Further investment opportunities in the Eastern Cape are opening up thanks to progress being made in the province’s two Industrial Development Zones (IDZs). The zones are on the west bank of the East London harbour and at Coega east of Port Elizabeth. From East London it is reported that the city's hopes of becoming one of South Africa's first industrial development zones (IDZ) came a step closer yesterday when the Department of Local Government declared the intended area an industrial township. According to the IDZ Corporation's communications manager, Di Stap, the declaration of the industrial township follows a departmental tribunal hearing in Bisho in October. "The tribunal has come back to us to say the land has been rezoned as an industrial township," says Stap. "We believe it to be the first of this sort of declaration in the country, which means we are really on track with the IDZ." By the end of the year the area could be a designated IDZ with the corporation getting an interim operator's licence, according to ceo Peter Miles. With the designation and licence, the corporation could then seriously look for investors to develop and run the zone as well as seeking companies who wish to take advantage of the status of the IDZ and set up manufacturing plants in the duty-free zone bordered by an airport and a harbour. News from Coega is that there is renewed enthusiasm support for the Coega project after a site visit by a top-level delegation from the Eastern Cape provincial government. Virtually the entire cabinet, as well as the director-general and other officials attended the briefing and tour of the Coega Industrial Development Zone on Wednesday, November 14, 2001. “We were all very excited to see what progress has already been made and to hear about new developments which will be announced soon,” says chairperson of the cabinet committee on economic growth and development, Phumulo Masualle. “Once again we realised the importance of the development of the Coega Industrial Zone and the port of Ngqura to the economies of the Nelson Mandela Metro, the Eastern Cape and South Africa as a whole,” says Masualle, who is also Eastern Cape MEC of roads and public works. Speaking after the site visit, he said “everything is falling into place for the project to go ahead.” Economic affairs MEC Enoch Godongwana said a number of “key issues” were being addressed. “The first is a record of decision on the IDZ and port developments. We hope to have these in a week or so,” he said. The Record of Decision, to be issued by central government, will set the guidelines for the Coega project. “The second issue is the proclamation of the Port of Ngqura in terms of the relevant Ngqura Act. Our understanding is that the proclamation has been presented to the president’s office. “The third is the declaration of the IDZ and a related decision on the issuing of an operator’s permit by Trade and Industry minister Alec Erwin.” Godongwana said all three issues were being addressed, and were part of the normal process in the development of projects on the scale of Coega. “What is clear is that Coega is going ahead. Today we have all seen the infrastructural improvements that are already taking place. Coega is happening,” he said.