By Johannesburg — President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to officiate the launch of the landmark Free State Catalytic Investment and Industrialisation Project in the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality on Friday, 9 October 2026.
Hosted at the Phuthaditjhaba Multipurpose Centre alongside Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae and Chinese investors Joy Long-YJC, the high-level ceremony marks a major milestone for South Africa’s regional development and economic transformation.
Valued at approximately R100-billion, the ambitious initiative is poised to inject unprecedented momentum into the nation’s manufacturing, industrialisation, and green economy sectors.
By focusing heavily on the energy transition, the project will mobilize cutting-edge developments in automotive assembly, electric-mobility technologies, specialized components, advanced energy systems, and modern logistics.
Beyond macroeconomic expansion, the project addresses critical socio-economic imperatives by generating approximately 6,500 permanent jobs. This influx of employment is expected to revitalize the local economy of the Maluti-a-Phofung region, while fostering deep integration for local suppliers and strengthening regional skills development.
Friday’s inauguration will convene a broad coalition of stakeholders, including key figures from national, provincial, and local government, development-finance institutions, infrastructure providers, and business leaders, alongside representatives from training institutions and delegations spanning all 35 wards of Maluti-a-Phofung.
As South Africa accelerates its push toward sustainable industrial growth, this public-private collaboration stands out as a defining catalyst for long-term economic resilience and green innovation.
