A State-owned industrial parks (SOIPs) symposium, hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Wednesday, resolved that an SOIP association be formed to support the strategic planning of the SOIPs, while enhancing the business experience for firms operating from the SOIPs.

The proposed association will also provide effective communication networks for the parks and its stakeholders and assist in the internationalisation of local products and services, the DTI said in a statement on Thursday.

DTI director-general Lionel October on Wednesday said government was deploying resources to ensure the industrial parks became beehives of economic activity and that centres of excellence were established.

“We are also looking at moving to a stage where we can institutionalise these national assets to attain the best results economically and for the development of communities in which they are located,” he said.

However, there was a need to consolidate resources for the management of SOIPs, he emphasised.

“Once consolidation has been achieved, we would then need to make operational budgets available and market these parks both locally and internationally to potential investors to attract good investments in the parks."

Since the inaugural symposium in 2016, provincial consultations have been held and there was now a need to establish an Association of Industrial Parks, as well as a framework for standard operating procedures, he said.

“By finalising the institutionalisation process and putting the right governance in place, the SOIPs will enable us to implement the Industrial Policy Action Plan,” said October.

“By gathering all valuable thought-leaders for this symposium, we aim to ensure that we secure a collective guideline and endorsement from all stakeholders on how we can best take the development of SOIPs forward," he outlined.

The symposium serves as a platform where key stakeholders linked to the administration and management of SOIPs can deliberate meaningfully about the manner in which development should proceed.