Northern Cape Business 2026-27

THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE

NORTHERN CAPE

BUSINESS

2026/27 EDITION

NORTHERN NORTHERN CAPE CAPE

BUSINESS

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on of the South African BUSINESS

IN US ONLINE

JOIN US ONLINE

NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN THE NORTHERN CAPE

2022/23

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THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN


2022/23 EDITION

INVESTMENT

PROSPECTUS

NORTHERN CAPE

2021

NORTHERN CAPE

Scan to find us online!

Investment

Prospectus

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2022/23 EDITION

2022/06/01 13:03

INVESTING IN THE NORTHERN CAPE

The Northern Cape Industrial Corridor

Engineering South Africa’s next growth frontier.

The planned

Namakwa SEZ (NSEZ)

is at the heart of

the Northern Cape

Industrial Corridor,

which will enhance

regional integration

and establish a new

regional growth

point by connecting

production, processing

and export.

The Northern Cape is undergoing a structural

economic repositioning. What was historically

defined by resource extraction is now being

engineered into a fully integrated industrial

corridor, designed to deliver a projected R200-billion

economic trajectory in terms of the growth of GDP

by 2030.

A province reconfigured for industrial scale

This transformation is anchored in a deliberate shift

from fragmented development towards a valuechain

driven system, where each economic input

is aligned to a downstream outcome. Energy feeds

industry, minerals feed manufacturing and logistics

unlock global markets. The result is an ecosystem

where capital is deployed with efficiency and

predictability.

At the centre of this transformation lies the Northern

Cape Industrial Corridor, a spatial and economic

framework connecting key nodes across the Province:

• Boegoebaai Green Hydrogen Cluster and Port

Development

• Namakwa Special Economic Zone

• Upington Industrial and Logistics Hub

• JTG Industrial Clusters

• Pixley Ka Seme Development Nodes (Prieska Power

Reserve and associated development in renewable

energy and mineral beneficiation)

These are not standalone projects. They function as

interconnected platforms, creating seamless interfaces

between production, processing and export.

Energy as the anchor of industrial competitiveness

The Province’s renewable-energy profile is a

foundational advantage. High solar irradiation and

strong wind regimes provide a structural basis for

low-cost energy production, a critical determinant in

industrial location decisions.

The implementation of the Integrated Resource

Plan 2025 is now translating into measurable

progress. Procurement rounds are advancing, grid

infrastructure is expanding and battery storage

systems are being deployed to stabilise supply.

| +27 53 833 1503

.za | info@investsanc.co.za

tsanc.co.za

orthern Cape: A Modern, Growing and Successful Province”

2022/23

2022/06/01 13:03

Vedanta Zinc

International’s

giant Gamsberg

project near

Aggeneys is

intended to be

at the core of the

Namakwa Special

Economic Zone.

This has enabled the emergence of a dispatchable

renewable energy system, where reliability meets

industrial demand. The implications are direct:

• Energy-intensive industries operate with reduced

cost volatility.

• Industrial clusters are no longer constrained by grid

instability.

• New sectors, including hydrogen and data

infrastructure, become viable.

Energy, in this context, is not a standalone sector. It is

the primary enabler of the entire corridor economy.

From mineral wealth to industrial depth

The Northern Cape’s mineral endowment is globally

significant. The strategic shift now underway is the

transition from exporting raw materials to retaining

value through beneficiation and processing.

This transition is structured through industrial

nodes such as the Namakwa Special Economic

Zone, alongside the Upington and Kathu industrial

platforms.

Here, minerals move through a defined value chain:

• Extraction from resource basins.

• Processing within industrial zones.

• Conversion into intermediate and finished products.

• Distribution through integrated logistics systems.

This model aligns with the Critical Minerals Strategy

2025, which prioritises battery materials, green steel

inputs and rare-earth processing. The outcome is a

diversified industrial base, where value is retained

within the Province rather than exported in raw form.

Seamless interfaces: the competitive advantage

What distinguishes the Northern Cape is not only its

resources, but the integration of its systems.

Energy infrastructure feeds directly into industrial

zones. Logistics corridors connect mines to processing

facilities and onward to ports. Policy frameworks

align with project preparation and investment

facilitation.

This creates a continuous economic flow, where

bottlenecks are minimised and execution risk is

reduced.

For investors, this translates into:

• Reduced project fragmentation.

• Improved timelines from concept to operation.

• Greater certainty in cost structures and returns.

The Northern Cape Industrial Corridor is therefore not a

collection of opportunities. It is a coherent investment

platform, engineered for scale.

Industrial development in motion

The Province has now moved decisively into an

implementation phase. The alignment of IRP 2025,

the Critical Minerals Strategy 2025 and provincial

performance frameworks has created a unified

execution environment.

Projects are advancing through feasibility,

bankability and construction stages. Investment

facilitation mechanisms are active and infrastructure

development is underway. This marks a clear transition.

Industrial development in the Northern Cape is

no longer aspirational. It is measurable, structured and

in motion. ■

CONNECT WITH US

NCEDA: +27 (0) 53 110 0289

Office of the CEO: officeoftheceo@nceda.co.za

X: @NorthernCapeSA

(ITAC)

(NRCS)

he N

Agen

Cape

The

Th

CONTENTS

Northern Cape Business

2026/27 Edition

Introduction

The Northern Cape Industrial Corridor 1

The Northern Cape is undergoing a structural economic repositioning.

What was historically defined by resource extraction is now being engineered

into a fully integrated industrial corridor, designed to deliver a projected

R200-billion economic trajectory in terms of the GDP growth by 2030.

Foreword 4

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

Special features

Regional overview 6

The traditional strengths of the provincial economy are continuing to

excel while there is excitement about the growth of renewable energy and

the implications of the siting of one of the world’s great scientific projects.

Innovation is at the heart of new developments 12

The Northern Cape is benefitting from technology-driven

sectors such as renewable energy and radio astronomy.

Catalytic Project: From energy to exports 14

At its core, the Northern Cape offers a rare proposition: the ability

to produce, process and export within one integrated geography.

Investment opportunities,

as presented by DEDAT:

Agriculture 16

Upington Solar Park 17

Renewable energy and green hydrogen 32

Tourism 42

Economic sectors

Agriculture 22

A vast irrigation scheme and the mighty Orange River support

a varied agricultural sector.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY І Tourism

The Northern Cape: Where

culture, adventure, nature

and the universe converge

Transforming abundant natural resources into

valuable investment opportunities.

S

The Orange River’s different moods a low for many kinds of tourism.

outh Africa’s largest province, the Northern

Cape, is often described as a land of vast

horizons, untamed beauty and timeless

stories. Yet, beyond its sweeping deserts

and star-fi led skies, the province is positioning

itself as a frontier for investment and discovery. For

those seeking opportunities that blend tourism,

culture and sustainable development, the Northern

Cape is not just a destination – it is an invitation to

dream bigger.

A PROVINCE OF BOUNDLESS POSSIBILITIES

The Northern Cape is divided into five distinct regions,

each with its own character and appeal:

Diamond Fields (Kimberley) – famed for its mining heritage

and the legendary Big Hole.

Kalahari (Kuruman) – a land of red dunes, mining and

desert wildlife.

Green Kalahari (Upington) – nourished by the mighty

Orange River, o fering vineyards, rafting, San culture

and fertile landscapes.

Namaqualand (Springbok) – a floral wonderland that bursts

into colour each spring and home to Nama culture.

Karoo (De Aar) – a semi-desert o fossils, corbe led houses

and stargazing skies.

Together, these regions form a mixture of

experiences that appeal to adventurers, families,

historians and investors alike. With two airports –

Fast-tracking projects

and lowering the cost

of doing business

T

Kimberley and Upington – connecting daily to

Johannesburg and Cape Town and six national roads

linking the province to Namibia and Botswana,

accessibility i seamless.

42

he 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 busine s. It is part of the

government’s drive to become investor friendly by

improving the business environment by lowering

the cost of doing busine s as we l 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 Inte lectual

Properties Commi sion under one roof.

An investor can make an appointment, meet a

government representative and be guided by the

representative through the proce s of se ting up a

busine s. The One Stop Shops simplify administrative

procedures for i suing business approvals, permits and

licences and thereby remove bottlenecks that investors

may face in establishing and running busine ses.

The offering includes, but is not limited to:

• Providing an a cessible 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.

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

“O

Exports are growing in several fields as

innovation and strategic planning reap

dividends.

ur agriculture sector continues to thrive, thanks

to strategic investments and improved water

infrastructure,” says Northern Cape Premier Dr

Zamani Saul, emphasising the sector’s central

role in the administration’s vision for the province’s

future. With its fertile river co ridors, unique climate and

extensive expertise, the Northern Cape has long been

one of South Africa’s most important agricultural regions.

Today, it is becoming something more: a modern

agribusiness hub focused on exports, innovation and

climate resilience.

Agriculture contributes R10.3-bi lion annua ly to the

Northern Cape’s economy, accounting for around 8%

of GDP, and is a significant driver of job growth, with

o ficial figure showing that employment levels have

risen to 52 000 in recent months, representing 4% of the

province’s total.

Among its key products, Karoo lamb was o ficia ly

protected under South African Geographical Indication

law in October 2023, a firming its status in terms of

quality and exclusivity. Geographical Indication (GI)

law in South Africa protects products that possess

unique qualities linked to their geographical origin,

ensuring both heritage preservation and market

di ferentiation. This fo lows in the footsteps of another

signature speciality, rooibos tea, which won similar

recognition from the EU in 2014 and continues to grow

its global footprint.

High-value horticultural products including table

grapes, wine grapes, sultanas, dates and nuts thrive

along the Orange River. The Northern Cape produces

almost one third of South Africa’s table-grape crop,

and 18% of the nation’s white-wine grapes, signifying

the sector’s outsized importance to the nation’s

agricultural output. Livestock remains a cornerstone

of rural economic activity, with wool, mohair, karakul,

venison, ostrich meat and leather farmed throughout

the majority of the province.

Emblematic of the government’s commitment

to innovation in the sector, the Vaalharts I rigation

Scheme has transformed a semi-arid region into a

lush productive zone that sustains crops as varied as

co ton, wheat, maize, nuts, olives and citrus. Spread

over an area of 3 000 hectares, more than 1 000km

Real culture: stories carved in stone and spirit

Culture in the Northern Cape is not confined

to museums; it lives in the land and its people.

Kimberley’s Big Hole, the world’s largest man-made

excavation, is a testamen to human ambition during

the diamond rush of the 1870s. Next door, the

Kimberley Mine Museum recreates the city’s past with

tram rides, historic buildings and the famed Eureka

Diamond – the first ever discovered in South Africa.

Further west, the Richtersveld Route immerses

visitors in the traditions of the Nama people.

Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this

desert wilderness is alive with cultural rituals, storyte

ling and a heritage that has endured for centuries.

The Forgo ten Highway Route adds another layer

of intrigue, weaving together mining heritage,

archaeology and community tourism. From the

Wonderwerk Cave’s ancient rock art to the Mo fat

Mission’s missionary history, the route is a living

archive of human resilience.

Real adventure: where adrenaline meets loneliness

Adventure seekers wi l find the Northern Cape

16


2022/23

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 Commi sion (CIPC)

• Tax authority: South African Revenue Service (SARS)

• International Trade Administration Commission

• National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications

• 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 a se sed

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 a 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

ski ls list as we l 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

a sist investment and trade opportunities from the

same offices. The Northern Cape team is commi ted

and qualified to a sist and guide you from concep to

investment phase.

We look forward to hearing from you and partnering

with you to make your investment a su ce s! ■

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY І Agriculture

“The Northern Cape: A Modern, Growing and Su ce sful Province”

NC Business.indd 50 20 2/06/01 13:03

JOIN US ONLINE

The Vine Academy and Model Farm is ensuring

that vital ski ls are being o fered within the

Northern Cape.

of concrete-lined canals nourish over 1 200 farms,

creating a pivotal impact on the region’s productivity.

The scheme is the largest in South Afric and one of

the largest of its kind in the world, marking the

Northern Cape’s leadership in climate resilience projects

and innovative approaches to food security.

Despite its importance domestica ly, the province’s

agriculture strategy retains a decidedly international

outlook, with infrastructure to match. “Our focus is on

strengthening agricultural value chains, improving

market access for sma l-scale and emerging farmers

and increasing agricultural exports,” says Member of

the Executive Council for Finance, Economic

Development and Tourism Lorato Venus Blennies-

Magage. “With the combined logistical power of

Boegoebaai Port and the Upington cargo terminal,

we’re creating real pathways for our agricultural products

to reach global markets.” ■

NORTHERN

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Contact details

Mr Hendrik Louw, Acting C

Addre s: DCS Office Block, F

Tel: +27 87 086 0350 | +27 53

Email: ceo@nceda.co.za | info

Website: www.investsanc.co.z

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the South African Participating national government entities

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Department Agency (NCEDA) of Trade, is the Industry host of the and Northern Competition • InvestSA is a division of the South African

The InvestSA One Stop Shop initiative (the Cape dtic) InvestSA One Stop Shop.

Department of Trade, THE Industry GUIDE and TO Competition BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN

is geared towards providing investors with services • Business The InvestSA registry: One Companies Stop Shop and initiative Intellectual (the dtic)


to fast-track projects and reduce government red is geared Property towards Commission providing investors (CIPC) with services • Business registry: Companies and Intellectual

tape when establishing a business. It is part of the to fast-track • Tax authority: projects South and reduce African government Revenue Service red (SARS) Property Commission (CIPC)

government’s drive to become investor friendly by tape • when International establishing Trade a business. Administration It is part Commission

of the • Tax authority: South African Revenue Service (SARS)

improving the business environment by lowering government’s (ITAC) drive to become investor friendly by • International Trade Administration Commission

the cost of doing business as well as making the improving • National the business Regulator environment for Compulsory by lowering Specifications (ITAC)

process easier.

the cost (NRCS) of doing business as well as making the • National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications

One Stop Shops house government entities process • Public easier. electricity utility: Eskom

(NRCS)

such as the South African Revenue Service (to help One • Municipal Stop Shops Infrastructure house government Support Agent entities (MISA) • Public electricity utility: Eskom

with customs and tax), Home Affairs, Environmental such as the South African Revenue Service (to help • Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA)

Affairs, Eskom and the Companies and Intellectual with Visa customs facilitation and tax), Home Affairs, Environmental

Properties Commission under one roof.

Affairs, Visa Eskom and permit and the applications Companies can and be Intellectual made at Visa and Visa facilitation

An investor can make an appointment, meet a Properties Permit Commission Facilitation Centres. under Applications one roof. are then assessed Visa and permit applications can be made at Visa and

government representative and be guided by the An by the investor Department can make of Home an appointment, Affairs Pretoria. meet Non-South a Permit Facilitation Centres. Applications are then assessed

representative through the process of setting up a government Africans with representative a legal residency and be permit guided in South by the Africa can by the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria. Non-South

business. The One Stop Shops simplify administrative representative apply for a visa through or permit the at process these centres. of setting up a Africans with a legal residency permit in South Africa can

procedures for issuing business approvals, permits and business. There One are Stop centres Shops in simplify every administrative province. In the apply for a visa or permit at these centres.

licences and thereby remove bottlenecks that investors procedures Northern for issuing Cape business there is approvals, a facility in permits Kimberley. and The There are centres in every province. In the

may face in establishing and running businesses. licences South and African thereby remove government bottlenecks is reviewing that investors its critical Northern Cape there is a facility in Kimberley. The

may skills face in list establishing as well as and taking running steps businesses. to make it easier for South African government is reviewing its critical

The offering includes, but is not limited to: people who qualify to apply.

