SA Special Economic Zones’ future is bright, says Minister Tau – but not everyone is convinced

South Africa's Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have attracted commitments from 141 companies worth over R548 billion, with plans to create over 60,000 permanent jobs once operational, according to Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau. During a ministerial engagement in Fetakgomo-Tubatse SEZ (FTSEZ) in Steelpoort, Limpopo, Tau highlighted that SEZs currently host 234 private companies with investments worth more than R47 billion, generating 134,478 jobs, of which 32,904 are permanent.

The minister also mentioned that new zones like Nkomazi, Fetakgomo-Tubatse, and Musina-Makhado, focused on cross-border initiatives and mineral processing, have initiated infrastructure work to attract investment, aligning with the African Continental Free Trade Area objectives.

However, the Bolshevik Party of South Africa (BPSA) remains unconvinced by these assurances, arguing that Tau and Economic Development Minister Tshitereke Matibe are making promises without delivering results. BPSA general secretary Seun Mogotji contends that communities in and around the SEZs must directly benefit from the mineral wealth extracted from their land, rather than remaining as spectators.

Mogotji argues that South Africa's mineral resources should contribute to a stronger domestic industrial base, with local beneficiation where commercially and technically viable. The party calls for verifiable outcomes, such as job creation, infrastructure development, and local business contracts, to be publicly reported through transparent dashboards.