Caption: MEC Jesta Sidell interacting with a rep from one of the local MSMEs owners
By Lwazi Raul-Shongwe & Kopano Dibakwane
For many small business owners, “industrial summit” sounds like a room full of suits talking about projects they’ll never be part of. But a new dawn of inclusive participation is rising.
The Nkomazi NSEZ(Nkomazi Special Economic Zone) affirmed this new path during the inaugural Manufacturing and Industrialist Summit 2026, held at Paradise Creek Lodge in Malelane on Tuesday 18 May 2026, under Nkomazi Local Municiplaity.
According to DEDT(Department of Economic Development and Tourism), the Summit forms part of the NSEZ’s broader commitment of advancing industrialisation, manufacturing growth, regional trade, and inclusive economic participation within Mpumalanga, and it is positioned strategically along the Maputo Corridor, a gateway linking South Africa to Mozambique, Eswatini, and regional
Speaking before owners of MSME(Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises), Mpumalanga MEC for DEDT, Jesta Sidell, cordially invited the business owners to take their rightful place in the mega-project.
“ It is a profound honor and privilege to stand before you today at this inaugural MSME Manufacturing and Industrialist Summit 2026,” said Sidell.
Alongside government officials sat development finance institutions, logistics partners, corporate buyers and academics, all in conversation with the very MSMEs who produce on the ground in Mpumalanga
Caption: MSMEs and stakeholders attending the event
For many, it was the first time they’d been in the same room as the people making decisions about contracts, supply chains and investment.
That matters in Nkomazi, where small manufacturers are said to have long struggled to break into bigger markets despite being located on one of the region’s most strategic trade corridors.
“ This summit is not just another item on our provincial calendar; it is a deliberate, strategic platform designed to fundamentally disrupt the economic landscape of Ehlanzeni District,” Sidell added.
The summit was reportedly framed as part of a broader push to advance industrialisation, manufacturing growth, regional trade, and inclusive economic participation across the province.
For the attendees, the tone was different from typical government events. It wasn’t just about policy. It was about access to buyers, to finance, to networks that could turn a small workshop into a supplier for regional markets.
The MEC was accompanied by DEDT HOD(Head of Department), Immy Serakalala, the Executive Mayor of EDM(Ehlanzeni District Municipality), Terra Shabangu, as well as stakeholders from various sectors and industries.