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

• Providing an accessible entry point for investors

The offering includes, but is not limited to: people who qualify to apply.

•


Providing

The Northern

an accessible

Cape invitation

entry point for investors



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

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

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

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

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

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


same offices. The Northern Cape team is committed


same offices. The Northern Cape team is committed

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

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

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

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

partners, etc).


partners, etc).


• Providing post-approval information (facilitation

of permit approvals, information relating to

with you to make your investment a success! ■

• Providing post-approval information (facilita-

with you to make your investment a success! ■



Contact details

Contact details




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



(the dtic)

(ITAC)

(NRCS)

tion of permit approvals, information relating to




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



20 2/06/01 13:03

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

Renewable energy

is already providing

employment

opportunities in

the Northern Cape.

Maintenance of

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

2022/06/01 13:03

THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE



Scan to find us online!

INVESTMENT

PROSPECTUS

Investment

Prospectus

2021

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Grapes and wine 24

Wine exports to China are set to grow.

Mining 26

Critical minerals such as manganese are attracting new investors.

Energy 30

Wind and solar are powering progress.

Engineering 34

Engineers are working on sophisticated technology in the

Northern Cape.

Manufacturing 35

Mining equipment is made in the Northern Cape.

ICT 36

ICT training expands.

Banking and financial services 37

Financial management has improved.

Development finance and SMME support 38

The J & Jo Fast Food is a small business that has benefitted from

support from a renewable energy project.

SECTOR OVERVIEW

Education and training

Relevant skills are being offered.

A

Sol Plaatje University (SPU) in Kimberley celebrated

its 10th anniversary in 2023 and the province’s two

TVET co leges have seven campuses between them.

t-tracking projects

lowering the cost

ing business

CAPE

orthern Cape Economic Development

cy (NCEDA) is the host of the Northern

InvestSA One Stop Shop.

InvestSA One Stop Shop initiative

ds providing investors with services

jects and reduce government red

blishing a busine s. It is part of the

ive to become investor friendly by

usine s environment by lowering

busine s as we l as making the

ps house government entities

frican Revenue Service (to help

ax), Home Affairs, Environmental

he Companies and Inte lectual

on under one roof.

ake an appointment, meet a

tative and be guided by the

h the proce s of se ting up a

Shops simplify administrative

usine s approvals, permits and

ove bo tlenecks that investors

nd running busine ses.

, but is not limited to:

le entry point for investors

compliance.

and legal proce ses.

rnaround timeframes.

on incentives (tax, land,

s, etc).

l information (market

roject approval, local

information (facilitaformation

relating to

raw materials, central

c) to investors.

HERNCAPEBUSINESS.CO.ZA

EO, NCEDA

loor 1, 69 Memorial Road Kimberley, 8301

833 1503

Upington Solar Park

@investsanc.co.za

a

2022/23 EDITION

The Northern Cape is leveraging its superb assets in

renewable energy to kickstart economic growth.

ur vision for the Northern Cape is to

become a modern, growing and successful

province. To achieve this vision, we have

set specific economic goals: reaching a

P of around R200-bi lion by 2030 and creating

dditional 6 000 jobs. In working towards these

ets we wi l ensure that, through our partnerships

private and investment sectors, we succeed!

e Northern Cape is known for its world-class

ion and solar-energy production. Generating

amounts of green energy nearby and

ping shared infrastructure further lowers

costs. This, in turn, enables co-location with

intensive industries and sector such as green

large AI data centres and industrial clusters

de mineral beneficiation and manufacturing.

senting his 2026 State of the Province

n 26 February, Premier Dr Zamani Saul noted

orthern Cape has a solar-energy capacity of

, 84% of the province’s land is classified as

ity” in terms of activities taking place on it

available land, 57% is suitable fo renewable

eration. The Northern Cape produces

times more energy than it consumes.


2022/23


• InvestSA is a division of the South African

Department of Trade, Industry and Competition

• Busine s registry: Companies and Inte lectual

Property Commi sion (CIPC)


• International Trade Administration Commi sion

• National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications



Visa facilitation

Visa and permit applications can be made at Visa and

Permit Facilitation Centres. Applications are then a se sed

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 a 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

ski ls list as we l as taking steps to make it easier for

people who qualify to apply.



team can advise you on investment opportunities and

a sist investment and trade opportunities from the

same offices. The Northern Cape team is commi ted

and qualified to a sist and guide you from concep to

investment phase.


with you to make your investment a su ce s! ■

ape: A Modern, Growing and Succe sful Province”

Education and training 40


Tourism 44

Breathtaking landscapes and cloudless landscapes await tourists

in the Northern Cape.

References

Key sectors 20

Overviews of the main economic sectors of the

Northern Cape.

Northern Cape Local Government 46

A guide to the district and local municipalities of the

Northern Cape.

JOIN US ONLINE

In describing the Upington Solar Park as a “major

government initiative”, Premier Saul noted that it

wi l entail an “active partnership between three tiers

of government, namely the National Department of

Electricity and Energy, Provincial Government, the

Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality and the O fice of

the Independent Power Producers”.

LOCATION

The Upington Solar Park is less than 10km from

Upington and the Upington Industrial Park.

Northern Cape Provincial Government 48

A guide to the provincial government

departments of the Northern Cape.

THE PROPOSITION

• The inception phase o fers 5 000ha of prime land,

capable of hosting facilities that could generate

between 1 000MW and 1 500MW.

• The park aims to o fe renewable energy developers

a “one-stop” plot-and-plan site to enable rapid

development, the consolidation of volume and the

ability to sign o ftake agreements.

• Access to shared infrastructure such as water and

the power grid wi l be provided, to help investors

achieve more competitive prices for the green

energy they wi l create and se l. ■

NORTHERN CAPE

BUSINESS



INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY І Solar power


2022/23 EDITION

combination of increased public spending

and comprehensive corporate social

responsibility programmes that focus on

education is producing positive results for

education in the Northern Cape. Institutions are

attempting to o fer courses that are relevan to a fastchanging

workplace with solar and wind farms and

radio telescopes becoming ever more relevant in the

provincial economy.

Apart from provincial government expenditure,

companies in the mining and renewable energy

sectors, the two biggest economic sectors, are

investing heavily in education at a levels. Kumba Iron

Ore has spent more than R140-mi lion over three years

in the education field. Arising out of the companies’

investment in solar technology in the greater De

Aar area, SunCentral and Proconics Newfields have

combined to upgrade facilities at Emthanjeni Primary

School and Hanover Primary School. The former has new reading room while Hanover’s pupils now have a

safer place to play outside.

A safe play space has been created at Hanover Primary School.

RESOURCES

NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2026/27

40

The buildings of Sol Plaatje University

have won awards.

•The Centre for Professional Development at SPU o fers accredited short courses.

• SPU Centre for Entrepreneurship & Rapid Incubator: Located in Upington, CfERI is an incubator for SMMEs. A

programme of the Department of Sma l Business Development (DSBD), it is implemented by the Sma l

Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (Sedfa).

Fast-tracking projects

and lowering the

Fast-tracking

cost

projects

of doing business

and lowering the cost

of doing business

T

17

T

solar panels is just

one example.


2022/23

NORTHERN CAPE

BUSINESS

NORTHERN NORTHERN CAPE CAPE

BUSINESS BUSINESS


2022/23

2022/23 EDITION

NORTHERN CAPE CAPE

2022/23 EDITION

2026/27 EDITION

About the cover: Top, then clockwise from right: Mokala

manganese mine has changed hands, Ntsimbintle Holdings;

residences play an important role at Sol Plaatje University,

SPU; electric vehicles are in use at Kenhardt and Upington,

Scatec; the manufacture of rail sleepers has resumed in De

Aar, Colossal Concrete; Loapi Tented Camp, courtesy Tswalu

Kalahari Reserve; a diamond trawler in the bay at Port

Nolloth illustrates the potential of the Oceans Economy,

Matt Jackson/Alamy.


FOREWORD

Credits

Publishing director:

Chris Whales

Editor: John Young

Managing director:

Clive During

Online editor:

Christoff Scholtz

Designer:

Elmethra de Bruyn

Production:

Ashley van Schalkwyk

Project manager:

Chris Hoffman

Account managers:

Gabriel Venter

Vanessa Wallace

Shiko Diala

Venesia Fowler

Administration

& accounts:

Sharon Angus-Leppan

Charlene Steynberg

Kathy Wootton

Distribution and

circulation manager:

Edward MacDonald

Printing: FA Print

Northern Cape Business

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

The 2026/27 edition of Northern Cape Business is the 16th 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 (DEDaT) at conferences and other events including

the Northern Cape Investment Conference, Northern Cape Business is unique as a

business and investment guide that focuses exclusively on the province.

A special feature on innovation speaks to the many areas within education,

science and the economy where the Northern Cape is embracing new ways

of doing things. Sol Plaatje University (SPU) and the Square Kilometre Array

(SKA) radio telescope project are at the forefront of many of the innovative

measures being taken. Both institutions recently celebrated 10-year anniversaries

of a sort. The university was launched in 2013 and the first dishes of SKA’s

precursor, the MeerKAT telescope, were placed in 2014. In 2025 SPU accepted

more than 7 000 students and SKA delivered its first image, which

outshone high expectations.

Plans to promote the green hydrogen economy are in place. The Northern

Cape is qualified to play a lead role in this enterprise, given its bountiful resources

of land, wind and sun. The idea to develop a deepwater port at Boegoebaai

has been linked to the notion of a Special Economic Zone devoted to green

hydrogen production.

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 The Journal of African Business

joined the Global Africa Network stable of publications. ■

Chris Whales

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

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.

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

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 | ACWA; Aurex Constructors; Capitec; De Aar Solar Power; Fedgroup;

Northern Cape Tourism Authority; Ntsimbintle Holdings; Oasis Skills Development

Centre; Rufco Construction; SA Raisins; SARAO; Scatec; SunCentral; Sol Plaatje University.

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.

The SAIEE calls on Engineering

Practitioners in the Northern Cape

Formed in 1909, the South African Institute of Electrical Engineering (SAIEE) has a long-standing

tradition of supporting and promoting excellence in electrical engineering. As we continue to grow

and expand our reach, we call on all Northern Cape engineering practitioners to join us and

establish a centre/branch in your region, with head office support.

Becoming a SAIEE member gives you access to a wide range of benefits and opportunities to

further your career and professional development. Our 9 Centres nationwide provide a platform

for members to network with industry experts, participate in monthly lectures, and access

career development tools to enhance their skills and knowledge.

One key advantage of being a SAIEE member is the opportunity to participate in

CPD-accredited site visits, which can provide valuable insights and practical

knowledge to help you stay ahead in the rapidly evolving field of

electrical engineering. Additionally, our Centres are vital in promoting

engineering studies to school leavers, mentoring students through

our student chapters, and offering access to the industry’s most

essential technical information in English.

By joining forces and building a strong community of engineering

practitioners in the Northern Cape province, we can make a real

impact and drive positive change in our industry. We invite

you to join the SAIEE family and help us shape the future of

electrical engineering in South Africa. Join us today and be

a part of something great!

For more information, email minx@saiee.org.za

join us today!

Membership

Corporate Forums

CPD Training Academy

Skills Development

9 Centres nationwide

www.saiee.org.za

Dedicated to Electrical Engineering since 1909

T: 011 487 3003 | SAIEE House 18a Gill Street Observatory JHB

A REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF THE

NORTHERN

CAPE PROVINCE

The 100MW Redstone Concentrated Solar Power plant, near Postmasburg in the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality.

The traditional strengths of the provincial

economy are continuing to excel while

excitement is being created by the growth

of renewable energy and the implications

of the siting of one of the world’s great

scientific projects.

By John Young

Mining and agriculture, the pillars of the

Northern Cape economy, are not only doing

well but are attracting investors in new

subsectors.

The giant Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope

project, a multinational scientific project, is taking shape in

the Karoo and having an impact on the province’s economy

and educational sphere.

Green hydrogen plans for the West Coast, where three

new ports have been proclaimed in anticipation of plans to

create Special Economic Zones (SEZs), hold great potential

for a province that has vast amounts of mineral resources

that the world needs.

GEOGRAPHY

South Africa’s largest province is also its

most scarcely populated. The Northern

Cape shares borders with Namibia and

Botswana. The Orange River serves as the

border with the Free State Province, with the

Vanderkloof Dam being shared by the two

provinces. The Orange River and its main

tributary, the Vaal, allow for crop farming

and generate tourist income through

river rafting and features such as the

Augrabies Falls. Most of the province lies

in the Karoo Basin, with the Kalahari Desert

to the north and the Atlantic Ocean as

the western border. Namaqualand is

home to a sensational annual display of

spring flowers. Arid to semi-arid conditions

predominate with low rainfall. Sutherland,

located on a plateau in the Roggeveld

Mountains and consequently an excellent

location for stargazing, is sometimes a

place to experience snow.


6

PHOTO: ACWA

REGIONAL OVERVIEW

ECONOMY

Mining contributes 22% to provincial GDP. Established

and extensive operations in iron ore and manganese

have recently been joined by one of the country’s

biggest new investments, the Gamsberg project

at Aggenenys (Vedanta Zinc International), and

multiple copper projects that are gathering steam.

The province holds significant proportions of the

minerals that the world needs for the transition to a

greener economy. The Kalahari Basin holds between

70% and 80% of the world’s manganese resource, for

example. The 14km-long open-cast mine at Kumba

Iron Ore’s Sishen Mine feeds iron ore into the largest

jig plant of its kind in the world.

Agriculture contributes 8% to provincial GDP. The

Northern Cape’s sheep flock is the country’s second

largest, of which the karakul component is a small

but export-concentrated sector. Horse studs do

excellent business in the clear air of the Karoo while

the waters of the Vaal, Harts and Orange rivers

ensure that the cultivation of grapes, dates, pecan

nuts and vegetables of all kinds thrives. Wheat and

barley are also grown and in the drier areas, rooibos

is successful.

Manufacturing contributes 4% to provincial

GDP. The mining industry is the main

stimulant of manufacturing so towns such

as Kathu and Postmasburg, in addition

to the larger centres like Kimberley

and Upington, tend to host steel and

machinery workshops. A precast concrete

factory has reopened in De Aar. Planned

SEZs are intended to promote the

diversification of the manufacturing sector.

Renewable energy is attracting huge

amounts of money, but as the Premier

of the Northern Cape, Dr Zamani Saul,

told an investment conference, turnover

figures of companies tend to be reflected

in the provincial statistics of the province

where those companies have their head

offices. With more than 60% of South

Africa’s installed solar PV capacity and hosting

several huge wind farms, it is clear that renewable

energy is playing a role in transforming the provincial

economy. Premier Saul’s 2026 State of the Province

Address referenced R82-billion being directed to the

province “in the past eight years”.

