WHY INVEST IN
WHY INVEST IN MPUMALANGA? • 68% of land area in the province is used by agriculture • Mpumalanga’s three biggest sectors are manufacturing, mining and agriculture Mpumalanga’s diverse and resource-rich economy makes it one of the most attractive trade and investment destinations in South East Africa. A large, growing domestic market and excellent access, supported by worldclass infrastructure, to the East African and Indian Ocean markets through Maputo Port makes Mpumalanga an ideal investment location for export-driven manufacturing and production. Mpumalanga is one of South Africa’s most productive and important agricultural regions and through strategic investments in the Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market (MIFPM) and the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone (NSEZ) the province is set to become a major force in food production and distribution. Mpumalanga’s sophisticated and well-segmented tourism and hospitality sector in a post-Covid world is ripe for investment and expansion. Mpumalanga’s STRATEGIC LOCATION makes it a valuable transport and logistics hub Mpumalanga UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION •Abundant resources: minerals and agricultural produce • Established manufacturing infrastructure: smelters, petrochemicals, food processing, paper, sugar • Strategic location, access to regional and global markets • Tourism hotspots: the iconic Kruger National Park, world-class reserves, adventure tourism and new UNESCO World Heritage Site • Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market (MIFPM) • Nkomazi Special Economic Zone (NSEZ) • The new University of Mpumalanga • Support for Green Economy research and investment A province in eastern South Africa, bordering the nations of Swaziland and Mozambique • Maputo Development Corridor enhances logistics • Preferential access to lucrative EU market • Proximity to South Africa’s economic heartland • Access to regional SADC market: 360-million population • Access to deepwater Port of Maputo Capital City Mbombela (Nelspruit) Population 4.5-million people Main major towns Ermelo eMalahleni Middelburg Secunda Airport Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport MPUMALANGA’S ECONOMY The provincial economy of Mpumalanga is exceptionally diverse. Established industries in the province include Mining, Stainless Steel, Petrochemicals, Pulp and Paper, Ferro-Alloys, Energy Generation, Tourism, Agriculture and Agro-Processing. Companies in these sectors include global giants in their industries such as Sasol (energy and chemicals), Sappi (paper, packaging, pulp and forests), Samancor Chrome (ferrochrome), Sibanye-Stillwater and Glencore (mining). AGRICULTURE 3% COMMUNITY SERVICE 19% FINANCE 14% TRANSPORT 6% MINING 20% TRADE 14% MANUFACTURING 15% ELECTRICITY 7% CONSTRUCTION 2% District GVA by district 38% 34% Nkangala Ehlanzeni 28% Gert Sibanda The province’s commercial farmers are among the most efficient in the world, exporting huge quantities of everything from citrus to macadamia nuts. Columbus Stainless is the only stainless-steel manufacturer on the continent. GOVERNANCE The province has three district municipalities and 17 local municipalities. Several agencies which promote the regional economy report to the Mpumalanga Provincial Government. Large parts of the province comprises extensive rural villages that form part of areas run by traditional authorities. TRANSPORT Two airports at Hoedspruit and Mbombela (Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, KMIA) plus many airfields. Extensive freight rail network, busiest in South Africa. N4 highway (Maputo Corridor) is an east-west spine of a highly-developed road system.
ABOUT MEGA The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) is the official Economic Development Agency for the Mpumalanga Provincial Government. MEGA’s primary mandate is to foster the sustainable growth and development of Mpumalanga’s economy through its operational activities of Trade and Investment Promotion, Development Funding, Equity Investments, and Property and Infrastructure Development. The Agency remains accountable to the Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT). MEGA is the foreign investor’s or trader’s first point of contact for doing successful business in Mpumalanga Province. Through the Trade and Investment Promotion Division, the Agency provides a variety of services to potential investors and trading partners. PLANNING THE WAY FORWARD National government has articulated a Nine-Point Plan which seeks to prioritise projects that will tackle key economic issues. MEGA is aligned with the plan, which include issues relevant to growing the provincial economy: • revitalise agriculture and the agro-processing chain • advancing mineral beneficiation • implementing the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) effectively • unlocking the potential of SMMEs, cooperatives and township and rural enterprises • resolving the energy challenge • stabilising the labour market • upscaling private investment • investment in science and technology, water and sanitation, transport and broadband connectivity The Maputo Development Corridor is South Africa’s leading Spatial Development Initiative (SDI), linking Mpumalanga Province, Gauteng Province and the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone with the deepwater Port of Maputo in Mozambique. This efficient corridor provides investors and exporters with good access to the export markets of South East Africa, the Indian Ocean Rim and Far East Asia. The Maputo Development Corridor comprises road, SOUTH AFRICA MEGA SERVICES MEGA staff will go out of their way to make the process of investing in Mpumalanga or starting a business in the province easy. MEGA is focussed on customer needs and provides innovative solutions with a high level of service. Services include: • Foreign Trade Promotion • Investment Promotion • Funding • Property Management and Infrastructure Development MAPUTO DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR Lydenburg rail, Special Economic Zone, border posts, port and terminal facilities. The corridor runs through the most highly industrialised and productive regions of Southern Africa. The Corridor has been extensively upgraded to international standards and links the industrial heartland of South Africa to its nearest port in Maputo, Mozambique, which is one of the fastest-growing countries in South East Africa. Sabie MOZAMBIQUE Middelburg Belfast Mbombela Komatipoort JOHANNESBURG Carolina SWAZILAND MAPUTO
