineering knowledge in 

infrastructure planning, design and project implementation 


Consulting Engineers South Africa: www.cesa.co.za 

South African Institute of Electrical Engineers: www.saiee.org.za 

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory: www.sarao.ac.za 

Southern African Institution of Civil Engineering: www.civils.org.za 

Technology Localisation Implementation Unit: www.tliu.co.za 

to enable it to complete 

important work. 

The DRPW is making 3D 

printing technology available 

to engineers and designers 

to allow them to create 

prototypes at lower cost. A 

feasibility study is underway 

on the establishment of a 

Northern Cape state-owned 

construction company. 

The Coega Development 

Corporation is undertaking 

the study. Among the goals 

for such a company are the 

training of young people as 

artisans, building houses, roads 

and other infrastructure and 

incubation of small businesses. 

The Northern Cape 

Innovation Forum (NCIF) has 

been established to bring 

together all sectors of society in 

taking advantage of innovation 

and technology in the province. 

The NCIF falls under SPU, in 

partnership with the National 

Department of Science and 

Innovation (DSI) and the 

Localisation Implementation 

Unit of the Council for Scientific 

and Industrial Research (CSIR). 

Most of the new structures 

for the Sol Plaatje University 

were subject to architectural 

design competitions. 

From a total of 59 entries, 

nine architectural firms were 

selected to enter the second 

round of the competition with 

five firms chosen as winners 

to complete different aspects 

of the project. The Sol Plaatje 

University Library and Student 

Resource Centre earned 

Aurecon an award at the 

2018 CESA Aon Engineering 

Excellence Awards. ■ 


46

Development finance and 

SMME support 

Small businesses are getting a head start in renewable energy. 

OVERVIEW 


Northern Cape Solar Business Incubator: www.nocsobi.org.za 

Northern Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism: 

www.northern-cape.gov.za/dedat 

Northern Cape Economic Development Agency: www.nceda.co.za 


More than 50 SMMEs have 

received PV green-card training. 

Solar panels in Kuruman. 

Credit: E-Kalahari 

Although the arrival of wind turbines and solar farms has 

been good for the Northern Cape economy, more can 

be done to involve local residents in the business side of 

the renewable energy economy. There is a feeling that 

fractional community ownership and charitable trusts are not 

enough in themselves. 

To that end, the Northern Cape will be one of three provinces in 

which Skills Development Zones (SDZs) will be sited over the next five 

years, as part of the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan. National 

government has committed R1.6-billion to this project. 

As part of the Northern Cape’s renewable energy strategy, SMMEs 

will be supported to become installers of rooftop solar PV panels. The 

support will enable small businesses to get loans and enter powerpurchase 

agreements. As of March 2023, more than 50 SMMEs had 

received PV green-card training. 

In addition, 2023 will see the launch of the Northern Cape Solar 

Business Incubator (NOCSOBI). A provincial Contractor Development 

programme is working to help small contractors become competitive. 

The aim is to install 50 small contractors on an incubation programme 

where business skills will be taught. 

A fund has been launched to provide concessionary funding to local 

entrepreneurs. The R75-million Northern Cape Blended SMME Fund is a 

joint initiative of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism 

(DEDaT) and the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and is part of a 

broader enterprise development programme. DEDaT is also partnering with 

the National Department of Telecommunications and Digital Technologies, 

the National Electronic Media Institute South Africa and the Vaal University 

of Technology to train unemployed young people in cellphone repairs. 

The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) will spend 

about R4-billion on road maintenance and improvements in the 

province over three years. A sum of R50-million has been set aside for 

entry-level road maintenance subcontractors and of the R500-million 

to be spent on routine maintenance, something between 40% and 

60% will go to SMMEs. Operation Vala Zonke, the province’s potholerepair 

initiative, created more than 

120 jobs in the course of 2022. The 

province’s biggest new mine, the 

Vedanta Zinc International mine at 

Aggeneys, spends extensively on 

corporate social responsibility. 

SMMEs will be catered for in the 

planned Kathu Industrial Park which 

is being supported by the Industrial 

Development Corporation (IDC) 

and companies in the mining 

sector. The park’s infrastructure will 

enable smaller companies to be 

in a position to tender for supply 

contracts to mines. 

The Small Enterprise 

Development Agency (Seda) is a 

partner in the Kimberley incubation 

hub related to the Kimberley 

International Diamond and 

Jewellery Academy. The Kimberley 

Diamond and Jewellery Incubator 

(KIDJA) helps establish SMMEs, 

supports existing business and 

trains students. ■ 

47 


OVERVIEW 

Education and training 

Birthday gift boosts university access. 

With Sol Plaatje University celebrating its 10th anniversary 

in 2023, the chances of indigenous young people being 

able to study on its campus have been boosted by 

large donations from two Anglo American subsidiaries. 

