The Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) covering 110 km² of land [1], is situated in the Nelson Mandela Municipality, Eastern Cape province of South Africa in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality near Port Elizabeth. The initiative is a multi-billion dollar industrial development complex customized for heavy, medium and light industries, adjacent to a deep water port, Port of Ngqura. The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) is the developer and operator of the Coega IDZ and is responsible for the land side infrastructure, while the deep-water port facility, Port of Ngqura, is developed by the Transnet National Ports Authority.
The Coega IDZ is a phased development around industry clusters with Custom Secure Areas dedicated for export oriented manufacturing for companies located in the zone. Coega offers a platform for global exports by attracting foreign and local investment in manufacturing industries. A strategic Development Framework Plan for the Coega IDZ has been developed, focusing on infrastructure development and facilities for the Core Development Area, which comprises 65 km². A number of multinational companies already operate from this area.
The Coega IDZ has to date signed investments worth approximately R30 billion (US$4.1 billion) and currently has a portfolio of investments undergoing feasibility which are worth some R140 billion (US$19.2 billion), to come on stream at various stages over the next five years. These include an oil refinery, a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Station, a Business Process Outsourcing Park, automotive plants, and various other investments in the logistics, chemicals and food processing sector.