Departmental spokesperson, Sidwell Medupe, says the upgrades will cost approximately R216 million.
“The money that we have allocated is part of the revitalisation of the Industrial Parks Programme that is aimed at promoting industrialisation in the country and boosting manufacturing capacity. We are also proud to announce that last year we budgeted R180 million for the upgrading of six industrial parks throughout the country. Botshabelo Industrial Park at Thaba Nchu, east of Bloemfontein, was one of the beneficiaries”.
Medupe says the programme is also in line with the department’s economic transformation initiatives which are aimed at ensuring that all regions of the country participate meaningfully in the economy.
Medupe says the first phase of the current industrial parks that are being upgraded is near completion.
He adds that the first phase of the revitalisation of the Nkowankowa, Ekandustria, Bodirelo, Phuthaditjhaba, and Garankuwa Industrial Parks is due to commence after their budgets were approved late last year.
Katleho Morapela/Courant News
