MESSAGE Working
MESSAGE Working together, growing the Free State The Free State Development Corporation unlocks business opportunities. In line with the Free State Growth and Development Strategy and the mandate of broadening access to economic opportunities for the Free State-based business sector, the Free State Development Corporation (FDC) will continue to unlock business opportunities for both local direct and foreign direct investors. The World Bank projected that the GDP growth for BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) will be 5.4% in 2019 and 2020. As the bloc’s powerhouses, India and China are leading the pack in terms of higher GDP growth rates. The annual economic growth rate in India was projected to be 7.5% in 2019 while China’s annual growth rate was projected to decline to 6.3% in 2019 from 6.8% in 2017. Brazil, Russia and South Africa have lower GDP growth rates compared to China and India. The South African economy was projected to grow by only 1.7% in 2019. The FDC is working hard within this framework to promote and advance economic development in South Africa’s most centrally located province. The FDC continues to foster FREE STATE BUSINESS 2020 8
partnerships with various stakeholders with the aim of advancing SMME development, promoting exports and attracting investment within the province. As an organisation, we believe that the best way to grow the Free State, and the country, is through meaningful collaboration and partnerships which allow us to pool all our resources together for the betterment of our entrepreneurs. This 2020 Free State Business publication presents the Free State’s value proposition as a business and tourism destination. The province is open for business with the annual Macufe (Mangaung African Cultural Festival) that brings up to 150 000 travellers into the Mangaung Metro’s City of Roses, Bloemfontein. The “Tabalaza Initiative”, which is spearheaded by the Department of Economic, Small Business, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA), will continue to link start-up innovative business initiatives in the Free State with funding and mentoring support from established businesses. Key opportunities in the Free State include the following: • A leading agricultural commodities producer presenting significant opportunities across the agro-processing value chain. • Engineering opportunities within the Lejweleputswa District as a results of excellent engineering training and capacity-building resulting from the mining sector. • The Maluti-A-Phofung Special Economic Zone, situated at Tshiame in Harrismith in the Thabo Mafutsanyane District which is in the Eastern Free State, is targeting investments into the province. The SEZ is situated midway between the biggest port in Africa, Durban, and the biggest market in Africa, Gauteng. • The FDC offers an attractive rental incentive package for manufacturing entrepreneurs that enter into a minimum fiveyear lease agreement. • The FDC and the dti will soon commence with the second phase of revitalising the industrial parks in Botshabelo, Mangaung and Phuthaditjhaba in Maluti-A-Phofung. This will enhance the park’s infrastructure and ensure improved security. • The industrial park in the key town of Sasolburg, the anchor town of the Metsimoholo Municipality in the Fezile Dabi District in the Northern Free State, has space available for rental to industrial tenants. We will utilise all our resources in creating a conducive environment for entrepreneurs to thrive and unleash the potential of the provincial economy to grow through our commitment to: • relationship building • commitment to our customers and investors • economic transformation for the common good of all our people • assisting investors with accessing incentives and grants where available. In all of the industrial parks in the province the FDC will endeavour to grow and sustain the economy of the Free State. www.fdc.co.za 9 FREE STATE BUSINESS 2020
