By Marcia Moyana & Thabo Molelekwa for Oxpeckers
The Atlantis Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) in the Western Cape was established in 2020 to attract green economy investment and support local manufacturing.
Oxpeckers visited the site in May 2026 to examine whether those ambitions are translating into jobs, skills development and opportunities for local businesses and workers participating in renewable energy value chains.
According to the ASEZ, the project has attracted more than R3-billion in investment and facilitated the creation of over 800 jobs since its establishment.
Spanning three development zones, the ASEZ is “is positioning Atlantis as a leading hub for green manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, industrial technology, construction materials, and other growth sectors,” their CEO, Matthew Cullinan, told Oxpeckers.
It is also focused on localisation, ensuring that surrounding communities, businesses, and workers benefit directly from investment and infrastructure development.
It currently hosts a range of manufacturers spanning renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, construction materials, textiles and industrial technology.
According to Anthony Jila, a sustainable infrastructure and zone operations technician at ASEZ, community participation is built into the model.
“There is a community group called the Community Stakeholders Network. That’s a group of individuals who are elected by the community that covers all spheres of the community,” he explained.
The network represents youth, women, small businesses and people living with disabilities, and provides a mechanism for local engagement and oversight.
The zone also requires that 30% of infrastructure project value be directed towards local businesses.
The recently completed Zone 1 infrastructure project directed 32.02% of project expenditure to local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).
Yet challenges remain.
Many small businesses struggle to access finance, secure credit facilities or raise capital needed to fulfil contracts.
“Even if local businesses have a contract, they do not have the finances to mobilise and start work. They do not have credit history and cannot access a line of credit,” said Jila.
Despite these obstacles, he believes local economic participation is essential.
“Ethically, I think it is only right that if we are bringing business into an area that the community benefits from it.”
Pictured above: The Atlantis Special Economic Zone requires that 30% of infrastructure project value be directed to local businesses.
Image source: Barry Christianson
