Limpopo Business 2020/21 edition

LIMPOPO 

BUSINESS 

2020/21 EDITION 

THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT 

IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE 

JOIN US ONLINE WWW.GLOBALAFRICANETWORK.CO.ZA | WWW.LIMPOPOBUSINESS.CO.ZA

Free Access to Selected Education Sites 

Edu Tickets - Add on Microsoft Office bundles 

BYOB / Device Options: Get a selection of devices @ 

amazing prices 

Connect U Platform: Access to zero rated resources 

like eSchool 

05 

06 01 

ConnectU 

Platform 

Service 

Promise 

Education 

URL 

(Bundles & 

Tarrifs) 

Edu Tickets: 

Microsoft 

Office 365 

A1 

02 

NXT Level: Access to preferential rates for entertainment 

social & education data usage tickets / applications 

Service Promise: Microsoft support, 135 / 1940 

04 

NXT level 

benefits 

BYOD/ 

Devices 

Options 

03 

Traditional WAN Hybrid WAN SD WAN 

Branch 

Internet 

Branch 

Branch 

Policy 

Control 

SD WAN 

Self 

Serve 

MPLS 

Dedicated 

Internet Access 

Internet 

Cloud 

Connect 

Internet 

Cloud 

Connect 

MPLS 

MPLS 

Data Centres 

Data Centres 

Router 

APM, Firewall 

SD-WAN 

Data Centres 

Based on MPLS with centralised internet 

and Cloud services 

Greater use of internet, transport, 

increased complexity 

Application aware dynamic network 

connecting the enterprise and Cloud 

business

CONTENTS 

CONTENTS 

Limpopo Business 2020/21 Edition 

Introduction 

Foreword 6 

A unique guide to business and investment in Limpopo. 

Message from the Premier of Limpopo 7 

The Honourable Chupu Stanley Mathabatha discusses the 

flagship Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone project. 

Special features 

Regional overview of Limpopo 8 

Limpopo is looking to new mining projects, increased 

agri-processing capacity and a metallurgical complex 

at the new Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone 

to drive the economy in the wake of Covid-19. 

Transport is entering a new era 12 

Polokwane is rolling out a new public transportation system. 

Boosting manufacturing is a 

key priority for Limpopo 24 

Special Economic Zones and industrial parks 

are being built to provide infrastructure. 

Economic sectors 

Agriculture 38 

Marula is Limpopo’s super fruit. 

Mining 40 

Industry analysts and miners are looking at new uses for PGMs. 

Construction and property 50 

LEDA runs training for artisans in the building sector. 

LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2020/21 

2

Africa Biomass Company 

Buy your own Bandit wood chipper 

or hire us to deal with your biomass 

Your caring family trading as world leaders in the wood chipping industry. 

WP CHIPPER HIRE & SALES trading Bandit the only logical choice for wood chippers in 

as Africa Biomass Company (ABC) Africa, which are now fitted on SABS-approved trailers. 

is a wood chipping company that For more information on the Bandit, see page 11 

provides wood recycling services, 

supplying biomass according to specification. ABC understands wood recycling 

ABC is one of the best go-to wood chipper 

equipment sales and services agents. 

With a comprehensive understanding of the operational 

challenges of wood recycling Slogan in South Africa, 

Company 

Wood chipper services 

ABC has established state-of-the-art facilities to service, 

repair and rebuild wood chipper equipment of 

• Agricultural: orchard / vineyard recycling and any brand and size. ABC’s facilities are operated by a 

mulch spreading 

A small selection of Bandit wood chippers remarkable (from left to team right): Model of very 75XP Engine; experienced Model 65XP and PTO suitably 

• Biomass for generation 

Company 

of heat and the or Intimidator electricity 12XPC. qualified engineers, technicians and artisans. 

Slogan 

• Site clearing and preparation 

An equally remarkable team of field-service 

• River rehabilitation in riparian zones 

technicians deliver repairs, maintenance and parts 

Africa Biomass Company is the authorised dealer Become an owner of a Bandit chipper 

• Workshop, field services, parts and spares to clients’ sites to optimise uptime and efficiency. 

for Bandit Industries in Southern Africa. 

All existing and new customers are welcome 

• Operator training services: SETA-certified 

ABC has built up a substantial fleet of Bandit to contact us if they want to become the 

• Manufacturing workshop wood chippers for use by the company The most as part experienced 

owner of the top-class range of Bandit 

of our wood recycling services, but ABC also 

biomass producer equipment. in Bandit Africa Industries have delivered 

offers a whole range of Bandit wood chippers successful recycling solutions to basically 

The X-factor in wood chippers to clients who want to invest in the Bandit range. every corner of the planet. 

Bandit chippers are designed Dimensional with quality, wood chips are produced by the removal 

ABC is the authorised dealer for Bandit production wood and chippers longevity in mind. of alien Hand-fed invasive A trees commitment in riparian to zones, support previously 

chippers are mounted on custom-built, SABSapproved 

trailers. Owning a Bandit wood Africa Biomass Company is fully equipped 

in Africa. Bandit combines first-world technology and deemed as impossible. ABC, however, now has 

experience with third-world functionality. chipper will always This makes put you in the front knowledge seat of and and stocked technology to service and to get repair the any job Bandit 

reliable wood chipping operations. 

machine anywhere in South Africa. We own 

done. These wood chips are then used 

In many cases, the Bandit wood chipper sets a fully-equipped parts warehouse (650m²), 

the benchmark for other brands in the wood in agri-industrial manufacturing applications department as as well a greener 

alternative services to ensure to coal that for parts either are always heat readily or 

as field 

chipping industry. We are ready to supply the 

right Bandit wood chipping solution with advice available and our own, as well as our clients’ 

electricity production. 

and aftercare to your doorstep. All existing and Bandit wood chippers are not out of commission 

new customers are welcome to contact us to longer than they have to be. 

become the owner of Bandit equipment. Geographical www.abc.co.za footprint 

ABC is located in Worcester (Western 

Cape), Kirkwood (Eastern Cape), 

Nelspruit (Mpumalanga) and Upington 

(Northern Cape). 

We operate in all nine provinces in 

South Africa and also across the 

borders into Sub-Saharan Africa, including 

Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, 

Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, 

Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria. ■ 

9 WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2020 

www.abc.co.za

CONTENTS 

Energy 51 

The Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (SEZ) 

will use and create large volumes of energy. 

Water 52 

Macadamia shells are filtering water for rural communities. 

Tourism 54 

International golf puts Limpopo on television screens. 

Banking and financial services 56 

Agricultural financing is in the spotlight. 

Development finance and SMME support 58 

Small-scale farmers are getting support 

to connect to the value chain. 

Education 60 

The University of Limpopo celebrated 60 years in 2019. 

References 

Key sector contents 36 

Overviews of the main economic sectors of Limpopo. 

Index 64 

Maps 

Limpopo locator map. 11 

ABOUT THE COVER: 

The bulk sorter at the 

Mogalakwena Platinum 

Mine in the Bushveld 

Complex. The mine is 

located near the town 

of Mokopane within 

the Mogalakwena Local 

Municipality, which is 

part of the Waterberg 

District Municipality. The 

largest open-pit platinum 

mine in the world, it was 

established in 1993. 

Photo: AngloAmerican. 


4

When the safety 

of your workforce 

and community 

is a top priority 

we’re good together 

With the new Temperature Screening 

Solution, you can instantly detect and 

identify individuals with high temperatures. 

Through non-contact, thermographic CCTV cameras 

and advanced analytics, protecting your workforce, 

customers, students and general community has just 

become a whole lot easier. 

For more information on this solution, 

email mtnbusiness.marketing@mtn.com 

mtnbusiness.co.za 

TBWA\HUNT\LASCARIS 925330 

MTN Terms and Conditions apply. For full product Terms and Conditions, visit hikvision.co.za

FOREWORD 

Limpopo Business 

A unique guide to business and investment in Limpopo. 

Credits 

Publisher: Chris Whales 

Publishing director: 

Robert Arendse 

Editor: John Young 

Managing director: Clive During 

Online editor: Christoff Scholtz 

Art director: Brent Meder 

Designer: Simon Lewis 

Production: Lizel Olivier 

Business development 

manager: Shiko Diala 

Ad sales: Gavin van der Merwe, 

Sam Oliver, Jeremy Petersen 

Gabriel Venter, Vanessa Wallace. 

Administration & accounts: 

Charlene Steynberg 

and Natalie Koopman 

Printing: FA Print 

The 2020/21 edition of Limpopo Business is the 12th issue of 

this highly successful publication that, since its launch in 

2007, has established itself as the premier business and 

investment guide for the Limpopo Province. 

Limpopo has been attracting significant investments in the mining 

sector in recent years and the green light for the creation of the 

Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone in the province’s far north has 

attracted several billion dollars. A metallurgical and energy cluster will 

inaugurate the SEZ, after which investments in agri-processing, logistics 

and manufacturing are expected to follow. 

In addition to the regular articles providing insight into each of the 

key economic sectors of the province, there are special features on 

transport and logistics and specific plans that are in place to promote 

manufacturing in Limpopo. News related to mining, agriculture, tourism, 

construction and property, water, education and development finance 

is carried in overviews of the main economic sectors. 

To complement the extensive local, national and international 

distribution of the print edition, the full content can also be viewed 

online at www.limpopobusiness.co.za. Updated information on the 

Limpopo is also available through our monthly e-newsletter, which 

you can subscribe to online at www.gan.co.za, in addition to our 

complementary business-to-business titles that cover all nine provinces, 

our flagship South African Business title and the new addition to our list of 

publications, African Business, which was launched in 2020. ■ 

Chris Whales 

Publisher, Global Africa Network Media | Email: chris@gan.co.za 

DISTRIBUTION 

Limpopo Business is distributed internationally on outgoing 

and incoming trade missions, through trade and investment 

agencies; to foreign offices in South Africa’s main trading 

partners around the world; at top national and international 

events; through the offices of foreign representatives in 

South Africa; as well as nationally and regionally via chambers 

of commerce, tourism offices, airport lounges, provincial 

government departments, municipalities and companies. 

Member of the Audit Bureau 

of Circulations 

PUBLISHED BY 

Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd 

Company Registration No: 2004/004982/07 

Directors: Clive During, Chris Whales 

Physical address: 28 Main Road, Rondebosch 7700 

Postal address: PO Box 292, Newlands 7701 

Tel: +27 21 657 6200 | Fax: +27 21 674 6943 

Email: info@gan.co.za | Website: www.gan.co.za 

ISSN 1993-0119 

COPYRIGHT | Limpopo Business is an independent 

publication published by Global Africa Network Media (Pty) 

Ltd. Full copyright to the publication vests with Global Africa 

Network Media (Pty) Ltd. No part of the publication may be 

reproduced in any form without the written permission of 

Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd. 

PHOTO CREDITS | Pics courtesy African Bank, Amarula Festival, AngloAmerican, 

Anglo Platinum, BiogasSA, Columbus Steel, Forestry SA, Great North Transport, 

Housing Development Agency, Implats, Ivanhoe Mines, Kusini Water, Leeto la 

Polokwane, Ludwig Sevenster/SA Forestry, Marula Festival, Minerals Council South 

Africa, MMSEZ, SA Tourism, Shaun Roy/Sunshine Tour, Univen Innovative Growth 

Company, University of Limpopo, Venetia Mine, VKB, Westfalia. 

DISCLAIMER | While the publisher, Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd, has used all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in 

Limpopo Business is accurate and up-to-date, the publishers make no representations as to the accuracy, quality, timeliness, or completeness of the information. 

Global Africa Network will not accept responsibility for any loss or damage suffered as a result of the use of or any reliance placed on such information. 


6

MESSAGE 

The Musina-Makhado Special Infras 

Economic Zone is a flagship project 

driver 

develo 

Limpopo Premier Chupu Stanley Mathabatha invites 

private investors to work with the public sector in 

building infrastructure and growing the economy. 

Iwant to start by thanking Global Africa Network for sustaining the 

publication of this important magazine, Limpopo Business. I also wish to join 

in celebrating this 12th edition of what I consider a premier business and 

investment guide for our beautiful Limpopo Province. 

Indeed, Limpopo Business is an important partner in the continued 

endeavour to market and position Limpopo as a leading and most attractive 

business and investment destination. 

This informative edition once again affords us an opportunity to take you 

through the plentiful business and investment offerings of our province, from 

Bela-Bela to Musina. 

Through this publication, you will also learn about great private-public 

partnership investments that are the pulse of our provincial economy. 

As you will come to learn, Limpopo is home to a thriving mining sector, 

tantalising tourism offerings and a limitless potential for the agricultural sector. 

The construction industry is one of the booming sectors of the Limpopo 

economy, the inherited legacy of an infrastructure backlog means that the 

sector has a longer future. Investment in this sector is an investment in the 

future. Limpopo Province has also moved to embrace the new digital economy 

through competitive support infrastructure. 

The Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) remains our 

flagship economic development project. Through this initiative, and through 

partnerships with the private sector, we hope to stimulate economic growth, 

create much-needed employment opportunities and reduce the ballooning 

gap of inequality. 

Business opportunities in this SEZ project are limitless. These opportunities 

range from manufacturing, agroprocessing, automotives, steel, pharmaceutical, 

logistics and many more. 

What is even more tantalising is the fact that this project enjoys the 

overwhelming support of our National Government. 

As the Limpopo Provincial Government, we have placed this Musina- 

Makhado SEZ Project at the apex of our priorities. We believe that the only 

available option for us is to make this project a resounding success. 

Limpopo is open for business! ■ 

MESSAGE 

Limpopo Prem 

priorities in we 

already receivin 

We 

th 

Ad 

Premier Chupu 

af 

Stanley Mathabatha successful nation 

general election 

election which w 

Chupu Stanley 

Premier of Limp 

7 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2020/21 LIMPOPO BUSINE

SPECIAL FEATURE 

A regional overview 

of Limpopo 

By John Young 

Image: Implats 

Limpopo is looking to new mining projects, increased agri-processing 

capacity and a metallurgical complex at the new Musina-Makhado 

Special Economic Zone to drive the economy in the wake of Covid-19. 

The Limpopo tourism sector received 

a boost in February 2020 when the 

Armed Forces Day was held in and 

around Polokwane, the provincial capital. 

Fully booked signs went up from Mokopane to 

Haenertsburg and tourism operators had reason 

to expect a bumper year ahead. 

Then on 5 March, the National Institute for 

Communicable Diseases announced that the first 

case of Covid-19 had been reported in South Africa. 

Any hopes of maintaining the positive increase in 

visitor numbers recorded in recent years had to be 

put aside and the focus was on saving lives. In 2018 

Limpopo received 2.2-million international visitors 

in addition to 1.1-million domestic travellers. 

Last year’s regional overview referred to the 

sector’s “almost limitless potential” but most of that 

will have to wait until the global pandemic is under 

control. Nearly eight-million international tourists 

visited the province between 2014 and 2018 and 

more than 27-million South Africans visited some 

part of Limpopo in the same period. 

The combined land area of Limpopo’s national, 

provincial and private game and nature reserves 

is 3.6-million hectares. It is possible that these 

reserves will be able to receive visitors before other 

parts of the tourism sector are opened up so there 

is the possibility of some relief from that quarter. 

According to the Premier’s office, the tourism sector 

employed about 22 400 people in 2018. 

The absence of travellers in the wake of the 

coronavirus epidemic is obviously going to have a 

big impact on the Limpopo economy. Fortunately, 

the province’s other two big economic sectors, 

mining and agriculture, are strong and both 

of these sectors are the focus of public and 

private investment. The provincial government is 

putting considerable resources into agricultural 


8


infrastructure. This includes upgrading old 

irrigation schemes and building new ones, 

building a packhouse, investing in processing 

equipment at a tomato paste factory and 

constructing and supplying Farmer Production 

Support Units around the province. 

These all constitute attempts to bring smallscale 

farmers into the value chain at a point where 

more money can be made. Limpopo is home 

to some of South Africa’s largest commercial 

agricultural enterprises who are drawn to the 

fertile and varied soils that the province has to 

offer. This is one of the reasons why Limpopo 

punches above its weight in exports. 

Potatoes are grown, together with 75% of 

South Africa’s mangoes and tomatoes; papayas 

(65%); tea (36%); citrus, bananas and litchis (25%) 

and 60% of the country’s avocados. ZZ2 is one of 

the country’s largest agricultural companies. ZZ2 

is most famous for the large quantity of tomatoes 

and avocados produced but its product range is 

also large: mangoes, onions, dates, cherries, apples, 

pears, stone fruit, almonds and blueberries. 

Agri-processing is strong elsewhere, with 

Pioneer Foods, McCain, Granor Passi, Kanhym, 

Westfalia and Enterprise Foods all prominent, but 

this sector still has potential to grow. 

The best performing subsector of South 

African exports in recent years has been fruit and 

nuts. Limpopo has been a major contributor to the 

country’s excellent export record: fruit and nuts 

from the province’s eastern regions are hugely 

popular in international markets and Limpopo’s 

commercial farmers are extremely efficient. 

and Competition (dtic) said that a consortium of 

Chinese investors, Sino, had agreed to operate the 

mineral beneficiation operations. 

The initiative has already attracted other (local) 

investors in the form of Eco-Industrial Solutions (EIS), 

the private sector investor behind the Limpopo 

Eco-Industrial Park (LEIP). LEIP aims to be an 

integrated and industrial development comprising 

five major industrial components that sets new 

standards in sustainability. Set on 6 400ha of land, 

the LEIP will include a nature reserve, two residential 

estates and schools. 

The Limpopo Economic Development Agency 

(LEDA) is working with EIS to establish a petrochemical 

cluster within the Musina-Makhado 

SEZ. Another SEZ is intended for Tubatse in 

eastern Limpopo. This project, together with an 

industrial park designed to promote and enhance 

opportunities related to the marula fruit and 

the revitalisation of industrial parks at Seshego 

and Nkowankowa, point to the centrality of 

clusters and concentrated land use in provincial 

economic planning. 

LEDA, an agency of the Limpopo Department 

of Economic Development, Environment and 

Tourism (LEDET), is the primary driver of the 

provincial government’s drive to boost the 

economy through investment. 

Investment encouraged 

In July 2016 the national cabinet approved the 

Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ). 

Located in the far north of Limpopo in the Vhembe 

region, the SEZ is strategically located near the 

border of Zimbabwe and on the Great North Road 

which links South Africa to the broader Southern 

African region. The location promotes the Trans- 

Limpopo Spatial Development Initiative. Logistics 

will be one of the key focus areas of the SEZ. Soon 

after the announcement of the designation of the 

SEZ, the National Department of Trade, Industry 

Avocado packing factory. Image: Westfalia 

9 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2020/21


The mining sector continues to invest in 

projects in Limpopo. The province has huge 

reserves of coal, platinum, chromium, uranium 

clay, nickel, cobalt, vanadium, limestone and 

tin. Demand will always fluctuate, and the 

commodities cycle has recently been very volatile, 

but the world will always need minerals. 

