When printing company Novus closed its printing press in Nelson Mandela Drive in Bloemfontein a few months ago, it was generally considered as a huge blow to the free flow of information in the Free State as many small newspapers were printed at the plant.
With the rising cost of fuel and paper, some of these newspapers would have found it hard to print in another province and have the print-run transported back to Bloemfontein at high costs.
The good news, however, is that the plant will soon be fully operational again. This after Rising Sun Printers, with its headquarters in Durban and a plant in Johannesburg, acquired Novus’ landmark printing and publishing building in Bloemfontein.
According to a statement by Rising Sun CEO Vijay Maharaj and MD Beverley Naidoo, they purchased the building, which has a rich history in the printing industry, stretching back over a century.
“As proud contributors of BBBEE at level two, we are confident that this new venture will greatly impact the capital city of the Free State. Acquiring ownership of this building… is a mammoth achievement for us.
“Knowing that we will now be branching out into the central region of the country gives us even more motivation to continue working towards becoming the most sought after print company across South Africa,” said Naidoo.
Concurring, Maharaj said that through this venture, they planned to take printing in Bloemfontein to a higher level. “We’re excited to begin printing operations. It’s time for change, new beginnings, empowerment and transformation,” he added.
According to the owners they are hopping to start the printing press by August/September 2022.
Pieter Delport