Tourism attracted expenditure of R970-million

by tourists in 2022/23 (South African Tourism

Performance Report 2023). The province attracts a

small proportion of visitors to South Africa but its

outstanding assets in multiple subsectors suggest

that growth could be exponential. Astronomy is one

such subsector, with a National Astro-Tourism having

been rolled out in 2025.

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio astronomy

project located near the town of Carnarvon is a huge

international project which is having a big impact

on the Northern Cape. Apart from the engineering

and construction requirements of the project

creating new work opportunities, aspirant young

data scientists and astronomers are being inspired

by the SKA project.

Transport

8%

Agriculture

8%

Trade

11%

Electricity 3%

Manufacturing 4%

Finance

14%

Construction 2%

Other 1%

GDP

sector

contributions

Community services

27%

Mining

22%

7


Upington is home to several regional headquarters.

CITIES AND TOWNS

Kimberley: The provincial capital owes its origins to the

1. discovery of diamonds and the Big Hole remains a major

tourist attraction. The McGregor Museum, the Sol Plaatje

Museum and the Mayibuye Memorial are among many

popular sites, and the city is close to significant Anglo Boer

War sites. The provincial legislature sits in the city.

Upington: The province’s second-biggest town has an airport

2. with one of the longest runways in the world. Lying on

the banks of the Orange River, Upington is a good starting

point for visitors to the Green Kalahari. Several regional

headquarters and the head office of Orange River Cellars are

in the city.

Springbok: A popular stopover for travellers from the Cape

3. to Namibia, the adjacent Goegap Nature Reserve and

Namaqua National Park nearby provide spectacular spring

flower displays. The town’s history is linked to copper.

Kuruman: Manganese mining is the principal economic

4. activity of the “Oasis of the Kalahari”, so named because

of the Eye of Kuruman, a plentiful spring, the largest in the

southern hemisphere..

De Aar: Famous for being the country’s most central railway

5. junction, the town is becoming a hub for renewable energy.

INFRASTRUCTURE

• Vanderkloof Dam.

• Six national parks and many

privates lodges and reserves.

• Vaalharts-Taung Irrigation

Scheme.

• Upington Industrial Park.

• Upington International Airport

and Kimberley Airport.

• Sol Plaatje University.

• Northern Cape Urban TVET

College (three campuses).

• Northern Cape Rural TVET

College (five campuses).

• Sishen-Saldanha railway line,

an 861km export channel for

iron ore.

• Mittah Seperepere

International Convention

Centre, Kimberley.

In the five-year term of the Sixth

Administration of the Provincial

Government of the Northern

Cape, R25-billion was spent on

clinics, schools, libraries, roads

and houses (SOPA 2025).


8

REGIONAL OVERVIEW

The Orange River is an agricultural and tourism asset.

NORTHERN CAPE

Capital city: Kimberley

Population: 1.3-million

Area: 372 889km²

GDP: R165-billion

Kuruman

Upington

Kimberley

Springbok

De Aar

District municipalities: Five district municipalities:

ZF Mgcawu (Upington is the administrative centre, with five local

municipalities); Frances Baard (Kimberley, four); John Taolo Gaetsewe

(Kuruman, three); Namakwa (Springbok, six); Pixley ka Seme (De Aar, eight)

ONLINE RESOURCES

Website: www.northern-cape.gov.za

9 NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2026/27

WWW.NORTHERNCAPEBUSINESS.CO.ZA

OIN ONLINE US ONLINE

WWW.GLOBALAFRICANETWORK.COM | WWW.NORTHERNCAPEBU

| | 10 REASONS

WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN SOUTH AFRICA

01.

HOT EMERGING

MARKET

Growing middle class, affluent consumer

base, excellent returns on investment.

02.

MOST DIVERSIFIED

ECONOMY IN AFRICA

South Africa (SA) has the most industrialised economy in Africa.

It is the region’s principal manufacturing hub and a leading

services destination.

LARGEST PRESENCE OF MULTINATIONALS

ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

SA is the location of choice of multinationals in Africa.

03.

Global corporates reap the benefits of doing business in

SA, which has a supportive and growing ecosystem as a

hub for innovation, technology and fintech.

05.

FAVOURABLE ACCESS TO

GLOBAL MARKETS

ADVANCED FINANCIAL SERVICES

& BANKING SECTOR

SA has a sophisticated banking sector with a major

footprint in Africa. It is the continent’s financial hub,

with the JSE being Africa’s largest stock exchange by

market capitalisation.

The African Continental Free Trade Area will boost

intra-African trade and create a market of over one

billion people and a combined gross domestic product

(GDP) of USD2.2-trillion that will unlock industrial

development. SA has several trade agreements in

place as an export platform into global markets.

07.

YOUNG, EAGER LABOUR FORCE

09.

SA has a number of world-class universities and colleges

producing a skilled, talented and capable workforce. It

boasts a diversified skills set, emerging talent, a large pool

of prospective workers and government support for training

and skills development.

04.

06.

08.

PROGRESSIVE

CONSTITUTION

& INDEPENDENT

JUDICIARY

SA has a progressive Constitution and an independent judiciary. The

country has a mature and accessible legal system, providing certainty

and respect for the rule of law. It is ranked number one in Africa for the

protection of investments and minority investors.

ABUNDANT NATURAL

RESOURCES

SA is endowed with an abundance of natural resources. It is the leading producer

of platinum-group metals (PGMs) globally. Numerous listed mining companies

operate in SA, which also has world-renowned underground mining expertise.

WORLD-CLASS

INFRASTRUCTURE

AND LOGISTICS

A massive governmental investment programme in infrastructure development

has been under way for several years. SA has the largest air, ports and logistics

networks in Africa, and is ranked number one in Africa in the World Bank’s

Logistics Performance Index.

10.

SA offers a favourable cost of living, with a diversified cultural, cuisine and

sports offering all year round and a world-renowned hospitality sector.

EXCELLENT QUALITY

OF LIFE

Page | 2

719

SOUTH SOUTH AFRICAN AFRICAN BUSINESS BUSINESS 20232020

PEBUSINESS.CO.ZA

DESIGNATED SEZs

(SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES)

Limpopo

North West

Gauteng

Mpumalanga

Free State

KwaZulu-Natal

Northern Cape

Lesotho

Eastern Cape

Western Cape

Annual Report 2020-2021


SPECIAL FEATURE

Innovation is at

the heart of

new developments

The Northern Cape is benefitting from

technology-driven sectors such as

renewable energy and radio astronomy.

One of the earliest dishes

erected in anticipation

of the SKA project which

is driving innovation in

multiple fields.

The first power station at Kakamas was designed

to look like an Egyptian temple.

The Northern Cape has a long history of

innovation. The earliest farmers around

Kakamas built a sophisticated system of

canals that drew water from the Orange

River and by 1914 the town had its own hydroelectric

power station. Table grapes, peaches, oranges and

dates continue to thrive in the area and a modern

10MW run-of-river power station at Neusberg Weir

has been functioning since 2015.

The modern facility is part of the highly

successful national Renewable Energy Independent

Power Producer Procurement Programme

(REIPPPP) which is playing a role in bringing the latest

technologies to the Northern Cape.

The 100MW Redstone Concentrated Solar Power

(CSP) plant exhibits some of the most advanced

equipment in the renewable energy field, with

more than 40 000 heliostats (mirrors) reflecting

sunlight onto a huge tower with power being

stored using a molten-salt energy-storage system.

Most of the solar farms in the province are the

solar photovoltaic (PV) type, converting sunlight

via semiconductors. Within that sector, Scatec

is innovating in favour of green solutions at its

sites at Kenhardt and Upington. The company

is running an electric vehicle (EV) pilot project,

pictured, showing the practical uses of EVs in a

remote industrial setting. Local EV-as-a-Service

company, Everlectric, is the partner in the project.

The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) exists

to support innovation. An agency of the national

Department of Science and Innovation, TIA is

establishing Living Labs in the more remote parts

of South Africa where citizens living in townships

or rural areas can be supported in finding

technological solutions to local problems.

TIA’s recent engagements in the Northern Cape

comprised meetings in Kimberley and Upington,

hosted respectively at the Galeshewe SMME Centre

and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Rapid

Incubator (CfERI) of the Sol Plaatje University (SPU).

The meeting in the provincial capital was held


12

PHOTOS: SARAO, Andrew Hall/Wikimedia Commons, Scatec

SPECIAL FEATURE

in collaboration with Live, Love, Believe, an NGO

supporting one of the province’s Living Labs, while

in Upington, the meeting was attended by interested

parties associated with the district municipality,

the Local Economic Development (LED) Office,

civil-society organisations and entrepreneurship

intermediaries such as SEDFA and the Centre for 4IR.

Apart from CfERI, SPU hosts the Centre for

Entrepreneurship and Development and Research

(CEDAR), which offers a post-graduate diploma in

entrepreneurship. A number of other university

units are pursuing innovation in different ways. The

Centre for Global Change examines issues pertaining

to climate change, a hot topic in the Northern Cape,

where drought and floods are frequent. The Centre

for Applied Data Science will no doubt supply

graduates to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)

radio telescope and the Centre for Creative Writing

and African Languages which aims to promote

and research indigenous languages, is guided by

SPU policy which states that “conditions will be

created for the ongoing and systematic elaboration/

intellectualisation of Setswana, isiXhosa and the

continued elaboration of Afrikaans as academic

languages and languages of science”.

There are plans to develop green hydrogen at a

new port to be established on the Atlantic Ocean

at Boegoebaai. Apart from the potential to create

energy from the province’s abundant wind and

solar resources, such a port would align with the

Northern Cape Industrial Corridor initiative. The

N14 highway already runs through a number of

important mining areas and the Corridor initiative

would link them up in a meaningful way with

industrial parks and Special Economic Zones (SEZs),

strengthening linkages along mining, energy and

manufacturing value chains.

Reaching for the stars

The Premier of the Northern Cape, Dr Zamani Saul,

has expressly linked the presence of the Square

Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope project with

innovation and progress in the province in a wide

range of fields.

“Beyond science, the SKA is catalysing innovation

in data science, ICT skills and infrastructure in the

Karoo region,” says Dr Saul. “The project is bringing

jobs, training and skills development to the

Northern Cape in a variety of sectors, including

infrastructure improvements to transport networks,

power and Internet provision that benefit local

communities,” he added.

The SKA has several scientific goals, among which

are exploring the origins of the universe, tracking

the behaviour of black holes and understanding

more about magnetic fields.

Unsurprisingly in a province with a highly

educated Premier, the Northern Cape is prioritising

education at all levels. Dr Saul, with a PhD in law, two

Master’s degrees and a BProc already completed

and a second PhD on the way, has promoted digital

literacy and bursaries in STEM subjects. Coding

and robotics have been introduced to the school

system. Specialist technology-led pilot projects are

running in 173 schools. In 2025, the Premier was

able to report, “We have seen an unprecedented

rise in distinctions and university-eligible students

in previously underperforming schools.” ■


OIN US ONLINE

CATALYTIC PROJECT І From energy to exports


Unlocking the

Northern Cape’s

integrated valuechain

economy

At its core, the Northern Cape offers a rare

proposition: the ability to produce, process and

export within one integrated geography.

BUILDING A COMPLETE ECONOMIC SYSTEM

The Northern Cape’s growth trajectory is defined by its

ability to connect sectors into a single, functioning valuechain

economy. This system begins with energy, extends

through minerals and manufacturing and culminates in

global-export capability. It is further reinforced by digital

infrastructure, creating a multi-layered economic model

that is both resilient and scalable.

The hydrogen economy and global market access

The evolution of the Northern Cape Industrial Corridor

finds its most advanced expression in the Boegoebaai

development. This initiative integrates renewable

energy production, hydrogen generation and export

logistics into a unified platform.

Green-hydrogen production is enabled by low-cost

renewable energy inputs and large-scale land availability.

These conditions support competitive production costs

in a global market that is rapidly expanding under

decarbonisation imperatives.

The value chain is clear:

• Renewable energy powers electrolysis.

• Hydrogen is converted into ammonia and industrial

inputs.

• Export infrastructure connects production to

international demand.

This positions the Northern Cape as a future-facing

energy exporter, capable of supplying markets in Europe

and Asia.

LOGISTICS AS THE ARTERY OF THE CORRIDOR

No industrial system functions without efficient

logistics. The Northern Cape is advancing a multimodal

logistics framework that integrates rail, road and

port infrastructure. Rail corridors link mining regions

to industrial hubs. Road networks support regional

distribution. Port access ensures global connectivity.

This creates a continuous throughput system, where

goods move efficiently from source to market. The

emphasis on rail revitalisation and corridor optimisation

also supports a lower-cost and lower-emission logistics

model, strengthening the Province’s competitiveness in

global supply chains.

DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE: CONVERTING ENERGY

INTO INTELLIGENCE

The Northern Cape is uniquely positioned to participate

in the global data economy. The combination of

renewable energy availability and low electromagnetic

interference creates ideal conditions for highperformance

computing.

The presence of the Square Kilometre Array

international radio telescope project has already

established the region as a science and technology hub.

This enables the development of:

• Hyperscale data centres.

• Artificial intelligence processing platforms.

• Advanced research and data analytics capabilities.

In this model, energy is not only consumed. It is

converted into digital value, expanding the Province’s

economic base beyond traditional sectors.

14

PHOTO: SKAO

The Square

Kilometre Array

radio telescope

project has

established

the region as

a science and

technology hub.

Abundant renewable energy provides a

compelling first step of an investment proposition.

Good logistics and

infrastructure are vital parts

of a competitive economy.

INSTITUTIONAL ALIGNMENT AND

INVESTMENT READINESS

A defining feature of the Northern Cape’s trajectory

is the alignment between policy, planning and

execution.

• The Integrated Resource Plan 2025 enables energy

expansion.

• The Critical Minerals Strategy 2025 drives

beneficiation.

• Provincial frameworks ensure project lifecycle

tracking and delivery.

This alignment reduces regulatory uncertainty and

enhances investor confidence.

The Province has also established dedicated

platforms for investment facilitation, including

engagements hosted at the Mittah Seperepere

International Convention Centre. These platforms

are designed to move beyond dialogue toward

transaction closure, enabling partnerships, financing

agreements and project implementation.

The Northern Cape will be a Converging Investment

Destination which has the comparative advantages

that lie in its ability to integrate:

• Low-cost renewable energy.

• Strategic mineral resources.

• Scalable industrial land.

• Efficient logistics systems.

PHOTOS: ENEL, Baseline/SANRAL

15

• Emerging digital infrastructure.

These elements do not operate independently.

They function as a connected system, where each

component enhances the value of the others.

For investors, this represents a high-coherence

environment, where opportunities are not isolated but

embedded within a broader economic architecture.

CONCLUSION: A CORRIDOR ECONOMY

READY FOR SCALE

The Northern Cape is no longer positioned at the

margins of the South African economy. It is emerging

as a central growth engine, defined by industrial

integration, export capability and policy certainty.

