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MEC tours TASEZ, sees firsthand how SEZs can help accelerate reindustrialisation

Special economic zones (SEZs) are ideally placed to help accelerate the country’s much-needed industrialisation, securing foreign direct investment that can be used to create jobs, develop infrastructure and boost local economies. Africa’s first automotive city, the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone, is one of these key drivers. SEZs are viewed as key instruments to making South Africa an attractive option for foreign direct investments. SEZs are important instruments in advancing the country’s strategic objectives of industrialisation, regional development, the promotion of exports and job creation. Tuesday, 16 July 2024 saw the Gauteng MEC for economic development and treasury, Lebogang Maile, visit three of the 12 factories currently based in the SEZ – Ford Frame, Feltex, and Sodecia – to see for himself what the zone provides. TASEZ was established through a committed investment and against a very tight deadline – and during Covid 19 – setting the bar for the development of new SEZs in South Africa. From its beginnings in the dusty veld on the outskirts of Silverton in 2020, to seeing the first cars come off the production line in November 2022, TASEZ has shown just what can be achieved with a solid investor and strong leadership from all three tiers of government. Looking to expand, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa committed to a R16-billion investment to produce an extra 40 000 vehicles a year, moving from 160 000 units to 200 000 units annually. Supporting Ford’s investment was the political will to drive the project and ensure its success. All three tiers of government become equal shareholders, each with clearly defined roles. The factories based in the SEZ all produce components for Ford, with a focus on just-in-time and just-in-sequence systems. The first phase of TASEZ’s development saw the creation of 3 244 permanent jobs within the zone, with more than 65% from the surrounding communities: 32% going to women and 65.4% by the youth. In addition, more than 5 071 construction jobs were created. “This is in line with the department’s objective of strengthening access into the economy for marginal communities,” Maile noted. “This brings the total of direct jobs created through SEZ to over 8 000 direct jobs resulting in more than 18 396 indirect jobs.” TASEZ CEO Dr Bheka Zulu said: “We are aware of the important role SEZs play in helping to accelerate reindustrialisation of our economic hubs.” He added: “TASEZ is well-placed to help create jobs, support our local communities and boost their economies, and share knowledge and skills.” TASEZ’s Phase 1 also saw 256 opportunities ring-fenced for small, medium and micro enterprises, totalling R1.7-billion in procurement spend. The SEZ is now focusing on its Phase 2 development, and embracing the challenges the South African automotive manufacturing sector faces, in growing the sector, creating jobs, providing access to skills development, ensuring materials and jobs are localised, and including the requirements need for the era of new energy vehicles (NEVs). Over the next two years, Ford will be investing an additional R5.2-billion for the production of the first-ever Ranger plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

‘Vision with action can change the world’

