Limpopo Business 2016-17 edition

SPECIAL FEATURE
Fresh and Cold Chain have developed specialist techniques
in getting these fruits to port and to market
undamaged. Grindrod has a perishable cargo division
that specialises in transporting cargo by air.
Limpopo’s thriving mining industry is the other
major driver of the transport and logistics sector.
Polokwane has an international airport and there
are a further two regional airports at Hoedspruit and
Phalaborwa. The rail network is mostly devoted to
getting the products of the province’s many mines
to the coast.
Limpopo’s position as a regional hub also brings
its own set of challenges, with vast numbers of vehicles
passing through the province and using its
facilities in the course of delivering goods to all parts
of Southern Africa. New mining operations in the
Waterberg and at Burgersfort and the new power
station at Lephalale have put additional pressure on
existing road infrastructure.
Projects
Two of the largest engineering projects in the history
of South Africa have been undertaken in Limpopo
over the last few years. Both the Medupi power station
(at Lephalale in the far west) and the De Hoop
Dam (in the south-east) have the potential to give the
region’s economy a massive boost.
The power station at Medupi will eventually add
4 764 megawatts to the national grid and has already
given the local economy of Lephalale a massive boost
with thousands of workers and engineers needing
housing and supplies. There have, however, been
long delays and only one of the facility’s six units had
come online by the end of quarter one 2016.
The huge De Hoop Dam, which forms part of the
Olifants River Water Resources Development Project
(ORWRDP), is vital to the province’s future. Access to
water is one of the key elements in any discussion of
economic growth in Limpopo Province, especially as
the mining and agricultural sectors are so important.
In terms of the ORWRDP, some 23 platinum mines
stand to benefit. The dam was officially opened
in 2014.
Another project that could have a big spinoff
is the South African Energy Metallurgical Base
NAMIBIA
Project, which is being developed in the Musina
Special Economic Zone. The value of this investment
has been given by the provincial government as
R38.8-billion, and a memorandum of understanding
has been signed with Hong Kong Mining Exchange
Company Limited, Hoi Mor. Companies in the mineral
and mineral-beneficiation sectors are expected to
take up sites within the complex.
Plans for another Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
at Tubatse have received a positive result from the
feasibility study.
Tourism
Northern Cape
Western Cape
BOTSWANA
North West
Free State
Eastern Cape
Limpopo
ZIMBABWE
Mpumalanga
Gauteng
SWAZI-
LAND
LESOTHO
LIMPOPO
KwaZulu-
Natal
The combined land area of Limpopo’s national,
provincial and private game and nature reserves is
3.6-million hectares. According to the Premier’s office,
the tourism sector employs about 22 414 people.
Although most of the province’s resorts and lodges
are in private hands, three national parks are located
in Limpopo and the provincial government runs 54
nature reserves.
The Kruger National Park is one of the world’s most
famous conservation areas, and a major attraction for
the region. The northern part of Kruger National Park
falls within the province.
Several other public and private game reserves
also exist, as well as other leisure activities and attractions
such as adventure touring and eco- and
cultural-tourism sites. Hunting is another big activity in
Limpopo which attracts domestic and foreign visitors.
MOZAMBIQUE
17 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2016/17