Gauteng’s newly-appointed member of the provincial executive council (MEC) for economic development and treasury, Lebogang Maile made time to the meet the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone’s (TASEZ) executive team and familiarise himself with the special economic zone’s operations.

Close relationships with strategic partners is vital to the SEZ, with the Gauteng government being one of the three government partners in TASEZ. As TASEZ chairperson Lionel October explained: “The establishment of Africa’s first automotive city was a pilot project of new integrated strategic partnerships to be used by SEZs in South Africa.”

Central to its development is the three-tier partnership between national government that focuses on the high-level structure, the provincial government that provides funding for the infrastructure within the zone, and the local government that provides infrastructure such as roads and electricity into the zone.

This catalysed the financial investment put into the project by the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa as part of its plans to double the production of its vehicles in Silverton, City of Tshwane, by 40 000 units, to 200 000 units annually.

The SEZ completed the first phase of its development in a mere 18 months – and during Covid-19 – using a R24-billion investment in setting up an automotive manufacturing zone that currently has 12 fully operational facilities and employs 3 500 people.

MEC Maile, who met the TASEZ team, including CEO Dr Bheka Zulu and CFO Rebecca Hlabatau, on Friday 12 July 2024, is immersing himself in his extensive and economically critical portfolio. The Gauteng Department of Economic Development is tasked with leading, facilitating and managing sustainable job creation and inclusive economic growth and development in the Gauteng city region.

And SEZs, as important instruments in advancing the country’s strategic objectives of industrialisation, regional development, the promotion of exports and job creation, have an important role to play – they are key to making South Africa an attractive option for foreign direct investments.

“Our special economic zones programme, supported by intensive investment promotion, will be utilised to accelerate the re-industrialisation of the Gauteng city region,” Maile said.