The Industrial Corridor provides a platform where

projects move with clarity from concept to execution,

supported by infrastructure, regulation and market

access. This is a province that has aligned its natural

endowments with strategic intent and institutional

delivery. The result is an investment destination

engineered for scale, resilience and long-term

value creation. ■

CONNECT WITH US

NCEDA: +27 (0) 53 110 0289


X: @NorthernCapeSA

als, information relating to

and raw materials, central

on, etc) to investors.

cting CEO, NCEDA

Block, Floor 1, 69 Memorial Road Kimberley, 8301

| +27 53 833 1503


sanc.co.za

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY І Agriculture

Exports are growing in several fields as

innovation and strategic planning reap

dividends.


CAPE

2022/23

JOIN US ONLINE

WWW.GLOBALAFRICANETWORK.COM | W

2022/06/01 13:03

agriculture sector continues to thrive, thanks

to strategic investments and improved water

infrastructure,” says Northern Cape Premier Dr

“Our

Zamani Saul, emphasising the sector’s central

role in the administration’s vision for the province’s

future. With its fertile river corridors, unique climate and

extensive expertise, the Northern Cape has long been

one of South Africa’s most important agricultural regions.

Today, it is becoming something more: a modern

agribusiness hub focused on exports, innovation and

climate resilience.

Agriculture contributes R10.3-billion annually to the

Northern Cape’s economy, accounting for around 8%

of GDP, and is a significant driver of job growth, with

official figures showing that employment levels have

risen to 52 000 in recent months, representing 4% of the

province’s total.

Among its key products, Karoo lamb was officially

protected under South African Geographical Indication

law in October 2023, affirming its status in terms of

quality and exclusivity. Geographical Indication (GI)

law in South Africa protects products that possess

unique qualities linked to their geographical origin,

ensuring both heritage preservation and market

differentiation. This follows in the footsteps of another

signature speciality, rooibos tea, which won similar

recognition from the EU in 2014 and continues to grow

its global footprint.

High-value horticultural products including table

grapes, wine grapes, sultanas, dates and nuts thrive

along the Orange River. The Northern Cape produces

almost one third of South Africa’s table-grape crop,

and 18% of the nation’s white-wine grapes, signifying

the sector’s outsized importance to the nation’s

agricultural output. Livestock remains a cornerstone

of rural economic activity, with wool, mohair, karakul,

venison, ostrich meat and leather farmed throughout

the majority of the province.

Emblematic of the government’s commitment

to innovation in the sector, the Vaalharts Irrigation

Scheme has transformed a semi-arid region into a

lush productive zone that sustains crops as varied as

cotton, wheat, maize, nuts, olives and citrus. Spread

over an area of 30 000 hectares, more than 1 000km

The Vine Academy and Model Farm is ensuring

that vital skills are being offered within the

Northern Cape.

of concrete-lined canals nourish over 1 200 farms,

creating a pivotal impact on the region’s productivity.

The scheme is the largest in South Africa and one of

the largest of its kind in the world, marking the

Northern Cape’s leadership in climate resilience projects

and innovative approaches to food security.

Despite its importance domestically, the province’s

agriculture strategy retains a decidedly international

outlook, with infrastructure to match. “Our focus is on

strengthening agricultural value chains, improving

market access for small-scale and emerging farmers

and increasing agricultural exports,” says Member of

the Executive Council for Finance, Economic

Development and Tourism Lorato Venus Blennies-

Magage. “With the combined logistical power of

Boegoebaai Port and the Upington cargo terminal,

we’re creating real pathways for our agricultural products

to reach global markets.” ■

16

PHOTO: VAMF

rovals, information relating to

ent and raw materials, central

riation, etc) to investors.

, Acting CEO, NCEDA

ce Block, Floor 1, 69 Memorial Road Kimberley, 8301

50 | +27 53 833 1503

a.co.za | info@investsanc.co.za

vestsanc.co.za

Upington Solar Park

e Northern Cape: A Modern, Growing and Successful Province”

The Northern Cape is leveraging its superb assets in

2022/06/01 13:03

renewable energy to kickstart economic growth.

CAPE

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY І Solar power

2022/23

JOIN US ONLINE

WWW.GLOBALAFRICANETWORK.COM |

Our vision for the Northern Cape is to

become a modern, growing and successful

province. To achieve this vision, we have

set specific economic goals: reaching a

GDP of around R200-billion by 2030 and creating

an additional 60 000 jobs. In working towards these

targets we will ensure that, through our partnerships

with private and investment sectors, we succeed!

The Northern Cape is known for its world-class

radiation and solar-energy production. Generating

large amounts of green energy nearby and

developing shared infrastructure further lowers

supply costs. This, in turn, enables co-location with

energy-intensive industries and sectors such as green

energy, large AI data centres and industrial clusters

that include mineral beneficiation and manufacturing.

In presenting his 2026 State of the Province

Address on 26 February, Premier Dr Zamani Saul noted

that the Northern Cape has a solar-energy capacity of

11 400GW, 84% of the province’s land is classified as

“low-intensity” in terms of activities taking place on it

and, of the available land, 57% is suitable for renewable

energy generation. The Northern Cape produces

nearly three times more energy than it consumes.

In describing the Upington Solar Park as a “major

government initiative”, Premier Saul noted that it

will entail an “active partnership between three tiers

of government, namely the National Department of

Electricity and Energy, Provincial Government, the

Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality and the Office of

the Independent Power Producers”.

LOCATION

The Upington Solar Park is less than 10km from

Upington and the Upington Industrial Park.

THE PROPOSITION

• The inception phase offers 5 000ha of prime land,

capable of hosting facilities that could generate

between 1 000MW and 1 500MW.

• The park aims to offer renewable energy developers

a “one-stop” plot-and-plan site to enable rapid

development, the consolidation of volume and the

ability to sign offtake agreements.

• Access to shared infrastructure such as water and

the power grid will be provided, to help investors

achieve more competitive prices for the green

energy they will create and sell. ■

CONNECT WITH US

NCEDA: +27 (0) 53 110 0289


X: @NorthernCapeSA

Renewable energy

is already providing

employment

opportunities in

the Northern Cape.

Maintenance of

solar panels is just

one example.

PHOTO: Globeleq

17

INTERVIEW

A logistics bridge to the region

The Airport Manager of Upington International Airport, Sakhumzi Baba, lays out

a vision of regional connectivity for freight and tourism along with plans for a

sustainable future as an aviation park with multiple revenue streams. With ACSA since

2008, wide experience has given Baba a “360-degree view of how airports function”.

Sakhumzi Baba,

Airport Manager,

Upington

International

Airport.

What is your vision for

Upington International

Airport’s future?

To position Upington as a strategic

connector, supporting regional

development, enhancing air

connectivity and unlocking the

airport’s full cargo, tourism and

sustainability potential.

What are your main priorities

for the next year?

Improve passenger experience

and terminal flow, reposition

cargo operations for agricultural

exports, drive stakeholder

alignment and partnership for

infrastructure enhancements,

and drive strategic initiatives to position UIA as a

commercially sustainable and profit-generating asset.

How do you see Upington’s role in serving the

Northern Cape and the SADC region?

Upington is a vital link for the region. Its expansive

runway, geographic location, climate and airfreight

potential give it a unique edge. It can serve as a

logistics bridge to the SADC and a platform for crossborder

collaboration.

Are there plans to digitalise or modernise

passenger services?

Yes, we’re exploring digital solutions to improve checkin,

parking and passenger flow. Modernising services is

part of enhancing customer experience and ensuring

operational agility.

How might you leverage Upington’s unique

features to attract new business?

Upington’s 4 900-metre runway is a critical strategic asset

we are leveraging to position the airport as a preferred


location for high-value aviation activities, including

Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO), aircraft

storage, scrapping and cargo conversions. The region’s

dry climate and vast land availability make it ideal for

long-term aircraft parking and testing operations.

Our broader vision includes developing the Upington

Aviation Park, a future-ready, multi-modal logistics hub

that aligns with sustainable aviation trends. With support

from solar power, SEZ (Special Economic Zone) incentives

and partnerships with global OEMs (like Airbus, Boeing

and Embraer), we aim to attract investments in aircraftlifecycle

management, freighter conversions and

recycling facilities. These efforts diversify revenue streams

and promote skills development and industrial growth.

Our goal is to optimise cold-chain solutions, streamline

customs clearance and position the airport as a reliable

export gateway.

How do you ensure the airport benefits the

local community?

We are deeply committed to ensuring that Upington

International Airport serves as both a driver of economic

development and a source of meaningful employment

for the local community. Our focus is on creating

sustainable job opportunities, developing skills and

enabling local enterprise participation. The airport must

reflect and respond to the aspirations of the community

it serves. We are engaging with the Northern Cape

Economic Development Agency (NCEDA) and the Office

of the Premier, building strategic partnerships focused

on unlocking the region’s economic potential and

positioning the airport as a key gateway and logistics hub

for inclusive, long-term growth.

How do you support local businesses, education or

skills development?

We’re engaging schools and colleges for aviation

awareness and exploring internship pipelines. Supplier

development and mentorship for local businesses are

also part of our agenda. ■

18

ACSA is supporting the

community in Upington

Skills centre and Early Childhood Development

benefit from ACSA programmes.

FOCUS

ACSA partners with Oasis to boost skills

The Oasis Skills Development Centre benefits. Continuous monitoring

has expanded its skills-training of their progress will continue, and

programmes because of the support

of ACSA.

Established in Upington in 2002,

the Oasis Centre was and is the only

facility within a 300km radius that

caters for the needs of persons with

the Centre will continue to provide

support where needed.

The project has generated

more than R200 000 from the

commencement of the scheme.

In response to the invaluable

disabilities. The project started with support provided by ACSA,

six volunteers, 16 learners and R256, the project has undergone

a modest start to what has become

a highly successful and important

institution.

A Paving and Concrete Project

began in 2008 with a focus on onthe-job

training in basic products

such as paving blocks, pot plants,

tables and benches. Over the years,

more intricate creations such as

fountains and larger pots were

tackled. Although bricklaying briefly

entered the scope, the core objective

remained skill development. It also

became a source of income, with

profits helping to sustain the Centre.

A modest stipend was allocated

to those dedicated individuals

contributing to the project’s success.

Support from ACSA since 2022 has

propelled the project to new heights,

allowing for expanded opportunities

and broader social and economic

transformative changes, not only

boosting productivity but also

profoundly impacting the lives of

participants. These enhancements

include:

• Practical theory training added to

on-the-job training.

• Transitioning to modern equipment

elevates product quality and

streamlines the production process

for greater efficiency and versatility.

• Enhanced classroom training and

training materials.

• Innovative learning tools.

• Tripling production and expansion

into new markets: ACSA funding led

to a remarkable threefold increase in

production.

• Personal and positive financial

impact on participants.

• Acknowledging and addressing

unique learning challenges.

Building skills in Early Childhood

Development

ACSA and ORT SA CAPE will partner

on an Early Childhood Development

(ECD) capacity-building programme

targeting 10 ECD centres in Upington

with a total of 20 participants, 10

ECD practitioners and 10 ECD centre

owners.

The programme is structured

around two complementary

components:

• Practitioner capacity-building.

• Financial management support

for ECD owners and managers: key

areas such as financial management,

budgeting, compliance and longterm

sustainability.

ORT SA CAPE will design and

deliver training programmes that

equip teachers with the skills,

confidence and tools they need

to create inclusive, joyful and

developmentally appropriate

learning environments, particularly

in under-resourced communities.

The scope of the NGO’s work spans

leadership development, early

learning, social-emotional growth

and digital skills, always grounded

in the realities of the South African

context.

The 24-month programme

is expected to be completed by

September 2027.


KEY SECTORS

Overviews of the main economic sectors of the Northern Cape

Agriculture............................................... 22

Grapes and wine ......................................... 24

Mining................................................... 26

Energy ................................................... 30

Engineering ............................................. 34

Manufacturing........................................... 35

ICT ....................................................... 36

Banking and financial services ........................... 37

Development finance and SMME support ................ 38

Education and skills training ............................. 40

Tourism .................................................. 44

Lying in a bend in the Orange River just east of Prieska, Karoo Pistachios was the venue for a growers’

conference in 2026 where the global pistachio market came under the spotlight. Strategic funding from

Fedgroup has helped the nut company grow rapidly, and Karoo Pistachio CEO David Muller believes that

with the vast majority of the world’s supply coming from just four northern hemisphere countries, South

African producers have a significant counter-seasonal opportunity. The Karoo climate is ideal for the

production of premium nuts.

PHOTO: Fedgroup

SECTOR OVERVIEW

Agriculture

A vast irrigation scheme and the mighty Orange

River support a varied agricultural sector.

The Karoo Pistachios Outgrowers Conference near Prieska heard ambitious plans.

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 challenges of a changing

global climate are being felt across the region, with

floods and droughts becoming more frequent.

Occupying 36-million hectares, the Northern

Cape is the largest province in the country, almost

a third of South Africa’s total land area. Agricultural

development takes place along defined corridors.

In the Orange River Valley, especially at Upington,

Kakamas and Keimoes, grapes and fruit are

cultivated intensively.

RESOURCES

• The abattoir in Kimberley is one of only three in

South Africa to export frozen beef to China. It is run

by Beefmaster.

• Three processing facilities at Upington, Douglas

and Magogong in the Vaalharts area specialise in

pecan nuts for GWK Pecans.

• Vaalharts/Taung Irrigation Scheme. 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).

• Wool, mohair, karakul, Karoo lamb, venison, ostrich

meat and leather are farmed. The province is

second only to the Eastern Cape in terms of the

number of sheep farmed.


22

PHOTO: Fedgroup

SECTOR OVERVIEW

MAJOR COMPANIES

• VKB and GWK, formerly Griqualand

West Cooperative and one of the

Northern Cape’s biggest entities, have

merged. The new VKB Group recorded

a normalised profit before tax of

R608-million in its 2024 financial year

(ending 31 March 2024). Investment in

solar energy at some of the company’s

facilities is planned. GWK continues

to trade as a separate entity and the

headquarters are in the Northern Cape

town of Douglas, which is on the Vaal

River and very close to the confluence

with the Orange River.

• Senwes, best known for grain, has

become the majority shareholder in

KLK, which historically represented

karakul-sheep farmers. KLK has its

headquarters in Upington whereas the

Senwes HQ is just over the provincial

border in North West, at Klerksdorp.

KLK has an auction division, abattoirs

in Carnarvon and Upington, the Buildit

franchise and several petrol stations.

KLK Petworld operates in Kathu.

• 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.

• Wildeklawer, on the banks of the Vaal

River, produces vast amounts of onions,

potatoes, beetroot, carrots and more

from three production units that were

originally 17 farms.

• Kaap Agri, a company with a Western

Cape history and now listed on the JSE

as KAL, has consolidated all its retail

operations under the name Agrimark

and has multiple outlets in the

Northern Cape.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

1. A growers’ conference was hosted by Karoo Pistachios and

Fedgroup in early 2026, where ambitions were expressed

to significantly boost South African pistachio production

to take advantage of the fact that more than 95% of

global production comes from four northern hemisphere

countries, US, Iran, Syria and Turkey.

