By Thokozani Mazibuko
His Majesty King Mswati III on Wednesday cut the sod at the construction site for the SEMLEX Group’s state-of-the-art Africa head offices and plant at Nkowane which is an investment worth a staggering 40 million Euros (about E810 million).
The King met the investors from Belgium during his recent working visit to Turkiye.
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SEMLEX is a Belgian company that specializes in producing secure identity cards, passports, e-visas, biometric systems, and birth certificates.
The company plans to invest an initial amount of E810 million into the project, which will gradually increase as it expands its footprint in the country.
The King has called on citizens to assist the government in attracting high-technology investments to the Nokwane Special Economic Zone. His Majesty made this appeal after laying the foundation stone at the site of SEMLEX Group’s Africa headquarters and plant in Nokwane.
“The Nokwane Biotechnology Park provides a large area of land for high-tech companies with turnovers of E1BN or more.
Therefore, I encourage all Swazi citizens to actively seek out and attract companies to establish themselves in the park, in order to promote progress and development in our kingdom.”
The King emphasized that the creation of this plant demonstrates the country’s firm commitment to utilizing advanced technologies for the benefit of the entire nation.
“We urge SEMLEX to ensure that this facility aligns with the SEZ’s objective of drawing in and retaining foreign direct investment,” stated His Majesty the King.
In addition, the King has announced that the establishment of a local factory to manufacture secure identity documents is a positive step towards localizing highly specialized services.
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This will not only aid in the development of skills among emaSwati but also lead to a reduction in production costs for all secure identity documents.
“The documents’ advanced technology and rigorous security features will ensure the integrity of national identification systems, strengthen border control measures, and enhance safety and protection for citizens and residents,” His Majesty stated.
“The establishment of this plant will have a transformative impact on our economy. It will create employment opportunities for our people, foster skills development and contribute to the transfer of knowledge and technology,” said the King.
