No, Mr President, Botshabelo Industrial Park has not 'become productive'

19 March 2019

In his State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Cyril Ramaphosa lied to the people of Botshabelo and South Africa, when he pronounced that that this industrial area "had become productive again", which is simply not true.

Following an oversight inspection of the Botshabelo Industrial Park by DA Free State Premier Candidate, Patricia Kopane, today, the DA will submit a series of written questions regarding the status of the revitalisation of the park.

The DA discovered that this alleged revitalization project has yielded no results for small businesses operating in this area.

The ANC is full of empty promises and mistruths and even its president misled the nation about the true state of the Botshabelo Industrial Park.

What is clear is that the intended industrialists find themselves in a predicament where they are unable to function well, empower themselves or create job opportunities.

This is despite the MEC of Economic Development, Benny Malakoana, claiming that his department had invested an estimated amount of R674 million in the park.

The industrial park was supposed to empower black industrialists in particular, and accelerate the economic growth of the province, however, there is no hive of activity or visible improvement at the park.

In 2014, the Botshabelo Industrial Park was one of the six prioritised Industrial areas in which an amount of R189 million was allegedly invested under the Industrial Parks Revitalization Program.

The first phase of the revitalization included the security infrastructure upgrades, fencing, street lighting and critical electricity requirements at a cost of R24 million.

It is disheartening that the structures now stand hollow and local people who were supposed to be the main beneficiaries have been left in the lurch by the failing ANC government.

This speaks to the disdain the ANC government has for small businesses, notwithstanding the fact the poverty is rife in Botshabelo with factories shutting down regularly and putting a large number of people out of work.

The DA engaged with industrialists who told us that the Free State Development Corporation has not done anything to support them.

Instead these have been paying exorbitant rental rates to the National Real Estate under the pretext of the Free State Development Corporation. Despite all of this, they are told that should they require security they have to pay it from their own pockets and further the infrastructure is in an appalling state.

There is no way the ANC can be taken seriously as it has shown time and again that it’s incapable of honouring its promises to the people.

The Free State and indeed our country cannot afford to continue on this trajectory. Change is needed and it must come now under a DA government which is serious about growing the economy and creating jobs for millions of young South Africans who are trapped in poverty.

These people have little to no means to escape this harsh reality under the incompetent ANC government which uses mafia style tactics to govern.

It is only the DA that will emancipate the people of Botshabelo and the entire country from poverty as a result of the claws of corruption created by the failing ANC.

Our six-point plan aims to develop more successful small businesses by incentivizing the people who invest in and support small businesses.

This DA is committed to creating jobs and growing our economy in the interest of all South Africans.

Issued by Patricia Kopane, DA Free State Premier Candidate, 19 March 2019