President to launch Tshwane Automotive Hub
President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Tuesday, 05 November 2019, officially launch the Tshwane Automotive Hub at the Ford Motor Company in Silverton, Pretoria.
The Automotive Hub is an outcome of the SA investment conference held in October 2018 where the Automotive Industry pledged investment, transformation and localisation in fulfillment of commitments in the Automotive Master Development Plan 2035.
The Tshwane Automotive hub is expected to help the country attract new automotive component manufacturers, while also strengthening the City of Tshwane’s positioning as an automotive city.
Ford SA will be the anchor tenant of the Hub, crowding in new investments and localisation opportunities for component manufacturers. It is estimated that the Hub has the potential to create more than 5 000 jobs once fully operational. It is also estimated that the Hub will result in a number of new business opportunities to nearby communities such as Eesterust, Moretele View, Nellmapius and Mamelodi.
The automotive hub, which is part of the expansion of the OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) Special Economic Zone (SEZ), will be developed through a joint partnership between the Department of Trade and Industry, Gauteng Provincial Government and the City of Tshwane.
Broadly, Special Economic Zones are an initiative of the South African government, aimed at repositioning the country in the world economy and have become global tools for social and economic transformation, resulting in exponential growth when deployed. The programme’s main focus is to attract foreign direct investment and grow exports of value-added commodities.
Among key objectives of the Tshwane Automotive SEZ are:
- Developing infrastructure required to support the growth of industrial activities,
- Attracting foreign and domestic direct investment,
- Promoting regional economic development,
- broadening the economic participation of Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises and cooperatives.
Members of the media are invited to attend the launch which will take place as follows:
Date : Tuesday, 5 November 2019
Time : 09h00
Venue : Ford Motors Company South Africa (Ford Nature Reserve) Silverton, Tshwane
RSVPs including names, ID numbers and media houses that journalists represent should be directed to Phumzile Kotane via email: pkotane@economic.gov.za or telephone on 071 462 8246/ 012 394 1147 AND Terrence Manase on terrence@presidency.gov.za / 082 338 6707
Enquiries:
Khusela Diko: Spokesperson to the President
Cell: 072 854 5707