Kumba Iron Ore and De Beers Group are among the biggest 

mining companies active in the Northern Cape. Their donations of 

R20-million and R5-million towards the university’s Lesedi La Afrika 

Fund will support scholarships and social impact projects. The fund 

has set a target of R100-million over the next three years. 

Qondakele Sompondo, Director for Institutional Advancement at 

SPU, said the funding would make a significant impact on the lives of 

the youth of the Northern Cape. 

“The plight of the youth in indigenous communities (Nama, San, 

Khoi and Griqua) and in the Northern Cape is something that needs 

our urgent attention. Through the fund, we want to do something 

bigger than normal. We will award scholarships to augment what 

NSFAS is doing by funding the poorest of the poor,” he said. 

Speaking at a gala dinner hosted by SPU as part of its 10-year 

celebrations, Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Andrew Crouch 

(pictured) reflected on the progress the university has made. 

“Sol Plaatje University started humble and built up to where it is 

today because of people wanting to bring change in the province 

and ultimately the country through the power of teaching and 

learning and producing graduates,” he said. 

SPU has seen major growth in its enrolment figures and staff 

recruitment in recent years, with 60% of its academic staff having 

PhDs. As part of its sustainable growth, the institution is committed 

to community engagement and scholarly activity. “The University 

should be embedded in the community and society and contribute 

towards producing knowledgeable graduates who plough back to 

their communities,” said Prof Crouch. 

For the 2023 academic year a total of 28 454 applications 

(undergraduate and postgraduate) were received by SPU. This is 

an increase of just under 9 000 against the applications received 

for 2022. 

Another milestone was reached in the university’s young history 

when the Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre (RVSC) celebrated 

its first birthday, on 9 September 2022. The RVSC is not only SPU’s 

first research centre, it is also an important national resource, tasked 

with vital challenges that include understanding a changing planet, 

reducing the human footprint, adapting the way we live and 

innovating for sustainability. 


Climate change is a key focus 

of the Risk and Vulnerability 

Science Centre. 

With the Northern Cape 

being one of the most waterscarce 

territories in a waterscarce 

country, the unit’s location 

is highly relevant. RVSC is a 

programme of the Department of 

Science and Innovation under the 

Global Change Research Plan for 

South Africa – funded through the 

National Research Foundation’s 

Global Change programme. 

In 2022, a total of 11 897 

students enrolled to study at the 

province’s multi-campus Technical 

Vocational Education and Training 

(TVET) colleges. 

The Northern Cape Urban 

TVET College comprises three 

campuses in Kimberley: City 

Campus, Moremogolo Campus 

and Phatsimang Campus where 


48

The Namaqualand campus of the Northern Cape Rural TVET College. 

teacher training is done. At City Campus, students have access to three 

departments: business studies, engineering studies and a business unit 

that organises short courses in partnership with various public and 

private partners. 

The Northern Cape Rural TVET College has campuses at Kathu, 

Upington, De Aar, Kuruman and Namaqualand. 

The Namaqualand Rural TVET College has been accredited 

as a Trade Test Centre for engineering trades. This will provide an 

opportunity for apprentices to be certified as artisans. 

These colleges offer students courses in finance, economics and 

accounting; engineering; IT and computer science; management; 

hospitality; marketing; and tourism. NCR TVET College has a variety of 

part-time programmes and short skills programmes delivered in the 

form of learnerships, internships or apprenticeships. This enables adults 

and employed people to study after hours or to do enrichment courses. 

Skills 

In 2022, collaborative efforts across the province lead to a total of 

11 852 unemployed youth benefitting from skills development 

programmes such as internships, learnerships, apprenticeship, 

artisanship, work-integrated learning and skills programmes (State of 

Province Address, March 2023). 

The Provincial Government of the Northern Cape runs several 

skills programmes, including the Artisan Construction Programme, 

a three-year incubation programme aimed at young people, the 

Phakamile Mabija Apprenticeship (artisan incubation programme) 

and the S’hamba Sonke Contractor Development Programme. 

In terms of the Expanded Publics Works Programme, 65 570 


National Department of Science and Innovation: dsi.gov.za 

Northern Cape Department of Education: www.ncdoe.ncpg.gov.za 

Sol Plaatje University: www.spu.ac.za 

Square Kilometre Array: www.ska.ac.za 

work opportunities were created in 

2022 and in 2023 a total of 7 000 

Education Assistants and General 

School Assistants will be appointed 

in Phase IV of the Presidential 

Youth Employment Initiative. 

This began as a project related to 

coping with the stresses of the 

Covid-19 pandemic but has been 

retained to boost employment and 

support schools. 

In addition, agricultural 

graduates are placed in commercial 

enterprises for two years through 

the Comprehensive Agriculture 

Support Programme (CASP). 

