The East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) was established in 2002 and is located in East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Spanning 236 hectares, it serves as a prime industrial hub designed to enhance global competitiveness and facilitate market entry for light industry manufacturers. The ELIDZ hosts a diverse range of businesses, including manufacturing operations, freight companies, an industrial recycling facility, a conference center with a canteen, a standalone office complex, and a Science and Technology Park (STP). Currently, products manufactured at the ELIDZ include automotive components, fuels from recycled plastics, dairy products, solar panels, plastic goods, fabricated steel products, electronics, and Business Process Outsourcing and Offshoring (BPO&O) services. ELIDZ is renowned for its customised investment and property solutions that help industries streamline their business operations and lower their cost of doing business. Investment attraction and retention are key to the mandate of the ELIDZ. The ELIDZ continues to drive innovative investment promotion and after care strategies that enable growth and stability of its investor community. Below are the targeted sectors of the ELIDZ:
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As part of its EIP initiatives, ELIDZ completed a Green Hydrogen prefeasibility study, which presented a compelling business case for establishing a Green Hydrogen Plant. This has led to ELIDZ’s commitment to developing the plant in collaboration with industry leaders like Mercedes-Benz, which aims to integrate Green Hydrogen into its production by 2026. This initiative aligns closely with Mercedes-Benz’s renewable energy mandate, enhancing its market competitiveness in Europe, particularly in meeting CBAM compliance requirements. Furthermore, ELIDZ has partnered with UNIDO to support the plant’s development, reinforcing its position at the forefront of sustainable industrial innovation.
In terms of EIP environmental performance, relevant solar PV prefeasibility studies and business cases were conducted, leading some tenant companies in the SEZ to install rooftop solar PV.
As a result, six solar PV panels were installed on three industrial building rooftops, generating approximately 4,590 MWh of solar energy. This has resulted in an estimated USD 230,507 in monetary savings and a reduction of 4,871 tons of CO₂e.
The East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) has significantly impacted East London through job creation, skills development, community upliftment, and economic growth, enhancing livelihoods and infrastructure. Building on EIP social pillars, ELIDZ has expanded staff facilities, including catering areas for tenant employees to gather and engage in discussions. It also continues strengthening partnerships with the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality and the Eastern Cape Provincial Government. In collaboration with the Master Artisan Academy of South Africa (MAASA), ELIDZ provides skills training in renewable energy, focusing on rooftop solar system installation and maintenance. The program targets electrical contractors and unemployed artisans, equipping them with expertise in solar PV water heating systems, installation, costing, commissioning, and maintenance—crucial for sustaining South Africa’s 450,000 existing systems.
The East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) managed by a state-owned corporation, with ownership split between the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) (74%) and the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (26%). It is funded by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) and DEDEAT, while also generating revenue from its property assets and services.
The ELIDZ provides growth-oriented companies with a specialized manufacturing platform, industrial solutions, market access, and strategic industry networks. It has become a renowned industrial park, offering tailored solutions for automotive, agro-processing, and aquaculture industries.
Governed by the ELIDZ SOC Limited, the zone operates under a Zone Operating Permit and adheres to corporate governance best practices outlined in the King III Report.
Overall, ELIDZ’s baseline park performance in 2020 was at 80%. Progressively, the park achieved an 82% score in 2021-22, and an 86% score in 2023. There was an increase in social performance between 2020 and 2021. In 2023 there was an improvement in park management performance that increased from 89% to 100%, as well as in environmental performance from 70% to 75%. ELIDZ still has improvement potential in environmental and social performances going into 2024-2025.
