US embassy cable - 05PRETORIA1394

UNCLAS PRETORIA 001394 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S; AF/EPS; OES/STC/JROTTIER 
USDOC FOR 4510/ITA/MAC/AME/OA/FHOLM-OLSEN 
 
E.O. 12948: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, EINV, KSCA, SF 
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA LAUNCHES SCIENCE PARK, "THE INNOVATION 
HUB" 
 
 
1. Gauteng Province Premier Mbhazima Shilowa on April 5 
opened Africa's first internationally accredited Science 
Park in Pretoria.  The new park is known as the "Innovation 
Hub" and is one of eleven projects in the province's "Blue 
IQ" initiative for developing economic infrastructure to 
attract investment to the province.  The Hub is one of two 
Blue IQ projects focused on promoting technology-oriented, 
knowledge-intensive industrial development, or "smart 
industry," the other being "Gautrain," a  project that will 
build rapid rail links between Pretoria and Johannesburg, 
and between the Sandton business district in northern 
Johannesburg and Johannesburg International Airport.  The 
provincial government has spent 318 million Rands 
(approximately USD 52 million) to date on Blue IQ 
infrastructure development. 
 
2. The Innovation Hub is a member of the International 
Association of Science Parks and the National Business 
Incubation Association.  It offers state of the art, fully 
integrated information and communications technology support 
and places entry requirements on businesses seeking to 
become tenants, in keeping with its focus on high technology 
and innovation.  The Hub welcomes both start-up and 
established companies.  Local press coverage of the launch 
noted comments by the Hub's Chief Executive Officer, Dr. 
Neville Comins: "Part of the aim here is to establish a 
community. So far, the tenant uptake of eight companies has 
exceeded expectations, and we expect the multi-tenant 
enterprise building to be fully leased by June."  One of the 
anchor tenants of the science park is SAPPI, a South-African 
based international forest and paper products company that 
has growing interaction with local universities and 
researchers. 
 
3. Comment.  Gauteng Province already accounts for about 40 
percent of the country's gross domestic product, and the 
Blue IQ initiative further strengthens its dominant economic 
position. 
 
FRAZER