News / By Tasez

It is fitting, in a month where the world remembers former president Nelson Mandela, that the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, opened his budget vote address with a quote from Madiba: “Action without vision is only passing time. Vision without action is merely day-dreaming. But vision with action can change the world.” These words reverberate within the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone’s core, sitting at the heart of the special economic zone’s (SEZ) ethos. Speaking in Parliament on 16 July 2024, Minister Tau noted that the words also echo the country’s aspirations to build a dynamic, industrial and globally competitive South Africa that is transformed, inclusive and equitable. This is “anchored on industrialisation, transformation, job creation and building a capable and developmental state”. The minister emphasised the importance of manufacturing-led growth. “Manufacturing creates jobs in upstream and downstream sectors,” Tau explained, adding that these jobs were typically permanent and paid decent wages, with workers able to access to skills development and career path opportunities. Instruments such as the South African Automotive Masterplan are crucial; with their focus on supporting localisation, increasing investment, and creating and retaining jobs. “We have industrial capabilities as a country,” he added. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) would, in identified industries, work closely with relevant state-owned entities and industry to support local manufacturing of key products and to create jobs. Growing the export markets Of importance to TASEZ, is the fact that the minister identified the need to expand and improve exports. South Africa’s automotive sector already exports the bulk of the vehicles manufactured here. In May 2024, naamsa noted that “record high vehicle exports ensured that the automotive industry outperformed the rest of the manufacturing sector” last year. “The export value of vehicles and automotive components increased by R43.5-billion, or 19,1%, from the R227.3-billion in 2022 to a record R270.8-billion in 2023, comprising 14,7% of total South African exports.” Naamsa noted the export performance included “record exports to all major regions, including the European Union, Africa, the Southern African Development Community, and North America”. Minister Tau pointed out that South Africa’s location at the tip of “the second-fastest growing region in the world”. To reduce a dependence on a small domestic market, “the dtic will implement new export measures, coupled with expanding the current measures and improving their effectiveness” and will work towards expanding its export footprint through BRICS+ (Brazil, Russia, India, China,Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) partnership with the United States, and the Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU. Turning to SEZs, the minister reminded parliament that the reason the country had set up SEZs was “to expand economic activity to under-developed parts of South Africa. There are many benefits to this including, creating jobs closer to where our people live and thereby reducing the cost burden poor people carry.” There was no logical or economic rationale for forcing people to live far from their families in increasingly crowded living spaces. “Spatial equity is therefore, a non-negotiable.” Referring to the 11 SEZs established so far, the minister noted: “These SEZs have generated investments amounting to R19.6-billion. In addition, these SEZs provide an on-going revenue stream to national government through ongoing corporate, PAYE and VAT payments. These contributions to tax revenue across over 100 firms located in SEZs far outweigh the initial establishment costs.” Like TASEZ, which is located between Eerstrust, Mamelod and Nelmapius, South Africa’s industrial parks are often located in or adjacent to townships. And these industrial parks provide jobs and incomes to people from the neighbouring townships. “We, therefore, encourage private-sector participation in the industrial parks, in order to assist to improve operations and facilities, and encourage private sector investment.”

TASEZ greets new Gauteng MEC, views operations

News / By Tasez

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.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition delivers key policy assessment at TASEZ

