TDA Signs Grants In South Africa For Airport, Sugar Mill Projects

For Immediate Release

Cape Town, South Africa - The U.S. Trade and Development Agency today announced $645,000 in grants to improve transportation at the Johannesburg International Airport and develop a sugar milling facility in KwaZulu Natal. The grants, which may pave the way to $70 million in U.S. exports, were announced during Vice President Al Goreís visit to South Africa.

"These grants represent President Clinton and Vice President Goreís continued commitment to helping to improve South Africaís infrastructure so that economic growth can continue," said TDA Director J. Joseph Grandmaison. "We are pleased to provide project planning assistance to help these transportation and industrial projects move forward."

The grants include:

• Satellite Terminal Development at Johannesburg International Airport - TDA has offered $345,000 to the Airports Company Limited (ACL) for a study to evaluate transportation options of linking the airportís main terminal with a planned satellite terminal. Passenger traffic is expected to grow from 7.5 million to 12 million by 2005 at the airport. ACL plans to build a satellite terminal that will require systems to transport passengers and baggage between terminals. The TDA-funded study, to be conducted by a U.S. firm, will include a technical, financial, and environmental analysis of the project and provide recommendations.
• Transportation Links Between Johannesburg International Airport with Mass Transit Systems - TDA has offered $150,000 to partially fund a $228,000 feasibility study that will evaluate transportation options for linking the airport with mass transit systems in the Johannesburg metropolitan area. Increasing passenger traffic is straining current systems; ACL hopes to design a system that will transport passengers directly from the terminal to Johannesburg city center, northern suburbs such as Sandton and Rosebank, and northern areas such as Midrand and Pretoria. A U.S. company will conduct a technical, financial, and environmental review of existing facilities and plans for expansion. The company also will work with the ACL to coordinate development of the project with other organizations that are involved.
• Makatini Sugar Mill in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa - With additional sugar milling capacity required in South Africa, TDA is providing $150,000 for a $200,000 feasibility study of the establishment of a sugar milling facility near rural sugar plantations in Makatini Flats in KwaZulu Natal. The project review will include the potential of building a medium-sized sugar mill and assess the proposed site for cane sugar milling and growing. Economic, financial, and technical considerations will be evaluated in the study, which will be completed in approximately four months by a U.S. firm.

In addition to the three grants, TDA also announced that is planning a conference in South Africa later this year for American companies to meet with South African officials responsible for the development of Emergency Telephone Service networks in South Africa. Also announced were technical assistance initiatives in association with the Federal Aviation Administration to assess a coordinated southern Africa air traffic control system and a technical assistance initiative in conjunction with Federal Communications Commission to work with the newly-formed South Africa Telecommunications Regulatory Authority as it develops its regulatory framework.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency assists in the development of infrastructure and industrial projects in emerging markets. Through the funding of feasibility studies, orientation visits, specialized training grants, and various forms of technical assistance, TDA helps American businesses compete for these projects.

Back to Press Releases