2. R8-billion will be spent on upgrading the Vaalharts/Taung

Irrigation Scheme over 20 years.

3. A disaster was declared after drought badly affected the

Namakwa and ZF Mgcawu districts. 2 510 farms received

assistance.

4. The first case of foot and mouth disease was reported in

February 2026, which led to an immediate quarantine.

5. A Hemp nursery and Coning Centre will be established,

supporting 159 farmers on 318 hectares.

KEY STATISTICS

• R226-million will support small-scale farmers in

2026/27, R100-million on infrastructure.

• 35 300ha The Vaalharts/Taung Irrigation Scheme is

the largest in Southern Africa.

• R11-billion (7%) contributed by the sector to provincial

GDP In 2024.

• 45 000 people employed by the sector.

• 10-million 10kg bags of onions are produced in the

Northern Cape.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Agricultural Research Council: www.arc.agric.za

Pistachio Growers Association: www.pistachios-growers-sa.com

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


SECTOR OVERVIEW

Grapes and wine

Wine and grape exports to China are set to grow.

SA Raisins sees to it that

the country’s producers are

exposed to international

markets. The 2025 Anuga

(General Food and Drink Trade

Fair) in Cologne, Germany, was

another such occasion.

A

framework trade agreement that will allow

South African exports, including wine and

grapes, into China with zero tariffs was

signed in February 2026.

Northern Cape exporters of wine and grapes have

been sending increasing volumes of both products

to China in recent years, but the maintenance of

tariffs remained a stumbling block to further growth.

In June 2025 China outlined its intention to give tariff

KEY STATISTICS

• 90% of South Africa’s raisin production

comes from the Orange River region.

•

South Africa is fifth-largest exporter of

raisins in the world.

• R2-billion. Estimated raisin industry turnover.

relief to 53 African countries, a welcome initiative in

the wake of the imposition of various tariffs by the US.

The Orange River region plays an important role

in South Africa’s table-grape, wine and raisin sectors.

Vinpro represents 2 500 South African wine grape

producers, wineries and wine-related businesses.

South Africa is one of very few raisin-producing

parts of the world that is capable of producing all

seven major raisin categories.

• The region has 5 688ha of vines.18 %

of South Africa’s white wines are cultivated

along the Orange River.

• The grape industry employs 1 215 people

permanently, plus 12 415 seasonal workers.

Harvesting happens from early November to

early February.


24

SECTOR OVERVIEW

MAJOR COMPANIES

• Karsten Group Holdings exports millions of

cartons of table grapes every year.

Multiple farms along the Orange River

(and in the Western Cape) produce large

volumes of grapes, dates, citrus, pecan

nuts, apples, watermelons and cherries.

In addition to marketing and logistics

companies, Karsten Group has three

distribution companies that cover the UK

and Europe, as well as a specialist customs

clearance and forwarding company,

KSL BV.

• Dippenaar Choice Fruit, an Orange River

region grape producer which is

headquartered in Kakamas, exports to

seven countries in South-East Asia and the

Far East, including China and Singapore.

• Orange River Cellars (ORC) is the region’s

biggest wine producer, sourcing its grapes

from what is known as the Green Kalahari.

The variety of soil from which ORC wines

is drawn is extremely varied, allowing for

the production of a wide selection of wines

and brandies.

• The company has expanded significantly

over the years and now encompasses

logistics to deliver its wines (Orange River

Tankers), an export division (Norweco) and

Prosperitas Farm which produces exportquality

raisins that include sultanas and

several varieties of raisins. Hartswater Wine

Cellar is an ORC asset.

• Landzicht Wine, a GWK company, has two

cellars. The Douglas Wine Cellar produces

about 6 000 cases per year. Together with

the Landzicht Cellar (in the Free State), the

Douglas cellar crushes 7 000 tons of grapes

every year and produces 5.6-million litres

of wine.

• Carpe Diem Raisins, a KLK company,

processes and markets approximately

20% of South Africa’s total raisin

production annually. The company

exports 95% of its production.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

1. The Vine Academy and Model Farm officially opened

in Kakamas in 2023, providing a significant boost

for viticulture education and training in the

Northern Cape.

2. Despite uncertainty created by US tariffs,

table grape export volumes to the USA grew at a

compound annual growth rate of 20% from the

2020/21 season to the 2024/25 season (SATI). The

bulk of South African table grape exports go to

the EU (about 55%) and the UK (20%).

3. In March 2025 South African table grapes were

granted market access to the Philippines. SATI,

the national Department of Agriculture and

the Department of International Relations and

Cooperation have been working for some time

on gaining access to new markets, particularly in

the East.

4. The adoption of SA-GAP (derived from the Global

Good Agricultural Practices) is helping to raise and

maintain standards within the raisin sector. With

certification, small growers and producers are

more easily able to sell into international markets.

RESOURCES

• 88% of South Africa’s raisin land is in the Northern Cape.

Raisins SA represents 15 000ha of raisin production

area.

• There are seven processing facilities for raisins.

• ORC has centralised wine production at its Upington

cellar but continues to take product from a wide

variety of farmers who deliver to ORC cellars at

Keimoes, Kakamas, Groblershoop and Grootdrink.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Raisins South Africa: www.raisinsa.co.za

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

Vine Academy and Model Farm: www.vamf.co.za

PHOTO: SA Raisins


SECTOR OVERVIEW

Mining

Critical minerals such as

manganese are attracting

new investors.

Mining’s contribution

to provincial GDP has

been steadily rising,

reaching 23% in 2021

and 2022. It was 21% in 2023.

National and provincial plans

to bolster renewable energy and

green hydrogen will continue to

boost the mining sector, as will

the Critical Minerals Game Plan

of the Industrial Development

Corporation (IDC). The Northern

Cape has good resources of

copper, zinc and manganese, all

vital elements in different parts of

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

1. Exxaro’s diversification drive took

a major step forward in 2025

with the purchase of significant

assets in the heart of the Kalahari

Manganese Field. By buying the

shares and claims of Ntsimbintle

Holdings and OM Holdings,

Exxaro gains stakes ranging from

60.1% to 9% in four operating

mines – Tshipi Borwa, Mokala,

pictured, Mamatwan and Wessels

mines (the last two operated by

Hotazel Manganese Mines, in

which South32 has a 44.4% stake).

The final price will be between

R11.6-billion and R14.6-billion.

2. JSE-listed Copper 360 has

restructured to enable it to

complete the development of

its mines and to build processing

plants. With R400-million issues

the burgeoning green economy.

Manganese and iron ore are

mined in vast quantities.

in new equity and more than

R700-million in debt converted

to shares, the company is better

placed to sweat its assets. The

company more than doubled

its potential capacity when it

bought Nama Copper from

Mazule Resources.

3. Vedanta Zinc International aims

to strengthen the business

case for building a smelter

at its Gamsberg project, the

second phase of which will be

completed in 2026.

4. A 10-year offtake agreement

with a Glencore subsidiary will

ensure financing for the Prieska

Copper Zinc Mine, a subsidiary

of Orion Minerals, to the tune

of between $200-million and

$250-million.

KEY STATISTICS

• 178 kt production at

Vedanta Zinc International’s

Black Mountain Mine and

Gamsberg project in 2025/26,

a 15% drop, a result that was

partly offset by improved zinc

grades and recoveries.

• 21% of GDP from mining.

• 84% of South Africa’s

iron ore.

• 25% of global

manganese demand.

• 13% of global lead and

zinc demand.


26

SECTOR OVERVIEW

MAJOR COMPANIES

• Exxaro has five large coal mines in other provinces. In

addition to the recent addition of manganese assets

mentioned above, in the Northern Cape Exxaro

also holds 21% of Sishen Iron Ore Company (SIOC),

the subsidiary of Kumba Iron Ore, and 26% of Black

Mountain Lead Zinc Mine. Exxaro subsidiary Cennergi

owns and manages renewable energy plants.

• Kumba Iron Ore is the largest iron-ore producer in

Africa. The Kolomela mine (near Postmasburg) and

Sishen (Kathu) mine together produced 27.9Mt of

iron ore in the first three quarters of 2025.

SECTOR HIGHLIGHT

Exxaro has acquired manganese mines.

RESOURCES

• Iron ore, manganese, zinc, copper, lead, titanium,

pig iron, zircon, gypsum, asbestos, limestone.

Diamonds are found in the Kimberley

area and Petra Diamonds operates the

Finsch Mine near Lime Acres north-west

of Kimberley. There is alluvial and marine

diamond mining from Alexander Bay

to Port Nolloth. The Sishen/Kolomela-

Saldanha iron-ore export channel sees to it

that vast amounts of iron ore are exported

through the latter port. Trains weighing

34 200 tons leave the mines every

nine hours, each train having five to six

locomotives and 342 wagons.

• The Kalahari Basin is home to between 70% and

80% of the world’s manganese resource. The

website Mindat.org refers to the Kalahari

Manganese Field as “one of the geological

and mineralogical wonders of the world”.

• Assmang, a JV between Assore and African Rainbow

Minerals, operates two iron-ore mines, Khumani and

Beeshoek and two manganese mines at Black Rock,

Nchwaning and Gloria.

• Vedanta Zinc International’s South African operations fall

under Black Mountain Mining. The Black Mountain

Complex comprises the Deeps, Swartberg and

Gamsberg mines, with the latter being the most

recent project. When fully developed, Gamsberg will

be one of the world’s top five zinc mines.

• Orion Minerals aims to start copper production at its

Prieska mine by the end of 2026.

• Copper 360 controls 12 mines on 19 000ha north of

Springbok and has been focused on processing

waste to generate copper cathode but aims to start

working the underground Rietberg mine.

• AfriSam quarries 15-million tons of limestone west

of Delportshoop and produces one-million tons

of cement there in addition to holding properties

further south where it has acquired three mines from

Coza Mining. KP Lime has bought PPC Lime’s mines

at Lime Acres.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Northern Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism: www.northern-cape.gov.za/dedat

Kathu Industrial Park: www.kathuindustrialpark.co.za | Minerals Council South Africa: www.mineralscouncil.org.za

PHOTOS: Ntsimbintle Holdings, Daniel Schwen/Wikimedia Commons


INTERVIEW

Retaining economic value locally

By raising service standards, strengthening manufacturing and

creating jobs, GMTC Holdings is empowering local communities,

as Managing Director Masego Moagi explains.

How did GMTC Holdings come to be founded?

GMTC Holdings was founded during the height

of the Covid-19 pandemic, when operational

disruption and heightened hygiene demands

exposed critical vulnerabilities within industrial

environments. We identified a gap for dependable

industrial cleaning solutions that went beyond

compliance. Our vision was not simply to clean

facilities but to enhance safety performance,

optimise processes and improve operational

efficiency across the mining, manufacturing, energy

and rail industries. At the same time, we were

motivated by the socio-economic realities of the

Northern Cape, high unemployment and limited

economic participation. GMTC was established as

both an industrial services provider and a platform

for job creation, skills development and long-term

community empowerment.

Are you seeing economic growth and investment

in certain sectors that is driving growth?

Yes. The Northern Cape presents a significant

opportunity, particularly in mining and renewable

energy. Continued investment in these sectors

drives demand for compliant, safety-focused service

providers. However, greater impact will be realised

through accelerated beneficiation and value-added

processing. Moving beyond raw extraction towards

local industrial value chains could unlock deeper

job creation and economic resilience.

How is GMTC contributing to localisation and

local beneficiation?

Through Sireletsa Workwear, we manufacture

compliant PPE locally, reducing imports and

retaining value within South Africa. Beyond

production, we build local supplier networks and

strengthen manufacturing skills. Our objective is to

build and sustain value-added industrial capability

within the province, ensuring that economic value

is retained locally.

BIOGRAPHY

Masego Glen Moagi is an

industrial engineer and

Managing Director of GMTC

Holdings, a Northern Capebased

industrial services group

founded in 2020. With over 15

years’ experience in mining,

smart manufacturing and

management consulting, he

has led GMTC’s growth from

a 21-person startup to over

240 employees, servicing

major operations in mining, energy, manufacturing and rail.

He focuses on scalable industrial solutions, operational

excellence, localisation and value-added manufacturing,

positioning GMTC for sustainable growth across Africa under

the banner: “Made in Africa, and not Made for Africa.”

How have your employment numbers grown?

We have grown from 21 employees in 2020 to over

240 today, driven by expanding contracts and

disciplined execution. Our model prioritises workforce

stability and skills development. We have strategically

subcontracted our transport requirements to local taxi

operators, thereby supporting small businesses and

creating employment for more than seven drivers.

What impact is GMTC having on the Northern Cape?

Our impact spans employment, skills development and

industrial capability. We create stable jobs, raise service

standards and strengthen local manufacturing.

What is GMTC Cares and what are its focus areas?

GMTC Cares is our philanthropic arm focused on

education, Christian values-based development

and youth and women empowerment, ensuring

that business success translates into meaningful

community upliftment. ■


28

Transforming industries,

empowering communities

GMTC Holdings is a Northern Cape-based company setting new

standards of excellence in industrial cleaning, manufacturing,

engineering and construction.

GMTC and Sireletsa are passionate about local

beneficiation, industrial development and job

creation in the Northern Cape. By steadily and

consistently growing our workforce, we have

brought opportunity to local communities. The PPE

clothing and equipment we manufacture speaks directly

to our commitment. We are walking the talk when it

comes to local beneficiation.

Our values

GMTC embodies a set of core values that guide our

actions and shape our identity:

Excellence: We strive for the highest standards in all our

services and solutions, ensuring quality and innovation

in everything we do.

Integrity: Transparency, honesty and accountability

builds trust with clients, employees and stakeholders.

Empowerment: We create opportunities for growth and

development within our teams and our communities.

Sustainability: We promote environmentally conscious

practices and contribute to the long-term wellbeing of

the regions in which we operate.

Collaboration: We foster strong partnerships and

teamwork to achieve shared success and mutual growth.

Our services

Industrial cleaning

We offer a diverse range of services within this category,

including large-scale projects such as the cleaning of

office parks, mines, warehouses, healthcare facilities and

production plants, and specialised work such as coalspillage

and the cleaning of solar plants.

Earthmoving solutions

We supply high-quality machinery for construction,

mining and infrastructure projects of all sizes.

Industrial engineering consulting services

We transform operations into efficient, cost-effective and

high-performing systems. We help businesses streamline

processes, enhance productivity and reduce waste.

Our expertise spans process optimisation, systems

design, supply-chain management and operational

efficiency.

Manufacturing

Our clients span mining, engineering, construction,

manufacturing, farming and more, offering top-tier

designs in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Our

locally crafted Sireletsa Workwear brand ensures superior

quality, durability, affordability and stylish designs.

Sectors

GMTC operates across several sectors, including mining,

manufacturing, rails and ports, energy and public sector.

Some clients

Our trusted clients and partners include Assmang

Manganese (Black Rock), Assmang Iron Ore (Khumani),

Velarose, AOC Group, Shepstone Farming Products and

Blacc Engineering Services.

