By Being at the centre of the country with a number of national roads passing through the Free State Province, investors are beginning to see the economic potential the province has.
The Free State has been repositioned to be one the best investor destinations of choice in South Africa attracting both foreign and domestic investors. With the recent discovery of helium gas and the amount of sun exposure; the province also has the potential of becoming a renewable energy hub.
According to the Premier of the Free State Province, Ms MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae, investors are showing confidence in the economic potential and strategic capability of the province evidenced in the on-going work to implement the commitments made during the Free State Energy Security Indaba.
“Construction of Mabele Fuels plant in Bothaville, Petro SA’s fuel depot expansion in Bloemfontein, Petroleum Agency South Africa issuing of exploration licenses to Free State businesses, and Sunelex construction of a solar complex in Matjhabeng are but some of these pledges made,” said Premier Letsoha-Mathae.
Letsoha-Mathae says the province is currently in a process of concluding strategies to grow and develop the economy of the Free State. She says they have been in consultation and will soon conclude the review of the Free State Growth and Development Strategy that invokes transformation, collective responsibility and coherence towards a better life for all.
“In fostering mutually reinforcing actions, we will align One Plans, Integrated Development Plans with the National Development Plan, Free State Growth and Development Strategy and Medium-Term Strategic Plan.
Shaping some of the above-mentioned plans will be the revised Provincial Spatial Development Framework that outlines the space economic prospects of our province,” said MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae.
“But this we are not doing alone. It is a collective effort. We are working with the departments of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform, and COGTA to finalise this Framework in this financial year.
Completion of the Vaal River Regional Spatial Development Framework will give impetus to the envisaged Vaal River City Region. We are also pleased with the on-going consultations that are underway to develop the Free State Small Towns Regeneration Strategy.
Our work with SALGA to unlock development potential of small towns through the Karoo Regional Development Initiative continues. There is no doubt that the success of our development imperatives is predicated on the implementation of the major infrastructure projects,” she continued.
According to the Premier, the Free State will conclude an Inter-Provincial Implementation Protocol with Gauteng that outlines their cooperation on the Vaal River City Region. She said they are pleased with the progress made with Infrastructure South Africa to develop a bankable project pipeline for the Free State.
“Twenty-seven major infrastructure projects have been registered with Infrastructure South Africa for project preparation and implementation. Sixteen million rands has been allocated for project preparation funding for the Psychiatric Hospital and District Hospital in Mangaung.
Project preparation funding for Maluti-a-Phofung Renewable Energy and Mangaung Airport Development Node; have also been secured,” said the Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae.
