Major palm oil refinery set to go

THE Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) and the City of uMhlathuze have been commended for paving the way for the construction of a R1,3-billion palm oil refinery.

Involved is major palm plantation company, which also has operations in Indonesia, East Malaysia and some parts of Africa.

‘We are pleased to announce that the RBIDZ will soon have a sod turning ceremony,’ said KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala.

‘We congratulate the RBIDZ and the uMhlathuze Municipality for working together to make this project possible. This investment will greatly benefit local communities in terms of employment.’

Zikalala said with this and other projects in the pipeline, the RBIDZ looks set to attract more than R11,5-billion in investments.

The company has already recruited six chemical engineers from across the province, including eSikhaleni, who are being trained on a two-year programme at their operational plants around the world.

‘Upon completion of their training, they will transfer their skills at the Richards Bay plant once it becomes operational,’ said RBIDZ Stakeholder and Communications Manager, Choice Sihiya.

Sihiya said given the scope of the project, there will be mass job creation during the construction and operation phases.

‘We are confident of jobs within the value chain for our small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs).

‘The potential of supplying and even using raw material to produce local products would be within reach.

‘These would include cooking oil, margarine, soaps, cleaning detergents, body lotions, beauty creams, coffees, chocolates, ice cream and many others.

Also on the cards is an agro-processing facility which will complement the Dube Trade Port in Durban.

Premier Zikalala announced plans to attract investors at the international BIO Africa Convention in August this year.

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