Komani Industrial Park Promises Fade as Decay Sets In

When Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies cut the ribbon at Komani Industrial Park in November 2016, the message was clear: revitalisation meant jobs, security, and a launchpad for black industrialists in the Eastern Cape.

Nine years later, the fence is down, the security gate is broken, and the road into the park is riddled with potholes. Local business owners say no further work has been done since that first phase was completed.

The R22.5 million first phase launched on November 7, 2016, focused on security upgrading for the park. At the event, Minister Davies said the project had already created jobs for 71 locals, with 63% of those being youth. Seven small and medium enterprises were appointed as subcontractors at a value of R5.3 million.

“This initiative inspires hope for the local people as this will create jobs and boost our local economy,” said Mfundo Tsheketshe, Provincial Chairperson of the Black Management Forum, at the time.

Komani was one of 10 industrial parks prioritised under the Department of Trade and Industry’s Revitalisation of Industrial Parks Programme. The department stated the parks would act as “catalysts for broader economic and industrial development” in townships and rural areas, supporting manufacturing, agro-processing, and clothing and textile sectors.

Eastern Cape MEC Sakhumzi Somyo said the parks would “serve as a launch pad for the Black Industrialists Programme.”

Today, the park’s physical infrastructure tells a different story.

Residents and tenants report that the perimeter fence has been vandalized and sections removed. The main security gate has been vandalized and is no longer functional. The access road into the park is riddled with potholes, making it difficult for trucks and suppliers to enter.

“Since 2016, no other work has been done to the Queendustria and it has since deteriorated,” one local business operator told this paper.

Queendustria is the local name for Komani Industrial Park.

Public records show no subsequent budget allocations or project completions for Komani listed under the Revitalisation of Industrial Parks Programme after the 2016 phase. Requests for comment sent to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Chris Hani Development Agency went unanswered at time of publication.

The 2016 launch was framed as part of President Jacob Zuma’s call for “full scale industrialisation and inclusive growth.” Minister Davies said at the time that labour-absorbing sectors like component manufacturing and agro-processing could address unemployment if supported.

The department reported that the four parks launched in 2016 combined employed almost 40,000 people. It is unclear how many of those jobs are currently linked to Komani.

For the Chris Hani District Municipality, where unemployment remains among the highest in the province, the deterioration raises questions about maintenance, oversight, and the long-term viability of infrastructure-first interventions without follow-up funding.

The Black Industrialists Programme, which the park was meant to support, reported in 2016 that it had supported 22 black industrialists nationally and created 1,500 jobs with R1.5 billion in funding.

Whether Komani will see a second phase remains uncertain. Local entrepreneurs say they are holding off on expansion until basic security and road access are restored.

“We can’t run a factory if trucks can’t get in and equipment isn’t safe overnight,” said one tenant who asked not to be named.

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition spokesperson Bongani Lukhele referred Komani News to the Chris Hani Development Agency, “who are the owners of the industrial park.”

Chris Hani Development Agency CEO Abongile Hala did not respond to the questions sent to him.