‘Saldanha has potential to be employment hub’

TRADE and Industry Minister Rob Davies has highlighted challenges which have caused bottlenecks in the oil and gas sector. These include a limited amount of local companies providing oil rig maintenance and repair, and inadequate skills development.

During a visit to the Transnet National Port Authority at the Port of Saldanha this week, Davies launched the ministerial task team to address challenges in the industry, especially oil rigs. The task team will consist mainly of the residents, the business fraternity, labour members and government officials.

Davies, who was accompanied by representatives of the South African Bureau of Standards, National Metrology Institute of South Africa, South African National Accreditation System, and the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications, met the Saldanha Bay business community and the management of the oil rigs.

He said the area has the potential to become an employment hub, but more local businesses need accreditation to service the oil rigs and become proper players in the sector. “We need to give the local companies a fair opportunity, as all other companies, to service the oil rigs by assisting them to meet the standards required.”

He said these efforts will go a long way in creating employment and that interest in the Saldanha Bay IDZ (industrial development zone) has been shown by 28 international investors.

Davies said the task team will have to come up with a full audit in four weeks on how to unlock the bottlenecks that impact negatively on the implementation of the ability to service the oil rigs. He said the bottlenecks and challenges include limited companies providing oil rig maintenance and repair, inadequate skills development, and the lack of a supply chain for locals.