Re-Spatializing development: Reflections from South Africa’s recent re-engagement with planning for Special Economic Zones

Abstract

In 2014 the South African government formally sanctioned the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in that country. The importance attached to SEZs reflects a clear return to spatially-based economic interventions following the recognition of the persistence of deep-rooted structural and spatial inequalities in the country. This paper discusses South Africa's past and present involvement in processes of spatial economic development and how the SEZ concept has emerged. The potential of SEZs is assessed relative to local experience with the lacklustre performance of what were termed Industrial Development Zones (IDZs) since 2001. While re-engagement with issues of how to address 'uneven geographical development' is clearly significant, it would be difficult to argue that SEZs will achieve guaranteed success.

Industrial clusters in Russia: The development of special economic zones and industrial parks

“…Industrial cluster model has been taken as a key theoretical framework for this research as its fundamentals comply with the development concepts of the SEZs and industrial parks (Aggarwal, 2011;Bräutigam and Tang, 2014;Hsu et al, 2013;Meng, 2003;Nel and Rogerson, 2014;Zeng, 2012). The foundations of this model are the proximity of companies that cooperate and compete, launch knowledge and technology exchanges, and create innovation, all of which lead to a competitive advantage of a certain industry or a region (Delgado et al, 2016;Ketels, 2013;Porter, 1990).…”

“…As the foundations of SEZ and industrial park models correspond with the concept of industrial cluster development, they have to pursue the following objectives to progress: cooperation and competition, knowledge exchange and innovations, interactions with outside firms and technology exchange, production and export diversification, new start-ups, and the emergence of other supplementary industries (Bräutigam and Tang, 2014;Hsu et al, 2013;Landingin and Wadley, 2005;Nel and Rogerson, 2014;Zeng, 2012). Despite the growth of SEZs worldwide, many have failed to fulfill their objectives, such as employment growth and export diversification.…”

Industrial Clusters in Russia: The Development of Special Economic Zones and Industrial Parks

“…Industrial cluster model has been taken as a key theoretical framework for this research as its fundamentals comply with the development concepts of the SEZs and industrial parks (Aggarwal, 2011;Bräutigam and Tang, 2014;Hsu et al, 2013;Meng, 2003;Nel and Rogerson, 2014;Zeng, 2012). The foundations of this model are the proximity of companies that cooperate and compete, launch knowledge and technology exchanges, and create innovation, all of which lead to a competitive advantage of a certain industry or a region (Delgado et al, 2016;Ketels, 2013;Porter, 1990).…”

A green transition in South Africa? Sociotechnical experimentation in the Atlantis Special Economic Zone

“…Spatial economic planning in South Africa has been variously employed as a policy tool for many decades (Nel & Rogerson 2014). The apartheid regime's Regional Industrial Development Programme led to the establishment of approximately 80 ‘growth points’ across the country concentrated in the notionally ethnically based and independent ‘homelands’.…”