I greet you All

Good morning.
It is a privilege for the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) to stand before you today at this important gathering the KZN Energy Indaba driven under the theme – ‘Driving KwaZulu-Natal’s Energy Future’

Responding to the Provincial Call
As RBIDZ, we are honoured to have received the call from the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government and EDTEA to implement and facilitate this Indaba. This mandate reflects the confidence that our government has placed in us to help drive the province’s energy future. We have embraced this responsibility wholeheartedly.
This Indaba is not just an event it is a strategic intervention, a platform for solutions, and a catalyst for the province’s long-term vision of energy security and economic resilience.

RBIDZ Mandate and Commitments
The RBIDZ remains fully committed to its mandate to:

• Drive industrialisation,
• Attract domestic and foreign direct investment,
• Create jobs, and
• Develop world-class infrastructure.

Energy is one of our critical focus sectors, and we continue to position the Zone as a launchpad for strategic energy-related projects that will power industries, boost investor confidence, and reshape the socio-economic trajectory of northern KwaZulu-Natal.

RBIDZ Investment Pipeline – R273 Billion
As part of our mandate, the RBIDZ has built an investment portfolio representing all key sectors of the economy with a value now exceeding R273 billion.
Of this, a substantial portion of R242 billion represents energy-related investments, positioning RBIDZ as a leading destination for national energy infrastructure.
These include major projects such as:

• Eskom’s Gas-to-Power project
• Mabasa Fuels
• RBGP
• Ukhozi Energy
• And various additional independent developers and investors shaping the gas and renewable energy landscape

The Eskom Gas Project in Richards Bay
Programme Director, Allow me to highlight one of the anchor projects the Eskom Gas-to-Power facility earmarked for Richards Bay. This project forms part of the national strategy to unlock 3000 MW of gas-to-power capacity, using Richards Bay as the central site.
The project is currently advancing through key planning processes, including environmental, infrastructure and coordination phases, and remains a central pillar of building the Richards Bay Energy Hub.
Through this initiative, we expect:

• Large-scale job creation,
• New industrial opportunities,
• Expanded port logistics activity,
• And significant supplier development in local communities.

Other Anchor Investments in RBIDZ
Beyond energy, the RBIDZ is proud to host various other transformational industrial projects representing different sectors of the economy that will reshape the region’s socio-economic landscape, these include in the main.

Wilmar Processing Facility
A multi-billion-rand agro-processing and manufacturing investment, set to be fully commissioned in the 1st quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.

Nyanza Light Metals
A major chemical beneficiation project, scheduled to commence construction in April 2026.
Both of these catalytic projects reinforce our commitment to industrial diversification, job creation, and local value addition.

Acknowledging the Minister of Electricity & Energy
Programme Director, let me take this moment to express our gratitude to the Minister of Electricity and Energy for his unwavering commitment to the realisation of the Richards Bay Energy Hub Vision.
Just last week, during an engagement in Newcastle, the Minister reaffirmed his conviction, and I quote:
“The RBIDZ is likely going to be the biggest single investment in KZN once they go ahead with the gas-to-power programme. I am confident we will proceed, and soon we will be announcing another 4 Gigawatts of gasto-power interventions.”
“Richards Bay is the ideal location that will change the economic landscape of the region and the province, it is a game changer.”
He further assured us that infrastructure for receiving and regasification is on the horizon, with Transnet already part of the implementation framework.
Programme Director, these words give us hope for the people of KwaZulu-Natal, hope for economic revitalisation, and hope for employment opportunities across our communities.

A Collaborative Effort
We stand confidently today because we know that we have the support of:

• The Minister of Electricity & Energy
• The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition
• The Minister of Mineral, Petroleum and Resources

Each of these leadership portfolios plays a crucial role:

• Electricity & Energy - enabling generation, infrastructure and policy clarity
• DTIC - enabling funding, SEZ policy and industrial capacity
• Minerals & Petroleum - enabling upstream and midstream gas development

We are also strengthened by the support of:

• The Provincial Government, led by Honourable Premier Thami Ntuli
• Our Shareholder, MEC Rev. Zondi, whose leadership continues to anchor RBIDZ
• Municipal partners, State-Owned Entities, and private-sector collaborators

With this combined support, there is no reason we cannot deliver fully on our mandate.

Closing Message
Programme Director, we stand ready to collaborate, build and power KwaZulu-Natal.
This Indaba is a turning point. It represents our collective determination to break barriers, unlock investment, and build an energy-secure KwaZulu-Natal.
We reaffirm our commitment to working with all partners to bring the Energy Hub vision to life and to ensure that every project we drive contributes to a stronger economy, empowered communities, and a prosperous future for our province.

Ngiyabonga.