OR Tambo SEZ. Photo: Twitter/@ORTamboSEZ
The Gauteng OR Tambo Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was created by the Gauteng Industrial Development Zone Company (GIDZ) which was founded in 2009 as a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA).
It was established to develop and operate the designated Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA). The international airport is one of Africa’s largest and busiest ones.
The mission of the OR Tambo SEZ
Gauteng IDZ CEO Seipati Mangadi explains the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) framework pic.twitter.com/CydobO55xA
— OR Tambo Special Economic Zone (@ORTamboSEZ) July 30, 2019
The Gauteng OR Tambo Special Economic Zone (SEZ) explained by Gauteng IDZ CEO Seipati Mangadi. Video: Twitter/@ORTamboSEZ
The mission of the OR Tambo SEZ is:
To identify, design and, enable manufacturing programmes that will increase industrialisation and manufacturing capability in targeted, export-driven sectors in the regionTo stimulate skills developmentPromoting job creationCreate investment opportunities through public or private partnershipsTo diversifying the province’s economySEZ Investment incentives
Tasked with driving regional competitiveness in the @GautengProvince ,the@ORTamboSEZ supports the growth of the mineral beneficiation sector & export-oriented manufacturing. Strategically located at @ortambo_int the SEZ is managed by GGDA subsidiary, GIDZ. https://t.co/VWb83dyg9E
— The GGDA (@TheGGDA) July 24, 2019
The Gauteng OR Tambo Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Video: Twitter/@TheGGDA
The OR Tambo IDZ has several incentives to promote foreign direct investment in the SEZ. The incentives were packaged by National Government.
Some of them are:
Foreign Investment Grant: To compensate qualifying foreign investors for the cost of moving certain new machinery and equipment abroad to South AfricaDuty-free imports of raw materials or equipment utilised for production in the zoneTax deductions of up to R900 million for projects above R200 millionA lower corporate tax of 15% for companies housed within the SEZExemption from Value Added Tax for goods produced in the SEZ for exportThe OR Tambo SEZ and GIDZ programmes
MEC @Kgosientso_R at the @GPLegislature exhibition with Design@50 graduate Tumi Kepadisa ahead of the #BudgetVote2019
Design@50 is a commercial training institute for jewellery manufacturing & design graduates located at the @ORTamboSEZ & the run by the Gauteng IDZ. pic.twitter.com/mHFT7AqFiv
— The GGDA (@TheGGDA) July 30, 2019
An exhibition with a Design50 graduate. Photo: Twitter/@TheGGDA
The GIDZ has three major projects:
OR Tambo IDZ
Which is focused on the industrial development zone located at OR Tambo International Airport. It focuses “on high value low mass beneficiation.”
Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct
The Manufacturing Precinct provides some specific work streams and packages. The precinct offers the “design and development of bulk infrastructure, enablement works and top infrastructure, as well as tenant and investor attraction.”
Design50
This is a commercial training institute for jewellery manufacturing and design graduates. Fifteen students who take the 11-month course learn technical knowledge, practical work experience, entrepreneurial skills, and they receive certification.
Other special economic and industrial development zones
The OR Tambo SEZ isn’t the only one on the books. There is the Atlantis SEZ in Cape Town, the Nkomazi SEZ in Mpumalanga, the Coega IDZ in the Eastern Cape, the Richards Bay IDZ in KwaZulu-Natal, and the East London IDZ.
There’s also the Saldanha Bay IDZ in the Western Cape, the Dube TradePort in KwaZulu-Natal, the Maluti – A- Phofung SEZ in the Free State, the Musina/ Makhado SEZ in Limpopo.