By Lebone Rodah Mosima
The Department of Trade and Industry and Competition (dtic) on Friday urged the public to submit written comments on the proposed designation of the Vaal Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
The call was published on March 3, 2026, by Minister Parks Tau as part of a 30-day public consultation with stakeholders.
ALSO READ: eThekwini Municipality warned of severe thunderstorms
The DTIC said the Gauteng Provincial Government, through its Department of Finance and Economic Development, submitted the proposed Vaal SEZ application to the DTIC in April 2025.
“The proposed designation of the Vaal SEZ is in terms of Section 23 of the Special Economic Zones Act No 16 of 2014,” the department stated.
“The proposed SEZ will be developed on land parcels identified in all three local municipalities of the Sedibeng District, totaling approximately 817 hectares.”
It also highlighted that the Vaal SEZ will focus on market demand from energy, including renewable energy components manufacturing, green hydrogen hubs, fuel cell manufacturing, metallurgical manufacturing, agro-processing, Trade Zone, and Agri Zone, as well as general manufacturing.
The DTIC said the proposed Vaal SEZ has built a strong pipeline of investors, indicating a market demand for top-tier industrial infrastructure in the district.
Additionally, it stated that priority investors are already on board and prepared to start construction in the 2026/27 financial year.
“Investment in the proposed Vaal SEZ is anticipated to significantly enhance employment prospects in the region throughout both the construction and operational phases,” the department said.
ALSO READ: Driver in crash that killed 14 pupils appears in Vanderbijlpark court
“The expected contribution of the Vaal SEZ to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to be R4 billion in Phase I and R10.773 billion once fully developed.”
As construction begins in Phase I, the dtic said the project is expected to create approximately 4,302 direct jobs and 1,305 indirect jobs.
“An additional 5,902 direct jobs will be created during the operational stage,” the dtic said.
During the month of March, the DTIC announced plans to host a public hearing in the district, with the exact location to be confirmed soon.
The public is encouraged to send written comments to the dtic via email at SEZQueries@thedtic.gov.za.
Submissions are due by April 20, 2026.
INSIDE METROS
 on Friday urged the public to submit written comments on the proposed designation of the Vaal Special Economic Zone (SEZ).){kind=link}