The University of the Free State 

is running the ETDP SETA New 

Venture Creation Skills Programme 

and another programme, the UIF 

Skills Programme, offers training in 

civil construction, plant production, 

assistant-chef, animal production 

and arc-welding. 

Artisan training has benefitted 

from the presence of the Square 

Kilometre Array (SKA) project in 

Carnarvon. The new technical 

training centre has trained students 

as electricians, fitters and turners, in 

instrumentation, diesel mechanics, 

in IT and boiler-making, as well as 

in carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying 

and welding. With support from SKA, 

Carnarvon High School is the only 

school in the area offering maths 

and science. ■ 

49

NORTHERN CAPE’S PATH TO 

PROGRESS THROUGH HIGH- 

INTELLECTUAL PROGRAMMES 

TODAY AND TOMORROW

Sol Plaatje University is the first and only university in the 


As the region’s sole public Higher 

Education Institution, Sol Plaatje 

University (SPU) is committed to 

providing quality education and 

professional development opportunities 

that cater to the unique needs, 

competence, and characteristics of 

its community. 

Positioning itself as a niche university, 

SPU offers academic programmes of 

high intellectual nature in fields that 

align with the South African thrust 

to develop a nation that is proud of 

its heritage and roots. To this end, 

the university has honed its focus on 

areas such as teacher education, ICT 

and data science, heritage studies, 

paleo-sciences, and creative writing in 

African languages. 

SPU is driven by its vision to be 

critically engaged in learning, research, 

and development while enhancing 

democratic practice and social justice 

in society. In pursuit of this vision, 

SPU seeks to produce outstanding, 

internationally accredited graduates 

who are innovative, analytical, and 

articulate. These graduates are 

expected to harbour a life-long love 

of learning that will contribute to 

the advancement of international 

scholarship, the Northern Cape, and 

Southern Africa as a whole. 

With consistent growth in student 

numbers and an expanding range of 

programmes, SPU has become a vital 

mechanism for uplifting the Northern 

Cape region and its residents. By 

offering academic programmes that 

meet the diverse needs of the local 

community, SPU fosters a sense of 

pride in the region’s heritage and roots 

while empowering students to become 

agents of change in their communities 

and beyond. 

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES 

THROUGH EDUCATION 

For more information visit www.spu.ac.za

Recognising the need for a credible and accredited training and development 

partner in the Northern Cape, SPU established the Centre for Continued 

Professional Development (CCPD). The CCPD aims to become the training and 

development partner of choice for both public and private sector employers in the 

region, co-creating courses and programmes tailored to their needs. In line with 

this vision, we are excited to introduce cutting-edge courses through the CCPD. 

The Centre provides short learning 

programmes taught by qualified 

academics, allowing you to benefit 

from our teaching and research 

excellence. Stay updated on the latest 

industry developments to enhance your 

expertise and employability. 

working professionals, students and the 

general public. 

All courses offered by the CCPD are 

subject to a rigorous internal quality 

assurance process at SPU and are fully 

certified by SPU. 

These courses are designed as ongoing 

educational training and support for 

For more information visit https://www.spu.ac.za/index.php/ccpd-homepage/

CCPD Short Courses 

All CCPD courses cater for a range of 

critical workplace skills and can be 

customised and offered on an in-house 

basis to employers, taking into account 

their operational imperatives. 

Our approach to continuous 

professional development is to help 

individuals become more confident, 

more reflective, more innovative and 

more engaged as a means to advance 

their careers, their organisations and 

the outcomes of the populations served 

through a future-oriented lens. 

Sol Plaatje University offers the following short courses: 

BASIC FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING 

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE 

COMPUTER NETWORKS AND IT 

SUPPORT 

DATA MANAGEMENT AND 

ANALYTICS 

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION 

E-GOVERNMENT 

FINANCE FOR NON-FINANCIAL 

MANAGERS 

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR 

SSME’S 

FUNDAMENTALS OF PROJECT 

MANAGEMENT 

INTRODUCTION TO DATABASE 

MANAGEMENT 

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT 

ESSENTIALS 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT 

WITH AGILE DEVELOPMENT 

TECHNOLOGIES 

SOUTH AFRICAN SIGN LANGUAGE 

CONVERSATIONAL: BEGINNERS 

SOUTH AFRICAN SIGN 

LANGUAGE CONVERSATIONAL: 

INTERMEDIATE 

SOUTH AFRICAN SIGN LANGUAGE 

CONVERSATIONAL: ADVANCED 

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING: 

MARKETING FOR SSME’S 

SPORTS MANAGEMENT 

WEB DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 

For more information on our courses and how to register, please contact ccpd@spu.ac.za.

OVERVIEW 

Banking and finance 

Retail banking has taken on a new meaning. 