GMTC Cares

“Motho ke motho ka batho”

GMTC Cares serves as the philanthropic arm of our

company, dedicated to fostering initiatives that uplift,

support and empower the women and children in the

communities in which we operate. ■

Head office: 1 Chapman Street, Kuruman 8460 | Tel: +27 53 712 0282 | Email: info@gmtcholdings.co.za |

Website: www.gmtcholdings.co.za

SECTOR OVERVIEW

Energy

Wind and solar are powering progress.

Renewable energy is increasingly

becoming part of the Northern

Cape’s economic DNA. With

60% of South Africa’s allocated

projects and nearly 900km of new grid

expansion promised, the Northern

Cape’s vision of being a major player in

renewable energy is coming to fruition.

Ambitious plans to produce green

hydrogen at a new port on the West

Coast are being investigated and the

province is working together with

other provinces, national government,

Infrastructure SA, the Industrial

Development Corporation and Sasol in

pursuit of energy solutions.

MAJOR COMPANIES

The renewable energy sector has attracted a

variety of companies to projects in the Northern

Cape including financiers, engineering firms,

wind and solar specialists and power companies.

Consortiums are typically created to initiate and bid

for projects, after which ownership percentages

may change. The two Loeriesfontein wind farms,

each of which generates 140MW, were developed

by Mainstream Renewable Power. Power-generation

company Lekela was a major shareholder together

with Thebe Investment Corporation, IDEAS

Managed Fund, Futuregrowth Asset Management,

Genesis Eco-Energy in partnership with Lereko

Metier Sustainable Capital and two community

trusts. Metier sold its interest to South African

investment company Revego Africa Energy in 2021.

Another example of multiple ownership is the

Castle consortium, led and co-sponsored by

African Clean Energy Developments (ACED), with African

Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) IDEAS

Fund and Reatile Renewables as shareholders in

the construction of the 89MW Castle Wind Farm

near De Aar, the country’s largest private-offtake

wind farm. AIIM is a division of Old Mutual

Alternative Investments (OMAI).

• Infinity Power is involved in the Loeriesfontein

farms, together with other large projects such as

the wind projects at Kangnas and Noupoort.

• Acciona Energy SA is part of a consortium that built

the 100 MW concentrated solar thermal power

plant at Kathu. ENGIE and Eskom are the clients.

• EDF power solutions: a large project with wind

and solar components called Koruson and a


30

SECTOR OVERVIEW

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

1. Scatec’s hybrid solar and BESS Kenhardt project, pictured, was selected

in 2025 by Sustainable Business COP30 as one of the top six

exemplary cases for the prestigious SB COP awards, in the energytransition

category. Kenhardt was the only African project in the top

six of that category, which examines environmental stewardship

and economic advancement.

2. The Upington Solar Park is a government initiative across three

spheres, national, municipal and the Office of the Independent

Power Producers. The goal is to provide power to data centres

and smelters.

3. ENGIE South Africa has reached commercial operation for its 75MW

Graspan Solar PV plant south of Prieska, marking successful delivery

under Bid Window Five of the Renewable Energy Independent

Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).

4. The Northern Cape Department of Economic Development and

Tourism (DEDAT) is supporting two local municipalities, Dawid

Kruiper (Upington) and Ga-Segonyana (Kuruman), to use more

renewable energy as a pilot project.

5. The province has a Green Hydrogen Strategy and a national

programme, the Green Hydrogen National Programme (GHNP), has

allocated four projects to the province.

KEY STATISTICS

Premier Zamani Saul

shared these facts about

the Northern Cape in his

2026 State of the Province

Address:

• 84% of land has lowintensity

activities.

• 57% of land is suitable

for solar and wind

generation.

• 846GW wind-energy

potential.

• 11 400GW solarenergy

capacity.

63MW solar PV power plant at the Sishen mine are being

developed by Envusa Energy, a joint venture between

Anglo American and EDF power solutions.

• JUWI Renewable Energies South Africa, large-scale wind projects.

• Scatec controls over 1 000MW of solar power in Southern

Africa, with just over half of that in its Kenhardt asset.

• SOLA Group, several solar plants including Sirius One at Kathu.

• Mulilo, several solar plants at De Aar and Prieska. Three

battery energy storage systems (BESS) have Eskom as a

client. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners bought a

majority shareholding in Mulilo in 2023.

• Globeleq has solar plants at Kimberley, De Aar, Pofadder and

Kenhardt. The 153MW Red Sands project under

construction will be the largest standalone BESS in Africa.

• Longyuan South Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of

China Longyuan Power Group Corporation, has several

wind assets.

RESOURCES

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/m 2 ,

according to a survey

done for Stellenbosch

University by Slovakian

company GeoModal Solar.

ONLINE RESOURCES

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

South African Independent Power Producers

(IPP) Association: www.saippa.org.za

South African Wind Energy Association:

www.sawea.org.za

PHOTO: Scatec


INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY І Renewable energy and green hydrogen

The giant Roggeveld Wind Farm is

supplying green power to the grid.

Vast resources of solar and wind power give the Northern Cape the edge in the race to

generate renewable energy.

FUTURE-PROOFING AND DIVERSIFYING THE

ECONOMY OF THE FUTURE

“With our vast solar potential, consistent wind corridors

and rich mineral deposits, we have what it takes to

diversify and future-proof our economy,” says Lorato Venus

Blennies-Magage, Member of the Executive Council

for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism. “Our

strategic objective is to position the Northern Cape as a

regional and global hub.”

With steady winds and excellent solar coverage,

the Northern Cape is already home to more than 60%

of South Africa’s renewable energy production. Now

the region wants to transform its natural resources of

wind, sun and mineral deposits into new possibilities for

economic growth and shared prosperity.

Together with world-class solar and wind resources,

the province’s low population density makes it easy for

developers to acquire land. With a supportive provincial

government, permitting procedures are straightforward

and returns on investment can be high. Global renewables

leaders such as Scatec, Mainstream Renewable Power and

EDF Renewables have all made major investments here,

decarbonising the province’s electricity production and

revitalising its inland economy with new sources of clean

energy.

Some of South Africa’s largest battery storage projects

are also underway in the province. These state-of-the-art

systems allow developers to continue injecting electricity

from solar plants into the network even after the sun has

set.

Scatec’s 540MW facility in Kenhardt is one of the world’s

largest hybrid solar and battery storage facilities. The R18-

billion plant includes 225MW of battery storage and forms

the largest single investment in the company’s history.

In 2024, Scatec began construction of another 103MW

battery storage project for an investment of R3.1-billion.

Located near Kathu, the site will be one of Africa’s first and

largest standalone battery energy storage systems.

For its part, EDF Renewables is developing an innovative

hybrid project partly in the Northern Cape that will

operate as an innovative virtual power plant. Combining

solar, wind and battery capabilities spread across two sites

900km apart, including a 115MW solar power plant and

30MW of batteries at Avondale, the project will be able to

32

PHOTO: Roggeveld Wind Farm

| +27 53 833 1503


tsanc.co.za


2022/23

2022/06/01 13:03

The Northern Cape gets lots of sun. In Upington, solar roof panels help to power dried-fruit

processing at PepsiCo’s Pioneer Foods.

deliver energy to the South African power grid at all times.

Commissioning is planned for mid-2025.

The province has long been a hotbed of renewable

energy innovation. A 100MW concentrated solar thermal

power (CSP) plant in Redstone is the first CSP project in

Sub-Saharan Africa. The pioneering project, developed by

ACWA Power of Saudi Arabia, concentrates sunlight onto

receivers, which heat molten salt to produce steam, drive

turbines and generate electricity. As with battery storage,

the technology allows CSP plants to provide consistent

energy even when the sun is not shining.

Saudi Arabia is not the only country to seize the

opportunities of renewable energy in the province. UAEbased

Masdar, one of the leading forces in the global

industry, operates wind farms across the Northern Cape,

with three projects of 140MW each.

Meanwhile, at the end of 2024, Chinese engineering

firm PowerChina signed an engineering, procurement

and construction contract with South Africa’s

SolarAfrica Energy to build a 342MW solar power

plant in the province. The project will be the largest

single-unit solar power plant in South Africa and will

supply clean energy to large data centres and commercial

and industrial users across the country.

“The Northern Cape is blessed with some of the most

favourable conditions for renewableenergy projects in the

country, if not the world,” Blennies-Magage says. “These are

not just theoretical advantages, they are catalytic assets

that have already begun attracting global attention and

investment.”

GREEN HYDROGEN STRATEGY

Moreover, the Northern Cape’s ambitions for harnessing

its renewable energy resources extend well beyond

clean power generation and storage. They are central

to a broader economic transformation. Renewable

energy initiatives in the Northern Cape have the capacity

to transform even the most arid areas into major energy

sources.

In his 2025 State of the Nation Address, President

Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised the province’s

strategic role in South Africa’s green economy: “We

are going to set up a Special Economic Zone in the

Boegoebaai port to drive investment in green energy.”

Under the government’s Green Hydrogen Strategy and

Master Plan, the province plans to use its wind and solar

resources to power electrolysers and produce hydrogen

for export to industrial users. The hydrogen strategy aims

to turn the Northern Cape’s abundant renewables into

the driver of its global export ambitions.

At the Boegoebaai Green Hydrogen Project, energy

company Sasol is talking to international partners about

building one of the world’s largest green hydrogen plants.

Including a Special Economic Zone and a deepwater port,

the venture could create more than 13 000 jobs in the

5GW first phase alone.

With the right partners on board, the project has the

potential to be scaled up to 40GW and ship hydrogen,

ammonia and fertiliser to end-users around the world,

especially in Asia and Europe. Supported by this

infrastructure, Boegoebaai will also become one of South

Africa’s leading hubs for low-carbon manufacturing. ■

CONNECT WITH US

NCEDA: +27 (0) 53 110 0289


X: @NorthernCapeSA

PHOTO: Pioneer Foods, Globeleq

33

SECTOR OVERVIEW

Engineering

Engineers are working on

sophisticated technology


NEW DEVELOPMENTS

1. The South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) has opened

a branch in Kimberley.

2. The mechanical works on the ENGIE Graspan 75MW Solar PV Project

have been completed by Aurex Constructors, pictured. Aurex,

with offices in Midrand and Windhoek, have been installing

renewable energy infrastructure since 2013.

3. The Boegoebaai deepwater port and associated Special Economic

Zone planned for the area north of Port Nolloth will need

engineers, as will the Namakwa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and

the Kathu Industrial Park.

Continued investment in

renewable energy plants,

expansion of mining

projects and the Square

Kilometre Array telescope in

the Karoo are filling the order

books of engineering firms. By

the end of 2026, four new dishes

will have been added to SKA and a

R142-million visitors’ centre at

Carnarvon is to be built.

KEY STATISTICS

• The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related

Services SETA (merSETA) has allocated R210-million

to a bursary and skills-development programmes.

• National government will spend R4.5-billion

on SKA-related construction in the period to 2029.

• R7.2 -billion will be invested in road infrastructure in

a three-year period ending 2027.

MAJOR COMPANIES

• MVD is a multi-disciplinary consulting engineering,

town and regional planning company with its head

office in Kimberley. MVD has won Fulton Awards

for the Sol Plaatje University Library Building and

KleinJan, the restaurant at Tswalu, a luxury game

reserve in the Kalahari.

• Rufco Construction offers structural steel and

engineering solutions out of Postmasburg. It has

done work for Kumba Iron Ore’s Kolomela mine,

Petra Diamonds and PPC.

• Kathu-based Sehlare Sa Meetlwa specialises in mining

and construction.

• Meano Engineering in Kathu makes mining buckets,

tanks and tyre handlers among other things. Apart

from basic engineering, machine rebuilds and

specialised services such as non-destructive testing

and line boring are offered.

• Consulting engineers VBKOM has one other office

apart from its head office in Centurion, in Kathu.

VBKOM has been involved with Tshipi Borwa mine

since 2013, and it partners with local businesses.

• Bigen Group has a Kimberley office. The company

is involved in the revitalisation of the Vaalharts

Irrigation Scheme.

• Zutari came into existence in 2020 when Aurecon

Africa demerged from the Aurecon Group and has

an office in Kathu.

• National road agency SANRAL has begun a process

of provincialisation, starting with the opening of an

office in Kimberley.

ONLINE RESOURCES

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

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

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


34

PHOTO: Aurex Constructors

Manufacturing

Mining equipment is made in

the Northern Cape.

SECTOR OVERVIEW

Special Economic Zones (SEZs)

will encourage manufacturing

as the Northern Cape seeks to

diversify its economy beyond

mining and agriculture, a process

already successfully initiated with

the massive amount of investment

flowing into the province for

renewable energy projects.

KEY STATISTICS

• 4% of provincial GDP

comes from manufacturing.

• 36% occurs in the Frances

Baard District Municipality.

• 33% occurs in the ZF

Mgcawu District Municipality.

RESOURCES

• Kathu Industrial Park.

• Upington Industrial Park.

• Namakwa Special Economic Zone.

• EDP and SDP programmes of large

mining and energy companies.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

A 91ha parcel of land parcel has

been handed to the Northern

Cape Provincial Government by

Kumba Iron Ore to develop the

Kathu Industrial Park. The idea is

to prioritise mining supplies, the

beneficiation of the manganese

and iron ore mined nearby and

to promote manufacturing.

MAJOR COMPANIES

1. Rufco Construction in Postmasburg is on 26 000m² of which

4 795m² is under roof, supported by a 200kw solar system.

Rufco’s workshops comprise a general fabrication shop,

a machine shop, an assembly shop and a specialised

fabrication shop. Together, they enable the company

to supply a variety of equipment, pictured, vital to

the mining industry and other related industries. 3D models

allow clients to see what the product will look like before it

is manufactured. The Rufco plant division runs a fleet that

includes mobile cranes, tipper trucks, TLBs, graders, water

bowsers, excavators, access platforms, storage containers,

site offices, park homes and abnormal transport vehicles.

2. Founded by De Beers when mining came to Kimberley in

1891, Kew Foundries is now exporting all over the globe, including

to India, where its sheave wheels have been deployed in a

giant hydroelectric project.

3. Colossal Concrete Products has reopened a precast concrete

manufacturing facility in De Aar. Previous owner Aveng

Infraset mothballed the factory but the acquisition of that

company by a consortium has made possible this reset.

A first contract has been signed with Transnet Freight Rail

(TFR) to supply precast concrete railway sleepers for the

parastatal’s network upgrade. Colossal has acquired an

adjoining property and will consider entering the market for

precast wind turbine towers.

4. GMTC Holdings manufactures Personal Protective Equipment

(PPE) and workwear through its Sireletsa Workwear brand.

Clients are drawn from the mining, engineering and

construction sectors. Options include two-piece overalls, Conti

suits, safety vests and weather-resistant garments. The head

office of GMTC Holdings is in Kuruman.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Kathu Industrial Park: www.kathuindustrialpark.co.za

Kew Foundries: www.kewfoundries.co.za

PHOTO: Rufco Construction


SECTOR OVERVIEW

ICT

ICT training expands.

A

solar-energy project at the

Oasis Skills Development

Centre in Upington,

pictured, has brought with it

an expansion of the facility’s capacity

in ICT training and entrepreneurship

development.