Limpopo’s assets include the largest diamond 

mine in South Africa (De Beers Venetia Mine), the 

biggest copper mine in South Africa (Palabora 

Mining Company), the biggest open-pit platinum 

mine in the country and the biggest vermiculite 

mine in the world. The province has 41% of South 

Africa’s platinum group metals (PGMs), 90% of South 

Africa’s red-granite resources and approximately 

50% of the country’s coal reserves. Antimony, a 

strategic mineral found in large quantities in China, 

is another of Limpopo’s major assets. 

According to the State of the Province Address 

given by Premier Chupu Mathabatha in February 

2020, mining employment decreased from 

106 000 to 86 000 between the 4th quarter 

of 2018 and the 4th quarter of 2019. This situation 

was partially reversed in the early stages of 

2020 as global demand for PGMs increased and 

prices rose. The mining sector was less affected 

by shutdowns due to the pandemic than some 

other industries. The Premier further reported 

that the province would be receiving a total 

investment of R36.3-billion over the next five years 

from mining activity. 

The Provincial Government is in the process 

of reassessing its industrial strategy, the main 

thrust of which involves strengthening the drive 

to promote clusters in the mining, agriculture 

and tourism sectors. The other strategic thrust of 

the planning initiative is to help prepare Limpopo 

to exploit new sectors such as renewable energy 

and the creative sector and to examine the 

implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 

From left to right: Limpopo 

Premier Representative, MEC 

Thabo Mokone, Malcolm Boyd 

from World Vision, Mxolisi Mgojo 

(Exxaro Resources CEO), Andile 

Sangqu (Executive head, Anglo 

American South Africa) and 

Dr Thulani Dlamini, CSIR CEO. 

Image: Anglo American. 

IMPACT CATALYST 

Two of Limpopo’s biggest companies, 

South Africa’s most respected research 

institution, a global humanitarian aid 

organisation and the Limpopo Provincial 

Government have signed up to the 

Impact Catalyst, which aims to drive socioeconomic 

growth through collaboration. 

The Impact Catalyst is part of Anglo 

American’s Collaborative Regional 

Development programme, and the 

launch in November 2019 was supported 

by partners Exxaro Resources, the Council 

for Scientific and Industrial Research 

(CSIR), World Vision and the Provincial 

Government. 

With mining playing the role of a 

foundational sector in the Limpopo economy, the Impact Catalyst is an 

attempt to help communities build up other sectors of the economy 

to take advantage of the opportunities related to mining. 

Various initiatives to be supported relate to agri-processing, biofuels, 

waste recycling, integrated game farming and community health. 

Enterprise and supplier development programmes fall under the ambit 

of the venture, as does integrative geo-spatial planning, as developed 

by the CSIR. Integrated planning initiatives have the potential to bring 

together business, government and other affected parties such as 

NGOs, community and faith groups and academics. 


10



BANDIT – EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS 

Polokwane has good hotel and conferencing facilities. 

Park Inn by Radisson Polokwane is the newest Thulamela Local Municipality, Vhembe District 

Thohoyandou is the administrative centre of 

First-world technology and quality combined SABS-approved roadworthy trailers built at Africa 

with African simplicity. The main woodchipper Biomass Company in Worcester, South Africa. 

hotel to open in the city. Nearby Moria attracts up to Municipality and the University of Venda. The Ivory 

unit is manufactured by Bandit Industries, Inc. Engine-powered woodchippers are fitted 

a million people every year, when the Zion Christian Route passes through the district. Other attractions 

with 35-plus years’ experience with Tier 3, South African standard, diesel or 

Church celebrates Easter. 

include an ancient baobab tree, the Dzata Ruins, the 

in innovation and international petrol engines, depending on the woodchippers’ 

research. These units specification 

Museum of the 

or clients’ 

Drum, 

preference. 

the mystical 

Electric 

Lake 

and 

Fundudzi 

Sekhukhune District 

PTO 

are shipped to options 

and Nwanedi 

are also 

Provincial 

available in 

Park. 

various Bandit models. 

Government is the largest employer in South this southern Africa The add-ons are specifically handpicked to give 

district, followed by agriculture and hunting. where they The vast Waterberg District 

are you the best set-up and will provide you with a 

majority of households are rural (94%) and fitted Groblersdal onto well-balanced The mining sector woodchipper is the largest that contributor will outperform to regional 

GDP, other while chippers agriculture in Africa. is also significant. Several 

is the district capital. The region’s fertile lands produce most 

maize, tobacco, peanuts, vegetables, sunflower seeds www.abc.co.za 

towns in the district are in the mineral-rich Bushveld 

and cotton on a large scale. Agriculture makes up 25% Igneous Complex. 

of the economy. Burgersfort is an important town The district also features the riches of the 

because of platinum mining. 

Waterberg Coal Fields, iron ore (at Thabazimbi) and 

Geography 

The province is home to two universities, the 

tin and platinum at Mookgophong. The town of 

Mopani District 

University of Venda and the University of Limpopo, 

Lephalale is at the heart of the region’s coal-mining 

Limpopo covers about 10% of South Africa’s land and seven Technical and Vocational Education and 

Giyani 

mass 

is 

and 

the 

is 

administrative 

home to about 

capital 

10% of 

of 

the 

the 

country’s 

district and 

popis 

and 

Training 

power-generation 

(TVET) colleges. 

sectors 

The Turfloop 

and is the 

Graduate 

site of 

key ulation. to the local The economy. 2011 census The public recorded sector 5.4-million is one of Eskom’s School of huge Business new is Medupi in Polokwane. power plant which is 

the residents. largest employers The main and languages the key sectors of the are people agriculture 

Limpopo and mining. are Mopani Sesotho, has Xitsonga an established and Tshivenda food man- 

the The capital area around of Limpopo Mokopane Province. is one Located of the rich- 

on 

of under The construction. centrally situated city of Polokwane is 

ufacturing but English industry, is widely in canned, used in business preserved and and government. 

production The Limpopo and vegetable Province’s juices. 125 Phalaborwa 754km² wheat, from the tobacco, high-density cotton, beef, population maize and of peanuts. greater 

driedfruiest 

the agricultural Great North zones Road in and South almost Africa, equidistant producing 

is covers the gateway a remarkably to the Kruger diverse National geographical Park. It has and a The Johannesburg bubbling hot and springs the neighbouring of Warmbaths countries (Bela-Bela) of 

good cultural airport landscape is a that tourism also hub. rich Palaborwa in minerals Mining and is Botswana, a popular Zambia, tourism destination, Zimbabwe and the Mozambique, district has 

Company agricultural (PMC) products. is the major economic driving force many Polokwane’s luxury golf upgraded estates. international The Legend airport Golf & plays Safari 

in the The area. N1 State-owned highway is phosphate a key reason and for phosphoric the province’s 

producer important Foskor role is in another nation’s major logistics employer. sector. The 18 holes Polokwane designed is the by province’s a different main famous centre golfer, for ind- and 

Resort an increasingly has the distinction important of regional having role. had each of its 

acid 

Marula It passes Festival through is held Limpopo in Phalaborwa from the every south year. to the an ustry, extra commerce, hole which education is very long and (360m) medical but services. also very 

border A subtropical town of climate Musina and and fertile on to soils Zimbabwe combine and to high: The city requires is close a helicopter to big concentrations ride to get to of the mineral tee-off 

make its neighbours greater Tzaneen in the very Southern productive African in Development 

and Community vegetables. (SADC). Limpopo’s The second busy N11 most highway pop- 

industries reflect this diversity. ■ 

terms of point deposits 400m and up the to mountainside. 

fertile agricultural lands. Its 

fruit 

ulous links city the has province a population to Botswana of 80 to 000. the The west Letaba and 

Valley 

Mpumalanga 

produces 

Province 

a large proportion 

to the east. 

of South Africa’s 

mangoes, 

Most 

avocadoes 

of South Africa’s 

and tomatoes. 

logistics operators 

Forty sawmills 

have a 

presence in the provincial capital city of Polokwane 

operate in the area, drawing on the heavily forested 

and logistics hubs have been established in 

hills around the city. 

that city and in Musina. The province has a 

Vhembe sophisticated District rail network which Transnet Freight 

Rail aims to further expand, primarily to haul the 

The 

province’s 

Vhembe 

vast 

District 

reserves 

borders 

of coal away 

Zimbabwe 

to the coast 

and 

Botswana. 

at Richards 

The 

Bay. 

district’s administrative capital is 

Thohoyandou. Two of the Vhembe’s largest engineering vast bushveld projects supports in 

commercial the history and of game South farming Africa have and the recently district been has 

considerable undertaken cultural in Limpopo: and historical the Medupi assets. power Game station farming 

(at is a Lephalale growing subsector, in the far as west) is eco-tourism. and the De Beers’ Hoop 

Venetia Dam (in Mine, the situated south-east). just west of Musina, is South 

Africa’s largest diamond producer. 

LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2018/19 

11 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2020/21 

14


Transport is entering a new era 

Polokwane is rolling out a new public transportation system. 

Image: Leeto la Polokwane 

With the City of Polokwane in the 

final stages of preparation for 

the introduction of the Leeto 

la Polokwane public transport 

system and the Special Economic Zone at Musina- 

Makhado designed to become a logistics hub, 

the Limpopo Province is set to take full advantage 

of its strategic location. 

Logistics is a vital feature of the Limpopo 

economy for another reason – the province has 

huge volumes of minerals and agricultural products 

to be transported to markets. In addition to the N1 

highway, the N11 is a primary road corridor and 

there are nine provincial road corridors. 

The building of the Musina-Makhado Special 

Economic Zone (MMSEZ) will further boost 

Limpopo’s importance as a transport and logistics 

hub. The official opening of the Musina Intermodal 

Terminal near the Beit Bridge Border Post is 

confirmation of Limpopo’s status as a leader in 

logistics. Located in the town of Musina on the 

N1 highway leading to Zimbabwe, the terminal is 

used to move cargo from road to rail. 

Warehousing facilities on-site make for 

loading efficiencies in the main cargoes such as 

chrome, fertiliser, coal, fuel and citrus. Bulk and 

containerised cargo are handled, with an annual 

capacity of three-million tons per annum. 

Major investments in transport infrastructure 

are being made in Polokwane. SANRAL is building 

a R640-million ring road and a bus rapid transport 

system is being introduced. The scheme is called 

Leeto la Polokwane. Within the province more 

broadly, 22.6% of households in Limpopo use bus 

transport and 45.8% use taxis (2013 Household 

Travel Survey). 

Apart from Polokwane and Musina, the towns 

of Tzaneen, Lephalale and Burgersfort are important 

in logistics. Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL), 

of which the provincial government is the sole 

shareholder, accounts for about a third of the 

budget of the Limpopo Department of Public 

Works, Roads and Infrastructure. 

The South African National Road Agency 

Limited (SANRAL) is involved in two major road 

projects in support of the Musina-Makhado 

SEZ. The N1 is to be re-routed and a new single 

carriageway created in the Musina CBD. A bypass 

into ZCC Moria has been completed. 

The Polokwane International Airport (PIA) is 

wholly owned by the provincial government and 

run by the Gateway Airports Authority Ltd (GAAL), 

an agency of the Limpopo Department Transport 

and Community Safety. 

SA Airlink caters mainly to the business market 

and offers 21 flights to Johannesburg six days 

a week. The airline also provides links between 

Phalaborwa and Johannesburg, and between 

Hoedspruit and Johannesburg and Cape Town. 

Great North Transport falls under the Limpopo 

Economic Development Agency (LEDA). The 

company has more than 500 buses, covers about 

36-million kilometres every year on 279 routes and 

transports 37.6-million passengers. 

An amount of R814-million was budgeted in 

2020/21 to support the public transport industry, 

including subsidies. ■ 


12

Leeto la Polokwane opens new 

opportunities for local businesses 

Affordable transport set to transform the provincial capital. 

Citizens of Polokwane and surrounding 

areas are anticipating business growth, 

employment opportunities and affordable 

transportation as the city prepares 

to launch an Integrated Public Transport System 

(IPTS), Leeto la Polokwane. 

Leeto la Polokwane is the city’s road-based 

public transport that will ease the movement of 

people to all parts of the city quicker, ensuring 

they have easy access to educational institutions, 

healthcare facilities, and employment centres. The 

system is set to provide a high-quality transport 

service that is in line with the National Transport 

Act, integrating the different forms of public 

transport across the municipality. 

This transportation system has an important 

role in the development of a city and spurring 

economic growth. Public transport is the 

backbone of the economy as it allows workers to 

travel to their workplaces daily. 

LEETO LA POLOKWANE AIMS TO 

• Reduce congestion on public roads 

• Improve the road networks 

• Create business opportunities 

• Employment with focus on the 

affected operators 

It is becoming increasingly 

clear that Leeto la 

Polokwane is crucial to 

socio-economic development 

as it provides a 

viable transport solution 

for commuters, something 

sorely lacking in the past. 

As milestones are achieved 

along the road to rolling out 

the system, so economic 

growth will follow. ■ 

Tel: + 27 15 290 2324 

Email: leetolapolokwane@polokwane.gov.za 

Website: www.leetolapolokwane.co.za 


FOCUS 

Exciting public transport system 

to be launched in 2020 

Phased approach to be adopted for maximum safety. 

The National Department of Transport visited the City of Polokwane to monitor the progress of the system. 

Leeto la Polokwane’s initial Phase 1A is 

expected to go operational in 2020. Before 

the actual operations, the system will 

undergo trial operations to test the 

effectiveness of the system while at the same time 

training the drivers to efficiently run the buses. 

The system trial period will be guided by the 

Covid-19 regulations as tabled by the government. 

Precautionary measures have been put in place 

to ensure compliance with the Covid-19 Bus 

Transport Operators Guidelines. 

Phase 1A consists of two trunk extension 

routes and two complementary routes which will 

serve the Seshego, Flora Park and Westenburg 

areas. The complete system will be characterised 

by the dedicated bus lanes, smartcard payment 

systems, bus stops, a control centre, one median 

station, a layover facility, trunk extension routes 

and complementary routes. 

Construction of dedicated bus lanes along 

Nelson Mandela Drive from Zebediela Street 

to Seshego Circle has been completed. The 

dedicated lanes will fast-track the arrival times for 

passengers by separating the Leeto buses from 

the normal traffic. 

A median station and a bus depot are under 

construction. The station will be situated in the 

Central Business District (CBD) along General 

Joubert Street between Thabo Mbeki and Grobler 

Street. The bus depot which is situated in Zone 8 

on New Era Drive Street in Seshego will house 36 

Leeto la Polokwane buses for Phase 1A operations. 

Both the Bus Depot and the Bus Station will not be 

ready for Go-Live 2020. 

In the meantime, operations will be on the 

kerbside (the side of a road or pavement that is 

nearer to the stop) and the buses will be operated 

from the layover facility. The buses will not be 


14

FOCUS 

picking up passengers during the trial period; the 

aim of this period is to ensure drivers are being 

trained appropriately. 

The following elements will be functional 

during Phase 1A Implementation: 

• Trunk Extension TE4 which runs through Zone 1 

and back into Nelson Mandela Street. 

• Trunk Extension TE5b which runs from Nelson 

Mandela Street onto Ditlou Street, Seshego B 

section and back into Nelson Mandela Street. 

• Complementary F1 which runs on Grobler, 

Webster, Marshall and Thabo Mbeki Streets. 

• Complementary F4b which runs on Grobler and 

Nikkel Streets and circulates through Nirvana and 

back into the CBD via Thabo Mbeki Street. 

• The Control Centre, New Peter Mokaba Stadium. 

• The layover facility located near Itsoseng Centre, 

on the corner of Fluorspar and Silicon Streets. 

Universal accessibility 

Leeto la Polokwane was built in line with Universal 

Access principles, to provide easy access to all 

people with a variety of needs, giving equal 

opportunity to have access to a safe, reliable and 

quality transport service. 

Features include the use of deployable 

boarding bridges to allow passengers in 

wheelchairs and mothers with baby strollers to 

enter and exit the buses safely. The other features 

are raised tactile (textured) paving, beeping alarms, 

and voice announcements that guide people who 

have reduced vision and who cannot read. 

Another important aspect is infrastructure 

for pedestrians and cyclists. About 18km of 

Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) facilities have 

been built which includes the walkways that are 

dedicated to human-powered means of getting 

around such as bicycles, skateboards, wheelchairs 

and handcarts. 

Cashless ticketing system 

For commuters to get in the Leeto la Polokwane 

buses, they will need to buy a Leeto Travel Card 

that will be loaded with cash, allowing commuters 

to plan and budget for trips. There will be no cash 

handling between the drivers and the passengers. 

The card will be available at local outlets, vendors 

and spaza shops. Commuters will not be charged 

for the first issue of the travel 

card. However, should the 

card be lost or damaged, 

a replacement fee will be 

charged. Commuters will 

register their cards with their ID numbers so that 

it can be blocked if it is lost, stolen or damaged. 

The card has no expiry date and can be used 

multiple times. 

Control centre 

The control centre, where all the operations for 

Leeto la Polokwane will be monitored and coordinated, 

is based at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium. 

It is connected to the buses and the station through 

the Intelligent Transport System (ITS), which updates 

passengers with information through audios and 

visual displays. All the buses and stations will be 

monitored through CCTV cameras. 

Urban traffic control (UTC) 

As part of the preparations to launch the Phase 

1A of the project, Leeto la Polokwane will install 

and test new traffic signals. Known as the Urban 

Traffic Control (UTC) system, it is a specialised form 

of traffic management that coordinates traffic light 

signals in a centralised location. 

The following intersections along Nelson 

Mandela Drive received new traffic signals in 

November 2019: 

• Madiba Park Street intersection. 

• Maropeng intersection. 

• Zebediela Street intersection. 


FOCUS 

Leeto la Polokwane aims for safe 

public transport rollout 

Safety measures for Covid-19. 

In response to the current Covid-19 pandemic 

that has had an impact on every element of 

society in South Africa, the Leeto la Polokwane 

team has drafted measures to protect both its 

personnel and commuters to ensure a safe journey 

for everyone. 

One of the critical measures is the reduction 

of contact. It is challenging to reduce contact in a 

transport environment, but all precautions should be 

taken. The following measures as guided by Covid-19 

Bus Transport Operators Guidelines May 2020 have 

been adopted by Leeto la Polokwane and include: 

• Meetings should be replaced with Zoom (or 

similar) to limit contact between staff. If meetings 

must take place, a meeting room for 10 people 

should not have more than three people in the 

room with a distance between each person 

no less than 2m. The meeting room should be 

disinfected after each meeting. 

• Administration staff who can work from home 

should do so between Levels 2-5. 

• Customer service staff should be available to 

passengers from behind perspex or glass screens. 

• Security staff should be provided with full-screen 

face masks and sanitiser spray. 

• Drivers should have perspex or glass cabins 

installed to protect them. If this is not 

possible, rear boarding can be considered to 

protect drivers. 

• Automatic fare collection systems must be 

operational to ensure a contactless system. 

