SEZ set to create job opportunities

03 Oct 2024

Two local support companies will join the first cohort of investors to open shop and raise about 1 000 direct jobs at the recently launched 100-hectare Airport City Special Economic Zone, says Special Economic Zone Authority (SEZA), Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lonely Mogara.

Briefing BOPA on the side-lines of the main plenary of the Airport City SEZ launch yesterday, Mr Mogara said both local support companies were in the Meeting, Incentives, Conference, and Exhibition (MICE) industry and would  occupy a 20 per cent investment stake.

He said the two companies being Sprint Couriers and Universal Builders Botswana would inject capital investment of P771 million and P791 million respectively, creating a cumulative 326 direct jobs.

Mr Mogara said Sprint Couriers would support companies investing at SEZ with logistics services, while Universal Builders Botswana would erect a state of the art hotel and conference facility within the Airport City SEZ.

Mr Mogara said the process to on-board both local and international investors was underway and plots have been demarcated and allocated for all companies to resume their construction.  Amongst international companies to open shop at this site is Blue Lights; a car manufacturing company which will invest at least P109 million toward setting up, creating well over 170 jobs for Batswana, he said.

Furthermore, Mr Mogara said KGK Group; a global enterprise in the diamond space would commit about P60 million toward investing in this SEZ creating 100 jobs at peak.  The company’s unique vertically integrated business is spread from mines to retail, marking its invincible presence across the pipeline of gems and jewellery industry and translating it into a value chain offering considerable competitive advantages, he said.

Mr Mogara said the aim was  not only to bring anchor investors to the site, but also hoped to raise local business giants that would leverage off expertise brought by foreign direct investors.

He reiterated that SEZA brought to the launch thriving local small and medium sized businesses to come and benchmark and possibly forge strategic ties with global giants and investors in the room.

Notably, Mr Mogara said SEZA was set to develop eight SEZs sites : Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKIA), Francistown and Selibe Phikwe as mixed use SEZs, Tuli Block and Pandamantenga as Agropolis SEZs, Lobatse as meat and leather SEZ, Fairgrounds as an International Finance and Technology SEZ, and Greater Palapye as an Energy SEZ.

He said the nineth SEZ was the 59.8 hectare SOWA Town SEZ which has been earmarked as a chemical manufacturing hub, primarily because of its abundant sodium resources.

Mr Mogara said Sowa Town was home to Botash Mine, which has the potential to produce 650 000 tonnes of salt and 300 000 tonnes of soda ash per annum and these can be beneficiated within the proposed SEZ to create employment.

He said it was their hope for Batswana to grab opportunities for marketing, sales and distribution of these chemicals in sectors such as agriculture, automotive, construction, manufacturing, consumer products, and packaging. Ends

Source : BOPA

Author : Marvin Motlhabane

Location : GABORONE

Event : Briefing

Date : 03 Oct 2024