TymeBank, one of the newer entrants onto the South African 

banking scene, is taking the concept of “retail banking” to 

another level. Having run banking kiosks within retailers 

such as Pick n Pay and Boxer for several years, TymeBank 

has signed a deal with TFG, a group that has a big presence in the 


What used to be known as the Foschini Group has 34 brands, 

including Markhams, Totalsports, Jet and Dial a Bed, and 30-million 

customers. In the short term, TymeBank will have access to 600 TFG 

kiosks, taking the bank’s total in South Africa to 1 450. 

Another relatively new bank is Capitec. Investment holding 

company PSG has reduced its holding in Capitec Bank from 32% to 

4%, earning about R4-billion by selling those shares. 

Discovery Bank officially launched in March 2019 and is 

experiencing rapid growth with deposits of R3.7-billion. Discovery 

Bank is applying the behavioural model it uses in its health business 

to reward good financial behaviour. 

In 2022, financial services group Old Mutual received permission 

from the prudential authority of the South African Reserve Bank to 

apply for a banking licence. The bank will spend R1.75-billion on 

setting up the bank and intends to launch in 2024. 

With the renewable energy sector booming in South Africa, a 

new sector in need of project funding has opened up for banks. 

The Northern Cape has attracted a large number of independent 

power producers. 

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. 

Most agricultural companies have financing and services 

divisions, as one would expect in a province with a strong and varied 

agricultural sector which exports much of its produce. 

The Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa 

(Land Bank) is a major participant in the Northern Cape financial 

sector and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), as an 

equity investor, is another important player. 


Association for Savings and Investment South Africa: www.asisa.org.za 

Auditor-General of South Africa: www.agsa.co.za 

Banking Association South Africa: www.banking.org.za 


Old Mutual is to apply for a 

banking licence. 

The launch by Sanlam 

Investments of a Sustainable 

Infrastructure Fund is a sign of the 

times. The South African state has 

promised a huge infrastructure 

drive but in the context of climate 

change caused by the use of fossil 

fuels, the investment community 

is increasingly putting emphasis 

on sustainability. Sanlam Group 

will invest R6-billion in the fund 

and aims to attract a further R5- 

billion from institutional investors. 

Infrastructure South Africa 

(ISA) is actively involved in several 

Northern Cape projects. A special 

purpose vehicle will be established, 

with development finance 

institutions, to tackle the backlog in 

school infrastructure and a similar 

idea underpins the financing of a 

rural roads programme. ■ 

Credit: TymeBank 


54

OVERVIEW 

ICT 

Radio astronomy is driving demand for data analysts. 

Sol Plaatje University (SPU) is teaching data analytical skills 

to undergraduates and many of them are moving into the 

financial sector on graduation. Another area where these 

skills are in great demand is radio astronomy. One of the 

world’s great scientific ventures, the Square Kilometre Array radio 

telescope project, has been established near Carnarvon and the 

amount of data that it will generate is so great that it is difficult to 

comprehend. Many data analysts will be needed. 

Another contribution by SPU to the acquiring of digital skills goes 

beyond the confines of the campus through Hackathons, VacWork 

programmes and skills development outreach projects. This is done 

in collaboration with lecturers, Geekulcha students and the NCDev 

ecosystem (the first app developer ecosystem in the Northern Cape). 

Galeshewe now has its own mLab for applications development, 

thanks to a partnership between the provincial government, the 

National Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the 

Northern Cape Community Education and Training College. The 

syllabus will be aligned to the National Qualifications Framework 

(NQF) and skills such as building WordPress websites, social-media 

marketing and developing mobile apps will be tested at Youth 

Service Centres. 

Mobile phone companies Vodacom and MTN will spend R410- 

million in the Northern Cape in 2023. Vodacom Central Region’s 

investment of R230-million is to expand broadband coverage 

in deep rural areas, to upgrade base station sites and network 

resilience. MTN has built five new connectivity sites and is planning 

to build a further 25 new connectivity sites and modernise 48 sites 

at an estimated cost of R180-million. 

Vodacom is partnering with the provincial government in the 

provision of digital call centres for emergency medical services (EMS) 

in Upington and Kimberley. Calls received have increased by 7 000 per 

month and response times for ambulances have improved dramatically. 

The Bokamoso Digital Health Strategy is connecting health facilities to 

a centralised system. In the course of 2023, Sub-Saharan Africa’s first 

Health Informatics Unit and the Provincial Health Emergency Operations 


National Department of Science and Innovation: www.dsi.gov.za 

Sol Plaatje University: www.spu.ac.za 

Square Kilometre Array: www.ska.ac.za 

Technology Innovation Agency: www.tia.org.za 


A data-driven health emergency 

operations centre is to be launched. 

Centre (PHOEC) will be launched in 

the Northern Cape. 

The Provincial Government, 

with the World Health Organization, 

has established the unit in order to 

improve health management, data 

analysis, planning, emergency and 

disaster response. 