Airports Company South Africa

(ACSA), the National Lotteries

Commission and Oasis teamed up

to install the technology for the

centre that supports youth with

disabilities. ACSA said, “By integrating

renewable energy with community

programming, we not only reduce

environmental impact but also

enable economic resilience and

skills development in underserved

regions.”

A Provincial Broadband Strategy

has been developed.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

1. The SA Connect programme has rolled out digital connections to 98 schools in

the Pixley Ka Seme District.

2. The National Cyber Lab programme, run by the Department of Communications

and Digital Technologies, is being rolled out.

3. Four departments of the Provincial Government have introduced a digital

system for leave requests and submissions and it will be expanded.

4. Agriculture will benefit from the Broadband Strategy through a partnership with

the Vaalharts Agricultural Distribution Centre (VADC) and Farm Smart Technology.

5. An Impact Catalyst project, supported by Komatsu Solar and HCL, instals ICT labs

in schools.

KEY STATISTICS

• 2 Diplomas offered in ICT

(App Development) at Sol

Plaatje University (SPU).

• 3 Degrees offered at SPU

in Computer Science and

Data Science.

• 5 Cyber Labs at one school

in each district (pilots).

• 91% Health facilities with

electronic dispatch system.

• 98% cellular network

coverage.

• 173 schools with Coding

and Robotics pilot projects.

MAJOR COMPANIES

• Vodacom, MTN and Telkom,

have recently spent nearly

R1-billion in upgrading

broadband infrastructure

such as base stations.

• Sol Plaatje University (SPU) is

teaching data analytical skills.

• The Square Kilometre Array (SKA)

radio telescope project is one

of the world’s great scientific

ventures. SKA’s outreach

programme supports STEM

subject teaching, donates

laptops and training in ICT.

• The State Information Technology

Agency (SITA) provided the

School Cyber Lab at Ba Ga

Lotlhare Secondary School

at Heuningsvlei.

ONLINE RESOURCES

National Department of Science, Technology and Innovation:

www.dsti.gov.za

Square Kilometre Array: www.ska.ac.za

Technology Innovation Agency: www.tia.org.za

RESOURCES

Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Sol Plaatje University:

Two diplomas in Information and Communication

Technology in Applications Development. One Bachelor

of Science, Data Science. Two BSc Honours degrees, one

in Computer Science, the other in Data Science. SPU

hosts the Centre for Applied Data Science.


36

PHOTO: Oasis Skills Development Centre

Banking and

financial services

Financial management has improved.

Capitec clients visiting

the branch in the

Kathu Village Mall

can apply to the

National Department of

Home Affairs for smart IDs

and passports, part of the

bank’s drive to add to its suite

of services.

The fact that Kathu has two

Capitec branches and five

ATMs is evidence that the

bank’s strategy is working – and

shows Kathu’s central role in

the province’s mining economy.

Provincial government

financial record-keeping has

improved to the extent that of

the 13 audits done under the

Public Finance Management

Act (PFMA) in 2024/25, nine

achieved clean status. The

figure in 2019 was two. A

Municipal 10-Point Plan has

been introduced by the

Provincial Government. Among

its goals is to ensure that

billing systems are improved

and that disciplined financial

management is followed.

MAJOR COMPANIES

• Infrastructure South Africa (ISA). A special purpose vehicle is to be

established to improve school infrastructure and rural roads.

• African Bank has a branch in Kathu, two in Kuruman and three

in Kimberley. A total of 12 branches across the province points

to the extended reach of the newly revitalised African Bank.

• Nedbank.

• First National Bank.

• Absa.

• Standard Bank.

• Capitec.

RESOURCES

Chartered Institute of Government Finance, Audit and Risk Officers:

Holds events for public office bearers, such as the Performance

Management Seminar that was held in Upington and the Finance

and Governance Seminar hosted in Kimberley in 2025.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

1. The rebranding of Mercantile Bank to

Capitec Business in 2024 was a sign that

Capitec, which bought the business

bank in 2019, is targeting small

business customers.

2. Old Mutual is rolling out a fully-fledged

bank.

3. Three other banks are in the pipeline

and have received regulatory approval:

the Young Women in Business Network,

Postbank and the SA Innovative Financial

Services Cooperative, which will be run

by the Department of Women, Youth

and People with Disabilities.

4. New entrants to the copper-mining

sector have listed on the main board

and AltX board of the JSE: Copper 360

and Orion Minerals.

KEY STATISTICS

• 85% Expenditure performance of

the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG)

in 2025, compared to 64% in 2019.

• R504.6-million MIG for

2025/26.

• 880 Capitec branches in South

Africa.

• R12.8 -million Allocated by the

provincial Blended Finance Fund to a

high-impact enterprise in the Namakwa.

ONLINE RESOURCES

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

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

Chartered Institute of Government Finance, Audit and Risk Officers: www.cigfaro.co.za

PHOTO: Capitec


SECTOR OVERVIEW

Development

finance and

SMME support

New sectors are providing new

opportunities.

The J & Jo Fast Food is a small business that has benefitted

from support from a renewable energy project.

Renewable energy projects

have created opportunities

for local communities. Every

solar plant or wind farm

makes shares available to community

trusts and Supplier Development

programmes (SD) and Enterprise

Development programmes (ED)

ensure that local businesses get a

share of new work. Some enterprises

are created specifically to service a

need, for example staff transport. The

mining sector plays a similar role in

supporting small business ventures.

The Department of Economic

Development and Tourism (DEDAT)

subscribes to the Provincial

Growth and Development Plan

which supports sectors “with high

labour intensity and development

potential”, namely construction,

community and personal services,

manufacturing, agriculture,

wholesale and retail trade, catering

and accommodation.

RESOURCES

• Northern Cape Blended SMME Fund,

a joint initiative of DEDAT and the

National Empowerment Fund

(NEF).

• The Sol Plaatje University (SPU)

Centre for Entrepreneurship and Rapid

Incubator (CfERI) in Upington.

• The Northern Cape Solar Business

Incubator (NOCSOBI).

• The Kimberley International Diamond

and Jewellery Incubator (KIDJI).

MAJOR COMPANIES

• The Northern Cape SMME Trust is a business

incubation centre with Boikanyo Solar,

the SKA Karoo Enterprise Development

Programme and DEDAT among its

support partners. The Trust’s website

lists 26 SMMEs which have access to

two facilities in the Kimberley Business

Centre in the suburb of Florianville.

• SANRAL is upgrading several national

roads.

• Mining companies: Kumba Iron Ore

spent R5.4-billion with local suppliers in

2022. Sishen Iron Ore Company-Community

Development Trust has invested more

than R1-billion in socio-economic and

community development projects.

• Solar and wind projects: ACCIONA is the

majority shareholder of the Sishen solar

photovoltaic project and 20% is owned by

two community organisations.

• Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Karoo

Enterprise Development Programme.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Northern Cape SMME Trust: ncsmmetrust.org

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

Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency: www.sedfa.org.za

KEY STATISTICS

• 24: community

trusts supported by the

Industrial Development

Corporation (IDC) in the

country.

• + R300-billion:

spent on Black Economic

Empowerment in the

construction phase of

South Africa’s wind farms

(SAWEA).

• R700-million:

spent on development

projects over five years

by mining companies

(the Northern Cape

Mining Community).

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

1. The Northern Cape SMME Trust and the Small Enterprise Development and

Finance Agency (Sedfa) hosted a Financial Management Training

seminar in December 2025.

2. DEDAT is partnering with Oricred to present Access to Finance

information sessions.

3. SANRAL is running information sessions about road-maintenance

opportunities.

PHOTO: De Aar Solar Power

Northern Cape Chamber

of Commerce and Industry

Your ultimate business connection.

Affiliated to SACCI and SBI

Chief Executive Officer, Sharon Steyn

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.

Affiliated to SACCI and SBI

The NOCCI Committee, pictured above, is as follows:

From left: Mr Bennie Burger (Treasurer), Accounting

at Kimberley; Mr Jeandre van Zyl, Malu Pork; Prof

Ricardo Peters, Sol Plaatje University; Mrs Portia

Phoshoko, Flamingo Casino; Ms Sharon Steyn, NOCCI

CEO; Mr Greg Carstens, Numain Distributors; Mrs Gezelle

Lottering (2nd Vice Chairperson) AVBOB; Mr Michael

Kidson (President), Brand Pulse; Mr Rudolph Steyn

(1st Vice Chairperson), Dynamic Engineering; Mr

Gert Klopper, Masivane Ominogue; Mr Dudley Dally,

DDCM (Immediate Past President). ■

Website: www.nocci.co.za


39 39 NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2026/27

SECTOR OVERVIEW

Education and training


A

combination of increased public spending

and comprehensive corporate social

responsibility programmes that focus on

education is producing positive results for

education in the Northern Cape. Institutions are

attempting to offer courses that are relevant to a fastchanging

workplace with solar and wind farms and

radio telescopes becoming ever more relevant in the

provincial economy.

Apart from provincial government expenditure,

companies in the mining and renewable energy

sectors, the two biggest economic sectors, are

investing heavily in education at all levels. Kumba Iron

Ore has spent more than R140-million over three years

in the education field. Arising out of the companies’

investment in solar technology in the greater De

Aar area, SunCentral and Proconics Newfields have

combined to upgrade facilities at Emthanjeni Primary

School and Hanover Primary School. The former has a

new reading room while Hanover’s pupils now have a

safer place to play outside.

Sol Plaatje University (SPU) in Kimberley celebrated

its 10th anniversary in 2023 and the province’s two

TVET colleges have seven campuses between them.

The buildings of Sol Plaatje University

have won awards.

A safe play space has been created at Hanover Primary School.

RESOURCES

•The Centre for Professional Development at SPU offers accredited short courses.

• SPU Centre for Entrepreneurship & Rapid Incubator: Located in Upington, CfERI is an incubator for SMMEs.

A programme of the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), it is implemented by the

Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (Sedfa).


40

SECTOR OVERVIEW

MAJOR INSTITUTIONS

• Sol Plaatjie University has four faculties:

Education, Economic and Management

Sciences, Humanities, Natural and

Applied Sciences. In 2025, enrolment

was 7 216, with 42% in Education.

The university’s Talent Pipeline

Programme (TPP) helps to prepare

matriculants from local schools for

university education and the Lesedi

La Afrika Fund supports scholarships

and social-impact projects. Other

options that SPU offers that are highly

relevant to Northern Cape realities

are the Centre for Global Change where

climate change is a key focus, in a

hot province which is getting hotter.

The Department of Computer Science

and Information Technology is highly

relevant in a province hosting one of

the world’s great astronomy projects,

the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).

• The Northern Cape Urban TVET College

comprises three campuses in

Kimberley: City Campus and Moremogolo

Campus and Phatsimang Campus where

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 Namakwaland. 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.

• Unisa’s Midland regional office is headquartered

in Kimberley.

PHOTOS: SunCentral, SPU

KEY STATISTICS

Premier Zamani Saul reported in his 2025 State of

the Province Address that:

• 21 323 pupils at 393 schools have access

to Grade RR and Grade R, 91% coverage.

• 140 new bursaries were awarded by the

Transversal Premiers Bursary Fund in 2025, with

142 renewed.

•

SETAs collectively invested R327.6-million

in the province via apprenticeships, learnerships,

internships, skills programmes and bursaries. This

investment had an impact on 11 475 students.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

1. The Provincial Government is promoting STEM

education through programmes such as “Duin in

die Weg – Access 4 Success”. Partnerships have been

established with Sol Plaatje University, the Central

University of Technology and the Cape Peninsula

University of Technology.

2. The Vine Academy and Model Farm is actively improving

access to the skills Northern Cape’s economy needs

in viticulture and agro-processing. Research and

development of this vital sector is now being done

to a greater degree within the boundaries of the

province.

3. A Provincial Skills Development Forum is to be established

which will operate within the framework of a

national target of 2.5-million new jobs by 2030.

The Northern Cape has set a target of 60 000 in

five years. This will be the end goal of the “Northern

Cape 60 000 Jobs Plan 2025-2029”, a roadmap in

which the priority sectors will be mining, agriculture,

renewable energy, manufacturing, tourism and the

oceans economy.

ONLINE RESOURCES

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

Premier’s Bursary Fund: www.northern-cape.gov.za/bursaries

Vine Academy and Model Farm: www.vamf.co.za


INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY І Tourism

The Northern Cape: Where

culture, adventure, nature

and the universe converge

Transforming abundant natural resources into

valuable investment opportunities.

The Orange River’s different moods allow for many kinds of tourism.

South Africa’s largest province, the Northern

Cape, is often described as a land of vast

horizons, untamed beauty and timeless

stories. Yet, beyond its sweeping deserts

and star-filled skies, the province is positioning

itself as a frontier for investment and discovery. For

those seeking opportunities that blend tourism,

culture and sustainable development, the Northern

Cape is not just a destination – it is an invitation to

dream bigger.

A PROVINCE OF BOUNDLESS POSSIBILITIES

The Northern Cape is divided into five distinct regions,

each with its own character and appeal:

Diamond Fields (Kimberley) – famed for its mining heritage

and the legendary Big Hole.

Kalahari (Kuruman) – a land of red dunes, mining and

desert wildlife.

Green Kalahari (Upington) – nourished by the mighty

Orange River, offering vineyards, rafting, San culture

and fertile landscapes.

Namaqualand (Springbok) – a floral wonderland that bursts

into colour each spring and home to Nama culture.

Karoo (De Aar) – a semi-desert of fossils, corbelled houses

and stargazing skies.

Together, these regions form a mixture of

experiences that appeal to adventurers, families,

historians and investors alike. With two airports –

Kimberley and Upington – connecting daily to

Johannesburg and Cape Town and six national roads

linking the province to Namibia and Botswana,

accessibility is seamless.

Real culture: stories carved in stone and spirit

Culture in the Northern Cape is not confined

to museums; it lives in the land and its people.

Kimberley’s Big Hole, the world’s largest man-made

excavation, is a testament to human ambition during

the diamond rush of the 1870s. Next door, the

Kimberley Mine Museum recreates the city’s past with

tram rides, historic buildings and the famed Eureka

Diamond – the first ever discovered in South Africa.

Further west, the Richtersveld Route immerses

visitors in the traditions of the Nama people.

Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this

desert wilderness is alive with cultural rituals, storytelling

and a heritage that has endured for centuries.

The Forgotten Highway Route adds another layer

of intrigue, weaving together mining heritage,

archaeology and community tourism. From the

Wonderwerk Cave’s ancient rock art to the Moffat

Mission’s missionary history, the route is a living

archive of human resilience.

Real adventure: where adrenaline meets loneliness

Adventure seekers will find the Northern Cape

42

| +27 53 833 1503


tsanc.co.za


2022/23

2022/06/01 13:03

irresistible. The Augrabies Falls National Park offers one

of South Africa’s most dramatic spectacles – the Orange

River plunging 56 metres into a rocky gorge, creating a

thunderous roar that echoes across the landscape.

In the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Africa’s first

trans-border conservation area, red dunes stretch

endlessly, home to black-maned lions, cheetahs and

gemsbok. Safari enthusiasts revel in the raw wilderness,

while stargazers find solace under skies unpolluted by

city lights.

