Huge fibre optic boost for KZN

Yangtze Optics Africa Cable will set the tone for technology infrastructure in the country, and is expected to create 150 job opportunities.

Durban - KZN will lead the way in the country’s digital future, as a major Chinese fibre optics company lays multimillion-rand roots in the province.

Yangtze Optics Africa Cable (YOAC) broke ground on its R150-million fibre optics cable company on Friday at the Dube Tradeport in La Mercy.

The company’s product will set the tone for technology infrastructure in the country, and is expected to create 150 job opportunities for locals.

The 15 000m2 manufacturing facility is expected to be operational by the end of the year.

Zhuang Dan, chief executive officer of Yangtze Optical and Cable (YOFC) in China, the Asian country’s largest optical fibre and hi-tech manufacturing enterprise, said their Africa division had major plans for growing technology and training people.

“YOAC has committed itself to a four-year skills development plan to expand local skills in specialist roles, such as cable manufacturing, while the opportunity for employees to travel to China will provide vital exposure to new methods of doing things,” he said.

Optical fibre cable broadband technologies are the future and Africa, he said, had presented opportunities for future investments.

“We are preparing for a boom in African investments and want to be ready to provide solutions that will help enable that growth,” said Zhuang.

The development falls hot on the heels of the Forum on Africa-China Co-operation, which was held in the country late last year, to strengthen trade between the countries.

Zhuang said at that forum, the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry made a commitment towards the “Trans Africa Information Superhighway” blueprint, in which a total of 150 000km of optical fibre cable network is to be built over the next several years, with the intention of covering 82 major African cities across 48 countries and connecting 1.1 billion people on the continent.

Development

Wang Jian Zhou, from the consulate general of the embassy of the People’s Republic of China in SA, said the factory was the first Chinese investment in a special economic zone (Dube Tradeport), and its success would pave the way for other Chinese investment in the province.

“This will accelerate industrialisation and boost the capacity for development, as Africa is one of the most important investment destinations for China,” said Wang.

He said the type of investment that YOAC would make in KZN was of a very high level, that would enhance IT infrastructure and drive economic growth.

Pieter Viljoen, Chief executive officer of YOAC said: “A comprehensive range of new generation optical fibre cable products will be manufactured locally after the completion of the facility, for both the South African ICT market, as well as key export markets in West and East Africa.”

According to Viljoen, the demand for optical fibre cable products, specifically for Fibre To The Home (FTTH) undertakings, significantly outstrips local availability.

“With an envisaged manufacturing capacity of more than one million fibre kilometres, YOAC will play a significant role in enabling South Africa’s development of a sustainable broadband future.

“This is especially important, given the shortfall with regard to current and envisaged demand from new FTTH project announcements and cellular operators’ migration to 4G and LTE services versus supply,” said Viljoen.

MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Michael Mabuyakhulu, said the investment had given the province’s vision of taking its internet connectivity to the next level a shot in the arm.

“This R150m fibre optic investment by YOAC demonstrates the massive growth potential within KZN and SA.

“Since last year we have rolled out over 14 000km of fibre optic cable, which currently connects every hospital in the province including 119 clinics and 1 624 schools. In addition to this, we have initiated another project that seeks to establish wi-fi hot spots in strategic areas across the province,” Mabuyakhulu said.

Independent on Saturday