The SA Connect Project is 

set to create 1 599 new sites for 

Phase Two of the project over 

three years to 2025 in clinics and 

schools. The Office of the Premier, 

together with the Centre for 

Public Service Innovation (CPSI), is 

leading a project to create a digital 

Thusong Service Centre app. The 

app will take government services 

to cell phones. ■ 

55 


LISTING 

Kareeberg Municipality 

Umsobomvu Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 382 3012 | Fax: +27 53 382 3142 

Tel: +27 51 753 0777/8 | Fax: +27 51 753 0574 

Northern Cape Local Government 

Website: www.kareeberg.co.za 

A guide to district and local municipalities in the Northern Cape Province. 

Renosterberg Municipality 

ZF MGCAWU DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

Tel: FRANCES +27 53 663 BAARD 0041 | Fax: DISTRICT +27 53 663 0180 MUNICIPALITY 

Website: Physical www.renosterbergmunicipality.gov.za 

address: 51 Drakensberg Avenue, 

Carters Glen, Kimberley 8301 

Siyancuma Municipality 

Postal address: Private Bag X6088, Kimberley 8300 

Tel: +27 +27 53 53 298838 18100911 | Fax: | Fax: +27 53 +27 29853 3141 861 1538 

Website: www.siyancuma.gov.za 

www.francesbaard.gov.za 

Siyathemba Dikgatlong Municipality 

Tel: 

Tel: 

+27 

+27 

53 

53 

353 

531 

5300 

6500 

| Fax: 

| 

+27 

Fax: 

53 

+27 

353 

53 

1386 

531 0624 

Website: www.siyathemba.co.za 

www.dikgatlong.co.za 

Thembelihle Municipality 

Magareng Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 203 0008/5 | Fax: +27 53 203 0490 

Tel: +27 53 497 3111/2/3 | Fax: +27 53 497 4514 

Website: thembelihlemunicipality.gov.za 

Website: www.magareng.gov.za 

Ubuntu Municipality 

Phokwane Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 621 0026 | Fax: +27 53 621 0368 

Website: 

Tel: +27 

www.ubuntu.gov.za 

53 474 9700 | Fax: +27 53 474 1768 

Website: www.phokwane.org.za 

Sol Plaatje Municipality 

Motorway 

Main Road 

Tel: NORTHERN +27 53 CAPE 830 PROVINCE 6911/6100 | Fax: +27 53 833 1005 

Railway 

Website: www.solplaatje.org.za 

JOHN TAOLO GAETSEWE DISTRICT 

MUNICIPALITY 

Rietfontein 

Physical address: 4 Federal Mynbou Street, 

Van Zylsrus 

NAMIBIA 

Askham 

Hotazel 

Kuruman 8460 

Kuruman 

Postal address: PO Box 1480, Kuruman 8460 R31 

Sishen 

Tel: +27 53 712 8700 | Fax: N10 +27 53 712 

N14 

2502 

R31 

Website: www.taologaetsewe.gov.za 

Augrabies 

Alexander Bay 

N 

Vioolsdrif 

Port Nolloth 

Steinkopf N14 

Gamagara Nababeep Municipality 

Okiep 

Springbok 

Kleinsee 

Strydenburg 

N7 

Tel: +27 53 723 6000 | Fax: Van +27 Wyksvlei 53 723 2021 

Kamieskroon 

Brandvlei 

Hondeklipbaai 

Vosburg 

Website: 

