Page 36 - Logistics News June 2019
P. 36
News
Keel-laying ceremony for
SA Navy’s hydrographic ship
A KEEL-LAYING ceremony for the South African Navy’s
hydrographic ship being built at SAS took place at the
shipyards earlier last month. The symbolic event, which
involved SAS, the SA Navy and Armscor, was another
milestone in the journey to construct one of the biggest
Coega improves ships ever to be built in
Africa. The fi rst was the
Eastern Cape ceremonial cutting of the
fi rst piece of steel last
economy November.
Following long-
“WHILST THE recently released standing seafaring
stats on the contraction of the tradition, coins were
SA economy by 3.2 percent placed in the keel by the
highlights a challenging economic SAS, the SA Navy and
environment, the Coega Armscor. The youngest
Development Corporation’s (CDC) apprentice in the
resolve to positively contribute to shipyard, Vuyo Mngadi,
the Eastern Cape (EC) economy also got the chance to Karl Wiesner (SAS), Theo Stokes (SA
spells signs of continued growth. place a coin and take part Navy), Sonti Msibi (Armscor) and
The CDC’s performance during in the ceremony. • Prasheen Maharaj (SAS).
the 2017/18 fi nancial year resulted
in an approximately R3.9 billion
contribution to the EC GDP,” SA’s emerging agro-processors
says Dr Ayanda Vilakazi, CDC
Unit Head Marketing, Brand and SOUTH AFRICA’S young entrepreneurs and agriculturalists
Communications. have the vision, enthusiasm and potential to become
“According to the independent agro-processors with international reach – given the right
Muffi n Report, which examined technologies, funding and support, says Food South Africa, the
the impact of the Coega Special country’s agro-processing, development fi nance and export
Economic Zone (SEZ) on local development organisation, which is set to participate in the
markets, production chains, upcoming food & drink technology Africa (fdt) trade show.
exports, employment and wages, Fanus Engelbrecht, Chief Marketing Offi cer of Food
most of the 45 operational South Africa, says the organisation represents 762 local
investors in the SEZ and Nelson agro-processors, most of them SMEs based in the Western
Mandela Bay Logistics Park created Cape. Hundreds of young people are being trained in local
more than 100 full-time jobs, 69 agricultural colleges every year, in addition to thousands of
percent of investors reported that subsistence farmers and millions of would-be entrepreneurs
their workforce increased over the who have the potential to build successful agro-processing
last fi ve years, and 86 percent of businesses, he notes.
investors revealed plans to expand “But most of them are not getting the support they need to
their businesses in the near future. build sustainable businesses. Crucially,
Some of them are either on their they need funding, business guidance
second or third expansion, such as and support,” Engelbrecht says. Food
Coega Dairy,” says Dr Vilakazi. South Africa helps members become
In the 2017/18 fi nancial year, the export ready and get their products on
Coega SEZ created a total of 17,943 shelves abroad.
jobs. In the unaudited 2018/19 Food South Africa will be at food
fi nancial year, the Coega SEZ is well & drink technology (fdt), the biennial
on its way in cementing its place as trade fair at the Gallagher Convention
a hub for job creation. •
Centre, from 9-11 July 2019. •
34 June 2019 | Logistics News