News / By Tasez

The Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) was chosen to host the delivery of a critical national policy assessment by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel on Tuesday, 7 March 2024. The minister delivered the Industrial Policy and Strategic Review – Transforming Vision into Action: Charting South Africa’s Industrial Future. “TASEZ was chosen as the venue for this occasion as it demonstrates how changes in the approach to implementing industrial policy has given different, significantly positive, results,” the minister said at the beginning of his review. This review – and plan for the future – takes place at a critical time, as the country celebrates 30 years of democracy, and a few weeks before South Africa’s seventh administration takes office. South Africa’s economic development has, over the past three decades, leaned into the national industrial policy to drive growth and transformation in an effort to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality, with industrialisation identified as a key to unlocking the economy, building investor confidence and creating jobs across multiple sectors. Economic impact of investment into South Africa Minister Patel noted that foreign direct investment (FDI) into South Africa rose to R1.1-trillion between 2019 to 2023, a significant increase from the previous five-year period which garnered R312-billion. Investments over the past five years were 3½ times larger. This was despite the turbulent headwinds the country had to endure over the last five years: The FDI packages ameliorated much of the negative impact of the six shocks the country endured. “The resilience of the South African economy has surprised many commentators,” Minister Patel noted. He referred to the 2023 EY Attractiveness Africa Report which highlighted that South Africa attracted the most FDI projects in Africa – 157, making up 23% of the continent’s total. According to the report, South Africa’s FDI was valued at US$26.8-billion and created about 15 000 jobs, the highest number in southern Africa. The minister also noted that of the R1.5-trillion pledged at the five cycles of the South Africa Investment Conference, a third of the projects had already been completed, with others under construction. “What we did in these five years is to try and get investment to flow notwithstanding the headwinds – and we have already seen some real impact.” Minister Patel reviewed the work done by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition over the past five years, discussing a number of success stories in a variety of sectors; examining the challenges that had arisen; and charting a way forward to speed up the various economic programmes. Several key elements were vital to the success of the reimagined industrial strategy, including: This was supported by a number of programmes including the development of sectoral masterplans, which saw a move towards a multi-stakeholder approach, “in which government, the private sector and labour collectively developed and implemented plans”. The masterplan process modelled a new approach, where the state works in a flexible way to address the diverse concerns facing individual companies and other stakeholders. A catalytic project on SEZ development TASEZ is shining example of this approach; showcasing a more rapid and coordinated development process, particularly in reference to setting up special economic zones. One of the key drivers of TASEZ’s business approach is the South African Automotive Masterplan, with its focus on transforming the sector, promoting localization and creating jobs. TASEZ is a critical case study in the speedy implementation of the special economic zones in South Africa. It took four short years for TASEZ to develop from a dusty veld to a modern industrial hub, with an automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) – the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa – supported by other component manufacturers. “Investment was unlocked through an anchor firm, Ford, while the dtic, the Gauteng government, and the City of Tshwane pooled their resources and capabilities,” the strategy review notes. “This solid base allowed for the rapid unlocking of 11 investments by component firms and help establish the SEZ by developing a network of interconnected producers around the zone.” The review noted: “All of this was underpinned by strong alignment with pre-existing policy including state support through the Automotive Production and Development Programme and investment funding through projects like the Automotive Investment Scheme.” In its short existence, TASEZ has seen an investment of R16-billion from Ford; R5.6-billion from the various component manufacturers; and R3.92-billion from government – in its first phase of development. In addition, the first phase of TASEZ has seen the creation of 3 244 permanent jobs in the automotive manufacturing sector and a further 5 071 jobs in construction. Procurement spend in the small, medium and micro enterprise sector has totalled R1.7-billion so far. “This mode – of moving quicky, working through partnerships, coordinating across the state and aligning with broader support programmes – offers a sturdy pathway for the revitilisation of industrial policy,” the review report noted. TASEZ is now preparing to begin the second phase of development, with several investors already preparing to join the hub. “As a special economic zone that plays an integral role in transforming the automotive manufacturing sector,” TASEZ CEO Dr Bheka Zulu, adding that the Africa’s first automotive city could attest to the importance of a strong industrial policy in encouraging global investors.

Tshwane SEZ shows the way on how to successfully attract investment and create employment