• Ticket booths should be cashless as far as 

possible. 

• Types of masks to be used should 

be clarified to ensure people touch 

their faces as little as possible. Masks 

worn should adhere to the national 

specifications. ■ 

Leeto la Polokwane uses an automated 

fare collection systems to ensure a contactless 

payment system that is safe for everyone 

to use amid the Covid-19 epidemic 

and beyond. 


16

Empowering the minibus 

taxi industry and providing 

efficient public transport 

INTERVIEW 

Polokwane Local Municipality’s Transportation Services Director Malose Lamola outlines 

the transition of the regional taxi industry to becoming a bus-operating company. 

Three taxi associations have registered a 

company which has signed agreements 

with the City of Polokwane to provide bus 

services on behalf of the city. 

The Leeto la Polokwane project has been 

planned in line with the 2007 Public Transport 

Strategy and Action Plan, under the guidance of 

the Department of Transport. One of the principles 

in implementing Integrated Rapid Public Transport 

Networks (IRPTNs) is that the incumbent public 

transport operators should not compete with 

the system to be implemented and should be 

compensated for their loss of business. 

In the case of Phase 1A of the Leeto la Polokwane 

project, the Polokwane Municipality has been negotiating 

and engaging with the Flora Park Pietersburg 

Taxi Association (FPTA), the Seshego 

Polokwane Taxi Association (SPTA) and the 

Westenberg Taxi Association (WTA), all of which 

are directly affected by the system footprint. The 

process has been finalised between the two parties 

in order to make way for the implementation of 

Leeto la Polokwane Phase 1A. 

Empowerment and training 

One of the main aspects of this project is to 

empower the minibus taxi industry and to assist 

it to make the transition from providing informal 

public transport services (unscheduled operations) 

to the provision of scheduled services. As 

part of the empowerment directive, which includes 

a capacitation programme, the three affected 

taxi associations have registered a Vehicle Operating 

Company called Esilux (Pty) Ltd. This company 

now has a full Board of Directors. The City of Polokwane 

and Esilux have also concluded an interim 

Vehicle Operating Company Agreement (VOCA). 

The municipality has started rolling out suitable 

training programmes to capacitate the Board of 

Directors to run the company sustainably. Other 

personnel that will be involved in the management 

of the company, as well as the operation of the 

Phase 1A of the Leeto la Polokwane system, will be 

recruited for the operationalisation of the system. 

Leeto la Polokwane is to be launched in the 

2020/21 financial year. The 

following milestones have been 

reached since 2018: 

• Execution of supplementary 

market surveys for Phase 1A. 

• Sign off on the supplementary 

market surveys on Phase 1A. 

• Operating licence verifica-tion 

process for Phase 1A. 

• Signed process agreement 

on the Vehicle Operating 

Company Agreement (VOCA). 

• Signed process agreement on 

the compensation for affected Malose Lamola 

operators. 

• Delivery of universally compliant 12-Metre Buses. 

• Delivery of universally compliant 9-Metre Buses 

• Draft Vehicle Operating Company Agreement 

(three years). 

• Negotiations on VOCA, legal document. 

• Negotiations on VOCA, financial model 

(commercial contract) and approval by council. 

• Compensation negotiations for Phase 1A 

finalisation. 

• Signed vehicle removal agreement. 

• Signed restraint of trade and compensation 

agreement. ■ 

By Malose Lamola: Director, Transportation Services, 

Polokwane Local Municipality. 


FOCUS 

Special Economic Zones 

can be transformative 

Among the paucity of realistic intervention options, SEZs offer an opportunity to 

attract investment and build manufacturing capacity. 

Artistic impression. Credit: MMSEZ 

Since the beginning of 2020, humanity was 

thrown into a tinderbox of tension characterised 

by anxiety, fear, frustration, agony, 

pain, anger and hopelessness. Status and 

class are unable to provide a shield to protect the 

elite and privileged and the working class are as 

hard-pressed as ever. 

The game of numbers and statistics, globally 

and nationally, has lost effect as daily shocks have 

become an integral feature of the new normal. The 

invisible enemy has struck again indiscriminately 

across the globe, affecting all nationalities, races, 

genders and classes. The fear of an imminent 

apocalypse as a consequence of climate change 

and natural disasters has been superseded by the 

catastrophe of a novel pandemic. 

A need to reinterpret the world 

We have observed airplanes grounded 

at airports across the globe, boats and 

oil tankers stranded outside harbours, 

the finest hotels deserted, and yet 

hospitals are overflowing. Humanity 

has entered a new paradigm. 

Life as we know it has drastically changed. Economic 

engines across global metropolises have taken an 

involuntary break and social distance separates 

families and prevents general human contact. One 

of the most quoted phrases by Karl Marx from his 

seminal work Thesis Eleven is “philosophers have 

hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways, 

the point is to change it”. Perhaps the time has 

come for modern philosophers to reinterpret the 

world concomitant with the process of changing it. 

Global economic meltdown 

Some economic commentators have asserted that 

the impact of Covid-19 on the world economy 

may be worse than the 1929 Great Depression and 

the 2009 Global Financial Crisis. According to 

Golding and Muggah (2020), it is estimated 

that the Covid-19 crisis will lead to losses 

exceeding $9-trillion or 10% of global 

GDP. As for the African continent, UNECA 

estimates that the continent’s growth is 

expected to drop from 3.2% to 1.8%. It also 

estimates a 48% decline in employment. 

The time for planning for a repackaged 


18

MMSEZ 


A world of game-changing opportunities 

What is Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ)? 

The Musina-Makhado SEZ is a flagship initiative of the Limpopo 

Provincial Government implemented through the Musina-Makhado 

SEZ SOC in partnership with a Chinese Operator, Shenzhen Hoi 

Mor Resources Holding Company Ltd. The MMSEZ as an economic 

development tool aims to promote national economic growth 

and exports by using support measures in order to attract targeted 

foreign and domestic investments, research and development 

(R&D) and technology transfer. 

Where is the MMSEZ located? 

The Musina-Makhado SEZ is located in the vicinity of the Beit 

Bridge Border Post which is one of the busiest ports of entry in SA 

and an undisputable gateway to the South African Development 

Community (SADC) countries. The MMSEZ has the potential to 

become an inland intermodal terminal, facilitated by its anchor 

along the North-South Corridor, and directly connecting to the 

country’s major ports through both N1 road and the Johannesburg- 

Musina railway line, for the trans-shipment of sea cargo and 

manufactured goods to inland destinations and the SADC markets. 

MUSINA-MAKHADO SEZ CLUSTERS 

• Metallurgy (Minerals Beneficiation) 

• Energy Generation 

• Manufacturing 

• Agro-Processing 

• Logistics 

WHAT ARE THE INCENTIVES FOR 

INVESTING IN THE MMSEZ? 

• Preferential corporate tax 

• Building allowance and tax relief 

• Employment tax incentive 

• Customs-controlled area tax relief 

• Rental space discounts 

• Readily available infrastructure 

• Sufficient land for greenfield projects 

• Access to agricultural & mineral resources 

• Easy access to the up-north (SADC) market 

• Accessible logistics support for the 

movement of goods 

POTENTIAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN AND OUTSIDE THE MMSEZ 

ENERGY & 

METALLURGY 

Power Plant 

Steel Plant 

Stainless Steel Plant 

Coking Plant 

Pig Iron Plant 

Ferromanganese Plant 

Ferrochrome Plant 

Chrome Plating 

Lime Plant 

AGRO-PROCESSING 

Food Processing Facility 

Fresh Produce Handling 

Canning Facility 

Cotton Beneficiation 

Timber Processing 

LOGISTICS 

Logistics Services 

Warehousing 

Distribution 

Container Yard 

Vehicle Distribution 

Cold Storage 

Bonded Warehouses 

INFRASTRUCTURE 

Construction Services 

Engineering Services 

Real Estate 

Development 

Retail Property 

Hospitality Facilities 

Building Materials 

Manufacturing 

and Supply 

MANUFACTURING 

Light Industries 

Basic Assembly 

Automotive Manufacturing 

Electromechanical Operations 

OE Manufacturing 

Component Manufacturing 

Fertilisers 

Agro-chemicals 

Petro-chemicals 

ICT Solutions 

Furniture Manufacturing 

Packaging Services 

CONTACTS 

MUSINA-MAKHADO SEZ SOC 

29 Market Street, 

Polokwane, 

Limpopo Province (RSA) 

MS TSHAMAANO MAKUYA 

MR RICHARD ZITHA 

Stakeholder Relations Manager 

Project Executive 

Tel: +27(0) 15 295 5120 

Tel: +27(0) 15 295 5120 

Cell: +27 (0)67 411 9192 

Cell: +27 (0)71 391 8188 

Tshamaano.Makuya@lieda.co.za 

19 LIMPOPO Richard.Zitha@lieda.co.za 

BUSINESS 2020/21

FOCUS 

modern “Marshal Plan” for the new economic 

recovery plan is now. Post the 2009 global 

economic meltdown, the South African economy 

contracted by 1.8%. Countries need to recharge 

and embark on a new trajectory of normalising life 

and rebuilding their economies. 

The pandemic disrupted many industries yet 

created a window of opportunity for innovation and 

alternative strategies. A country such as Saudi Arabia 

will undoubtedly begin to think about economic 

development beyond oil. Similarly, tourism-based 

economies will be forced to think outside the box. 

Countries endowed with natural resources such as 

South Africa should consider strongly accelerating 

the pace of industrialisation through the production 

of value-added products for export. 

Artistic impression. Credit: MMSEZ 

Industrial activity through fiscal 

and regulatory incentives 

Among a plethora of potential economic recovery 

strategies and a paucity of realistic interventions is 

the phenomenon of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). 

SEZs are geographically delimited areas wherein 

governments facilitate industrial activity through 

fiscal and regulatory incentives and infrastructure 

support. SEZs can make important contributions to 

growth and development by attracting investment, 

creating jobs and boosting exports. They can build 

forward and backward linkages and support global 

value chain participation, industrial upgrading and 

diversification (UNCTAD, 2019). Globally, there is a 

boom of SEZs with over 5 400 operational in 147 

countries and over 500 in the pipeline. 

According to Bernard Hoekman, Director 

International Trade Department World Bank, 

China’s astonishing economic growth can be 

attributed to the use of Special Economic Zones. 

One of the striking examples is the transformation 

of Shenzhen, a former small fishing village in the 

1970s, into today’s city of over nine-million people, 

an illustration of the effectiveness of the SEZ 

model within the Chinese context. 

Hoekman asserts that SEZs offer a potentially 

valuable tool to overcome some of the existing 

constraints to attracting investment and growing 

exports for many African countries. 

Accelerating the pace of industrialisation 

The South African Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) 

recognises the SEZ programme as one of the critical 

tools for accelerating industrialisation. As a result, 

eight Special Economic Zones were designated 

in six provinces as follows: Saldanha Bay (Western 

Cape), Dube TradePort (KwaZulu-Natal), OR Tambo 

(Gauteng), Coega (Eastern Cape), East London 

(Eastern Cape), Richards Bay (KwaZulu-Natal), 

Musina-Makhado (Limpopo) and Maluti-a-Phofung 

(Free State). By 2019, the number of operational 

investors in designated SEZs in the country increased 

from 72 to 85, with a total investment value of over 

R9-billion. The number of direct jobs created 

currently stands at 13 561, but this is expected 

to increase substantially as the new investments 

come on-stream (dtic, 2019). 

Growing industrial capacity has become a priority 

for the South African government to grow the 

economy. It is evident that the top four provinces 

(Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and 

Eastern Cape) enjoy the highest rate of industrial 

activities while the others experience relatively low 

manufacturing capacity (Stats SA). This is in contrast 

with the other five provinces having a plentiful 

endowment of primary resources such as minerals 

and agricultural produce, which are supposed to be 

the bedrock upon which industrialisation rests. 

Limpopo’s Musina-Makhado SEZ 

Limpopo province has a competitive advantage 

in mining, agriculture and tourism as the strategic 

pillars. Among its rich mineral deposits are 

platinum group metals (PGMs), iron ore, chrome, 

coal, diamonds, antimony, phosphate, copper, 

black granite, corundum, etc. 


20

FOCUS 

The bulk of these resources are extracted and 

exported to foreign markets as primary resources 

which deprives the province of an important 

opportunity to industrialise and develop. This is 

indeed a lost opportunity to build local industrial 

capacity, create much-needed employment 

opportunities and grow the SMME sector. 

Another lost opportunity has been within the 

agricultural sector. Limpopo is well endowed with 

agricultural resources, making it one of the key 

regions to produce fruits, nuts, vegetables, cereals 

and tea. Statistics from the Agricultural Business 

Chamber South Africa indicate that Limpopo 

accounts for approximately 19% of South Africa’s 

potatoes, 75% of mangoes, 65% of papayas, 36% 

of tea, 25% of citrus, 60% of litchis, 60% of avocados 

and 60% of its tomato production per 

annum. This abundance of agricultural products 

provides a great opportunity for agro-processing 

and production of value-added products for 

export markets. 

The designation of the Musina Makhado 

Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) in 2016 heralded 

a window of opportunity to turn the province’s 

fortunes around. 

The SADC Industrialisation Strategy (2015- 

2063) emphasises the pursuit of targeted and 

selected industrial policies to create conditions 

for higher rates of investment, especially in valueadding 

manufacturing. The Strategy and Roadmap 

for implementation focuses on three potential 

growth paths for SADC economies namely, agroprocessing, 

minerals beneficiation and downstream 

processing; and enhanced and upgraded 

participation in regional and global value chains. 

The recently signed Africa Continental Free 

Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), promises to redefine 

trade relations among African states and beyond. 

It is envisioned that it will create a single market 

for goods and services across 55 countries. The 

Musina-Makhado SEZ is well-positioned to play a 

regional integration role in SADC and to take up 

opportunities that are presented by the AfCFTA. 

A vision for a futuristic Smart City 

The MMSEZ as an economic development tool 

aims to promote national economic growth 

and exports by using support measures to 

attract targeted foreign and 

domestic investments, research 

and development and technology 

transfer. With an anchor 

of investment pledges of about 

R150-billion, the Musina- 

Makhado SEZ will result in the 

establishment of an energy and 

metallurgical complex, a logistics hub, agroprocessing 

centre, light-to-medium manufacturing 

industries, SMME Incubation Centre, retail centres, 

hotels, residential and community facilities. 

All these investment opportunities will lay a 

solid foundation for the envisioned futuristic Smart 

City utilising the Internet of Things (IoT) anchored 

on a comprehensive ICT infrastructure for the 

realisation of a smart economy, smart governance, 

smart environment, smart mobility, smart living 

and smart people principles. 

The location of this flagship programme 

has been carefully chosen to meet the basic 

requirements of a successful SEZ initiative. 

Conclusion 

The envisaged job-creation opportunities, 

skills development, technology transfer, SMME 

empowerment and the socio-economic 

infrastructure development triggered by the 

MMSEZ will make a significant impact on the 

improvement of the quality of lives of many 

people and contribute to the provincial and 

national GDP. 

In the midst of this unprecedented global 

lockdown, we must afford ourselves an 

opportunity to reimagine the future and wake 

up from the dream. In the fullness of time, the 

morning after the night before shall be upon us 

and we dare not be found wanting. The time to 

concurrently reinterpret the world and change it 

has come and such a 

task cannot be left to 

philosophers alone. 

Article by Lehlogonolo 

Masoga, Chief Executive 

Officer of Musina- 

Makhado Special 

Economic Zone. 

21 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2020/21

INTERVIEW 

The Musina-Makhado Special 

Economic Zone will host an 

energy and metallurgical complex 

CEO Lehlogonolo Masoga explains how the MMSEZ is ideally placed 

to play a key role in regional integration. 

Lehlogonolo Masoga 

BIOGRAPHY 

Lehlogonolo Masoga has more 

than 19 years of experience as 

an administrator and public 

servant, most recently as 

Deputy Speaker of the Limpopo 

Provincial Legislature and MEC 

for Roads and Transport. He 

served on the Limpopo Youth 

Commission. Lehlogonolo 

holds three master’s degrees: 

Governance and Public 

Leadership (Wits), Development 

Studies (Limpopo) and an MSc 

in Leadership and Change 

(Leeds Beckett University, UK). 

He has diplomas in human 

resources and humanitarian 

assistance and is currently a 

registered PhD candidate in 

Administration. 

What locational advantages does the MMSEZ enjoy? 

The Musina-Makhado SEZ is located in the vicinity of the Beit Bridge 

Border Post which is one of the busiest ports of entry to South Africa 

and a gateway to the South African Development Community 

(SADC) countries. The MMSEZ has the potential to become an inland 

intermodal terminal, facilitated by its anchoring position along the 

North-South Corridor, and directly connecting to the country’s major 

ports through both N1 road and the Johannesburg-Musina railway line, 

for the trans-shipment of sea cargo and manufactured goods. Musina 

and Makhado municipalities are located in the Vhembe District. 

What industries will be established at the SEZ? 

An energy and metallurgical complex will include the following plants: 

Coal Power, Coke, Ferrochrome, Ferromanganese, Pig Iron, Carbon 

Steel, Stainless Steel, Lime, Silicon-Manganese, Metal Silicon and 

Calcium Carbide. This will be complemented by the logistics hub, agroprocessing 

centre, light-to-medium manufacturing industries, SMME 

Incubation Centre, retail centres, hotels and residential amenities. 

What is planned for the early phases? 

The planning phase has been complex. A rigorous and diligent 

planning process was undertaken which involved pre-feasibility, 

feasibility, licence application, operator appointment, stakeholder 

engagement, environmental impact assessment, clusters analysis, 

internal and external infrastructure master planning, entity 

corporatisation, etc. Despite the lengthy environmental impact 

assessment process affecting the Energy and the Metallurgical Cluster 

(South Site), we are confident that the light-to-medium industrial park, 

to be located in the North Site of the SEZ, will be operational by the 

end of 2021. Our infrastructure rollout plans are unfolding smoothly. 

What are the longer-term plans for the SEZ? 

The MMSEZ is an economic development tool which aims to promote 

national economic growth and exports by using support measures in 

order to attract targeted foreign and domestic investments, research 

and development and technology transfer. We are looking forward 


22

INTERVIEW 

exploring various innovative engineering options, 

including cross-border water-transfer schemes. 

Will construction of the SEZ infrastructure be 

done by local companies? 

Local empowerment is at the centre of the MMSEZ 

business model. We are already at an advanced 

stage of completing a comprehensive Enterprise 

Development Strategy and the development of 

an SMME Incubation Centre. Local enterprises 

will undoubtedly enjoy preference in a variety of 

opportunities throughout the project development 

phases, including infrastructure roll-out. 

Furnace. Credit: Anglo Platinum 

to creating a minimum of 50 000 job opportunities 

in the next 10 years through this initiative and to 

turn around the economic fortunes of the Limpopo 

Province. All these investment opportunities will lay 

a solid foundation for the envisioned futuristic Smart 

City and smart economy. When the High-Speed 

Train between Johannesburg and Musina comes to 

fruition, that will add impetus to the MMSEZ. 

