DEPARTMENT OF SPORT RECREATION ARTS & CULTURE
Government in King William'S Town

Innovation, Efficiency, Growth and Sustainability are key to the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ’s) reason for existence. Established in 2003, as part of the South African government initiative to improve industrial competitiveness and economic growth in the country, the zone has become a prime industrial park in South Africa, renowned for its customised solutions for various industries including automotive, agro-processing and aqua-culture. A number of global players have already positioned themselves for growth by choosing to locate their facilities in our zone. The ELIDZ has since its inception secured 32 investments with a value of R4.2 billion in various industries, more than R1 billion is linked to MBSA’s W205 project\. To support the proclamation of new towns and infrastructure projects as means of reviving the local economy on the identified sectors for industrial development and the Environmental Management Framework (EMF) The Eastern Cape is often referred to as a world in one province. The second largest of South Africa’s nine provinces, it offers everything from snow skiing to sunny beaches, game researches to fascinating history. The provinces seat of government is in Bhisho, Buffalo City Metro. It was the site of many wars between the local Khoisan and Xhosa’s as well as the British, Dutch and Germans. Renowned as the birth province of globally recognised and respected liberation struggle icons like Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Steve Biko, O.R. Eastern Cape is boasts two of the most successful Industrial Development Zones in South Africa, the East London and Coega IDZ’s. The Eastern Cape economy is largely dependent on the automotive sector but has potential in areas such as chemical and petrochemicals, agriculture and agro-processing, capital goods, manufacturing, automotive and green industries. In 2010 domestic tourists reached a significant high of 4 million. It lies between two of South Africa’s major economic hubs, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, which offers easy linkages to these nodes. The province is both the fourth largest exporter and importer of products, driven mostly by the automotive sector. The Eastern Cape is the only one of South Africa’s nine provinces to have all seven of its biomes or ecological zones, within its boundaries. This gives it a tremendous diversity of climates, allowing for a vast range of activities. The Eastern Cape is abundantly rich in natural resources, from grazing land to forests, marine life to rich farming soils, water to wilderness. The Eastern Cape is a culmination of all the great holiday destinations in southern Africa. Visitors find seven of South Africa’s ecological zones, as well as an unparalleled range of climates, landscapes and cultures. The Eastern Cape is also well-known for its sandy beaches which stretch for miles along the coast. Marine life is abundant along the Eastern Cape coast, and visitors often spot pods of dolphins playing just off the shoreline. The malaria-free Eastern Cape is one of the few places in the world where visitors can get close to the Big 7 in real life. The waves of the warm Indian Ocean beckon surfers, kite-boarders and sailors. The vast open space and fresh air invite cyclists and runners to explore, while world renowned hiking trails are a hiker’s dream.