Mpumalanga Business 2022-23

CONTENTS

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

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