How is pollution being mitigated? 

The MMSEZ SOC is committed to environmental 

and biodiversity protection. We fully appreciate 

and respect the Paris Agreement and our 

country’s commitment to ecological sustainable 

development and are already taking all reasonable 

measures to mitigate environmental concerns 

such as global warming, pollution, biodiversity loss, 

water scarcity and possible threats to food security. 

Substantial research is being conducted to mitigate 

such risks which will include the deployment of the 

best carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology 

to mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions. 

Specialist studies on climate change and 

pollution have been conducted to mitigate 

potential negative impacts. With regard to water 

scarcity, efforts are being made to avoid tapping 

into the already stressed water resources by 

With whom is the Limpopo Provincial Government 

partnering in the creation of the SEZ? 

Each SEZ project is regarded as a national asset 

located in a particular province. Such national assets 

are expected to attract foreign direct investment 

and technology transfer. This model warrants public 

and private partnerships at all levels. The Limpopo 

Provincial Government has partnered with the 

national government through the Department 

of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), an 

international operator from China, Vhembe District 

and local municipalities, particularly Musina 

and Makhado municipalities, and the business 

fraternity to implement the MMSEZ. 

Where does the SEZ fit in regional strategies? 

The location of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic 

Zone makes it an ideal regional integration 

initiative. The SADC Industrialisation Strategy 

(2015-2063) emphasises the pursuit of targeted 

and selected industrial policies to create conditions 

for higher rates of investment by the public and 

private sectors to enable crucial sectors to 

prosper, especially value-adding manufacturing. 

The recently signed Africa Continental Free Trade 

Agreement (AfCFTA), promises to 

redefine trade relations among 

African states and beyond. The 

Musina-Makhado SEZ is well 

positioned to play a regional 

integration role in SADC and 

to take up opportunities 

that are presented by the 

AfCFTA. 



Boosting manufacturing 

is a key priority for Limpopo 

Special Economic Zones and industrial parks are being built 

to provide infrastructure. 

Westfalia fruit warehouse. Credit: Westfalia 

Getting more value for the minerals and 

agricultural crops that are extracted 

from the soil of Limpopo is a major goal 

of economic planners. A key component 

of the strategy to boost the value of the region’s 

products through manufacturing is to develop 

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and industrial parks. 

Described as “major catalytic projects”, the 

Musina-Makhado SEZ (approved and forging 

ahead), the Tubatse SEZ (proposed) and 

several industrial parks (either being revived or 

established) are central to the strategy to grow 

Limpopo’s manufacturing capacity. As of February 

2020, Shaanxi CEI Investment Holdings had 

committed to a $5-billion investment in a vanadium 

and titanium smelter project at the Musina- 

Makhado SEZ (MMSEZ) and a further $1.1-billion 

had been pledged from other sources. 

The focus of the first phase of the SEZ is on 

energy and metallurgical processes but agriprocessing, 

logistics and general manufacturing are 

expected to follow in short order. An investment 

conference targeting the northern side of the SEZ 

was held in November 2019 and a South African 

company has announced it will manufacture 

products in the electric vehicle field, new energy 

solar system products, energy storage systems and 

high-density polyethylene water pipes. 

Most of the planning for both sections of the 

SEZ is complete and the Environmental Impact 

Assessments (EIA) are nearly finished. Projections 

for employment opportunities at the MMSEZ 

have been revised upwards to 26 000. 

The plans for the proposed Tubatse SEZ 

have been amended and will be submitted to 

national government in the course of 2020. The 

SEZ in Tubatse will focus on the beneficiation of 

platinum group metals (PGM) and mining-related 

manufacturing. Phase one of the project would 

see a 280ha site developed to accommodate a 

mining suppliers park, light manufacturing, heavy 

manufacturing, logistics, a solar energy cluster and 

a PGM beneficiation cluster. 

A good example of an attempt to derive 

greater benefit from an agricultural product 

is the plan to create a Marula Industrial Park. 

The Marula Industrial Hub envisaged for the 

Phalaborwa area will provide a platform to further 


24

Limpopo United 

Business Forum 

The Forum provides local bodies with a single voice to talk to government. 

Limpopo United Business Forum (LUBF) is 

an overarching organisation comprising 10 

business and professional organisations in 

Limpopo. LUBF represents a united voice 

that advocates and lobbies for the interests and 

aspirations of businesspeople in Limpopo. 

Members 

NAFCOC, Black Management Forum (BMF), 

Businesswomen’s Association (BWA), Progressive 

Professionals Forum (PPF), South African Women in 

Construction (SAWIC), Seshego Business Quorum, 

Forum of Limpopo Entrepreneurs (FOLE), Small 

Business Empowerment Unity (SBEU), Limpopo ICT 

Forum and the African Farmers’ Association of SA. 

Objective 

To collaborate and partner with public and private 

organisations in promoting and advancing the 

interests of members. LUBF further forms part 

of the social compact comprising business, 

government and civil society in order to grow the 

economy of Limpopo, contribute to the creation of 

jobs, reduce inequality and eradicate poverty. 

Programme of action 

Address challenges that affect small businesses. 

These include access to information, access to 

finance, access to markets and access to skills 

development and training. Late payments by 

government departments are a threat to the 

survival of small businesses. LUBF is lobbying the 

Provincial Treasury and the Limpopo Economic 

Development, Environment and Tourism 

Department (LEDET) to deal decisively with 

departments that continuously disadvantage 

small businesses. LUBF is looking forward to the 

Public Procurement Bill which will create a better 

legislative framework for local empowerment. 

In responding to the challenges that are currently 

facing SMMEs, LUBF has in the past two 

PROFILE 

months engaged with the Minister of Small 

Business Development, Honorable Khumbudzo 

Ntshaveni, MEC for LEDET, Honorable Thabo 

Mokoni, CEO for Musina-Makhado SEZ, Lehlogonolo 

Masoga, and the MEC for Public Works, 

Honorable Dickson Masemola in his capacity as 

the Chairperson of the Economic Transformation 

Unit of the ANC in Limpopo. 

Survival and opportunity 

• Businesses are struggling due to the stagnant 

economy, a situation that has now been 

exacerbated by the unprecedented pandemic. 

Limpopo has lower than average household 

income and low ICT connectivity. Small 

businesses have to continue creating jobs to save 

the economy. 

• LUBF has intensified its programme of action 

and has recently engaged many relevant 

stakeholders. The objective is to assist SMMEs to 

gain access to Covid-19 relief programmes and 

access business opportunities. 

• Intervention is vital for the survival of businesses 

but it is also true that the new economy presents 

opportunities for small businesses to create new 

jobs and maintain current ones. 

• LUBF’s role is therefore to ensure access to 

available programmes and assist entrepreneurs to 

take their space in the new normal of digitisation, 

innovation and manufacturing. 

• The leadership remain committed to uniting the 

voice of business. ■ 

Contact details 

Address: 1st Flr, Terminal Bldg, Polokwane Airport, 

Gateway Drive, Polokwane Tel: +27 15 296 0654 

Administrator: Abram Luruli Cell: 084 451 9923 

Email: Lubfreception@gmail.com 

Facebook: Limpopo United Business Forum-LUBF 



exploit the tasty marula fruit, which has a high 

vitamin C content and is already produced as a 

beer and a liqueur. The Limpopo Department of 

Economic Development and Tourism (LEDET) is 

encouraging research into the uses of marula and 

the development of commercial products such as 

cosmetics and jams. The University of Limpopo is 

making good progress with a marula wine. 

Facilities at the hub will include a centre for 

research and processing facilities to create more 

value from the raw product. Advisors will be 

available to help small-scale farmers and SMMEs 

enter the formal economy. 

The Marula initiative is consistent with the 

broader agricultural sector plans for Limpopo. 

The provincial government has identified five 

Agricultural Development Zones (ADZs) across 

the province, including the Mopani District within 

which the Marula Hub is located. Programmes 

to increase productivity have been presented 

to small-scale farmers. Small-scale producers 

are receiving support in the form of irrigation 

infrastructure, livestock infrastructure and other 

production inputs. 

The University of Venda has its own commercial 

offshoot, the Univen Innovative Growth Company 

(UIGC) which is solely owned by the university. 

Services are offered to the public by a range of 

consultants and trainers via five programmes, 

including the Animal Production Programme, 

the Farm Equipment Programme, the Univen 

Commercial Unit and the Univen Consultancy Unit. 

Targeted plans 

The SEZ and industrial parks being promoted in 

the province are conceptualised within a broader 

framework. The Limpopo Development Plan (LDP) 

targets three broad areas for improvement and 

development: socio-economic, infrastructural and 

institutional. Every department of the Limpopo 

Provincial Government has targets within the LDP 

which are translated into actionable programmes 

to be implemented within time-frames. 

The plan is supported by strategies relating 

to a spatial investment framework in public 

and private sector infrastructure, an integrated 

public transport policy and policies on land 

development. 

Key elements of the Limpopo Development 

Plan are: industrialisation (beneficiation of 

mining and agricultural products and produce); 

mining (local suppliers, improved training and 

access to sector for entrepreneurs); infrastructure 

development; agri-processing; SMME promotion 

and ICT and the knowledge economy (establish a 

WAN footprint). 

The Limpopo Economic Development 

Agency (LEDA) is the key driver of the provincial 

government’s drive to boost the economy 

through investment. LEDA is an agency of LEDET. 

LEDA’s brief is to contribute to accelerated 

industrialisation in Limpopo by stimulating and 

diversifying the industrial base of the regional 

economy. The focus is on high-impact projects 

that will spark growth in a variety of sectors and 

create employment opportunities. 

Sawn timber. Image: Ludwig Sevenster/SA Forestry 

Land, property and infrastructure develop-ment 

(including business parks and industrial parks) are 

vital components of the plan. As these targeted 

areas grow, the infrastructure and associated 

industries should act as a magnet for other 

businesses and industries in the same sector, and 

service industries. 

Mining is currently the most important part 

of the provincial economy. Recent platinum 

mining developments on the eastern limb of the 

Bushveld Complex have increased this effect but 

global commodity prices have been uncertain in 

recent years. One of the goals of the LDP is to see 

more beneficiation from the mining sector, which 

will support the goal of further industrialising the 

province’s economy. Related to this is an emphasis 

on the goal of developing manufacturing capacity, 

and this is where the role of SEZs is so important. ■ 


26

Accelerating 

empowerment erment through 

and sound sustainable 

and investments ents 

and partnerships 

ng 

in mining 

Services 

Accelerating 

empowerment through 

sound and sustainable 

investments 

and partnerships 

in mining 

Services 

Mining ineral and Beneficiation 

Mining Mineral and Mineral Beneficiation Beneficiation 

(coal and washing blending, (coal washing and blending, and blending, 

egate concrete crushing aggregate and crushing screening) 

and screening) 

concrete aggregate crushing and screening) 

Dr. Dr. John Mudau (CEO) 

(CEO) 

John.mudau@univen.ac.za 

Commodities 

Commodities 

Coal and Concrete aggregates 

crete Coal and aggregates 

Concrete aggregates 

Mr. Makhado Nengovhela (GM) 

makhado.nengovhela@univen.ac.za 

Cell: 071 616 0411 

Mr. Mr. Makhado Nengovhela (GM) (GM) 

makhado.nengovhela@univen.ac.za 

Cell: 071 616 0411

PROFILE 

Univen Innovative Growth Company 

UIGC provides the University of Venda with an independent stream of income. 

The Univen Innovative Growth Company (UIGC) Pty (Ltd) is 

a company solely owned by the University of Venda. The 

company has a robust database of professional consultants 

and trainers who, respectively, provide quality services at 

competitive rates and offer accredited short courses. 

• UIGC GarCle has been 

providing independent 

cleaning and maintenance 

services since 2017. 

Vision 

To contribute to the field of skills development for 

South Africa and beyond and to be a sustainable 

third-stream income for the University of Venda. 

Mission 

To offer critical client-based services through 

short skills programmes, consultancy and 

commercial ventures in a financially viable and 

sustainable manner in pursuance of university 

strategic objectives. 

Mandate 

UIGC is tasked with the responsibility to generate third-stream 

income through the units. The UIGC units are: 

• Univen Commercial Unit. 

• Univen Consultancy Unit. 

• Editing and Proofreading Unit (EPU). 

• Statistics and Research Design Unit. 

• Univen Centre for Continuing Education (UCCE). 

In addition, the Univen Store sells university-related clothing such 

as golf shirts and caps, there are programmes covering animal 

production and farm equipment and five subsidiary companies 

operate under the UGIC banner. The companies are: 

• UIGC Securities, a security company registered with PSIRA. After 

the university terminated the contract with the private security 

company which was rendering security services, they partially 

insourced all security staff members to UIGC in 2016. 

• The UIGC Travel Agency started operating in 2017. It comprises two 

travel consultants and a general manager who provide services to 

Univen staff, government employees as well as the general public. 

• Tshakhuma Barotta UIGC Farm 

was launched in 2016 as a partnership 

between UIGC and 

the community with 49 fulltime 

employees. Due to the 

successful revitalisation of the 

farm, the Tshakhuma Community 

Trust has agreed to UIGC 

increasing its shareholding. 

• UIGC Mining: a partnership 

created the Duisend-UIGC 

Mining Consortium (DUMC) 

which processes and crushes 

aggregates from the mining 

of waste rock at Sibanye 

Stillwater’s Baobab Platinum 

Mine in the Lebowakgomo 

area. ■ 


Address: Univen Innovative Growth Company (UIGC), 

University Road, Thohoyandou, Limpopo Province, 0950 

Email: info@uigc.co.za | Tel: +27 15 962 8761 


28

Leadership and management 

training are key 

functions of the UIGC 

FOCUS 

The Univen Innovative Growth Company earns revenue while building local capacity. 

One of the most important functions of 

the Univen Innovative Growth Company 

is to offer short courses and training. 

This not only passes on skills and helps 

local people who might not have had access 

to education in the past, it earns money for the 

institution which can then be deployed to help 

students in need. 

The training function is currently among the 

best revenue earners in the UIGC stable, with 

popular courses being offered and taken up by 

adults keen to improve their qualifications. The 

training division has also attracted funding from 

the private and public sectors. 

The local municipality has taken advantage 

of training courses in finance for non-finance 

managers, integrated development planning (IDP) 

and Local Economic Development (LED). 

UIGC venues are used as training sites for 

students from both the University of Venda and 

Vhembe TVET College. Profits generated from 

UIGC enterprises are ploughed back to help 

fund students attending the university, with 

an emphasis on assisting those in the “missing 

middle”. A sum of R8-million was contributed by 

UIGC in 2016 towards this cause. 

A large number of courses are offered by 

UGIC in a wide range of spheres, including local 

government and environmental management. 

Courses include: 

• Public Service and Administration 

By way of example, this popular course includes 

units such as the Municipal Finance Management 

Programme, Multi-Stakeholder Engagement 

Processes, Local Government Citizen Participation, 

Local Government Legislative Framework, 

Local Government Ethics, Values and Integrity, 

Community Development, Local Economic 

Development, Policy Management, Implementation 

and Analysis in the Public Sector and 

Public Financial Management. 

• General Management and Responsible 

Leadership. 

• Certificate for end-user computing. 

• Environmental Management. 

• Integrated Waste Management. 

• Envirotrac (Environmental Manager’s Certificate 

of Competency). 

• Catchment Management Strategy. 

• Safety Management courses. 

• Strategic Management. 

• Supervisory course. 

• Research Methodology. 

• Supply Chain and 

Logistics. 

• Business Management 

and Entrepreneurship. 

• Education and Teacher 

Development. ■ 


Contact: Dr John Mudau, Chief Executive Officer 

Email: John.mudau@univen.ac.za 

Khathutshelo Ligege, Personal Assistant to CEO 

Tel: + 27 15 962 8754 / 61 

Email: Khathutshelo.ligege@univen.ac.za 


FOCUS 

De Beers Venetia Mine 

unveils a testing laboratory 

Response to the Covid-19 pandemic is part of “Building Forever” commitment. 

De Beers Venetia Mine has unveiled a 

R10-million coronavirus (Covid-19) testing 

laboratory that will be utilised to test 

the mine’s employees and contractors. 

The laboratory will play a vital role in the diagnostic 

testing process of Covid-19 for employees and contractors 

and is expected to analyse at least 80 tests 

per day with a 24-hour turnout time for results. 

Operated by two technicians, the highthroughput 

laboratory is fully equipped with a 

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine and 

other vital equipment including among others 

storage fridges, biosafety cabinet and centrifuges 

Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba and 

De Beers Group Managed Operations MD Mpumi 

Zikalala unveil the testing lab in Musina 

to increase testing capacity and analyse test 

samples to help speed up diagnoses and curb the 

spread of the virus. 

If aligned to the Limpopo Department of 

Health’s testing strategy, the laboratory will also 

analyse test samples from the Musina Hospital, 

Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital and Helena Franz 

Hospital, which are the local health facilities 

identified for screening positive Covid-19 patients 

from Venetia and the communities surrounding 

the mine. 

Venetia Mine has also appointed three clinical 

associates and provided vehicles to allow them 

to conduct home-based responses as part of the 

company’s “WeCare” programme. The programme 

encourages employees and contractors to protect 

themselves from exposure and transmission of 

Covid-19, as well as monitor and manage their 

health should they test positive. 

Mpumi Zikalala, Managing Director, De Beers 

Group Managed Operations, said, “As a business, 

our first and most important value is to Put 

Safety First. We value the health and safety of our 

people above all else and are equally committed 

to delivering support to our host communities 

throughout this difficult period. The PCR laboratory 

is one element in our range of proactive response 

measures to support the fight against this global 

pandemic and through which we hope to increase 

access to testing, not only for our employees, 

but also communities in partnership with the 

Department of Health.” 

Dr Phophi Ramathuba, Limpopo MEC of 

Health, said, “We welcome this development as the 

Department of Health as it will go a long way in 

assisting us as government to deal with the current 

testing backlog. We do appreciate every single 

collaboration, especially the likes of this laboratory, 

which not only will focus on testing employees at 

Venetia Mine, but community members as well.” ■ 


30

Venetia Mine brings community 

relief amid Covid-19 lockdown 

“WeCare” programme delivers vital medical equipment. 

FOCUS 

Venetia Mine and the Departments of 

Health and Social Development have 

rallied around efforts to provide support 

and relief to communities within the mine’s 

labour-sending areas of Musina and Blouberg. 

The mine has donated necessities such as maize 

meal, rice, oatmeal, tea, milk, canned foods and 

hygiene products including sanitisers, to ensure 

that those who are in hardship will have access to 

sufficient food during the nationwide lockdown. 