Garies 

www.gamagara.gov.za 

Loeriesfontein 

Nieuwoudtville Williston 

R27 

Ga-Segonyana Municipality 

Calvinia 

Vredendal 

Vanrhynsdorp 

Upington 

Keimoes 

Kakamas 

Kenhardt 

Fraserburg 

Marydale 

Carnarvon 

N7 

Tel: +27 53 712 9300 Clanwilliam| Fax: +27 53 712 3581 

Beaufort West 

Sutherland 

Website: www.ga-segonyana.gov.za 

Saldanha 

R27 

Onseepkans 

Pofadder 

N7 

R44 Worcester 

R62 

Joe Morolong Paarl Municipality 

N1 

CAPE TOWN 

R45 

Union’s End 

N14 

Western Cape 

BOTSWANA 

Loxton 

Oudtshoorn 

George 

Prieska 

Douglas 

Victoria West 

N1 

Three Sisters 

Campbell 

Hopetown 

N15 

Stellenbosch 

Knysna 

N2 

Tel: +27 53 773 9300 | Fax: +27 53 Mossel 773 Bay 

Caledon 

9350 

Hermanus 

Website: www.joemorolong.gov.za 

R63 

N1 

N12 

Postmasburg Ulco Barkly West 

Groblershoop 

N10 

R63 

N12 

N2 

N9 

N12 

North West 

N12 

Britstown 

De Aar 

Hartswater 

Petrusville 

Hanover 

Ritchie 

Richmond 

R63 

Willowmore 

Vryburg 

N14 

Warrenton 

Christiana 

R64 

KIMBERLEY 

N10 

Free State 

R48 

Colesberg 

N1 N9 

Noupoort 

Middelburg 

N9 

Eastern Cape 

Graaff-Reinet 

Somerset East 

R75 

N18 

N8 

Uitenhage 

PORT ELIZABETH 

Jeffreys Bay 

69 

Website: www.umsobomvumun.co.za 

Physical NAMAKWA address: Cnr DISTRICT Nelson Mandela MUNICIPALITY 

Avenue and Upington Road, 

Upington Physical 8801 address: Van Riebeeck Street, 

Tel: Springbok +27 54 3378240 

2800 | Fax: +27 54 337 2888 

Website: Postal address: www.zfm-dm.co.za Private Bag X20, Springbok 8240 

Tel: +27 27 712 8000 | Fax: +27 27 712 8040 

Dawid 

Email: info@namakwa-dm.gov.za 

Kruiper Municipality 

Tel: Website: +27 54 338 www.namakwa-dm.gov.za 

7001 

Fax: +27 54 531 0019 

Website: Hantam www.dkm.gov.za Municipality 

Tel: +27 27 341 8500 | Fax: +27 27 341 8501 

Kai! Garib Municipality 

Website: www.hantam.gov.za 

Tel: +27 54 461 6400 / 6700 | Fax: +27 54 461 6401 

Website: Kamiesberg www.kaigarib.gov.za Municipality 

Kgatelopele 

Tel: +27 27 652 

Municipality 

8000 | Fax: +27 27 652 8001 

Website: www.kamiesberg.gov.za 

Tel: +27 54 384 8600 | Fax: +27 53 384 0326 

Website: 

Karoo 

www.kgatelopele.gov.za 

Hoogland Municipality 

!Kheis Tel: +27 Municipality 

53 285 0998 

Fax: +27 53 391 3294 

Tel: +27 54 833 9500 | Fax: +27 54 833 0690 

Website: www.karoohoogland.gov.za 

Website: www.kheis.co.za 

Tsantsabane Khâi-Ma Municipality Municipality 

Tel: +27 +27 5354 313933 73001000 

Fax: +27 +27 5354 313933 16020252 

Website: Website: www.tsantsabane.gov.za 

www.khaima.gov.za 

NAMIBIA 

NORTHERN CAPE 

Western Cape 

BOTSWANA 

North West 

Free State 

Eastern Cape 

Limpopo 

ZIMBABWE 

Mpumalanga 

Gauteng 

SWAZI- 

LAND 

LESOTHO 

LISTING 

KwaZulu- 

Natal 

MOZAMBIQUE 

NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2018/19

LISTING 

Nama Khoi Municipality 

Tel: +27 27 718 8100 | Fax: +27 27 712 1635 

Website: www.namakhoi.gov.za 

Richtersveld Municipality 

Tel: +27 27 851 1111 | Fax: +27 27 851 1101 

Website: www.richtersveld.gov.za 

ZF MGCAWU DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

Physical address: Cnr Nelson Mandela Avenue and 

Upington Road, Upington 8801 

Tel: +27 54 337 2800 | Fax: +27 54 337 2888 

Website: www.zfm-dm.co.za 

PIXLEY KA SEME DISTRICT 

MUNICIPALITY 

Physical address: Culvert Road, Industrial 

Area, De Aar 7000 

Tel: +27 53 631 0891 | Fax: +27 53 631 2529 

Website: www.pksdm.gov.za 

Emthanjeni Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 632 9100 | Fax: +27 53 631 0105 

Website: www.emthanjeni.co.za 

Kareeberg Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 382 3012 | Fax: +27 53 382 3142 

Website: www.kareeberg.co.za 

Renosterberg Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 663 0041 | Fax: +27 53 663 0180 

Siyancuma Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 298 1810 | Fax: +27 53 298 3141 

Website: www.siyancuma.gov.za 

Siyathemba Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 492 3394 | Fax: +27 53 353 1386 

Website: www.siyathemba.co.za 

Thembelihle Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 203 0008/5 | Fax: +27 53 203 0490 

Website: thembelihlemunicipality.gov.za 

Ubuntu Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 621 0026 | Fax: +27 53 621 0368 

Website: www.ubuntu.gov.za 

Umsobomvu Municipality 

Tel: +27 51 753 0777/8 | Fax: +27 51 753 0574 

Website: www.umsobomvumun.co.za 

The offices of the ZF Mgcawu District 

Municipality are in Upington. 

