CDC ready to spread wings

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has begun increasing its footprint beyond South Africa’s borders and is eyeing a stake in the government’s bid to attract $100-billion (R1.2-trillion) in new investments.

The CDC, which has already been involved in significant infrastructure development projects around the country, has announced its intentions to expand into Africa.

The CDC, among its many other mandates and activities, operates what is widely considered to be among Africa’s most successful Special Economic Zones (SEZ), alongside the Port of Ngqura.

According to the CDC’s marketing, brand and communications head, Dr Ayanda Vilakazi, the organisation is now positioned as an African public sector organisation which has an African footprint as well as extensive experience in providing African solutions to African problems and challenges.

Revealing that the CDC was now providing advisory and consulting services to three other African countries, Vilakazi said CDC was now seeking to intensify its business outreach efforts by going beyond South Africa.

The countries were named as Uganda, Botswana and Namibia.
“The CDC has pervasive capabilities in project management, engineering, procurement, construction, ICT and facilities as well as effective localisation solutions,” he said, describing services, experience and knowledge the CDC could offer international clients. “The CDC is an ISO-accredited organisation and provides construction and building solutions to local and international investors, business process solutions to clients locally in the Eastern Cape and throughout South Africa. The CDC is also the preferred implementing agent for the government’s infrastructure and facilities management programme by providing expertise and capacity in minor and mega infrastructure and facilities development and management projects.

“Therefore, the CDC is keen to see its expertise and experience spanning over 19 years utilised in the delivery of mega infrastructure projects on the African content,” Vilakazi said.

“Through the Africa Trade and Investments Solutions Strategy, the CDC is at the helm of the country’s renewed drive for business exchanges between South Africa and the rest of the content.

The organisation was embarking on project delivery and making operational key public infrastructure throughout the continent, he said.

He described the CDC’s value proposition for clients’ infrastructure programmes as including CDC’s ability to leverage the inclusion of local supplier value chains, local content development, capacity and capability development, labour management and a streamlined approach to benefits management across the project lifecycle.

Vilakazi said the CDC welcomed the recent appointment of the investment envoys introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the bid to generate at least $100-billion in new investment over the next five years. “The Coega SEZ as a foreign direct investment destination is looking forward to working closely with the team to ensure that we attract investment to both the regional and national economies,” he said.