Medical equipment donated 

Through the Anglo-American Foundation, Venetia 

Mine is donating medical supplies to six clinics in 

the Blouberg area, namely: Alldays, Ga-Kibi, De 

Vrede, Kromhoek, Indermark and Taaibosch. These 

clinics will each receive the following supplies over a 

period of three months: N95 masks, surgical masks, 

disposable gowns, examination gloves, surgical 

gloves, paper towels, chlorhexidine solution, 

goggles and chlorhexidine scrub. 

They will also each receive the following onceoff 

medical items: blood-gas machine and noncontact 

thermometer. Hospitals and clinics will be 

equipped with medical equipment and supplies to 

support their efforts to prevent the spread of the 

Covid-19 virus and for treatment. 

More food parcels donated 

In a continued effort to help ease the burden for 

families during the Covid-19 pandemic, Venetia 

Mine, through the disaster relief organisation Gift 

of the Givers, has donated 1 000 food parcels to 

communities in Musina and Blouberg. 

The donation is part of the mine’s response to 

Covid-19, through which a total of R1.2-million will 

be used to purchase and distribute food parcels to 

indigent households over a period of three months. 

Mayor of Musina Local Municipality, Mihloti 

Muhlope, who accepted the food parcels on behalf 

of the Musina community ahead of the door-todoor 

deliveries, said the community was grateful 

for Venetia Mine’s efforts in helping fight food 

insecurity during the lockdown. 

“Government alone cannot win this difficult 

war against hunger and starvation. We need 

stakeholders like De Beers Venetia Mine and Gift 

of the Givers Foundation to come on board. 

As Musina Municipality, we are very humbled by 

this donation,” she said. 

Coordinating the 

deliveries of food parcels in 

Blouberg, Local Economic 

Development Manager 

at the Blouberg Local 

Municipality, Stanford 

Moremi, alongside Mayor, 

Solomon Pheedi, said, 

“We would like to extend 

our gratitude to Venetia 

Mine for this initiative. This 

food relief initiative has 

certainly touched the lives 

of many in our community 

considering the devastating 

Covid-19 impact on our 

communities.” ■ 


ADVERTORIAL 

see money differently 

MONEY EXPERTS BRING 

21ST CENTURY BANKING 

TO ALL COMMUNITIES 

At the heart of Nedbank’s business 

strategy is its belief that its 

sustainability depends on its ability 

to integrate into the communities in which it 

operates. 

Juliana Selemela, Regional Manager for 

Retail Business Banking in Limpopo, 

explains: ‘Nedbank has continued to deliver 

on its brand promise, which is to use our 

financial expertise to do good for 

individuals, families, businesses and 

communities in which we operate. Our 

client-centred strategy has enabled us to 

reach out to our clients in time of need 

during the Covid-19 national lockdown.’ 

The Nedbank Contact Centre and advanced 

digital innovation, including the awardwinning 

Nedbank Money app, enabled the 

bank to continue serving clients in the 

comfort of their homes. It brought 

convenience to clients and helped them to 

comply with lockdown regulations. 

Selemela says that for small- and mediumsized 

business clients, Nedbank continues to 

deliver end-to-end solutions through a 

dedicated business manager. ‘Our business 

managers are supported by a team of 

‘ 

Our client-centred strategy 

has enabled us to reach out 

to our clients in time of need 

during the Covid-19 national 

lockdown. 

’ 

experts across the bank to deliver seamless 

banking solutions. Our bigger-picture 

business approach ensures that we are able 

to take a holistic view of the business by 

understanding the vision, cashflow cycle, 

and transactional and capital expenditure 

needs of the business. This way, we become 

trusted advisors to the business owners who 

strive to grow their business.’ 

If you are interested in taking your business 

to its next level or need information about 

Nedbank’s specialised service offering, 

please email Juliana Selemela at 

JulianaSe@Nedbank.co.za or visit 

www.nedbank.co.za.

ADVERTORIAL 


SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL 

BUSINESS AIMED AT 

CREATING JOBS AND 

GROWING THE ECONOMY 

Nedbank’s Support Manager for Small 

Business and Professionals for the 

Limpopo Province, Peteke Mojela, 

says that small businesses are the mainstay 

of the economy and Nedbank provides 

small-business owners with support that 

goes beyond banking. 

‘Covid-19 has dealt entrepreneurs a major 

blow and, naturally, they are overwhelmed 

and anxious about the future of their 

businesses. Nedbank is proud to be involved 

in various ways to help mitigate the 

economic impact of the crisis on this vital 

sector. For example, BackaBusiness is an 

innovative and relevant way in which people 

can show their support for small businesses 

to ensure their survival. Loyal customers, 

family and friends, and society at large can 

join the movement to pay now and redeem 

a reward from the business owner once 

trading resumes.’ 

‘Beyond this Covid-19 relief, our experts are 

available to provide all the support you need. 

Nedbank offers simple, affordable banking 

solutions and value-added services to get 

and keep your business going,’ says Mojela. 

Initiatives such as our free-to-join 

networking portal SimplyBiz.co.za, The 

‘ 

We provide our professional 

clients with banking at their 

fingertips, benefits that matter, 

expert savings … 

’ 

Essential Guide for Small-business Owners, 

business registration services and free 

small-business seminars are all geared to 

support SMEs. 

Mojela adds that Nedbank’s Professional 

Banking solution is built on five pillars. ‘We 

provide our professional clients with banking 

at their fingertips, benefits that matter, 

expert savings and investment advice and a 

unique household banking approach, which 

allows them and their families to finance 

their dreams and growth.’ ‘With dedicated 

relationship bankers, tailored financing 

options and 24/7 service, the banking 

experience we offer is seamless, enables our 

clients’ financial aspirations and is flexible to 

grow as your needs grow,’ says Mojela. 

If you wish to tap into our small-business 

expertise to reach your business goals, please 

email Peteke Mojela at 

PetekeM@Nedbank.co.za or visit 

www.nedbank.co.za.

ADVERTORIAL 


SEEING THE BIGGER 

PICTURE THROUGH THE 

COVID-19 ENVIRONMENT 

We are all aware of the individuals 

and businesses that have been 

adversely affected as a result of 

the chaos caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Interest rates are at historical lows and 

Nedbank’s economic forecast for the next 

12 to 18 months predicts a sharp downward 

trend. 

In this challenging economic environment, it 

is more important than ever to manage and 

invest funds optimally in relation to cash flow 

needs. Cash flow is, without doubt, one of the 

most critical components of success for any 

business. In fact, according to a U.S. Bank 

study, 82% of business failures can be 

attributed to poor cash flow management. 

That being said, every growing business 

needs capital to invest in expansion – or to 

pivot to remain relevant in the extreme 

uncertainty we currently face. Every 

business has unique cash requirements, so 

how does a business owner ensure that 

surplus cash is managed in a manner that 

yields maximum returns in harmony with the 

company's liquidity requirements? 

Marcia Mathsa, Nedbank’s Corporate Saver 

and Investment Specialist for Limpopo, says 

that Nedbank Business Banking is 

‘ 

Nedbank has made available a 

raft of relief measures to benefit 

clients across the bank. 

’ 

committed to assisting its clients overcome 

their financial obstacles and provide sound 

financial advice in managing their funds. 

‘The pandemic and struggles of business 

highlight the need for expert advice, and a 

needs-based conversation with a Nedbank 

business manager can result in optimal 

financial solutions that make all the 

difference,’ says Mathsa. 

The investment sector will continue to be 

impacted for some time to come, but 

Nedbank has made available a raft of relief 

measures to benefit clients across the bank. 

We will continue to partner with our clients 

to provide expert advice on investments 

during what is a most challenging period 

not just for our country – but the world. 

To find out more about how Nedbank can 

partner with your organisation to grow a 

greater South Africa, please email 

Marcia Mathsa at MarciaMat@Nedbank.co.za 

or visit www.nedbank.co.za/business.

ADVERTORIAL 


NEDBANK BUSINESS BANKING 

AIMS TO SUPPORT ALL LIMPOPO 

BUSINESS SECTORS 

Innocent Mafahla, Provincial Manager for Business Banking 

in the Limpopo Province, says that a deep commitment to 

partnership is what underlies the team's personal and 

professional values. 

Our bigger-picture banking approach 

enables us not only to provide you 

with the banking solutions you need, 

but also to give you a holistic view of how 

our products are connected to create a 

framework that yields maximum impact 

across every facet of your business and 

beyond. We know that success in business is 

about partnerships, and that is why we put 

the building of deep, lasting, value-adding 

relationships at the centre of everything we 

do. This means your goals are our goals, 

your vision is our vision, and your success is 

our success – while you rely on our 

additional support that is most needed in 

times of change and uncertainty. 

The bank caters for all industries, but the 

Limpopo team has many clients in the 

franchising and agricultural sectors. 'The 

banking products and services tailored 

specifically for these sectors and designed 

to achieve overall business efficiency, 

profitability and sustainability make Nedbank 

one of the most franchise-friendly banks in 

South Africa and one of the market-leading 

banks in the agricultural space,' says Mafahla. 

Nedbank’s highly competitive pricing is 

structured to the needs and individual risk 

‘… Nedbank has developed innovative 

funding solutions designed to support 

farmers with sustainable farming 

interventions … 

’ 

profile and track record of each particular 

franchise business. Products include 

POS devices and Nedbank’s POSPlus 

management system, e-commerce solutions 

and cash acceptance devices, aswellasa 

broad spectrum of tailored financing options. 

Nedbank understands that if the various 

challenges faced by the agricultural sector 

are not addressed, it will threaten economic 

growth, food security, employment and 

investment. To this end Nedbank has 

developed innovative funding solutions 

designed to support farmers with 

sustainable farming interventions, ranging 

from water efficiency mechanisms and 

cutting-edge irrigation to renewableenergy 

financing. 

If you are interested in taking your business 

to the next level, please email 

Innocent Mafahla at 

InnocentMa@nedbank.co.za or visit 

www.nedbank.co.za/business. 

Nedbank Ltd Reg No 1951/000009/06. Authorised financial 

services and registered credit provider (NCRCP16). 

SPO6016

OVERVIEW 

Hot-air balloon in Limpopo. Pic: South African Tourism 


36

OVERVIEW 

KEY SECTORS 

Overviews of the main economic sectors of Limpopo 

Agriculture 38 

Mining 40 

Construction and property 50 

Energy 51 

Water 52 

Tourism 54 

Banking and financial services 56 

Development finance and SMME support 58 

Education 60 


OVERVIEW 

Agriculture 

Marula is Limpopo’s super fruit. 

Marula wine tasting laboratory. 

Image: University of Limpopo 

A 

festival, an industrial park, the source of a world-famous 

liqueur and a centuries-old beer recipe – and now the fruit 

of the marula tree is inspiring an associate professor at the 

University of Limpopo to make a marula fruit wine. 

The women of Limpopo have been making beer from marula 

fruit for longer than records exist. They continue to make it in large 

quantities every year in February at the time of the Marula Festival, a 

major contribution to the arts and culture and tourism calendar. Distell 

makes and distributes Amarula cream liqueur around the world. 

The Limpopo Department of Economic Development and 

Tourism (LEDET) wants to see the University of Limpopo doing 

more research on the possible uses for the fruit, including jams 

and cosmetics. To that end, a Marula Industrial Hub at Phalaborwa 

is envisaged that will provide a platform to further exploit the tasty 

marula fruit, which has a high vitamin C content and is much loved 

by elephants. Facilities at the hub will include a centre for research 

and processing facilities to create more value from the raw product. 

Advisors will be available to help small-scale farmers and SMMEs 

enter the formal economy. 

One researcher already underway is Professor Kgabo Moganedi. 

Drawing on time-honoured (and organic) fermentation processes, 

Moganedi has created a clear alcoholic beverage and is reported 

to be almost ready to scale up production. The project has received 

Sector Insight 

Farmer Production Support 

Units are being rolled out. 

funding from National Research 

Foundation (NRF) under the 

Indigenous Knowledge Systems 

(IKS) and from the Technology 

Innovation Agency (TIA). 

Cotton growing is experiencing 

a renewal in Limpopo, 

and the Provincial Government’s 

programme for revitalising 

irrigation schemes is helping. In 

Ephraim Mogale Municipality 

about 345 hectares of cotton 

has been planted which will 

benefit 74 small-scale farmers in 

the area. The projected harvest 

is 522 tons and an estimated 300 

seasonal jobs are expected to 

be created during the harvesting 

period. 


38

OVERVIEW 

Other schemes are at various 

stages of development: 100ha 

of land is being cleared for 

cultivation at the Mogalatjane 

Irrigation Scheme; 41ha has 

been identified at Tswelopele 

Irrigation Scheme in Fetakgomo 

Tubatse Municipality; and agreements 

are due to be signed at 

Kolokotela and Setlaboswana 

Irrigation Schemes. 

The provincial government 

sees the creation of infrastructure 

to support agriculture as 

part of its mandate. In the 2020 

State of the Province Address, 

Premier Chupu Mathabatha said 

that two important projects 

would be completed during 

2020 (this was before the 

Covid-19 epidemic): 

• Matsika Pack House 

• Upgrading of Norjax Canning 

tomato paste processing facility. 

More than 1 000 small-scale 

farmers are being trained 

annually to improve their skills 

and to improve production. 

Various Farmer Production 

Support Units are due for 

completion in 2020 and 2021. 

These are situated at: 

• Masala in Mopani 

• Vleisboom in Sekhukhune 

•Tshiombo in Vhembe 

• Mapela in the Waterberg 

Wide variety 

The percentage contribution of 

Limpopo agriculture to national 

agriculture is 7.6% although its 

contribution to provincial GDP 

is just 2.3%. Agri-processing has 

enormous potential to expand 

in every subsector. 

Limpopo’s fruits and 

vegetables form an important 

part of South Africa’s export basket and more than 45% of the annual 

turnover of the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market originates in the 

fertile province. 

Companies like ZZ2 are major contributors to the country’s 

annual production of 120 000 tons of avocados. Of the current crop, 

about half is currently produced in two Limpopo regions, Letaba and 

Tzaneen. Exports are rising exponentially. In response to this demand, 

and the potential of the Chinese market, almost 1 000ha per year of 

new land is being planted with avocados in South Africa. 

The same amount of new macadamia planting is underway every 

year, according to the Macadamias South Africa (SAMAC), adding to 

the existing 19 000ha. 

The other big sellers are mangoes and tomatoes. Limpopo 

grows three-quarters of South Africa’s mangoes and two-thirds of 

its tomatoes. The Waterberg district 

produces large quantities of red meat, 

Capricorn has potatoes in abundance, 

Vhembe in the north specialises in citrus 

and subtropical fruits. Mopani has those 

fruits too – and the Mopani worm. The 

Sekhukhune region in the south-east 

produces grain and the marula fruit that 

goes into Amarula cream liqueur. 

Westfalia is another huge enterprise, 

part of the Hans Merensky Group, and 

it is the world’s largest avocado grower. 

It also produces significant quantities 

of mango, litchi, citrus and macadamia 

and has three agri-processing plants in 

the province. Greenway Farms supplies 

about 45% of the fresh-market carrots 

consumed in Southern Africa under the 

Rugani brand. 

The two most active agricultural 

companies in Limpopo are NTKLA (with 

its headquarters in Modimolle) and 

Online Resources 

Avocados harvested 

Afgri, South Africa’s biggest agricultural company, is headquartered 

in Centurion (Gauteng). NTKLA is a shareholder in Venda Roller Mills 

in Thohoyandou and operates 10 grain silos, 23 retail outlets, 28 flour 

depots and one cold-storage facility. ■ 

Agro-Food Technology Station, Limpopo University: www.ul.ac.za 

Citrus Growers Association: www.cga.co.za 

Deciduous Fruit Producers Trust: www.dfpt.co.za 

Limpopo Dept of Agriculture & Rural Development: www.lda.gov.za 

Macadamias South Africa: www.samac.org.za 

South African Subtropical Growers’ Association: www.subtrop.net 


OVERVIEW 

Mining 

Industry analysts and miners are looking at new uses for PGMs. 


The mining sector in Limpopo lost nearly 20 000 jobs between 

the fourth quarter of 2018 and the fourth quarter of 2019. A 

key factor was the slump in the global price of platinum but a 

later surge in the price of other platinum group metals (PGM) 

such as palladium and rhodium offset this downturn. 

The fact that the mining industry was allowed to continue to 

operate through most of the lockdown that accompanied the 

Covid-19 outbreak helped to bring some stability back to the sector. 

In early 2020 rhodium rose to its highest price since 2008, 

$8 200/oz, and palladium achieved a new record high of nearly 

$2 150/oz. Some mining companies such as Ivanplats discovered 

that several of the other minerals that are present in their mines 

(gold, copper and nickel) were also surging in price, causing them to 

investigate the possibility of ramping up operations at a faster pace. 

Better prices led to companies such as Bushveld Minerals increasing 

production. Figures for the company’s Vametco vanadium mine in 

2019 were comparable to volumes previously reached two years earlier 

as they aimed to reach between 2 800 and 2 900 tons of vanadium for 

the year. With the largest primary vanadium resource base in the world, 

Bushveld’s long-term goal is to produce 8 400/mtpa. The company 


BASF is developing an 

auto catalyst that needs 

less palladium. 

runs its own processing and is 

busy with a feasibility study on a 

new mine at Mokopane. 

Investments covering the 

period to 2025 in the mining 

sector in Limpopo totalling 

more than R36-billion have been 

announced. All but one of the 

investments is in the Waterberg 

region. These include: 

• Modikwa mine (R1.6-billion), 

African Rainbow Minerals, PGM, 

Sekhukhune region. 

• Lejaja mine (R4.2-billion), Lejaja 

Coal (Resgen), coal. 


40

OVERVIEW 

• Grootgeluk and Thabametsi 

mines (R5.1-billion), Exxaro, coal. 

• Lesego mine project (R5.4- 

billion), Lesego Platinum, PGM. 

• Platreef mine (R20-billion), 

Ivanplats, PGM. 

Other long-standing projects 

include 

• Venetia underground project 

(about $2-billion to 2023), De 

Beers Consolidated Mines, conversion 

of an open-pit operation 

to underground mining. The 

mine is the largest producer of 

diamonds in South Africa. 

• Booysendal South mine 

(R4.2-billion), Northam 

Platinum, PGM. 

The soils of Limpopo are rich 

in platinum group metals, coal, 

copper, diamonds, gold, iron ore, 

nickel, rare earth minerals and tin. 

Limpopo contributes 4% of coal 

mining in South Africa, according 

to the National Department of 

Mineral Resources and Energy, 

but it is likely that within the next 

three decades, the province will 

be supplying about half of South 

Africa’s coal. Limpopo’s Waterberg 

coal field is estimated to contain 

about 75-billion tons of coal. 

Exxaro’s two coal mines in 

the Waterberg represent threebillion 

tons of Measured Coal 

Resources and 1.8-billion tons 

of Indicated Coal Resources. 

This is where Exxaro operates its 

giant Grootegeluk mine. Nine 

plants serve a 4km-long and 

120m-deep opencast mine on 

a 1 200ha site. Originally intended 

to supply the nearby power 

plants, Exxaro is now eyeing the 

export market with countries 

such as Ethiopia, Egypt and 

Pakistan potential markets. By 

2023 Exxaro hopes to be producing 60-million tons of coal from its 

sites in Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Its current annual production is 

47-million tons. 