Dawid Kruiper Municipality 

Tel: +27 54 338 7000 

Fax: +27 54 338 7350 

Website: www.dkm.gov.za 

Kai! Garib Municipality 

Tel: +27 54 461 6400 / 6700 | Fax: +27 54 461 6401 

Website: www.kaigarib.gov.za 

Kgatelopele Municipality 

Tel: +27 54 384 8600 | Fax: +27 53 384 0326 

Website: www.kgatelopele.gov.za 

!Kheis Municipality 

Tel: +27 54 833 9500 | Fax: +27 54 833 0690 

Website: www.kheis.co.za 

Tsantsabane Municipality 

Tel: +27 53 313 7300 | Fax: +27 53 313 1602 

Website: www.tsantsabane.gov.za 

57 


LISTING 

Northern Cape 

Provincial Government 

A guide to the Northern Cape’s provincial government departments. 

Provincial government website: www.northern-cape.gov.za 

Office of the Premier 

Premier: Dr Zamani Paul 

Tel: 053 838 2900 / 838 2708 | Fax: 053 838 2690 

PBag X5016, Kimberley 8300 

PA: Ms Poppy Mathakgane 

Tel: 082 647 4699 

Email: lmathakgane@ncpg.gov .za 

Department of Agriculture, 

Environmental Affairs, Rural 

Development and Land Reform 

MEC: Mase Manopole 

Tel: 053 838 9107 / 053 838 9165 | Fax: 053 832 4328 


PA: Tlale Saane 

Tel: 066 488 7738 

Email: msaane@ncpg.gov.za 

Department of Cooperative Governance, 

Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs 

MEC: Bentley Vass 

Tel: 053 830 9422/4 | Fax: 053 831 4832 

Alternates: 086 205 9798 / 086 5622 651 / 

053 831 2904 


PA: Mr Jeffrey Saal 

Tel: 082 922 4728 

Email: jsaal@ncpg.gov.za 

Department of Education 

MEC: Zolile Monakali 

Tel: 053 830 7160 | Fax: 053 830 7177 


PA: Ms Sharon Plaatjies 

Tel: 072 068 8410 

Email: sharon.plaatjies@ncdoe.gov.za 

Department of Health 

MEC: Maruping Matthews Lekwene 

Tel: 053 830 2000 | Fax: 053 833 1925 


PA: Ms Nicky Hlakudi 

Tel: 067 941 5917 

Email: mhlakudi@ncpg.gov.za 

Department of Finance, Economic 

Development and Tourism 

MEC: Mr Abraham Vosloo 

Tel: 053 833 9496 | Fax: 053 832 2672 

State House: 060 577 3311 


PA: Ms Anthea Van Wyk 

Tel: 066 599 9099 

Email: antheav80@gmail.com 

Department of Roads and Public Works 

MEC: Ms Fufe Makatong 

Tel: 053 839 2285 | Fax: 053 839 2289 


PA: Ms Phumza Mdibe 

Tel: 060 997 5299 

Email: pmdibe@ncpg.gov.za 

Department of Social Development 

MEC: Ms Nontobeko Vilakazi 

Tel: 053 807 5600 | Fax: 053 807 5603 


PA: Ms Alfreda Skermand 

Tel: 053 807 5600 / 082 876 5985 

Email: askermand@ncpg.gov.za 

Department of Sport, Arts and Culture 

MEC: Ms Desery Wellin Fienies 

Tel: 053 831 4152 | Fax: 053 833 1454 


PA: Mr Loyiso Busa 

Tel: 061 319 4288 

Email: loyisocosby@gmail.com 

Department of Transport, Safety and 

Liaison 

MEC: Ms Nomandla Bloem 

Tel: 053 839 1700 | Fax: 053 832 4249 


PA: Ms Keabetswe (Kea) Modise 

Tel: 053 839 1719 / 073 899 9132 

Email: kamodise@ncpg.gov.za

Northern Cape Chamber 

of Commerce and 

Industry 

Your ultimate business connection. 

PROFILE 

Affiliated to SACCI and SBI 

Our heritage in brief 

NOCCI was established on 22 February 2000 

when the Chamber of Business and the Kimberley 

Afrikaanse Sakekamer amalgamated. At the time, 

these two organisations had served the business 

community of Kimberley for 120 years. 

Membership advantages 

A Chamber assesses and evaluates the needs of the 

local business community, in particular the need for 

services to small business at a reasonable cost: 

• Monitors developments at the local level 

• Mobilises business opinion on local issues 

• Exerts a positive influence on the environment in 

which business operates and helps prospective 

members grow their business 

• Promotes and encourages the pursuit of a high 

standard of business ethics 

• Disseminates information that is useful to the 

business fraternity 

• Creates opportunities for improving business skills 

• Extends business contacts locally, regionally and 

nationally, and allows individual businesspeople 

to share in the provincial and national business 

decision-making processes 

• Upholds the market economy and private 

enterprise system 

• Has committees which are ideal places for members 

of diverse interests to consolidate and unify 

their thinking as they work together – committees 

accurately sense the environment, process 

information and provide valuable guidance to 

the member 

• Holds functions and special events, allowing members 

to network and learn about interesting topics 

Can you afford not to belong? 

