His delight at eventually having the Alcan deal firmly in the bag was clearly evident, as joyful banter and future plans for the industrial development zone (IDZ) spilled from his lips this week, just hours before the contracts were signed. Sixty-one months of relentless pursuit of the Alcan investment came to fruition yesterday, but Silinga emphatically dispelled the notion that the aluminium producer was a "silver bullet" for the Coega IDZ. "The smaller entities that have invested are of strategic importance; they invested despite the fact there was no big investor. We will continue to treat them like the princes and princesses that they are to us; who dared to believe in us." While Silinga says the IDZ is "more than battle-ready", he admits it was not always smooth sailing. I have.fond memories of the (Alcan) project. In October 2001, former Eastern Cape Development Corporation qhief executive Mcebisi Jonas and I were to meet with Pechiney representatives, and there was a sense of uncertainty about whether they would agree to the appointment. When we got the call we rushed to France to present, and we've never looked back." The French company was later taken over by Alcan, nixing hopes by the CDC that the smelter agreement would be signed by 2003. "A low moment was when there was a perception that the decision to build infrastructure was a reckless and wasteful expenditure. That was a sad moment, questioning the wisdom of investing in our own future. But South Africa has been vindicated," he said. "No-one would have come to invest in the southern tip of the world with some hope that someday, some port would be built there. It needed to be built first. It's never been done any other way." About R900-million has been spent on infrastructure in the IDZ, and R3,2-billion on the deep-water port. Former Alcan chief executive officer Cynthia Carroll has described the Coega IDZ infrastructure as one of the best she has seen throughout the world and Silinga said: "One can't help but feel proud. "Many South African corporations believed in our country - Eskom, the department of trade and industry, the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, the government, the National Ports Authority and the South African Roads • Agency, which collaborated with us when others thought we were crazy." ' Silinga said Alcan's signing sent a "you snooze you lose" message to other investors. "We have more than 30 investors in the pipeline, some of which will certainly be signed before the end of the financial year." He cited automotive manufacturers and a call-centre staffed by 1 000 people per shift as possible investors. "We have been spending a lot of time with the investors and are very optimistic. We would like to consolidate our position as Africa's answer to Detroit (in the US)."