For families, the Witsand Nature Reserve is a hidden

gem. Its white dunes, seasonal dune boarding, quad

biking and cycling trails make it a playground for all ages.

With chalets and campsites nestled among camelthorn

trees, Witsand offers both adventure and comfort.

Real nature: a symphony of rivers, deserts and

blooms

Nature in the Northern Cape is both harsh and generous.

The Namaqua National Park transforms into a floral

paradise between Mid-July and October, carpeting the

arid plains with wildflowers in hues of orange, purple

and yellow.

The Goegap Nature Reserve near Springbok

complements this spectacle with its succulent garden

and sightings of rare Hartman’s Zebra. Meanwhile,

the Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve near Nieuwoudtville

combines botanical richness with historical significance,

offering challenging hikes through gorges and caves

where Khoi and colonial farmers once clashed in 1739.

Water, too, defines the province. The Orange

River nourishes vineyards and communities, while

the Vanderkloof Dam, South Africa’s second-largest

reservoir, provides scenic tranquility at the Rolfontein

Nature Reserve.

Routes of discovery: eight journeys, infinite

memories

To simplify exploration, the province has curated eight

themed routes:

Cape Namibia Route: a cross-border adventure linking Cape

Town to Namibia.

Namaqua Coastal Route: wildflowers, shipwrecks and marine

life along the rugged West Coast.

Richtersveld Route: desert wilderness, Nama culture and

Orange River views.

Quiver Tree Route: wine tasting, river rafting in the mighty

Orange River and quirky desert towns.

Kalahari Red Dune Route: !Khomani San cultural experiences,

safaris and dune dinners.

Forgotten Highway Route: mining heritage, culture and

archaeology.

Karoo Oasis Route: windmill landscapes, farm stays and

Karoo cuisine.

Karoo Highlands Route: astronomy, fossils and timeless skies.

Each route is designed for self-drive explorers, offering

peace, hospitality and provides a chance to reconnect

with loved ones in off-the-beaten-track towns.

A DREAM WORTH PURSUING

The Northern Cape is more than a destination; it is a

frontier of possibility. Its landscapes inspire awe, its

cultures tell timeless stories and its skies remind us of

our place in the universe. For investors it offers not

just returns, but the chance to be part of something

enduring – an economy built on culture, adventure,

nature and the stars themselves. ■

Astro Tourism: the Northern Cape’s game-changer

Perhaps the most exciting frontier for tourism

investment is Astro Tourism. With some of the clearest

skies in the southern hemisphere, the Northern Cape is

a paradise for astronomers and dreamers alike. The

Karoo Highlands Route includes Sutherland, home to

the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), one of

the world’s most advanced observatories.

Here, science and tourism converge. Fossil fields,

corbelled houses and paleontological sites enrich

the experience, while the night sky offers a canvas of

infinite wonder. Investors are increasingly drawn to

opportunities that combine accommodation, guided

stargazing and educational tourism, positioning

the Northern Cape as Africa’s capital of the cosmos.

The Nama Riel or

Rieldans is

an authentic

expression of culture

through dance.

CONNECT WITH US

NCEDA: +27 (0) 53 110 0289 | Facebook: @NorthernCapeTourism

Instagram: @northerncapetourism | X: @NorthernCapeSA

43

SECTOR OVERVIEW

Tourism

Breathtaking landscapes and

cloudless skies await tourists


The Northern Cape is

South Africa’s largest and

least-populated province

and has a coastline

of approximately 300km. The

tourism potential of the region is

unsurpassed with breathtaking

landscapes ranging from vistas

of red sand dunes in the Kalahari

to the surging waters of the

Augrabies Falls on the Orange

River, which also offers river rafting,

tranquil canoeing and wine tasting

along its banks. The Northern Cape

has good tourism infrastructure in

terms of varied accommodation

options, conference venues and

transport links.

KEY STATISTICS

• 2 UNESCO World Heritage

Sites.

• 5 provincial nature reserves.

• 6 national parks, including

one transfrontier park.

• 114 000 ha: Tswalu

Kalahari Reserve is South

Africa’s largest privately

protected area; black rhino,

African wild dogs, pangolin

and 83 species of butterfly

are among the fauna.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

1. The Kimberley Club, which opened to

members in 1884, is now open to

visitors as a four-star guest house.

2. The Halfway House Hotel has a coffee

shop and three restaurants on

site: the Hussar Grill, the Fat Greek

and Ocean Basket. The pub of the

“Halfway”, which is on the way to

what is now the suburb (and in

the early days was the town) of

Beaconsfield, is where Cecil John

Rhodes took his drinks without

leaving his horse.

3. Country Hotels has rolled out the

Badgers Grill restaurant group to

all of its hotels.

4. The Northern Cape Economic

Development, Trade and Investment

Promotion Agency (NCEDA) and the

Northern Cape Tourism Authority,

both entities that fall under the

Northern Cape Department of

Economic Development and

Tourism (DEDAT), have merged.

5. A national Astro-Tourism Strategy

has been launched. Visitors

previously visited Sutherland to

see the optical telescopes but now

the area around Carnarvon is the site

of a vast new international project,

the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). It

will be the largest radio telescope

ever built.


44

SECTOR OVERVIEW

NATIONAL PARKS

1. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Contains ǂKhomani Cultural

Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, straddles the

border of South Africa and Botswana, large predators, red

sand dunes.

2. |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park: As a Cultural and

Botanical Landscape, it is a UNESCO World Heritage

Site, 160 000ha of mountainous desert where the seminomadic

Nama people still live.

3. Augrabies Falls National Park, pictured: A freefall of water from

56 metres into an 18km-long gorge below.

4. Namaqua National Park: In the Succulent Karoo, famous

wildflower displays in spring, includes coastal section. Of its

3 500 plants, about 1 000 are found nowhere else on earth.

5. Mokala National Park: Important for protecting endangered

species and a bird-lover’s paradise.

6. Tankwa Karoo National Park: Shows off the Succulent Karoo

Biome and spectacular escarpment and desert landscapes.

RESOURCES

• Mittah Seperepere International Convention Centre: The main

auditorium can accommodate 2 500 people (cinemastyle)

or 1 000 (banqueting mode); four break-away rooms

can cater to 500; kitchen can cater for 3 000; foyer can host

400; amphitheatre outside can hold 2 500 for events or

concerts.

• The Horseshoe Inn, near the Big Hole and the Hoffe Park

Stadium, has been voted best conference and wedding

centre in the Northern Cape for four consecutive years.

The Crazy Horse Restaurant is popular.

• The dining halls of The Kimberley Club can accommodate

up to 120 guests for conferences, weddings or private

functions.

• Moffat Mission: David Livingstone’s first home in Africa.

• The Eye of Kuruman, the largest spring in Southern Africa.

• The Orange River offers canoeing, wine tasting, camping.

• Routes: Karoo Highlands, Forgotten

Highway, Kalahari Red Dune, Quiver Tree,

Karoo Oasis, Go! Ghaap, Battlefields,

Diamond Fields.

• Namaqualand wildflower display.

• Kimberley Big Hole.

ONLINE RESOURCES

MAJOR COMPANIES

• Country Hotels is a Northern Cape

specialist, with 15 of its 16 properties

located in the province across three

brands. Hotels, lodges and inns cater

largely to the corporate market while

the Orange River Rafting Lodge stands

out in several ways, not least its location

on the banks of the river halfway

between Cape Town and Windhoek.

• Sun International runs the Flamingo

Casino in Kimberley with gaming tables,

slot machines and conference facilities.

• Southern Sun has two properties in

Kimberley: a 135-room Garden Court

and a 64-room budget hotel, SUN1.

• Protea Hotel by Marriott Kimberley has 117

rooms and three suites and is located

next to the Big Hole. To the west and

on the banks of the Orange River, there

is the 90-room Protea Hotel by Marriott

Upington.

• There are many river-rafting and

adventure-tour operators along the

Orange River, including Felix Unite River

Adventures, The River Rafters and Gravity

Adventures.

• Many private game lodges. NC Famous

Lifestyle Lodges has set up six lodges

designed to cover a trip from Cape

Town to the Kgalagadi National Park.

• !Xaus Lodge is different in that the lodge

is owned by local communities, with

support from the Transfrontier Parks

destinations organisation. About 70km

from Twee Rivieren in the Kgalagadi

Transfrontier Park, seclusion is ensured

after driving over 91 sand dunes to get

to the 24-bed lodge.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: www.sanparks.org/parks/kgalagadi

Northern Cape Tourism: www.experiencenortherncape.com

South African National Parks: www.sanparks.org

PHOTO: Northern Cape Tourism Authority 45


LISTING

Northern Cape

Local Government

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

FRANCES BAARD DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

Physical address: 51 Drakensberg Avenue,

Carters Glen, Kimberley 8301

Postal address: Private Bag X6088, Kimberley

8300

Tel: +27 53 838 0911

Website: www.francesbaard.gov.za

Dikgatlong Municipality

Tel: +27 53 531 6500

Website: www.dikgatlong.co.za

Magareng Municipality

Tel: +27 53 497 3111/2/3

Website: www.magareng.gov.za

Phokwane Municipality

Tel: +27 53 474 9700

Website: www.phokwane.org.za

Sol Plaatje Municipality

Tel: +27 53 830 6911/6100

Website: www.solplaatje.org.za

JOHN TAOLO GAETSEWE DISTRICT

MUNICIPALITY

Physical address: 4 Federal Mynbou Street,

Kuruman 8460

Postal address: PO Box 1480, Kuruman 8460

Tel: +27 53 712 8700

Website: www.taologaetsewe.gov.za

NAMAKWA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

Physical address: Van Riebeeck Street,

Springbok 8240

Postal address: Private Bag X20, Springbok 8240

Tel: +27 27 712 8000

Email: info@namakwa-dm.gov.za

Website: www.namakwa-dm.gov.za

Hantam Municipality

Tel: +27 27 341 8500

Website: www.hantam.gov.za

Kamiesberg Municipality

Tel: +27 27 652 8000

Website: www.kamiesberg.gov.za

Karoo Hoogland Municipality

Tel: +27 53 285 0998

Website: www.karoohoogland.gov.za

Khâi-Ma Municipality

Tel: +27 54 933 1000

Website: www.khaima.gov.za

Nama Khoi Municipality

Tel: +27 27 718 8100

Website: www.namakhoi.gov.za

Gamagara Municipality

Tel: +27 53 723 6000

Website: www.gamagara.gov.za

Ga-Segonyana Municipality

Tel: +27 53 712 9300

Website: www.ga-segonyana.gov.za

Joe Morolong Municipality

Tel: +27 53 773 9300

Website: www.joemorolong.gov.za

The offices of the Frances Baard District Municipality in Kimberley.

Richtersveld Municipality

Tel: +27 27 851 1111

Website: www.richtersveld.gov.za

PIXLEY KA SEME DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

Physical address: Culvert Road,

Industrial Area,

De Aar 7000

Tel: +27 53 631 0891

Website: www.pksdm.gov.za

Emthanjeni Municipality

Tel: +27 53 632 9100

Website: www.emthanjeni.co.za

Kareeberg Municipality

Tel: +27 53 382 3012

Website: www.kareeberg.co.za

Renosterberg Municipality

Tel: +27 53 663 0041

Siyancuma Municipality

Tel: +27 53 298 1810

Website: www.siyancuma.gov.za

Siyathemba Municipality

Tel: +27 53 492 3410/3420

Website: www.siyathemba.co.za

Thembelihle Municipality

Tel: +27 53 203 0008/5

Website: thembelihlemunicipality.gov.za

Ubuntu Municipality

Tel: +27 53 621 0026

Website: www.ubuntu.gov.za

Umsobomvu Municipality

Tel: +27 51 753 0777/8

Website: www.umsobomvumun.co.za

ZF MGCAWU DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

Physical address: Cnr Nelson Mandela Avenue

and Upington Road, Upington 8801

Tel: +27 54 337 2800

Website: www.zfm-dm.co.za

Dawid Kruiper Municipality

Tel: +27 54 338 7000

Website: www.dawidkruiper.xyz

Kai !Garib Municipality

Tel: +27 54 461 6700/6300

Website: www.kaigarib.gov.za

Kgatelopele Municipality

Tel: +27 54 384 8600

Website: www.kgatelopele.gov.za

!Kheis Municipality

Tel: +27 54 833 9500

Website: www.kheis.co.za

Tsantsabane Municipality

Tel: +27 53 313 7300

Website: www.tsantsabane.gov.za


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

Address: JW Sauer Building, Cnr Roper and

Quinn Streets, Kimberley

Postal address: PBag X5016, Kimberley 8300

Tel: 053 030 0600

Website: www.premier.ncpg.gov.za

Department of Agriculture, Environmental

Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform

Address: 162 George Street,

Kimberlite Building, Kimberley


Tel: 087 630 0387

Website: www.daerl.ncpg.gov.za

Department of Cooperative Governance,

Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs

Address: Larry Moleko Louw Building,

9 Cecil Sussman Rd, Kimberley


Tel: 053 830 9400

Website: www.coghsta.ncpg.gov.za

Department of Economic Development

and Tourism

Address: Metlife Towers, 13th Floor,

Cnr Stead and Knight Streets, Kimberley


Tel: 053 839 4000

State House: 060 577 3311

Email: dedat@ncpg.gov.za

Website: www.northern-cape.gov.za/dedat

Department of Education

Address: 156 Barkly Rd,

Homestead, Kimberley


Tel: 053 839 6500 / 053 830 7160

Website: ncdoe.ncpg.gov.za

Department of Health

Address: James Exum Building,

Du Toit Span Road, Kimberley


Tel: 053 830 2100

Website: www.northern-cape.gov.za/health

Department of Roads and Public Works

Address: 9-11 Stokroos Street,

Squarehill Park, Kimberley

Postal address: PO Box 3132, Kimberley 8300

Tel: 053 839 2277

Website: ncrpw.ncpg.gov.za

Department of Social Development

Address: Mimosa Complex, Barkley Rd, Kimberley


Tel: 053 874 9100

Website: www.socdev.ncpg.gov.za

Department of Sport, Arts and Culture

Address: 10 Recreation Rd, Florianville, Kimberley


Tel: 066 489 9256

Website: dsac.ncpg.gov.za

Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison

Address: Cnr Phakamile Mabija and Lennox Streets,

Kimberley


Tel: 053 839 1700

Website: www.northern-cape.gov.za/dtsl

Treasury

Address: Metlife Towers, 13th Floor, Cnr Stead and

Knight Streets, Kimberley,


Tel: 060 805 1172

Website: www.ncpt.gov.za


48

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.


• InvestSA is a division of the South African Department of Trade,

Industry and Competition (the dtic)

• Business registry: Companies and Intellectual Property

Commission (CIPC)


• International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC)

• National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS)



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.



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

Adress: NCEDA Building, First Floor, Corner Villiers and Quinn Street, Kimberley, 8301

Tel: +27 53 110 0289 | Contact: Mr Shawn Modise, Acting Project Executive

Email: SModise@nceda.co.za

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

Northern Cape Business 2026-27

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