South African and Chinese municipalities signed a deal to construct a $35 million solar-panel assembly plant, a boost to Pretoria’s plans to attract international investment needed to promote district-level development.
The agreement between the Nkangala and Wucheng municipalities was announced at the South African International Industrial Expo in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
The first phase of the project, which will cost $10 million, is expected to create employment for between 150 and 200 people in the eastern town of Nkangala, the expo said in a statement.
“Partnerships like these create jobs, build skills and strengthen local economies from the ground up,” said Pinky Kekana, South Africa’s deputy public service and administration minister.
TD Ngwenya, Nkgangala’s mayor, said the three-year project will also bolster South Africa’s efforts to transition away from coal to cleaner sources of energy and impart engineering skills to those involved in the construction process.
BLOOMBERG