MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

BAIC investment welcomed

By

Kevin Hustler, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber released this statement welcoming the BAIC Investment in Port Elizabeth:

The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber welcomes the announcement made today regarding the massive automotive investment by Beijing Automobile International Corporation (BAIC) of R11 billion at the Coega Industrial Development Zone in Nelson Mandela Bay.

We are in particular excited about the 2 500 direct employment opportunities this investment is expected to create, with an indirect job creation prospect of 10 500.

An investment of this scale, reported to be the largest single investment in Africa in decades, is expected to be a major catalyst for the region’s economy.

Nelson Mandela Bay certainly makes the most sense as an investment destination for the Chinese vehicle manufacturer, because we already have four multinational vehicle manufacturers operating in our region. This enables the region to have a shared skills pool of qualified labour, as well as a diversified and strong local supplier base, off which the new vehicle manufacturer could most certainly leverage and benefit.

The automotive sector is a priority sector of the Nelson Mandela Bay Industrial Development Strategy and forms the backbone of our regional economy. The positioning of Nelson Mandela Bay as an attractive destination for international investment is vital to the building of a competitive and sustainable city.

With the automotive industry recognised as the anchor industry of the Bay’s economy, investments into this sector are especially welcome to strengthen and sustain our economic foundation.

We also welcome the strengthening in relations between China and South Africa, leading to an increase in economic activity between the two countries.

The following two tabs change content below.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy LinkedIn profileMy Flickr profileMy Pinterest profile

Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.