MC Mining has started selling hard coking and thermal coal from 

its Makhado coal project in the Soutpansberg coalfield. The mine is 

36km north of the town of Makhado and 80km south-east of the Vele 

Colliery. In 2019 the company signed an offtake agreement whereby 

Arcelor Mittal will buy between 350 000 and 450 000 tons of hard 

coking coal per annum. 

Mineral beneficiation is a key component of the newly accredited 

Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the far north of 

Limpopo and coal is needed for the making of steel. In 2018 nine 

Chinese companies committed to investing more than $10-billion in 

projects related to the zone’s four main areas of activity: a coking plant, 

a power plant, an alloy factory and the manufacture of steel. 

The planned Tubatse Platinum SEZ will focus on mining, as its 

name implies. According to the Limpopo Economic Development 

Agency (LEDA), 17 new mines were established in the greater Tubatse/ 

Burgersfort/Steelport area between 2001 and 2016, and a further 22 

new mines are planned. 

The focus at Tubatse will be on the beneficiation of platinum 

group metals, magnetite, vanadium and chrome. The other strong 

mineral focus in the eastern part of the province is at Phalaborwa 

where Palabora Copper, a subsidiary of Palabora Mining Company, 

produces about 45 000 tons of copper annually, most of which is sold 

domestically. It runs a smelter and a refinery and also mines magnetite, 

vermiculite sulphuric acid, and nickel sulphate. 

Projects and plans 

Important as the coalfields of the Waterberg are, the area is clearly 

not only about coal. A PGM project with enormous potential is also in 

preparation in the Waterberg, on the Northern Limb of the Bushveld 

Complex about 85km north of Mokopane. 



OVERVIEW 

Platinum Group Metals Ltd. is the operator of the Waterberg Project 

but the joint venture (JV) includes Impala Platinum Holdings (Implats), 

JOGMEC (Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation), Hanwa Co 

(a Japanese trading company) and Mnombo Wethu Consultants (the 

BEE partner). The shareholding agreement was amended somewhat 

in February 2020 when Implats agreed to fund 100% of a new 

implementation budget and work programme. 

Implats also has an interest in two big operations on the eastern 

limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex. Marula (in which Implats 

is a 73% shareholder) is in Limpopo province, about 50km north of 

Burgersfort. South of the same town, in Mpumalanga, Implats (49%) 

is in a joint venture with African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) at the Two 

Rivers mine. 

south of Thabazimbi. By building 

a second furnace at the facility, 

Northam is making provision for 

reaching a goal of processing 

one-million ounces of PGMs. 

The cost of the expansion, which 

was partly born by Heraeus, is 

R900-million. 

Heraeus South Africa has 

offices in Gauteng and runs 

a precious metal chemical 

compounds production and 

refinery site in Port Elizabeth. 

Image: Anglo American 

The Waterberg reserves and resources of PGMs are 63% palladium. 

Mining Technology has previously reported that the developed mine 

could produce as much as 744 000oz platinum, palladium, rhodium 

and gold and 23Mlb of nickel and copper on an annual basis. This 

would make it one of the biggest PGM mines in the world. 

Impala Platinum has made a bid to add to its South African and 

Zimbabwean assets through the purchase of Canadian mining firm, 

North American Palladium. The bid for R11.4-billion would give Implats 

a pure palladium mine and increase its geographical footprint. 

The sale in late 2018 of Glencore’s stake in the Mototolo PGM 

mine and chrome plant marked the end of that company’s foray into 

platinum. The purchase of Glencore’s 39% stake takes Amplats share in 

the complex up to 89%, giving Amplats access to a further 130 000oz 

of platinum and improving the prospects of working on the adjacent 

Der Brochen. The deal was worth about R1.5-billion. 

Eland mine, after being put on care and maintenance, was sold 

in 2017 by Glencore to Northam for R175-million. In 2019 plans were 

being put in place to reopen the mine because of higher prices for 

rhodium. The company intends spending R300-million at Eland and 

R1.5-billion at Booysendal. 

Northam bought the Tumela block from Amplats and invested 

heavily in a smelter expansion project at its Zondereinde mine just 

The future of platinum 

Two of South Africa’s foremost 

platinum mining companies 

have joined forces to support 

BASF in the development of an 

automotive catalyst that uses 

less palladium. The research 

and development project is 

backed by Sibanye-Stillwater 

and Implats. 

The German chemical group 

has found a way to replace 

some of the palladium and the 

rhodium, both minerals that are 

in short supply globally, with 

platinum. Platinum is routinely 

used in diesel engine catalysts, 

but this latest adaptation 

will significantly increase its 

usefulness. The device is known 

as the tri-metal catalyst. 


42

Mothena Shirley Matlala, 

Mothena 

Diesel Mechanic, 

Shirley Matlala, 

Diesel Platreef Mechanic, Project 

Platreef Project 

On June 13, 2020, Ivanhoe Mines’ South African subsidiary, 

Ivanplats, successfully completed the sinking of Shaft 1 to a final 

On June 13, 2020, Ivanhoe Mines’ South African subsidiary, 

depth of 996 metres below surface, at the company’s palladium, 

Ivanplats, successfully completed the sinking of Shaft 1 to a final 

depth 

platinum, 

of 996 

nickel, 

metres 

copper, 

below surface, 

gold and 

at the 

rhodium 

company’s 

Platreef 

palladium, 

mining 

platinum, 

licence, near 

nickel, 

Mokopane. 

copper, gold and rhodium Platreef mining 

licence, near Mokopane. 

Ivanhoe is particularly pleased that the project remains ‘Fall-of- 

Ivanhoe 

Ground’ 

is 

incident 

particularly 

free 

pleased 

since shaft-sinking 

that the project 

operations 

remains ‘Fall-ofbegan 

in 

Ground’ 

July 2016, 

incident 

which 

free 

is a tribute 

since shaft-sinking 

to the excellent 

operations 

work by the 

began 

Platreef 

in 

July 

Project 

2016, 

team 

which 

and 

is 

its 

a tribute 

South African 

to the excellent 

sinking contractor, 

work by the 

Moolmans. 

Platreef 

Project team and its South African sinking contractor, Moolmans. 

The Platreef Project has long been recognized as one of 

The 

the 

Platreef 

world’s 

Project 

largest 

has 

deposits 

long 

of 

been 

high-grade 

recognized 

platinum-group 

as one of 

the 

metals, 

world’s 

(PGMs) 

largest 

nickel 

deposits 

and copper. 

of high-grade 

With the sinking 

platinum-group 

of Shaft 1 

metals, now complete, (PGMs) nickel Ivanplats and copper. is exploring With near-term the sinking development 

of Shaft 1 

now pathways complete, at Platreef. Ivanplats is exploring near-term development 

pathways at Platreef. 

We are confident that the project will, in time, become one of the 

We world’s are confident largest and that lowest-cost the project will, primary in time, producers become of one platinumgroup 

largest metals and provide lowest-cost long-lasting primary producers and meaningful of platinum- 

benefits 

of the 

world’s 

group to all metals of our and stakeholders, provide long-lasting including the and 20 meaningful local communities benefits − 

to comprising all of our approximately stakeholders, including 150,000 local the 20 Mokopane local communities area residents − 

comprising – that are our approximately equity partners. 150,000 local Mokopane area residents 

– that are our equity partners. 

Ivanhoe is not a conventional mining company. Our diverse team 

Ivanhoe is building is not something a conventional different mining and company. exciting. Our We are diverse committed team 

is to building discovering something and developing different and modern, exciting. leading-edge We are committed mines that 

to provide discovering secure, and socio-environmentally developing modern, leading-edge responsible access mines to that key 

provide raw materials secure, as socio-environmentally the world embraces an responsible electric future. access to key 

raw materials as the world embraces an electric future. 

Limpopo Business Journal - Platreef.indd 1 

Limpopo Business Journal - Platreef.indd 1 

2020-06-29 8:12:38 AM 

2020-06-29 8:12:38 AM

OVERVIEW 

Bushveld Minerals, meanwhile, 

is exploring the potential 

of vanadium redox flow batteries 

(VRFB) where the focus is less 

on powering vehicles and 

more on creating stationary 

energy platforms. The group 

has companies in various 

minerals, including coal, iron 

and phosphate. The relevant 

companies in this instance are 

Bushveld Vanadium, which 

mines and processes vanadium, 

and Bushveld Energy, which is 

focussed on the manufacture 

of vanadium electrolyte and the 

future potential of VRFB. 

The fuel cell at the offices of 

Minerals Council South Africa. 

Finding new uses for 

platinum group metals (PGM) 

has been a focus of the industry 

for some time. The head office 

of the Minerals Council South 

Africa is powered by 40 ounces 

of platinum and natural gas, 

a concrete symbol of the 

industry’s interest in this issue. 

A fuel cell at the Johannesburg 

site of the national mine owners’ 

association is South Africa and 

Africa’s first base load installation. 

The slow moves towards 

allowing South African mines 

to power their own operations is another spur for mining companies 

to explore power generation. The national energy plan, Integrated 

Resources Plan 2019, allocates 2 000MW for energy storage and this 

provides an opportunity for companies such as Bushveld Energy. 

South Africa produces the majority of the world’s platinum 

(4.4-million ounces compared to six-million ounces by the rest of the 

world). Only Russia (2.6-million ounces) produces more palladium than 

South Africa but in rhodium South Africa is also number one: out of the 

global supply of 746 000 ounces, South Africa’s share is 621 000 ounces. 

The Mapungbuwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) hosts 

an annual PGM roundtable. Mining Weekly reported in December 

2019 that the institute’s latest report focuses on the potential for the 

creation of a PGM exchange in South Africa. In other presentations 

during the event, it was noted that while an exchange would not fix 

the price, it would help to reduce volatility. 

While there is broad agreement that the world needs to steer 

away from minerals that pollute the environment, the supply 

of minerals used in electric car manufacture (such as nickel 

and cobalt) is also finite. Speaking at the 2019 Investing in 

African Mining Indaba, Ford’s head of Energy Storage Strategy 

and Research, Ted J Miller, said that the motor industry was 

“uncomfortable driving these commodities”. He noted that 

Ford has already reduced cobalt production by two-thirds, but 

the challenge is scale. 

In 2012 Anglo Platinum launched an underground 

locomotive powered by a fuel cell. Platinum coating greatly 

enhances the hydrogen absorption capacity of fuel cells. In 

2016 Impala Platinum Refinery unveiled a fuel cell forklift and 

a hydrogen refuelling station in Springs. The editor of Mining 

Weekly, Martin Creamer, has published a series of articles and 

editorials extolling the virtues of what he calls the “best of two 

new carbon-reducing technology worlds”. 

Creamer notes that South Africa’s abundant supplies of PGMs 

and manganese ore can make the country a leader in battery electric 

vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). He further points 

to the work being done by Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) at three 

universities and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). 

South Africa’s good supplies of sunshine and wind make it ideally 

suited to generate hydrogen and if the country could capture 25% of 

the world market, it would be worth $600-million (Mining Weekly). ■ 


Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection: www.mistra.org.za 

Minerals Council South Africa: www.mineralscouncil.org.za 

Mining Qualifications Authority: www.mqa.org.za 

Department of Mineral Resources and Energy: www.dmr.gov.za 

Geological Society of South Africa: www.gssa.org.za 

South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: www.saimm.co.za 


44

Focussed support 

for communities 

INTERVIEW 

Venetia Mine General Manager Gerrie Nortje explains how a Community Response 

Plan is coordinating efforts in water provision, food security, health and safety in 

labour-sending areas. 

Venetia Mine General 

Manager, Gerrie Nortje 

BIOGRAPHY 

Gerrie Nortje began his career 

with Anglo American in 1997 

as a bursar studying Mining 

Engineering. On completion of 

his degree, he worked at various 

Anglo American Thermal Coal 

operations before becoming 

Operations Manager at Xstrata. 

He rejoined Anglo American as 

Principal Mining Engineer and 

transitioned into a Lead Open 

Pit Mining role in 2014 as a 

member of the Technical and 

Sustainability team. At head 

office he was involved with a 

variety of projects across the 

group’s business units. 

What is the Community Response Plan? 

As a responsible corporate citizen and a long-term committed 

partner in the communities where we operate, we, as Venetia Mine, 

are actively and urgently supporting the efforts of the communities 

in our labour-sending areas during the Covid 19 pandemic. 

The Community Response Plan (CRP) helps us focus our efforts 

in addressing the most urgent needs first, while ensuring that where 

possible, projects benefit the communities over the longer term. 

Some of the support we have provided includes: 

• Provision of food: donation of food parcels to indigent households, 

hospitals, homeless shelters and GBV centres. 

• Water: the provision of water tanks, repair and maintenance of water 

infrastructure and the upgrading of infrastructure to sustain the 

supply of water to communities. 

• Hospital and clinic support: providing much-needed personal 

protective equipment (PPE) to hospitals and clinics, and providing 

hospitals with medical equipment including two ventilators. 

• Gender Based Violence: providing victim empowerment centres 

with hygiene packs for victims, communication material and posters 

and upgrading some of the facilities 

• SMEs: remote support to small businesses in dealing with the impact 

of the lockdown on their businesses and supporting them to apply 

for government-funded support programmes. 

• Testing facilities: making sure that our facilities are all available. 

The CRP is a living plan that changes as we navigate through the 

pandemic. Some of our contracting partners (Total and Sandvik) have 

agreed to support a small farmer rural development programme 

aimed at capacitating 500 small farmers in our host communities. 

What has been the impact on the number of people who work 

at the mine at any one time? 

We started developing and implementing measures to protect our 

employees and contractors since the pandemic became a public 

concern and we continue to enhance and improve these controls. 

Key to these measures is the education of our workforce on how the 

virus spreads and equipping them with the right information to continuously 

do the right things to protect themselves and others. A number 

of things had to be considered as we started to ramp up production: 


INTERVIEW 

• Employees that could work from home were 

allowed to and our processes were aligned. 

• Additional controls and measures were introduced 

on the mine including social distancing measures 

on busses, thermal scanning and continuous 

sanitising of the workplace. 

• A phased and controlled recall process was 

introduced to bring back employees over a period 

At Venetia Mine, we have put extensive safety, 

health and hygiene measures in place to combat 

the spread of the virus in the workplace and our 

communities. These measures are not limited to 

and include: 

• A comprehensive risk assessment to identify areas 

of potential exposure, including implementing 

the required policies, procedures and controls. 

Venetia Mine General Manager Gerrie Nortje with 

De Beers Group Managed Operations Managing 

Director Mpumi Zikalala and Limpopo Health 

MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba at the Venetia Mine 

Testing Laboratory. 

of four to six months. 

• A new process was introduced with a telephonic 

Covid-19 screening assessment before employees 

were recalled. 

• Shift arrangements and working schedules were 

adjusted to ensure we maintain social distancing 

requirements. 

All these measures allowed us to recall more 

than 70% of our workforce. We are continuing to 

ramp up and have adjusted our measures. 

What are some of the specific steps to ensure 

the safety of staff? 

Our employees are at the heart of our business and 

we have taken decisive, wide-ranging measures 

that are stringently applied to protect both the 

health and well-being of them and their families. 

• All our employees undergo a mandatory Covid-19 

medical screening and induction session prior to 

returning to work. 

• Our Occupational Medical Practitioners assess and 

approve all employees returning to work. 

• All our employees have been issued with personal 

thermometers for them to monitor their 

own body temperatures as part of a daily selfassessment 

process. 

• The installation of Thermal Scanners at the 

entrance of the mine and on our buses to ensure 

that 100% of the employees’ body temperatures 

are assessed. 

• We are continuously educating, training and 

ensuring compliance to social distancing on site 

and on our vehicles. 

• Continuous sanitisation of biometric readers, 


46

handrails, workplaces and transport vehicles, 

including the installation of UV lights to disinfect 

areas within the mine. 

• All our employees have been provided with 

appropriate PPE and cloth masks. 

• Regular Visible Felt Leadership to focus on 

Covid-19 in addition to Safety, Health and 

Environmental performance. 

• A 24-hour call centre (on a toll-free number) for 

employees to call if they are displaying any 

Covid-19 symptoms or require any other relevant 

information. 

• Introduction of the WeCare programme for 

employees, their direct dependants and a 

community support programme through the 

Limpopo Department of Health. 

• Established and manage quarantine and isolation 

facilities in the town of Musina. 

Have you been able to get enough masks and 

other protective gear? 

Key to the CRP is supporting our host communities 

and suppliers. We are very proud that through our 

enterprise and supplier development programmes, 

we have been able to support a number of 

businesses. All our masks are manufactured locally 

by Dithebele Clothing, a company 

based in Bochum, a community 

in the Blouberg Municipality. The 

company is one of many that 

has enjoyed good local sales and 

is successfully acquiring clients 

since it started participating 

in our Enterprise and Supplier 

Development programmes. 

In addition, we have identified 

and approached a few other local 

suppliers manufacturing goodquality 

masks to supply to some 

of the schools we are supporting 

through our CRP. 

Since the start of the pandemic we have been 

engaging with the local hospitals and the 

Department of Health on a regular basis to 

understand their challenges during this difficult 

period and to understand how best we can 

support them and thank them for the work they 

are doing for all of us. 

We have donated medical supplies and 

equipment to hospitals and clinics in collaboration 

with the Department of Health. In addition, the 

Limpopo MEC of Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, 

recently unveiled the Venetia Mine PCR Covid-19 

Testing Laboratory in Musina. This laboratory will be 

utilised to test the mine’s employees, contractors 

and all the associated contacts. 

We are also in discussions with the Department 

of Health to make the laboratory available for the 

testing of community members through the local 

hospitals. The laboratory will play a vital role in 

the diagnostic testing process of Covid-19 and is 

expected to analyse at least 80 tests per day with a 

24-hour turnout time for results. 

In addition to this, we have established 

quarantine and isolation facilities for positive 

cases and contacts and are providing them with 

continuous healthcare support. 

Is the mine providing support 

in terms of clinics and local 

hospitals? 

Venetia Mine recognises the 

significant role of the hospitals 

and clinics in our communities. 

Villagers in Simpson Village, Blouberg, with a water tank provided by the 

De Beers water project. 


FOCUS 

Weathering the Covid-19 pandemic 

Medical preparedness and safety are priorities at the Marula Platinum mine. 

As a member of the Implats Group, Marula supports the lockdown 

measures taken by national government to reduce 

the spread of the coronavirus and to mitigate the severe impact 

on the lives and livelihoods of employees, host communities 

and suppliers. Internal planning within the Group has focused 

on securing operational resilience during the pandemic based on the 

view that the virus will be a feature for some time and operating in a 

“business as usual” environment will not be possible in the near term. 

