The official commissioning of key projects this weekend represents the “coming of age” of the Coega industrial development zone (IDZ) as the 11 500 ha Eastern Cape-based space “primed” for the transition to a special economic zone (SEZ).

Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies and Energy Minister Dikobe Ben Martins were set to unveil two Coega Development Corporation (CDC) investor projects – the DCD Wind Tower facility and the Agni Steels mill – valued at R700-million.

The projects were expected to create more than 500 sustainable operational jobs.

“Given positive investment attraction trends over the past three years, we are set to enter the SEZ environment with a clear advantage and head start because of our existing significant achievements,” CDC head of marketing and communications Ayanda Vilakazi said on Thursday.

CDC business development executive manager Christopher Mashigo believed that the DCD Wind Towers and Agni Steels projects, as well as FAW Trucks' recent investment, were “a testament” to the investment attraction abilities of the CDC.

“They also mark an important milestone in both foreign and domestic direct investment in the context of the overwhelming needs of immediate service delivery and the even more critical need for sustainable jobs in South Africa, particularly [in] the Eastern Cape,” he added.

Construction on the R300-million, 23 000 m² DCD wind tower manufacturing facility started in May last year in Zone 3 of the Coega IDZ.

The facility, with the capacity to deliver between 110 and 120 wind towers a year, started producing towers in March.

Agni Steels South Africa also started operating this month after investing R400-million to develop a steel plant in Zone 6 of the industrial zone.

A second and third phase of the plant was planned – adding to the total investment value.

The Coega plant would use 10 000 t/m of scrap metal during the first phase, doubling to 20 000 t in the second phase. A total of 300 jobs were expected to be created.

Meanwhile, the first vehicles to be assembled at the 30 000 m², R600-million FAW Trucks commercial vehicle plant were scheduled to roll off the assembly line in July.

The plant, financed by FAW China and the China-Africa Development Fund, was expected to eventually produce 5 000 trucks a year.