THE R500 million investment injection into Nelson Mandela Bay by South African Breweries is an indication of the confidence business has in the metro.
The investment made, through the expansion of the plant, will produce new beverage products, resulting in the creation of approximately 14 000 additional jobs.
These will be directly-created jobs – jobs through the production of raw material from the local farming industry, support processing factories and transportation logistics.
The expansion will see the Gqeberha plant processing ciders like Flying Fish and Redd’s, which were previously produced at the Johannesburg plant.
The current expansion construction has led to the employment of 120 people and 28 companies working on the project.
These companies include local small and medium enterprises.
Speaking during the visit by Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, to the SAB plant, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality executive mayor, Retief Odendaal, reaffirmed that investments like these were a clear indication of what government can achieve if all spheres work together.
“As a city we are excited about the investment injection to our local economy. It is a big step towards the right direction, as we all unite to work hard to rejuvenate our local economy. The confidence shown by SAB in Nelson Mandela Bay encourages us to work even harder to ensure that we attract more investments,” said Odendaal.
Eastern Cape premier, Oscar Mabuyane, expressed his gratitude to SAB for their confidence in the Eastern Cape.
“What excites me more is the commitment made by the CEO that this investment will have a special focus on developing small and medium enterprises within the value chain of alcoholic beverage production.
“Within this value chain we have farming, agri-processing, logistics and construction that have already benefited through the expansion currently underway.
“This investment will not only create jobs, but it will also develop entrepreneurs who will create even more indirect jobs,” said Mabuyane.
The premier said he was pleased that the commitment made by SAB, at the Investment Conference which was convened by South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is coming to fruition.
“We are equally pleased that this investment and plans have considered our current challenges like the drought by introducing smart ways of water usage and conservation,” said Mabuyane.
The chief executive officer of SAB, Richard Rivett-Carnac, said the investment in the Gqeberha plant was SAB’s commitment to the people of the Eastern Cape.
“Apart from producing more products at the plant, this investment will have far more eco-social benefits through the advantages it will bring within the whole value chain.
“We are excited that we have reached this stage, following a commitment we have to the people of the Eastern Cape,” said Rivett-Carnac.
– ISSUED BY THE NMBM COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
