In engagements between the National Executive and the Provincial Executive of the Northern Cape, on Friday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said besides the strides being made in the energy sector, the Northern Cape is working to become an industrial hub.

“This is supported by traditional industries like mining, but is being expanded through special economic zone development, industrial park development and major infrastructure developments, notably in port and rail,” he said.

In his sixth engagement between the National Executive and provinces, Ramaphosa highlighted that the Northern Cape was at the forefront of the country’s clean energy revolution and was experiencing a significant surge in power projects such as solar and green hydrogen.

He noted a 2024 Pulitzer Centre article that characterised the province as South Africa’s emerging powerhouse.

Ramaphosa stated that the province’s Green Hydrogen Masterplan was ambitious in scope and potential benefits – “not just for the Northern Cape but for the national economy, for the Southern African Development Community region, for the continent and globally”.

In recent months Ramaphosa, and several members of the National Executive, had participated in multilateral discussions and business forums, articulating the vision of South Africa being a leader in the renewable-energy revolution.

He acknowledged that while the Northern Cape's economy had been growing and creating jobs, with important progress in areas such as education, public infrastructure and basic services, persistent challenges remained. 

He noted the National Treasury’s 2024 provincial socio-economic review, which pointed to an increase in the percentage of people living in poverty and a drop in the number of households with access to basic services such as water.

“Unemployment, especially youth unemployment, remains high. Fiscal constraints are holding back several projects particularly at a municipal level, including for disaster response, asbestos eradication, land restitution, rural electrification and public housing,” he acknowledged.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Ramaphosa pointed out that the province would need to find ways to support high-impact projects such as the Northern Cape Industrial Corridor, the R1-billion housing programme and the Kimberley Big Hole precinct to improve infrastructure development.

“We will also need to find creative funding mechanisms for projects like the Boegoebaai harbour. We need an urgent relook at the current delivery model to enable regulatory approval and investment activation,” he said.

He highlighted that integrated planning between national, provincial and local government must involve State-owned enterprises as important stakeholders with significant capabilities.

Ramaphosa stated that the integration of provincial planning into national priority planning must be prioritised through government's District Development Model and aligned with the Medium-Term Development Plan.

He also noted increased municipal debt and the issue of climate change during his address.