In addition, Implats has implemented and enforced several 

measures to provide protection to employees, rolling out a number 

of programmes across the group. Risk-based operating procedures 

were introduced specifically aimed at reducing the risk 

of viral infections in high-risk work areas and to vulnerable employee 

categories. These steps include improved hygiene, restrictions on 

the amount of work performed, social distancing while performing 

work and while travelling to and from work, the provision 

of additional personal protective equipment (PPE) and the 

implementation of screening and testing procedures. 

Stock levels of medical protective equipment and PPE were 

increased and regular large-scale disinfection of workplaces 

continues to be performed. A 

meaningful increase in medical 

care preparedness was also 

undertaken through increasing 

the capacity of internal medical 

facilities and through the 

coordinated collaboration with 

industry peers, public/private 

partnerships and both local and 

regional medical institutions. 

All employees are currently 

screened using questionnaires, 

thermo-scanning of 

skin temperature, and if necessary, 

core temperature screening, 

before entering their 

work areas. Employees with 

abnormal temperatures are 

isolated at dedicated areas 

and then transported to 

designated medical facilities 

for diagnosis and, if necessary, 

testing, quarantine and/or 

hospitalisation. 

Mogale Mashilane, Executive 

Marula Operations, notes, “As the 

pandemic progresses, we expect 

to face increasing challenges 

to our medical preparedness 

and operational resilience. The 

benefit of experience gained 

by our team over the past 

few months will prove vital to 

successfully navigating the nearterm 

operating environment and 

mitigating the impact on our 

employees and communities.” ■ 


48

ENRICHING LIVES 

through our commitment to health 

Medical Preparedness 

High level of medical preparedness 

across all operations including screening 

and testing, isolation/quarantine facilities 

and equipment 

Education 

Intense effort to educate and 

prepare stakeholders for the 

Covid-19 pandemic 

Procedures 

Risk-based operating 

procedures to reduce 

infections in high-risk areas 

Marula is committed to the health, safety and 

wellbeing of all our employees and continually 

strives for zero harm in the workplace. 

49 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2020/21 

CooleAd 18533

OVERVIEW 

Construction and property 

LEDA runs training for artisans in the building sector. 


More than 10 000 housing 

units have been pledged 

by provincial government. 

Military veterans housing. Image: Housing Development Agency 

The Provincial Government of Limpopo has built more than 

320 000 houses since 1994. A budget of R3.9-billion has been 

assigned by National Treasury for the Limpopo Academic 

Hospital. Clinics are also being built, providing more work 

opportunities in the construction sector. A start has been made on a 

provincial theatre, with R15-million allocated to planning. 

A commitment has been made to build 10 456 housing units by 

the end of the 2020/21 financial year, a figure that includes a rollover 

of nearly 4 000 from the previous year. This represents a further 

opportunity for contractors in the construction sector. 

The Enterprise Development and Finance Division of the Limpopo 

Economic Development Agency (LEDA) offers loans to businesses in 

the construction and property sector and runs specialised training in 

vocational skills such as bricklaying, plastering, carpentry, plumbing, 

electrical and welding. 

The Risima Housing and Finance Corporation, another division 

of LEDA, is helping citizens of the province to become homeowners. 

Since 2014, Risima has assisted 1 037 beneficiaries with loans of up to 

R1.5-million. The gap market – people who earn too much to qualify 

for social (RDP) housing but don’t earn enough to be granted bonds 

– is a hot topic. Opportunities exist, but the risk profile is different. A 

new association caters for this subsector, the South African Affordable 

Residential Developers Association (SAARDA). 


Black Business Council in Built Environment: www.bbcbe.org 

Construction Industry Development Board: www.cidb.org.za 

South African Affordable Residential Developers Association: 

www.saarda.co.za 

South African Property Owners Association: www.sapoa.org.za 

Risima has introduced 

the Finance Linked Individual 

Subsidy Programme, for those 

earning between R3 501 and 

R15 000 per month. Risima and 

the Department of Cooperative 

Governance, Human Settlement 

and Traditional Affairs 

(COGHSTA) distribute grants to 

cover a deposit or to make up 

the shortfall between an asking 

price and what the applicant 

can afford. 

A non-mortgaged financial 

product assists government 

employees to get a foot on 

the property ladder. Risima 

is also exploring cooperation 

with mining houses such as 

Exxaro, Amplats and Northam at 

Thabazimbi. 

Thavhani Mall is operating 

in Thohoyandou in a bigger 

development called Thavhani 

City. The 27ha site will eventually 

include an office park, 

automotive-related businesses, 

private healthcare, a library, an 

information centre and a sports 

stadium. Its anchor retail tenants 

include Woolworths, Edgars, Pick 

n Pay and SuperSpar. 

The partners in the R1-billion 

project are Thavhani Property 

Investments, Vukile Property 

Fund and Flanagan & Gerard 

Property Development. ■ 


50

Energy 

The Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (SEZ) will use 

and create large volumes of energy. 

OVERVIEW 

An Energy and Metallurgical Cluster is an important component 

of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) under construction 

at Musina-Makhado in the far north of the province. A South 

African company has announced that it will manufacture 

new energy solar system products, energy storage systems and 

high-density polyethylene water pipes at the SEZ. 

The two local municipalities have been allocated R147-million 

by provincial government for infrastructure upgrades, including 

electricity. The National Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy 

Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has 

been successful so far. The three photovoltaic solar projects located in 

Limpopo have a combined investment value of R3.6-billion. 

A new public-private planning exercise, known as Impact Catalyst, 

is working on focus areas which include biofuels and intends to 

prepare the province to deal with the emergence of new sectors such 

as renewable energy. The provincial government’s Green 

Economy Plan has identified solar and biomass as the main 

kinds of renewable energy for Limpopo. With huge silicon 

reserves in the province, there is also potential to produce 

solar panels and solar chargers for cellphones. 

Nine biogas digesters have been installed in the 

Vhembe District to be controlled by young entrepreneurs 

trained by the University of Venda. A group of 31 students 

is studying Energy Management Systems as part of the 

provincial plan. 

The Mogalakwena Mine run by Anglo American 

Platinum (Amplats) is a large energy user. The mine’s 

concentrator relies on constant and reliable electricity 

supply. With energy comprising a significant portion 

of costs and national utility Eskom experiencing 

difficulties in terms of its debt and its ability to supply reliable 

power, the mining company is investigating the installation of a 

large solar PV project. In early 2019 the project was at the “request 

for interest” stage. Anglo Platinum has pioneered an underground 

mining locomotive powered by a fuel cell. Platinum coating 

greatly enhances the hydrogen absorption capacity of fuel cells. 


National Department of Minerals and Energy: www.energy.gov.za 

South African Photovoltaic Industry Association: www.sapvia.co.za 

Southern African Biofuels Association: www.saba.za.org 


New planning blueprint 

includes biofuels. 

Mining group Exxaro is sponsoring 

the roll-out of alternative 

energy near its remote Tshikondeni 

mine east of Musina. 

Implats is already using 

natural gas to supply its refinery 

in Springs. Phase one of the 

project will see 20 Doosan 

fuel cells generating 8MW of 

Rural digester. Image: BiogasSA 

power. The long-term goal is to 

generate 22-30MW. 

The huge Eskom project 

at Medupi power station is 

over budget and behind in 

implementation. Three of the 

plant’s six units are operating 

(although there have been many 

problems). When the plant is 

completed, the Lephalale area 

will become a petrochemical 

hub and energy complex. ■ 


OVERVIEW 

Water 

Macadamia shells are filtering water for rural communities. 


Several large water schemes 

are close to completion. 

Mobile solar-powered water filtration system . Image: Kusini Water 

ALimpopo entrepreneur has found a way to safely filter water 

using macadamia shells. The brainchild of Murendeni Mafumo, 

the idea was first put into action in 2018 and has been 

used in schools and rural communities by Kusini Water. 

Powered by solar power, the purification system uses a carbon 

filter that is made from macadamia nut shells. With support from the 

National Research Foundation and six reputable partners, including the 

Innovation Hub and the Shuttleworth Foundation, the system seems 

destined for widespread use. 

The National Department of Science and Technology is piloting a 

Point-of-Use (POU) project in Malatane village in the Capricorn District. 

The project is part of the department’s Innovation Partnership for 

Rural Development Programme (IPRDP), which is supported by the 

European Union. Limpopo has markedly different rainfall patterns 

in its three main geographical regions: the escarpment (sub-humid 

with annual rainfall of more than 700mm); semi-arid middle veld and 

Highveld; and the arid and semi-arid Lowveld. 

The province’s rivers are under threat from the damaging effects of 

the mining industry, power stations, chemicals used in agriculture and 

from sewage treatment in catchment areas. Opportunities exist in this 

sector for innovative solutions. Concern about drought conditions and 

water quality under pressure from mines and industry has led to the 

calling of a Provincial Water and Sanitation Summit. 


Innovation Hub: www.theinnovationhub.com 

National Department of Science and Technology: www.dst.gov.za 

National Department of Water and Sanitation: www.dwa.gov.za 

National Research Foundation: www.nrf.ac.za 

The Water and Sanitation 

Services branch of the Polokwane 

Municipality operates five waterpurification 

plants and three 

sewage-purification plants. As 

part of its Regional Water 

Scheme programme, Polokwane 

provides water to the residents 

of the rural areas of Mothapo, 

Mothiba and Makotopong. 

The Capricorn District 

Municipality funds a watertesting 

laboratory on the campus 

of the University of Limpopo. 

Providing water to the 

citizens of Limpopo has been a 

fraught process for many years. 

Schemes have come and gone 

and many local councils have 

not been up to the task. So it was 

significant that Premier Chupu 

Mathabatha announced the 

following markers of progress in 

his State of the Province Address 

in February 2020: Polokwane Bulk 

Water Scheme 100% complete; 

Polokwane Regional Wastewater 

Treatment Works 74%; Mametja- 

Sekororo Bulk Water Supply 97%; 

Nebo Bulk Water Supply 90%; 

Moutse Water Treatment Works 

90%; Malekana Water Treatment 

Works 90%. 

The completion of the De 

Hoop Dam has provided goodquality 

water for the first time 

to many communities in the 

eastern part of Limpopo. ■ 


52

Venetia Mine eases water 

shortage in Simson Village 

Pumps, pipes, valves and reservoirs are boosting services. 

FOCUS 

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, good has 

come for the community of Simson Village, 

which had previously struggled 

with access to clean water. As an emergency 

interim measure, Venetia Mine has installed 

a 10 000-litre water tank with four additional taps 

and then cleaned, repaired and recommissioned 

the existing 100 000-litre reservoir, restoring access 

to sustainable water supply for the community. 

The initiative was in response to a plea from 

the community as the damaged communal 

reservoir full of debris had resulted in clogging 

the water supply. Residents were also left with no 

option but to retrieve and siphon water from the 

top of the reservoir. 

Ward 17 councillor in the Blouberg Local 

Municipality, Dan Mojodo welcomed the 

intervention and expressed great delight at finally 

having access to a clean supply of water. “As a 

community, we are very relieved and grateful 

to Venetia Mine for stepping in to assist our 

community in this very needy period and making 

a difference in our lives. We appeal to the mine 

to extend this great work to other vulnerable 

communities in the Blouberg region in need of 

support during this crucial period of the lockdown.” 

Other water projects currently underway in 

Blouberg include the following: 

The Taaibosch Groet Water Project 

The Taaibosch community is one of many villages in 

the Blouberg Municipal District that have massive 

shortages of water. Venetia Mine has, as a result, 

extended the current bulk water line to supply 

water to the Taaibosch Clinic, Sebeelwa crèche, 

the Taaibosch Community Hall and Taaibosch 

Disability Centre. An estimated 1.7km pipeline 

has been installed to ensure a sustainable supply 

of water to these surrounding facilities. 

The Kromhoek Village Water Project 

The current infrastructure in the Kromhoek Village 

is not sustainable to provide water to the community; 

the current infrastructure is aged and worn out, 

resulting in leakages and communities not being 

able to access water. As a result, Venetia Mine has 

repaired and restored one borehole, and has equipped 

the other borehole with new infrastructure 

to restore sustainable access and supply of water. 

The Donker Hoek, Ga-Raditshaba Village 

Water Project 

The Donker Hoek community has a water source 

but only 30% of the village has running water within 

a radius of 200m from their home. The other 70% of 

the community must fetch water from a communal 

water standpipe – about 6km away from their 

homes. As an intervention, Venetia Mine upgraded 

the current borehole and installed an additional 

90 000-litre reservoir. The mine has also extended 

the current water reticulation (pipeline) to bring 

water closer to communities – within a 200m radius 

of their homes. ■ 


OVERVIEW 

Tourism 

International golf puts Limpopo on television screens. 

When golf’s Sunshine Tour descended on Modimolle 

in February, there was much more on offer than 

R3.5-million in prize money for the Limpopo Championship. 

Participants and followers were treated to 

evenings of comedy and jazz and could buy a wide range of goods 

from stalls set up at the Euphoria Golf and Lifestyle Estate; everything 

from beads and books to locally-made gin. The fact that this tournament 

is co-sanctioned by the European Challenge Tour increases 

the potential for marketing to a large audience and will raise awareness 

about the province as a golf destination. 

Armed Forces Day was held in and around Polokwane in 

February 2020. Events included displays of military equipment, a 

career village for prospective recruits, arena events, a fun run and a 

flypast. Accommodation was at a premium in the provincial capital 

and the event proved a boost to local tourism. Armed Forces Day is 

held annually in commemoration of the sinking of the SS Mendi on 

21 February 1917, one of the worst tragedies of the First World War 

(1914-1918) from a South African perspective. 

Tourism is a key sector in the economy of Limpopo, and as such 

is part of a new planning initiative called Impact Catalyst. In addition 

to a broad examination of the sector, specific thematic areas of 

focus include the game-farming sector, an important and lucrative 

subsector of tourism. Wildlife farming and hunting generates 

enormous amounts of money but South Africans who were 

previously excluded by law still have limited access to this sector. 

According to calculations done by a Professor in Tourism at the 

University of the North West, Peet van der Merwe, trophy and biltong 

hunters contributed a combined R13.6-billion to the South African 

economy in the 2016/17 season. The number of direct jobs created 

2020 Limpopo Championship. Pic: Shaun Roy/Sunshine Tour 


Armed Forces Day was held 

in Limpopo in 2020. 

in this period in Limpopo was 

17 806 (The Conversation). 

In 2018, the formal wildlife 

auction turnover for the whole 

of South Africa was R750- 

million, as reported by Yolande 

Groenewald in the Mail & 

Guardian. A buffalo bull was 

sold in 2016 for R178-million. 

The Limpopo Department of 

Economic Development and 

Tourism (LEDET) aims to create 

wider opportunities within 

these sectors via its Wildlife 

Transformation Policy. 

A total of 3.3-million people 

visited Limpopo in 2018, which 

number included an increased 

number of international tourists 

(2.2-million). In terms of 

domestic travel, Limpopo is the 

most-visited province in South 

Africa. According to the Premier’s 

office, the tourism sector 

employs about 22 414 people. 

The Limpopo Tourism 

Agency (LTA) has six focus areas: 

· Golf and game. 

· Hunting and safari. 

· Family and recreation. 

· Special interest. 

· Mega-conservation. 

· Meetings, Incentives, Conference 

and Events (MICE). 

A new event on Limpopo’s 

calendar caused great 

excitement in 2018 with the first 

riding of the Tour de Limpopo, 


54

OVERVIEW 

a four-day UCI Africa Tour 2.2 

stage race which started and 

finished in Polokwane, with a 

stopover in Tzaneen. A range 

of sponsors enthusiastically 

endorsed the race, promoted 

by the LTA. Hotel@Tzaneen and 

Europcar South Africa were 

sponsors and race officials were 

provided with cars by Audi 

Centre Polokwane. Another 

kind of cycle race is the regular 

Kremetart Cycle Race, a popular 

family event that draws huge 

numbers of entries. 

Regular events are holding 

their own as well: the annual 

Limpopo Marula Festival in 

Phalaborwa attracts more 

than 20 000 participants and is 

estimated to inject upwards of 

R45-million into the provincial 

economy. Several neighbouring 

countries are well represented 

in the crowds and 13 cooperatives 

operating under 

the Mukumbi Industries brand 

normally brew about 12 000 

litres of marula beverages for 

the thirsty crowds. Other marula 

products are also sold such as 

nuts, body lotions, jam, cooking 

oil and soap. 

The Mapungubwe Festival 

is growing in stature every year. 

In addition to popular 

musical performances, 

crafters have an opportunity 

to display their crafts and 

generate good income 

during the festivities. 

Hotels and casinos 

The 160-room Park Inn by 

Radisson Polokwane has 

opened in the provincial capital. 

Located near the golf course 

Game drive, Kruger National Park. Image: SA Tourism 

and the Peter Mokaba Stadium, the hotel also has conference and 

event facilities. Tsogo Sun runs the Garden Court Polokwane, which 

has 180 rooms ranging from executive suites to family rooms. 

The Protea Hotel group has two hotels in the province. 

The Protea Hotel Landmark in Polokwane has 80 rooms and 

six conference venues. Just outside the city is the Protea Hotel 

Polokwane Ranch Resort where guests can walk with lions. 

The hotel is on a 1 000-hectare nature conservancy and specialises 

in weddings. 

In Mokopane near the Waterberg mountains, the family-run The 

Park Hotel Mokopane has 125 rooms and can cater for up to 400 

conference delegates. The three-star hotel recently added 25 selfcatering 

units. 

The Fusion Boutique Hotel in the provincial capital offers fivestar 

quality in 30 en-suite rooms and two exclusive suites. 

Sun International runs the Meropa Casino and Entertainment 

World near Polokwane. The Khoroni Hotel, Casino and Convention 

Resort is in Thohoyandou. A three-star Peermont Metcourt Hotel is 

in the same complex. 

The newest casino licence was awarded to Peermont Global 

Resorts for the official launch and operation of the Thaba Moshate 

Casino, Hotel and Conference Centre in the Greater Tubatse Local 

Munici-pality. There are 237 limited pay-out gambling machines 

in the province, and licences of one sort or another generate more 

than R50-million for the provincial government. ■ 


Confederation of Hunting Associations of South Africa: 

www.chasa.co.za 

Limpopo Tourism Authority: www.golimpopo.com 

Marula Festival: www.limpopomarulafest.co.za 

South African National Parks: www.sanparks.org 


OVERVIEW 

Banking and financial services 

Agricultural financing is in the spotlight. 

Mechanised harvesting equipment. Image: VKB 

The Provincial Government of Limpopo is in the process of 

re-examining the agricultural sector to better use the value 

chain and to expand agriprocessing in the province. One of 

the aspects under discussion is the model used in financing 

the sector and how partnerships are created. Related topics include 

land availability and access. 

The two most active agricultural companies in Limpopo are both 

registered financial service providers. NTK, a subsidiary of the Free 

State-based VKB, has access to lending for farmers and insurance 

products. Afgri offers the same services under the brand Unigro, and 

it has another service called Gro Capital Financial Services which 

offers more sophisticated products such as trade finance. 