The increasingly complex business and social 

environment requires a comprehensive support 

structure to ensure the most favourable climate for 

the continued viable existence of individual businesses 

in a system of free enterprise. At the same time, 

the Chamber movement facilitates adjustment by 

business to those realities that cannot be altered. 

Involvement in the Chamber movement bears abundant 

fruit for the well-being of each business. If you are a 

businessperson with vision, you cannot afford not to 

join the Chamber movement. 

Executive Committee 

of NOCCI 

President: Mr Pieter 

Botha (Nedbank) 

1st Vice-Chairperson: 

Vice President: Mr Francois 

du Toit (Cooling Solutions) 

2nd Vice-Chairperson: Mrs 

Bianca Botha (Defensor) 

Treasurer: Mrs Renel-Mari Nel (Neoteric Accountants) 

Executive members: Jackie Gagiano (Redspot Marketing 

Solutions); Harry Hurndall (Roburn Construction); Lian 

Laing (Ekapa); Peter Michael Salo (Capption); Jan Kruger 

(GWK); Hamman Kriel (NEASA); Wickus Coetzee (Scorp 

Security); Louw Van Rheenen (Beefmaster). ■ 

Contact info 

Sharon Steyn, CEO 

CEO NOCCI, Kimberley: Sharon Steyn 

Tel: +27 53 831 1081 | Fax: +27 53 831 1082 

Cell: 083 457 8148 | Email: Sharon@nocci.co.za 

Website: www.nocci.co.za

Fast-tracking projects 

and lowering the cost 

of doing business 

The Northern Cape Economic Development 

Agency (NCEDA) is the host of the Northern 

Cape InvestSA One Stop Shop. 

The InvestSA One Stop Shop initiative 

is geared towards providing investors with services 

to fast-track projects and reduce government red 

tape when establishing a business. It is part of the 

government’s drive to become investor friendly by 

improving the business environment by lowering 

the cost of doing business as well as making the 

process easier. 

One Stop Shops house government entities 

such as the South African Revenue Service (to help 

with customs and tax), Home Affairs, Environmental 

Affairs, Eskom and the Companies and Intellectual 

Properties Commission under one roof. 

An investor can make an appointment, meet a 

government representative and be guided by the 

representative through the process of setting up a 

business. The One Stop Shops simplify administrative 

procedures for issuing business approvals, permits and 

licences and thereby remove bottlenecks that investors 

may face in establishing and running businesses. 

The offering includes, but is not limited to: 

• Providing an accessible entry point for investors 

in need of regulatory compliance. 

• Enhancing regulatory and legal processes. 

• Improving approval turnaround timeframes. 

• Providing information on incentives (tax, land, 

training, free trade zones, etc). 

• Providing pre-approval information (market 

data, costs, incentives, project approval, local 

partners, etc). 

• Providing post-approval information (facilitation 

of permit approvals, information relating to 

import of equipment and raw materials, central 

bank profit repatriation, etc) to investors. 

Participating national government entities 

• InvestSA is a division of the South African 

Department of Trade, Industry and Competition 

(the dtic) 

• Business registry: Companies and Intellectual 

Property Commission (CIPC) 

• Tax authority: South African Revenue Service (SARS) 

• International Trade Administration Commission 

(ITAC) 

• National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications 

(NRCS) 

• Public electricity utility: Eskom 

• Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) 

Visa facilitation 

Visa and permit applications can be made at Visa and 

Permit Facilitation Centres. Applications are then assessed 

by the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria. Non-South 

Africans with a legal residency permit in South Africa can 

apply for a visa or permit at these centres. 

There are centres in every province. In the 

Northern Cape there is a facility in Kimberley. The 

South African government is reviewing its critical 

skills list as well as taking steps to make it easier for 

people who qualify to apply. 

The Northern Cape invitation 

The Northern Cape InvestSA One Stop Shop and NCEDA 

team can advise you on investment opportunities and 

assist investment and trade opportunities from the 

same offices. The Northern Cape team is committed 

and qualified to assist and guide you from concept to 

investment phase. 

We look forward to hearing from you and partnering 

with you to make your investment a success! ■ 

Contact details 

Mr Hendrik Louw, Acting CEO, NCEDA 

Address: DCS Office Block, Floor 1, 69 Memorial Road Kimberley, 8301 

Tel: +27 87 086 0365 | +27 60 997 7222 

Email: officeoftheceo@nceda.co.za | info@investsanc.co.za 

Website: www.investsanc.co.za 

“The Northern Cape: A Modern, Growing and Successful Province”

Northern Cape Business 2023/24

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