MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A world-class chemical plant and the potential to develop the Mossel Bay area into an export-hub.
This is the long-term vision of Nicholas Rankumar, the financial director of Ikusasa Process Engineering Consultants. Following a memorandum of understanding signed in August with the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), Ikusasa secured a long-term lease for one of GRDM's properties next to PetroSA (on the same land earmarked for the regional landfill site) to erect a chemical plant that will support the timber, water and textile sectors.
Currently in its design phase, construction will commence within a few weeks. It is envisaged that the factory will be fully operational by the end of 2019.
This R1-billion investment in the Garden Route will provide 3 000 jobs over the next five years. "The long-term vision for Ikusasa is to expand and scale the chemical plant into a world-class production facility," said Rankumar.
During a sod-turning ceremony last Friday at the property, GRDM Mayor Memory Booysen said they are in partnership with the Mossel Bay Local Municipality. "By working together, we are going to use the law to fast-track the process. We have seen other economic developments in Kouga, Richard's Bay, Saldanha - now is the time for development to happen here," he said.
Stakeholders who attended the ceremony include representatives of Mossel Bay Municipality, PetroSA, the Mossel Bay Port and private sector partners. Mossel Bay Mayor Harry Levendal thanked the district municipality for their efforts to attract investment to the area. "This is a first of big things that will happen in Mossel Bay," he said.
The advantages of the site's positioning next to PetroSA have been listed as follows: A close working relationship and the supply of products which are specific to PetroSA; exports and imports via the Transnet Mossel Bay Port (less than 10km from the site); and its position on the N2, which strategically connects the site to other parts of the region.
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