News / By Tasez

The Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) has set the benchmark for the development of South Africa’s new special economic zones. Special economic zones (SEZs) are key to making South Africa an attractive option for foreign direct investments. SEZs are important instruments in advancing the country’s strategic objectives of industrialisation, regional development, the promotion of exports and job creation. Africa’s first automotive city, based in the City of Tshwane, was an exemplary case in how to develop and set up an SEZ to hit the road running. From being gazette in January 2020 to seeing the first cars come off the production line in November 2022, TASEZ achieved all of this in just two short years – and during the Covid 19 pandemic. The TASEZ case study was central to discussions that took place in a workshop held in Pretoria on Thursday, 11 April 2024, that looked at how SEZs can be implemented speedily. Piloting a new method “We are conscious of the responsibility we have been given in piloting this new model for the development of SEZs,” says TASEZ CEO Dr Bheka Zulu. “It could not have been done without the strong strategic partnerships between our investors and all three tiers of government.” The TASEZ model has now set the benchmark for the establishment of new SEZs. Representatives from the country’s new SEZs joined the teams from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) responsible for SEZ development, the Industrial Development Corporation’s (IDC’s) SEZ unit, and TASEZ. TASEZ chair and executive director of the Industrial Zones Programme at the IDC, Lionel October, said: “We are here today to begin to standardise and formulate SEZ set up procedures.” The dtic’s Shaun Moses set the scene for the discussion, outlining the policy and strategies driving the development of SEZs. He highlighted the underlying economic challenges South Africa had to tackle: This led to the government identifying a number of objectives to change the economic landscape: combining growth with transformation; boosting local production; growing exports and expanding trade within Africa; increasing investment; establishing a reliable and low-cost energy system while greening the economy; and growing employment. This, Moses pointed out, would be achieved through promoting jobs and higher incomes via industrialisation; building an inclusive economy; and making sure public policies make an impact. Factors for success It was against this background that TASEZ became the pilot project for a new approach to setting up SEZs. There were a number of critical factors that ensured the project’s success: “The scale of the TASEZ project demanded a well-coordinated, systematic and objective approach in responding to the socio-economic performance targets, job creation and SMME opportunities.” Crucially, it was the agile project management approach that ensured TASEZ’s success. Key factors to this success were: One of the proposals to speed up the development of new SEZs, put forward by the technical advisor of the Industrial Zones Programme at the IDC, Dr Siyabonga Simayi, was the creation of multi-sites, or the extension of the boundaries of existing SEZs, to incorporate the development of new SEZs. This would see the development of a zone with more than one site, or the development on land that did not share a border with the existing SEZ. The licence of an existing Industrial Development Zone could be used to facilitate the creation of new SEZs, cutting down on read tape and allowing for a speedier and more agile process, Dr Simayi told the workshop. This would see a single licensee, operator and entity, with one management team and board; single operating systems and processes, and a single budget with one audit process. The workshop concluded by agreeing that there was a need to develop clear guidelines and operating procedures to implement successful SEZs within two years. As Stieneke Jensma, the chief operations officer of the Industrial Zones Programme at the IDC, noted in summing up the day: “TASEZ has done it – we know it’s doable.”

Green TASEZ ready for investors

News / By Tasez

Investors are crucial for the strengthening of South Africa’s economy, and the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) is ensuring it provides the best possible business environment for international automotive manufacturers and component producers. The manufacturing sector is one of the key drivers of the country’s gross domestic product, with the automotive industry providing direct links to the global market and local entrepreneurs. The special economic zone’s (SEZ’s) focus on attracting investment is in keeping with the South Africa Investment Strategy which aims to position South Africa as a preferred African investment destination, and in so doing, attempt to meet the National Development Plan target of 30% of gross fixed capital formation to GDP by 2030. The South African Investment Strategy aims to attract and facilitate quality foreign direct investment and domestic direct investment and ensuring the provision of such investment is well-coordinated and anchored by quality institutions and robust economic infrastructure networks. The national strategy plans to achieve this through: TASEZ is ideally positioned to answer the call of the investment strategy: it operates in a high priority sector – manufacturing; it offers green solutions to its clients; and is forward thinking in ensuring it embraces the latest technology available to ensure its premises are energy resilient and technologically advances. Known as Africa’s first automotive city, TASEZ is strategically located in the economic heart of the county and is able to offer unparalleled access to markets across Africa and beyond. With its base close to existing OEMs and an existing automotive value chain, access to a highly skilled workforce, and proximity to leading academic, research and development institutions, investors in TASEZ can tap into a wealth of human capital and knowledge. This advantage allows for the seamless integration of cutting-edge technologies and innovative manufacturing. As TASEZ CEO Dr Bheka Zulu notes: “With increasing urbanisation and economic growth across the continent, investing in TASEZ offers an opportunity not only to serve the domestic market but also to expand and tap into the burgeoning markets across Africa.” Currently products manufactured in the SEZ are exported to more than 150 destinations world-wide. In keeping with their determination to provide the best facilities possible for investors, representatives from TASEZ are taking part in the Africa Energy Indaba, on in Cape Town between 5 – 7 March 2024, where they are investigating the latest trends in the energy sector, including renewable energy. A primary element that makes TASEZ an attractive destination for investors is its commitment to green manufacturing. “By embracing renewable energy solutions and reducing its carbon footprint, the SEZ is taking significant strides toward creating an environmentally conscious and responsible manufacturing ecosystem,” Dr Zulu notes. In line with global trends, TASEZ is also promoting the development of electric vehicles. “By encouraging the development of New Energy Vehicles (NEV) and their components, our SEZ is driving a revolution that is expected to reshape the entire automotive landscape.” As the global automotive industry undergoes a profound technological evolution, TASEZ is geared up to take advantage of the opportunities such change brings.

