What does a sustainable industrial future look like?
On paper, it involves concepts like a circular economy, sharing of resources and risks that lead to more efficient use of energy and natural resources, productive use of waste, reduced operating costs – reducing negative environmental impacts and raising quality of life for workers and communities that depend on, but are also impacted by, industrial activity.
The reality is that while industrial activity drives economic growth and job creation, it is also the major contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions driving global warming and climate change that are no longer sustainable.
A further reality – industry needs a basic, enabling environment of reliable water and energy supply, and functioning infrastructure and transport networks, to get on with the job of production, generating investment and employment.
In between paper and reality, a vision to transform one of the Bay’s smallest industrial areas into a world-standard Eco-Industrial Park is taking shape in Perseverance.
An eco-industrial park (EIP) is broadly defined as “a community of manufacturing and service businesses that collaborate to reduce waste, share resources, and maximize economic and environmental sustainability”.
There are a number of reasons that make Perseverance an ideal testing ground – it is a central linking node to other industrial areas such as Struandale, Neave and Kariega, the NMB Logistics Park, and the Coega SEZ.
Perseverance is well-connected to main road and rail transport routes, the ports of Ngqura and Port Elizabeth, and also diverse residential areas.
Although compact, the ±45 companies in the zone represent a diversity of industrial sectors and types and sizes of businesses.
Above all, the business community of Perseverance has unified around the vision of an eco-industrial park and is actively participating in making it happen.
The Perseverance Cluster, formally the Perseverance Business Association (PBA), pioneered the concept of a geographic cluster of businesses collaborating to address shared problems, with 11 such clusters now operating under the umbrella of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.
We are trailblazing again, with the concept of elevating a cluster of businesses with shared interests into a focused economic zone driving a living vision of realising the potential they see in the area, to the benefit of businesses, workers, residents and the environment.
The PBA is actively driving a public-private partnership approach, working with various government agencies, particularly National Treasury and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), to mobilise funding and policy support.
Supported by the DTIC, we have recently applied for a grant under the Critical Infrastructure Programme to enable development of a master plan for the EIP as well as key components including infrastructure planning, security and access control, scoping of Swartkops estuary remediation, and a feasibility study on a planned solar park.
Also included is developing a business plan for Re-Build, an envisaged business unit to re-use and recycle construction and demolition waste into new construction materials and aggregates.
Along with rehabilitation of the Swartkops estuary and Redhouse salt pans, these initiatives will support a better functioning ecosystem and improve stormwater management, along with creating economic opportunities and jobs.
The latest marker of progress is the selection of Perseverance as one of five industrial zones in SA to participate in a €2 million (R37m) “Low-Carbon and Positive Energy Industrial Spaces” project of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
This places Perseverance within a global programme aimed at sustainable energy production within industrial zones, optimising efficient energy use, and accelerating the transition to renewable energy in a resilient, inclusive low-carbon economy.
Our living vision becomes a “living lab”, as the work has already started on energy assessments (covering renewable energy generation potential, energy optimization and efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions) by UNIDO and the National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC).
The outcome will be an energy master plan for Perseverance and recommendations for reducing energy consumption, and building energy security and resilience – a major building block of the EIP vision.
The overall vision of the Perseverance EIP will see perimeter fencing and access control, a centralised truck holding area, shared facilities of a 105GW solar park, water treatment and waste recycling plants, and artisan training centre.
There are many strands of stakeholders, feasibility studies, policy and compliance to weave together to make this happen.
However, we believe that our vision is on track for the key reason that it is being driven by a unified business community, applying business principles of timelines, implementation, and performance measured against outcomes.
Take a drive around Perseverance today, and the difference is already visible.
Booms have recently been installed to cut off access for illegal dumping. Over 200 bags of litter per month are being removed in partnership with the Zwartkops Conservancy.
Cameras have been installed at strategic nodes with 24/7 monitoring and armed response. Potholes are being repaired. Streetlights and (some) traffic lights are working again. Area signage has improved.
Securing the Perseverance electricity sub-station to guard against vandalism, theft and electricity connection issues, is improving the reliability of electricity supply to industry and surrounding residential areas.
These are the concrete milestones on the road to achieving a future vision.
Our hope is that the progress we are making in Perseverance serves not only the interests of this area, but also becomes a model for other precincts and business communities to take control and do the work to drive an actionable, living vision for what they want their area to be.
Brenton van Vuuren is chair of the Perseverance Business Association, a geographic cluster supported by the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.