The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone is proud to announce the appointment of Muzikayise Blessing Shange (Muzi) as the Chief Operations Officer for the organisation. Muzi undertakes his responsibilities from the 1st August 2021.
We wish to inform internal and external stakeholders that, the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) has added another talent into its executive team. As guided by the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, as a shareholder, RBIDZ is determined to ensure that the mandate and the objectives of government’s Economic Recovery and Transformation Plans are achieved.
In this regard Muzi’s main focus will include the overall co-ordination of the work of all Units within the RBIDZ to ensure that they collectively make an impact in growing the economy and ensuring job creation in the process.
Muzi’s appointment is a clear reflection of the company’s vision ready to take on the future with a fired up approach of driving its mandate. Muzi is distinguished by his track record of strategy implementation, leadership development, professional positioning, analytical thinking, leading innovative initiatives to build top-performing organizations with management “bench strength” and staying power.
Government has over the years, singled out our Special Economic Zone - as one of the vehicles through which economic transformation and job creation objectives will be achieved. It is expected that the COO will build on the work of the organization and usher in a new age.
Importantly, KZN leverages on its unique features, as it shares its borders with three (3) neighbouring African states of Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland thereby facilitating trade with these nations. Furthermore, the strong road and rail links to the rest of Africa, through its neighbouring countries are complemented by an expansive port and airport infrastructure. Building and managing strong stakeholder relations in these key areas will therefore also be paramount for the COO.
In terms of sectors of our economy - manufacturing on metals beneficiation, agro-processing, marine industry development, energy, transport and logistics and several other identified sectors remain a major focus of intervention by the KZN government through EDTEA and RBIDZ in particular. The new COO, is therefore expected to ensure that RBIDZ is central in the entire value chain of these sectors of the economy.
Muzi has held various senior management and executive leadership roles in private sector, state-owned entities and government (local, provincial and national). He has extensive experience in energy and water infrastructure, economic development, aviation, land reform and rights, geomatics and environmental sustainability. A former Chief Operating Officer (DDG: Governance & SOE Oversight) at Department of Energy, Muzi has provided distinguished leadership in the development and implementation of the department’s strategy and governance, oversight and compliance and State-Owned Entity oversight, and assuming the role of shareholder representative at Central Energy Fund, NERSA, NECSA, SANEDI, NNR, NRWDI, PetroSA, SFF, iGAS and Independent Power Producer Office (IPPO). Muzi is a former Senior Advisor of Asset Creation and Chief Business Analyst at Eskom Holdings SOC Limited. He has led various international bilateral and multilateral engagements on energy and climate change.
Muzi is an Engineering Land Surveyor with a Master’s Degree in Environment & Development (Land information Management) from UKZN, Postgraduate Diploma in General Management and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), amongst other qualifications. Throughout his career Muzi has seen himself being awarded with various honorary awards which demonstrates his committed and excellent work ethics, and is also a professional registered with various professional bodies and associations.
The experience that Muzi brings to the RBIDZ will certainly contribute immensely to the operation of the company and is a value-add in driving the strategic direction as well as guiding multi-dimensional engagements that are sector focused geared towards bilateral relations with diverse business partners.
We are excited to welcome Muzi to the team and have no doubt that his experience will be of great value to the company and our affluent stakeholders.