State of the Province notes Gauteng is ready to create new opportunities

News / By Tasez

If potential investors were listening to Gauteng’s State of the Province speech on Monday evening, 19 February 2024, they would have much to encourage them to look closer at being based in the province. Premier Panyaza Lesufi noted that if Gauteng was a country, it would have the third largest economy after Egypt and Nigeria, having introduced processes to transform, modernise and reindustrialise the economic sectors. The premier described the five major economy corridors that are now ready to grow. “We took a conscious decision that each corridor must have a powerful economic centre.” For example, one of the key economic sectors in the Tshwane region is that of the automotive industry, where the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone plays a critical role. Moving away from being dependent on mining, the economic development of Gauteng has focused on four key aspects: the financial sector; telecommunications; pharmaceuticals; and ICT. All the banks and insurance companies, as well as the telecommunication giants have their headquarters in Gauteng. “Companies like Google and Huawei chose our province to have their head offices,” the premier noted. The premier went on to highlight the development of the various Gauteng regions and their specific economic focus. As pointed out, the motor vehicle industry is a key driver of the Tshwane economy. Premier Lesufi noted that Phase 1 of TASEZ’s development had been completed. TASEZ “operations are in full swing, with the completion of Phase 1 of its development seeing the production of the first next-generation Ford Ranger and the VW Amarok getting into gear in November 2022.” Lesufi explained that this was the result of a capital investment of R15.8-billion by the Ford Motor Company of South Africa, with the company looking to increase its capacity to produce 200 000 vehicles annually and export vehicles to more than 100 global markets. In addition to the investment from Ford, Ford suppliers invested R5.6-billion into TASEZ, along with an initial government investment of R3.9-billion. With the need to streamline the export of vehicles, the premier announced that “we are developing a new railway line between Tshwane and East London, led by the Minister of Public Enterprises, so that we can ship these cars from the East London port to the world”. “We are indeed excited that these developments are pointing to one direction and one direction only, our economy is back on its feet.”

EEC group visits TASEZ

News / By Tasez

Investigating possible collaboration around developing industrial parks, the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone hosted a high-level delegation from the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) on 22 January 2024. The commission members spent time with the TASEZ leadership team, sharing ideas and exploring ways to collaborate in setting up industrial parks. TASEZ is seen as an important special economic zone to visit, given that it managed to grow from a vacant lot into a well-established manufacturing hub in three short years, winning a Built Environment Recognition Award as a “state-owned entity that implemented infrastructure projects timeously” in 2023. From the sod-turning ceremony overseen by President Cyril Ramaphosa in November 2019 to the start of production on Ford’s Next-Generation Rangers on 15 November 2022, TASEZ has been a case study for infrastructure development in South Africa. In addition, TASEZ and their EEC guests, including Nikolay Kushnarev, director of the industrial policy department of the EEC, and Armen Harutyunyan, director of the EEC agricultural policy department, discussed opportunities for foreign investment and the possibilities of attracting investors from the Eurasian Economic Union countries into South Africa’s SEZs. The commission, which was established in 2012, has five members at present: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Russia. “The experience of successful implementation of the Tshwane SEZ clearly demonstrates the existing industrial and technological capabilities and advantages that can contribute to integration with the Eurasian Economic Union industrial sector, [as well as the] increase in value-added production and regional economic development,” Kushnarev noted. TASEZ CEO Dr Bheka Zulu concurred, adding: “We are confident this visit will serve as a platform for meaningful collaboration between TASEZ and the EEC, opening new avenues for possible collaboration.” Based in the automotive hub of the City of Tshwane, TASEZ, Africa’s first automotive city, aims to attract automotive manufacturers and suppliers, providing a world-class hub with bespoke facilities and services. The zone sees itself as “shaping the future of automotive excellence” as it helps the South African automotive industry on its path to transform the sector by attracting investments and becoming more inclusive and more sustainable.

