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 Maritime Heritage is important in boosting the economy of traditional coastal communities. By Stella SigcauSouth Africa has a rich and diverse maritime heritage ranging from the historic use of the oceans and rivers by traditional coastal communities, maritime festivals, fascinating oral stories of indigenous communities that have lived and used the oceans for centuries, the cuisines, the ship wrecks, archaeological sites and trade. South Africa’s maritime heritage is very rich, however it seems, there is less emphasis on it as an economic and heritage contributor compared to the other sectors. The traditional communities living along the coasts who could benefit from this sector, most remain impoverished and to a certain extent marginalized, in particular along the Wild Coast e.g. Port St Johns and Coffee Bay to mention a few.These communities carry a wealth of institutional memory which form part of this heritage passed on through generations as they have lived the ocean life for centuries, hence we hear of the stories about the shipwrecks, trade and encounters of the indigenous people with the foreign traders or castaways; the importance of the oceans to the livelihood, the traditions, culture, lifestyle of the coastal indigenous people and their belief systems. However some of this memory is not documented or archived. Some believed that oceans provided healing and ancestral significance. This meant that these oceans and rivers remained sacred to these communities. They were not just places for leisure and swimming but meant much more.Fishing remains important and it dates back centuries and was and still is a way of life to these communities. The rivers and oceans were thus also a source of food. The traditional cuisines of the people from these areas are historically influenced by this lifestyle and this also provided economic opportunities. Accessories e.g. necklaces and bracelets made were unique as they were made from the shells of these oceans amongst others. Certain unique plants which form part of the bio diversity grew around these areas which indigenous people used as herbs. All of this is critical to this heritage.
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Ethiopia’s Industrial Parks: Hard Yards, but what’s the alternative?
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By Dr Greg Mills
Photo: Without the park, Hawassa’s income depends on coffee and some tourism
As Africa’s population doubles over the next generation to more than 2-billion people, might industrial parks – free trade zones by another name – offer some answer to the jobs that will be necessary? Ethiopia, where this writer has been researching the subject, offers some pointers.
Hawassa. Some 270km south of Addis Ababa, the picturesque Rift Valley city has relied on agriculture as the source of income and employment, the regional Sidama coffee one of Ethiopia’s best-known brands, and the name of the local football side.
That is until the establishment of the Hawassa Industrial Park (HIP), inaugurated by then Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn in June 2017. Flanked by Lake Hawassa, HIP is the largest government industrial park, built at a cost of $250-million in just nine months by the contractor, the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). The first phase covers 140 hectares with 52 factory sheds, housing 20 textile and apparel firms from 11 countries.
By the start of 2019 Hawassa’s factories employed 23,000 local workers and 700 expatriates. Though it was not the first, other government industrial parks are today modelled on Hawassa, which itself incorporated lessons from the first park at Bole Lemi in Addis. Five of 11 government parks are to date in operation (with six due to be inaugurated in the next six months) and two of four privately-owned examples. Together the five operational government industrial parks host 36 companies, providing 45,000 jobs that did not, 10 years before, exist. A town of 350,000, Hawassa’s GDP has alone increased fourfold in just two years.
The parks have been Ethiopia’s response to the challenge of unemployment and the need for economic diversification.
“I assigned a team led by Dr Arkebe [Oqubay],” now the chairman of the Ethiopian Industrial Parks Corporation (EIPC), recalls Hailemariam.
“We made a study of the successes and failures of industrial parks around the world, looking at Nigeria, Mauritius, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea, and of course to China. Nigeria, we concluded, failed because of a lack of leadership, and that it was unsupported by the state beyond given the developers land. Mauritius, which was a success, emphasised the value of location, logistics, clear policy and organisational structure. We also wanted to avoid the situation that Vietnam found itself in, with 30% of its sheds unoccupied.”
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SA Ambassador Khumalo to Iran presents credentials
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 Mr VM Khumalo presented his Letters of Credence to His Excellency, President Rouhani of Iran. Ambassador Khumalo was accompanied by Ms Soraya Jacobs, Political Councillor, Mr Rudi Conley, First Secretary Administration and Mr Matimba Maluleke, Third Secretary Administration.
President Rouhani stressed the importance of bilateral relations between Iran and South Africa. He spoke of President Mandela’s two visits to Teheran and his meetings with the then Supreme Leader, Imam Khomeini. Former President Mandela has one of the major streets in the heart of Tehran named after him.
President Rouhani highlighted several possible ways the two countries could take these relations to a higher level, ie improved trade relations, focus on tourism and focusing on the several Commissions already in place between South Africa and Iran.
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FEBRUARY 2019 Print Edition
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