North West Business 2023-24
The 2023/24 edition of North West Business marks the 12th publication of this highly successful journal that, since its launch in 2009, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the North West Province. Renewable energy is a huge global trend, and the impact this burgeoning sector is having on the North West can be seen in the development of several new solar farms which are under construction. The North West’s strong suit in platinum group metals (PGMs) already puts the province at the forefront of the drive towards a greener and renewable economy because of the applicability of so many of those minerals and metals for the cleaner energy movement. North West Business includes news and analysis of the most important sectors. Best known for its platinum mines, grain and livestock farming and tourism, the province is making a concerted effort to bolster its manufacturing capacity through a dedicated new strategy which includes trying to attract solar panel manufacturing to the province. To complement the extensive local, national and international distribution of the print edition, the full content can also be viewed online at www.globalafricanetwork.com. Updated information on the North West is also available through our monthly e-newsletter, which you can subscribe to at www.gan.co.za, in addition to our complementary business-to-business titles that cover all nine provinces, our flagship South African Business title and the new addition to our list of publications, Journal of African Business, which was launched in 2020.
The 2023/24 edition of North West Business marks the 12th publication of this highly successful journal that, since its launch in 2009, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the North West Province. Renewable energy is a huge global trend, and the impact this burgeoning sector is having on the North West can be seen in the development of several new solar farms which are under construction. The North West’s strong suit in platinum group metals (PGMs) already puts the province at the forefront of the drive towards a greener and renewable economy because of the applicability of so many of those minerals and metals for the cleaner energy movement. North West Business includes news and analysis of the most important sectors. Best known for its platinum mines, grain and livestock farming and tourism, the province is making a concerted effort to bolster its manufacturing capacity through a dedicated new strategy which includes trying to attract solar panel manufacturing to the province.
To complement the extensive local, national and international distribution of the print edition, the full content can also be viewed online at www.globalafricanetwork.com. Updated information on the North West is also available through our monthly e-newsletter, which you can subscribe to at www.gan.co.za, in addition to our complementary business-to-business titles that cover all nine provinces, our flagship South African Business title and the new addition to our list of publications, Journal of African Business, which was launched in 2020.
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OVERVIEW<br />
Tourism<br />
Tourism revenues have recovered after Covid.<br />
SECTOR INSIGHT<br />
The <strong>North</strong> <strong>West</strong> Parks Board<br />
will spend R4-million on skills<br />
development.<br />
Madikwe River Lodge is close to the Botswana border in the<br />
Madikwe Game Reserve. It presents an opportunity to see<br />
game in a non-malarial environment.<br />
The <strong>North</strong> <strong>West</strong> relies heavily on tourism to generate revenue<br />
and to create and support jobs. The diversity of the province’s<br />
tourism offering gave the sector a good chance of recovering<br />
more quickly from Covid than some other less agile sectors.<br />
Sun City (golf, conferencing and hotels) and several game lodges<br />
within game reserves are world famous, with several private lodges<br />
being recognised in international annual awards on a regular basis.<br />
Birding, fishing, hunting and hot-air ballooning are among<br />
other popular pursuits and Potchefstroom has outstanding<br />
sporting facilities.<br />
According to the provincial government, tourism revenue reached<br />
R6-billion in 2022, a marked recovery from the R1.1-billion recorded<br />
in 2020. The <strong>2023</strong> State of the Province Address included these<br />
projections for the period to the end of <strong>2023</strong>:<br />
• international arrivals to grow to an estimated 700 000<br />
• tourism revenue to grow to an estimated R8-billion<br />
• tourism-supported jobs to grow to an estimated 25 000<br />
The Provincial Government of the <strong>North</strong> <strong>West</strong> is trying to leverage<br />
the tourism and hospitality sector to foster employment opportunities.<br />
In 2022, the sector recruited and placed 100 unemployed youth at<br />
various participating host companies so that they could obtain workbased<br />
experience. They were paid a monthly stipend. A further 444<br />
work opportunities were created in the environmental sector and the<br />
intention is to create a further 250 job opportunities in the <strong>2023</strong>/<strong>24</strong><br />
financial year.<br />
The malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park, located in the<br />
ecologically-rich transition zone between the Kalahari and the<br />
Lowveld, has more than 7 000<br />
animals, 360 bird species, and more<br />
than 200km of roads.<br />
Although the reserve that<br />
lies just to the north of Sun City<br />
is known as Pilanesberg National<br />
Park, in fact it falls under the<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>West</strong> Parks Board and is<br />
one of many parks and reserves<br />
controlled by the province. Both<br />
Pilanesberg and Madikwe have<br />
gained international reputations.<br />
The Seboka Game Lodge,<br />
pictured from above, has<br />
officially been launched by the<br />
MEC responsible for the <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>West</strong> Department of Economic<br />
Development, Environment,<br />
Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT).<br />
The four-star lodge, a redistribution<br />
project initiated by the National<br />
Department of Agriculture, Land<br />
Reform and Rural Development, is<br />
located on the Koster Dam within<br />
700ha of bush that is home to 13<br />
kinds of buck, giraffe, buffalo and<br />
zebra, along with vibrant bird life.<br />
Hotels and conferences<br />
Sun City has a range of venues<br />
available for hire ranging from<br />
a 12-seater Council Room to<br />
the Superbowl which can<br />
accommodate 6 000, and just about<br />
everything in between. With six<br />
NORTH WEST BUSINESS <strong>2023</strong>/<strong>24</strong><br />
<strong>24</strong><br />
PHOTO: Madikwe River Lodge
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