TASEZ features on Power FM business programme

News / By Tasez

The secret to the success of the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone lies in its partnerships, says board chairperson Lionel October. He was speaking to Power FM’s Noluthando Mthonti-Mlambo during the business focus on 25 October 2023. TASEZ is based on partnerships between SEZ and the communities of Mamelodi and Eersterust, the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa and its international component manufacturers that come from Thailand, Portugal, Brazil, as well as South Africa, and government. “If the three partners work together the community gets real benefits – [jobs and skills development], government provides the world-class infrastructure required, and the private sector creates the jobs and brings the technology, creating our export platforms that is the secret to success,” October said. TASEZ is one of 10 SEZs set up in South Africa to help grow the South African economy. SEZs are geographically designated areas set aside for distinct economic activities and are supported by special arrangements and systems that are often different from those that apply in the rest of the country. They are seen as engines that can propel government’s strategic objectives of industrialisation, regional development, and employment creation forward through attracting Foreign Direct Investment and exporting value-added commodities. Looking at the impact of TASEZ on the South African economy, October pointed out that it is a relative newcomer to the SEZ space, being built in record time, in two years and during Covid-19. This was thanks to strong leadership from the president, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition and the provincial and local governments, October said. In addition, Ford invested R16-billion into expanding their plant in South Africa. “They are now producing the new Ford Ranger vehicle in one of the biggest plants in their stable, exporting to over 100 countries.” Ford’s investment has seen the creation of highly skilled jobs – 2 000 created by Ford and 3 200 created by TASEZ. “This development has really been beneficial to the local economy.” Considering how South Africa’s SEZs measure up globally, October looked to China and the Asian Tigers, pointing out that their success can be attributed to SEZs. “While they obviously provide tax incentives and import incentives, but the real winning proposition that we see from China is power, land and logistics.” It is important to provide a proper logistics system, rail and road; to provide regular and consistent electricity; and to provide a well-developed zone in which to base the manufacturing businesses. In the case of TASEZ, the partnership with the City of Tshwane ensures consistent power to the zone, October said. “We’re working on a railway link between Tshwane and Gqeberha to use Port Elizabeth as an export port.” Added to this is the world-class infrastructure provided within the TASEZ hub.

SEZs represented at Transport Evolution Africa 2023

News / By Tasez

This year’s Transport Evolution Africa has an innovative new element; a lounge set aside to showcase the offerings of South Africa’s special economic zones. Transport Evolution Africa, taking place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC Complex in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, from 20 -22 September 2023, provides access for all involved in the transport sector to access the entire value chain; from transport infrastructure, to logistics, to the access and manufacture of components, to cargo packaging and warehousing, to technology and innovation, to manufacturing. The theme for the three-day event is “Boosting transport infrastructure and logistic operational levers as strategic enablers for competitive trade in Africa”. As key role players in growing the South African economy, SEZ will be showing potential investors why they should do business in the country and in the zones in particular. One SEZ that is a strong presence at the exhibit is the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ), which is one of the sponsors of the event. TASEZ CEO Dr Bheka Zulu will be delivering a keynote address, “Unlocking synergies: SEZ zones and the transport sector evolution”. The SEZ will also be sharing its value proposition including its ideal location for automotive manufacturers and component suppliers, its numerous tax incentives, and its ready supply of qualified local workers. Transport Evolution Africa, which has been running for a decade, creates a platform for everyone involved in the sector to build strong partnerships, make use of expert networks, and market their offerings across a broad spectrum of channels. It is expected that more than 3 000 people will be attending, with over 100 exhibitors. The exhibit allows for the sharing of the latest trends, showcasing innovation, numerous workshops and lectures, and access to the industry’s thought leaders.