Economic Affairs MEC Enoch Godongwana is upbeat about the prospects of the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) clinching a R20 billion deal with French aluminium giant Pechiney to build an aluminium smelter in the Coega Industrial Development Zone. Godongwana told the Bisho legislature that CDC officials were busy looking over the final draft of an agreement to be signed between the CDC and Pechiney. Replying to the debate on his Budget, Godongwana said “never in the history of this province have we ever been so close to receiving an investment that is the biggest single investment that this country has seen since democracy,” according to a report in the Daily Dispatch newspaper. Teams from the CDC, Eskom and the National Ports Authority (NPA) had visited the prototype plant of Pechiney in France and had been “astounded by the state of readiness of the technical teams preparing to be relocated to South Africa. A special charter flight might have to be arranged to ensure a smooth relocation of these families to the Eastern Cape.” State rail utility Spoornet is “positively considering” advancing R500 million towards the upgrading of the railway line from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg to enhance the efficiency of transporting goods to and from the IDZ, he added. Milestones that have been passed include: * The appointment of a general construction manager -- a joint venture between French company Technip and South African company Bateman; * A record of decision for the environmental impact assessment had been awarded in December in 2002; *A business agreement had been signed between Pechiney and Eskom for the delivery of power; and * A business agreement signed between Pechiney and the NPA in April 2003 "to confirm delivery of the port as per the requirements of Pechiney".