WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE TSHIAME SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE(SEZ)?
WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE TSHIAME SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE(SEZ)?.
Tshiame in Harrismith under the Maluti A Phofung Local Municipality in the Free State province is one of the areas which have been earmarked to benefit by having the Special Economic Zone.The Special Economic Zones within South Africa are geographically designated areas set aside for specifically targeted economic activities to promote national economic growth and exports by using support measures to attract foreign and domestic investments and technology . SEZ is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country.One of the major advantages of Special Economic Zones is that there is a clause of total exemption of the income tax on the income incurred via export through these SEZs.
The Tshiame Special Economic Zone which has now been branded the Maluti a Phofung Special Economic Zone has been on the pipeline for decades as far as my memory can serve me. It is a project which inspired so much hope that it will bring the necessary jobs and the uplifting of the economy of the area. The area of Tshiame is made of Tshiame A,B,C,D and Makgolokoeng(which is a village), it is an area tormented by obstinate high levels of unemployment which ofcourse means the levels of poverty are high. The Tshiame Special Economic Zone is situated in the Tshiame Industrial Area which has quite a number of factories manufacturing a number of different products e.g Textile , Paper , Food and furniture.
The hope I am referring to is the hope which to a certain extant has been sparked by the politicians the governing African National Congress to be specific. Whenever the community of Greater Tshiame complains about the obstinate high levels of unemployment the governing African National Congress tells the masses that work will be created in thousands at Tshiame Special Economic Zone, this promise has been repeated for over a decade especially during the election campaigns. There is not much economic activity in Tshiame, this leaves the residents of Greater Tshiame with limited options interms of employment with only the Special Economic Zone, Harrismith(Town) and surrounding farms as the only realistic avenues of employment.
Unfortunately the Special Economic Zone is populated with factories that are owned by the Chinese Nationals who are infamous for underpaying their employees and subjecting employees to sweatshop conditions and exploitation . The only way of uplifting the masses of Greater Tshiame out of poverty is through decent work ,the kind of work which pays a living wage. Majority of the Greater Tshiame population are not benefiting in the Special Economic Zone as some of the investors(new factories starting operations) are employing people from outside of Harrismith with Qwaqwa being the biggest beneficiary,this can be seen by the buses bussing people from Qwaqwa who come to Harrismith and Tshiame in particular for work purposes .This is an indictment on us as residents of Harrismith but Tshiame in particular that we have allowed this state of affairs to unfold right in front of our eyes, it talks to our disorganization as a people.
The infrastructure in the Special Economic Zone is collapsing at an alarming rate with the security fence used to secure the Special Economic Zone being cut into pieces with no care from those tasked with overseeing the project. The dream and promise of a better life which will be brought by the economic activity linked to the Special Economic Zone has evaporated into thin air.
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