South Africa’s four big retail banks (Nedbank, Absa, Standard Bank 

and First National Bank) have a solid presence in the major towns 

in the province. Agriculture is an important focus area for banks 

and so they have established specialised units such as Nedbank 

Agribusiness. Focus areas for this unit are agronomy (grain, oil seeds, 

sugar and cotton), livestock (including game farming), horticulture 

(fruit and vegetables, for example), and secondary agriculture which 

covers agricultural processing and storage. 

The biggest news in South African banking is the issuing of new 

licences, giving customers more choice. Most of these banks are 

making banking more accessible and the previously unbanked sector 

of society should now be in a better position to use banking services. 

In 2017 Tyme Digital received a licence to run a bank. By early 

2019, TymeBank was available in 500 Pick n Pay and Boxer stores and 


African Bank is offering new 

and flexible products. 

more than 50 000 customers 

around South Africa had an 

account. Tyme stands for 

Take Your Money Everywhere 

and refers to the fact that the 

bank does not have a branch 

network. The bank is targeting 

the lower-income segment and 

promises speedy transaction 

and approval times. 

Second to market among 

the country’s new banks was 

Discovery Bank, which officially 

launched in March 2019. 

Discovery Bank applies the 

behavioural model it uses in its 

health business to reward good 

financial behaviour. 

The revitalised African 

Bank, which was put under 

curatorship in 2014 by the 

Reserve Bank, is making a play 


56

OVERVIEW 

for new customers with an 

interesting offering that does 

not rely so much on digital 

wizardry as on presenting 

the customer with enhanced 

banking facilities. 

African Bank has created 

an account that allows up to 

five additional accounts to be 

created in the name of the main 

account. Fees are only charged 

for drawing cash or at the time 

of a transaction. There are no 

monthly fees for any of the 

accounts which can be either 

for saving or transactional. Each 

user has his or her own card and 

monies can be moved between 

accounts, ideal for families. 

Sanlam has entered two 

partnerships in the insurance 

market. African Rainbow Life 

has launched life-cover policies 

in the low- and middle-income 

market, in association with 

Sanlam and African Rainbow 

Capital. Sanlam is also in a 

venture with Capitec. In 2019, 

Financial Mail quoted Capitec 

CEO Gerrie Fourie saying that 

the bank was selling 3 000 

funeral policies a day. 

The Limpopo Economic 

Development Agency (LEDA) 

intends establishing a local 

life insurance company. 

These initiatives aim to make 

banking more accessible for 

rural communities and to 

make finance more readily 

available to small and microsized 

businesses. Trying to 

integrate small business into the 

mainstream economy is a major 

goal of national and provincial 

governments in South Africa. 

VBS Mutual Bank, one of 

three mutual banks in South 

Africa, was placed under curatorship in 2018. The appointed curator 

was not able to confirm all deposits. In the lead-up to the bank not 

being able to meet its commitments municipalities had been making 

deposits to the bank although these violated restrictions put in place 

by the National Treasury. VBS began life as the Venda Building Society 

in 1982. The Public Investment Corporation held 34% of equity. 

To support entrepreneurial students, the University of Limpopo 

has set up the Limpopo Student Seed Fund together with the SAB 

Foundation. Support will be offered to businesses that promise to find 

solutions to social problems such as unemployment and hunger. 

Ubank is owned by a trust that is managed by the Chamber of 

Mines and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). It has about 

100 branches and a strong presence in Limpopo because of its strong 

focus on the mining sector. Ubank has about half-a-million clients. 

Banks are actively working to sign up more of the unbanked 

population. Nedbank has Approve-it, which allows customers to 

accept or reject an Internet transaction by cellphone. Nedbank also 

has partnerships with shops such as Boxer Stores and Pick n Pay 

where customers can have access to financial services in previously 

unserviced areas. 

Image: African Bank 

Some of Nedbank’s other innovations include Home Loans Online 

Digital Channel and Market Edge, together with the Nedbank App 

Suite. The Keyona Plus account includes funeral cover, a loan facility 

and a method of transferring money. The Nedbank4me account is 

tailored to the youth market. ■ 


Financial Sector Conduct Authority: www.fsca.co.za 

National Credit Regulator: www.ncr.org.za 

Office of the Auditor-General of South Africa: www.agsa.co.za 

Public Investment Corporation: www.pic.gov.za 

South African Institute for Chartered Accountants: www.saica.co.za 


OVERVIEW 

Development finance and 

SMME support 

Small-scale farmers are getting support to connect to the value chain. 

Large companies in Limpopo support new business ventures 

by allocating service functions to local businesses and through 

training and mentoring. All of the province’s big mining concerns 

have significant budgets set aside for procurement from 

small businesses and work such as cleaning and transport is routinely 

allocated to small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs). 

The Implats Group spent 36% of its procurement budget with 

Limpopo companies in 2017/18. During the 2018 financial year, the 

Marula Mine spent R101-million on goods and services purchased 

from local companies in 

the Sekhukhune District. 

The Supplier Development 

Programme of Implats 

(pictured) aims to make 

SMMEs more competitive and 

offers accredited training and 

mentoring. 

De Beers Consolidated 

Mines plays a big role in 

the economy of northern 

Limpopo through its Venetia 

Mine. The company has 

launched two business 

incubators in local 

Enterprise development. Image: Implats 

municipalities, Blouberg 

and Musina. The De Beers Zimele Venetia Mine Business Hub has 

created more than 495 jobs since it was established to support 

entrepreneurs through low-interest loans, mentorship, coaching and 

skills development. Local procurement has given chances to 15 local 

companies, in fields such as road maintenance, the canteen, small 

civils work and the supply of tyres and batteries. 

Anglo American Platinum has extended the contract with 


Black Umbrellas: www.blackumbrellas.org 

Industrial Development Corporation: www.idc.co.za 

Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment 

and Tourism: www.ledet.gov.za 

Small Enterprise Development Agency: www.seda.org.za 


Over R100-million went to 

local business from one 

Implats mine. 

Zizwe Batlase for the provision 

of strip-mining services at 

its Amandelbult Complex. 

Zizwe Batlase is 51% owned 

by the local community 

of Baphalane through the 

Baphalane Community Trust, 

named Batlase. Since 2016, 

Zizwe Batlase has been 

providing employment, SMME 

development, infrastructure 

development and business 

opportunities to local and small 

businesses in the community. 

Vodacom reports that 

Limpopo has seen doubledigit 

growth in smartphone 

penetration, which undoubtedly 

benefits SMMEs. An 

investment by Vodacom’s 

Polokwane region of more than 

R170-million in the network 

in the 2019/20 financial year 

helped small business in that 

data speeds were increased and 

3G and 4G network coverage 

was increased. 

The major banks all have 

SMME offerings. Standard Bank 

runs a Community Investment 

Fund and Nedbank offers 

an enterprise development 

product for businesses with 

turnovers up to R35-million. ■ 


58

OVERVIEW 

Education 

The University of Limpopo celebrated 60 years in 2019. 

The University of Limpopo celebrated a significant milestone 

in September 2019, a 60th birthday. As part of the celebrations, 

Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was installed as the 

university’s first female Chancellor. 

Early in 2020, the university received a gift in the form of a R480- 

million loan from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) for 

the construction of a 3 500-bed student residence. Other contributions 

will come from the Department of Higher Education and Training 

and the National Treasury Budget Facility for Infrastructure. This is 

the first phase of a longer-term project to provide 15 000 beds over 

the next 15 years. 

The University of Venda (UNIVEN) is making strides in the field 

of waste-to-energy. The Green Technologies Promotion Drive draws 

from the Department of Physics and the schools of Agriculture and 

Environmental Sciences with support from the National Research 

Foundation (NRF) and the Water Research Commission (WRC). One 

of its goals is to develop the biogas market. 

The Univen Innovative Growth Company offers professional 

services to the outside world through four units which cover 

areas such as statistics and design and editing. This not only 

creates another revenue stream for the University of Venda 

but links the academic institution to the commercial world. 

The Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University 

(formerly part of Limpopo University) is now an 

independent university in Gauteng Province. University 

of South Africa (Unisa) has a regional support centre in 

Polokwane and agencies at Makhado and Giyani. 

The longstanding issue of school sanitation 

infrastructure is being tackled aggressively. A commitment 

was made in February 2020 that 515 schools in the province will 

benefit from new or upgraded infrastructure this year. Some of the 

funding for this programme comes from the Presidential School 

Sanitation Infrastructure Grant. 

A Coding and Robotic curriculum is to be introduced in 110 

primary schools in the 2021 academic year. There are 15 secondary 

schools in Limpopo offering Information Technology at Grade 12 


Limpopo Department of Education: www.edu.limpopo.gov.za 

National Education Collaboration Trust: www.nect.org.za 

Turfloof Graduate School of Leadership: www.ul.ac.za 


Energy research is going 

forward at the University 

of Venda. 

while 46 schools are offering 

Computer Applications 

Technology. During 2020, 

a further 75 secondary and 

32 primary schools are to be 

provided with ICT equipment. 

The School Nutrition 

Programme in Limpopo feeds 

pupils in 3 795 public schools 

and the Scholar Transport 

Programme is active in 380 

schools. The No-Fee School 

Policy applies to more than 

UIGC graduation. Image: UIGC 

1.6-million pupils and more than 

231 000 children have been 

enrolled at Early Childhood 

Development (ECD) centres. 

There are seven Technical 

and Vocational Education 

and Training (TVET) colleges 

in Limpopo: Capricorn College, 

Lephalale College, Mopani 

East College, Mopani South 

College, Sekhukhune College, 

Vhembe College and Waterberg 

College. ■ 


60

PROFILE 

University of Limpopo 

Finding solutions for Africa. 

The University of Limpopo 

celebrated its 60th 

anniversary in 2019. 

With a strong history in 

the struggle against apartheid, 

the university counts among 

its alumni the current Minister 

of Finance Tito Mboweni and 

President Cyril Ramaphosa. 

Located in the rural township 

of Mankweng in the Capricorn 

District of the Limpopo 

Province with an enrolment of 

22 000 students, the university 

plays a vital role in the region. 

New hostels are being built 

to accommodate increasing 

demand and the university is 

expanding its curriculum and 

the scope of its research. 

History 

The University College of the 

North was established in 1959 

in terms of legislation which 

aimed to create ethnicallybased 

institutions. However, 

the University of the North 

became a centre of resistance to 

apartheid. In 1972, Onkgopotse 

Tiro sharply criticised Bantu 

education in a graduation 

speech. He was expelled and 

later killed by a parcel bomb 

while exiled in Botswana. 

The University of Limpopo 

is the result of a 2005 merger 

between the former Medical 

University of Southern Africa 

and the University of the 

North. In 2015 the University of 

Limpopo became a standalone 

institution with its own Faculty of Health Sciences, offering qualifications 

in medicine, nursing, dietetics and nutrition, pharmacy, 

optometry and medical sciences. 

The 60th anniversary celebrations coincided with the inauguration 

of the university’s first female Chancellor, Dr Nkosazanza 

Dlamini-Zuma. A qualified medical practitioner, she was the first 

Minister of Health in post-apartheid South Africa and is currently 

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. 

Vision: To be a leading African university focused on the developmental 

needs of its communities and epitomising academic 

excellence and innovativeness. 

Mission: A university which responds 

actively to the development needs of 

its students, staff and communities 

through relevant and higher-quality 

education and training, research and 

community engagement, and in 

partnership and collaboration with 

its stakeholders. 

Values: Accountability; Transparency; Integrity; Academic Freedom; 

Excellence and Professionalism. 

Faculties 

Health Sciences Schools of Health Sciences and Medicine. 

Humanities Schools of Languages and Communication Studies; 

Education; Social Sciences. 

Science and Agriculture Schools of Agricultural and Environmental 

Sciences; Mathematical and Computer Sciences; Molecular and Life 

Sciences; Physical and Mineral Science. 

Management and Law Schools of Economics and Management; 

Law; Accountancy; Turfloop Graduate School of Leadership ■ 


Physical Address: C/O R71 Tzaneen Road and University Street, 

Mankweng Township, Polokwane, Limpopo Province 

Tel: +27 15 268 9111 

Enrolment email: enrolment@ul.ac.za 

Website: www.ul.ac.za 

61

INTERVIEW 

New research units are 

finding new solutions 

The Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Limpopo 

(UL), Professor Mahlo Mokgalong, commits the university to more 

local engagement and building an international reputation. 

Professor Mahlo Mokgalong 

BIOGRAPHY 

Professor Mokgalong’s 

speciality for his PhD (Zoology) 

was Parasitology while his 

MSc focused on Limnology. 

While completing his PhD 

he worked at the British 

Museum of Natural History 

and the Commonwealth 

Institute of Parasitology 

where he discovered his love 

of research. He has been 

Research Assistant, Senior 

Lecturer, Deputy Dean and 

Executive Dean of the Faculty 

of Science and Agriculture. 

He first enrolled at the 

University of the North (as UL 

then was) in 1972. 

Congratulations on UL’s 60th anniversary. Where to from here? 

The next chapter beyond this 60-year feat will be the building and 

sustaining of an international reputation. We have established 

a portfolio of “Research, Innovation and Partnerships” to begin 

positioning the university as a global player in knowledge generation. 

We want to remain as the University of Limpopo for human and 

environmental wellness, finding solutions for Africa. We are proud 

to have several health-related programmes. We are, so far, the only 

university to establish a medical school post-1994. We are also 

participating in the Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro programme. The 

2018 cohort which we hosted secured a 100% pass. 

Is this giving life to UL’s motto “Finding solutions for Africa”? 

We have established a unit called the Rural Development and 

Innovation Hub (RDIH), which serves as the primary vehicle 

for innovation and the institutionalisation of our scholarship of 

engagement. Major projects such as the Faculty of Science and 

Agriculture’s “Science Centre”, the Limpopo Agro-Food Technology 

Station (LATS) and the Limpopo Co-Lab lead the way. Alongside 

these highly visible flagships are a myriad transdisciplinary projects, 

including Creative Waste Management, the Nguni Cattle Project, 

University of Limpopo campus 


62

INTERVIEW 

Epigenetics and the In-Utero Environment, Adopt 

a School Projects, Space Week and Hydroponics. 

Is the environment a concern for researchers? 

We have various departments that participate 

in environmental wellness. The Department of 

Biodiversity researches on several issues, including 

riverine health which relates to a system of inland 

wetlands and deep-water habitats. They are also 

studying the effects of pollution on the health of 

aquatic life or fresh-water fish. We are succeeding in 

our research to make sure that we use extracts from 

indigenous plants as pesticides. 

Is climate change on the UL agenda? 

We host a Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre for 

Limpopo Province. Here we gather data on climate 

change and feed into the national atlas. 

How is UL’s collaboration with private and 

public partners progressing in agriculture? 

The Nguni Cattle Project is aimed at empowering 

rural small-scale livestock farmers and serves as a 

model for poverty reduction, promotion of economic 

growth, engagement with and development of rural 

communities. During 2019/20, the university further 

developed and implemented a formal training 

programme for emerging farmers to be trained in 

relevant business management skills. 

How do you help students adjust to university? 

We realised that some students came to the university 

underprepared, requiring additional assistance. 

We introduced them to a foundation programme 

in the sciences. The programme was conceived and 

delivered without any grant from the government 

and only survived through external funding. Donors 

such as the European Union ensured that the 

programme survived and delivered, and today, in 

the form of an Extended Curriculum Programme 

(ECP), it has become a tool to identify students with 

potential, with everybody in the sector pushing in 

the direction we took almost three decades ago. 

How does UL contribute to community health? 

We are not a rural university, but a responsive 

university in a rural setting. Certain issues like 

disease and the health of the population are often 

neglected because they are not understood. For 

the last 22 years, we have had a population health 

study. There has been an increase in diabetes 

among the rural 

population.We 

visit these households 

annually and 

conduct surveys. 

What has been 

the impact of 

the DIMAMO 

Population 

Health Research 

Big Walk 

Centre? 

We started in 2019 with a population of 40 000 and 

now we are at 100 000 at Dikgale and Mamabolo 

villages. We have included other communities as 

well. Every year we collect data with the same group 

of people to uncover any new developments. We 

also try to improve the lives of the people and lobby 

others to provide a solution. 

What measures are in place on campus for 

students with disabilities? 

As a caring institution that recognises that students 

with disabilities should enjoy the same rights as 

any other student, we have put measures in place 

to promote the quality of these students’ education 

and lives. A dedicated centre called the Reakgona 

Disability Centre, which is armed with a host of 

devices that help the disabled community, has 

been splendidly making the university experience 

liveable for students with disabilities. 

What other assistance is there for students? 

UL has introduced the Baditi Student Support 

Programme where senior students groom new 

students. The Sepedi name Baditi is derived from 

the African initiation school tradition and refers to 

graduates who train their successors. The mandate 

is to look after and mentor new students who have 

just enrolled so that they don’t get lost or discouraged. 

In addition, a programme targeted at female 

academics, University of Limpopo Women’s 

Academic Solidarity Association (ULWASA), 

encourages aspiring female researchers to gain 

support from senior female academics. 


INDEX 

INDEX 

Africa Biomass Company (ABC) ............................................................................................................................3, 11 

De Beers Group of Companies (Venetia Mine)............................................................30, 45-47, 53, OBC 

Implats ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 48 

Ivanhoe Mines......................................................................................................................................................................... 43 

Leeta la Polokwane ......................................................................................................................................................13-17 

Limpopo Office of the Premier ..................................................................................................................................... 7 

Limpopo United Business Forum ............................................................................................................................. 25 

MTN .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5 

Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ)............................................................................18-23 

Nedbank .............................................................................................................................................................................32-35 

SA Airlink....................................................................................................................................................................................IBC 

Univen Innovative Growth Company (UIGC) ............................................................................................27-29 

University of Limpopo ...............................................................................................................................................61-63 

Vodacom............................................................................................................................................................................IFC, 59 


64

48274 

More choices. 

More opportunities. 

More freedom. 

47556 

Fly Airlink, a proudly South African airline offering endless possibilities. 

As the largest privately-owned regional feeder airline in southern 

Africa, our independence offers even more freedom, as well as 

the widest network and choice of flights. 

Airlink is now operating under its own 4Z flight code, with an ontime 

performance consistently at 95% and a fleet of +50 aircraft. 

flyairlink.com @fly_airlink Fly Airlink

VENETIA 

UNDERGROUND 

PROJECT 

The future of South African 

diamond mining. 

The new US$2 billion Venetia underground mine 

ranks as the biggest single investment by De Beers 

Group in the South African diamond industry. 

Excavation work for the underground extension got 

under way in 2013, the year De Beers celebrated 

its 125th anniversary. Production is scheduled 

to begin in 2022, climbing to full production in 

2025. Over the course of its life, the underground 

mine will treat about 132 million tonnes of ore 

containing an estimated 94 million carats. 

The underground project will extend 

the life of Venetia mine to 2046, 

securing the future for our 

host communities.

Limpopo Business 2020/21 edition

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?