THE Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has welcomed DHL as an investor in the Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ) near Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth).
The new facility for DHL consists of an 11,198m² Distribution Warehouse and double storey offices of 718m² suitable for import, export and distribution of food and beverage products. The total site is 20 000m² in Zone 1 of the SEZ.
CDC Chief Executive Officer Khwezi Tiya said the logistics heavyweight’s decision to locate their investment in the Coega SEZ highlights the importance of these zones in South Africa as key enablers for growth and development.
“The Coega SEZ is a transshipment hub and a leading investment destination in Africa, and it provides a location with modern infrastructure for sustainability and businesses to thrive. Furthermore, Coega seeks to provide a location that focuses on Environment, Sustainability and Growth (ESG) reinforced by our foundational culture of innovation and continuous improvement,” Tiya said.
He said the timing for the opening of the DHL facility was especially significant as the economy recovered from the COVID-19 Pandemic. “We are pleased that the DHL investment at Coega has contributed to socio-economic development in line with our vision, making a significant impact on the local economy.”
He added that during the construction of facilities, more than 255 construction jobs were created, and a total of 24 SMME contractors benefited from the project.
“We understand that DHL now employs more than 50 people at its Coega SEZ facility, which is important during these difficult economic times. Moreover, we hope that DHL’s success at Coega will be sustainable in order to create more jobs during operations to boost the local economy for many years to come. We hope that this lay a foundation for further DHL investments.”
