Economic Development Annual Report

Annual Report 2023/2024 Mpumalanga: Department of Economic Development and Tourism - Vote 6

DATE

MATTER RAISED BY PORTFOLIO

HOW THE DEPARTMENT ADDRESSED THE MATTERS The required approval to appoint the permanent SEZ Board is in place and the process is already at an advanced stage with the procurement of media space to publish the advert of inviting nominations to serve on the SEZ Board will be within the next two (2) weeks. The procurement of media space to publish advert inviting nominations to serve on SEZ Board is underway and process will be concluded by no later than 31 December 2023. Process of establishing SEZ as a subsidiary of MEGA is led by the DTIC and implementation will continue upon receipt of clear directives in this regard. The Department has sought legal opinion from the state attorney the SEZ being a subsidiary of MEGA and awaiting correspondence which would guide the Department, MEGA and the SEZ Entity on the implementation thereof. Due to the additional detailed information requested by DARDLEA, the Department is in the process to appoint a suitable professional(s) to conduct the required studies in order to finalise this matter on the Forestry Industrial Technology Park. Further to this a follow up meeting has already taken place with DMRE to resolve the issue regarding the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) at the Petrochemical Industrial Technology Park, but the Department is still awaiting the required approval letter which was assured by DMRE. The Terms of Reference for both the Mpumalanga 360-degree Route Project as well as the two (2) Municipal Tourism Plans have been approved. The procurement processes are underway and that the projects will be finalised by the end of March 2024.

24 August 2023 The Department must advertise and appoint the permanent Board of the Nkomazi Special

Economic Zone (SEZ), and also establish the SEZ as a subsidiary of MEGA, within the current 2023/24 financial year. The Department must further provide progress in this regard on a quarterly basis.

The Department must expedite the process of finalising the statutory compliance processes for the Petro-Chemical Industrial Technology Park in the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality, and the Forestry Technology Park in the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality within the current 2023/24 financial year, as this process is long over-due. Moreover, the department must report on any progress from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) in this regard. The department must approve the Terms of Reference for the Mpumalanga 360-degree Route Project, as well as the two (02) Municipal Tourism Sector Plans without any further delay; and submit a progress report in this regard before the end of the third quarter of the current 2023/24 financial year.

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