Local Industries
The primary sectors of the economy only contribute about 2% to total employment within Dipaleseng, with agriculture contributing a little bit more than mining while the manufacturing sector contributes to a larger portion of the total employment rate. It is also notable that there is an imbalance of skilled and semi/unskilled persons employed in the formal economy within Dipaleseng, with only a relatively small percentage classified as highly skilled.
Though major intervention to ensure that the agricultural and manufacturing sectors are regenerated to absorb more labour and stimulate more economic activity within the municipal borders may be required, there are a few businesses that actively make a difference by contributing the overall economy of the municipality at a larger scale.
Some of the large industry players in the area include;
- Eskom – Grootvlei Power Station which generates and contributes to the overall supply of electricity on the national grid and providing maintenance space for other power stations. The station which consists of six coal fired units was built in the 1960’s but was shut down over the years. An amount of R7.2 billion was spent on its upgrading leading up to its re-commissioning.
- Sasol – Impumelelo Mine in Greylingstad is a continuation of Brandspruit mine and has a life span of well over thirty years of active coal mining though the mine is currently under construction phase.
- Karan Beef is said to be the biggest abattoir in the African continent and the Southern hemisphere, slaughtering about 1300 cows per day and producing quality beef meat products for both domestic and international markets.
- Located in Balfour, Blue skies is one of a few sister factories that produce quality fresh fruit produce for large local retailers and international chain stores. Sheer passion and determination have helped to get Blue Skies where they are today, growing from strength to strength including increasing their operating capacity and expanding their product range.
Local Tourism
The local Hotel in Val, Greylingstad and lodges such as Saffari , Ourport, Warembo, Henter guest house, Lekoa lodge and Olive grove country lodge to name a few offer comfortable accommodation in cozy and private environments, beautiful scenery and spacious entertaining areas for formal and informal functions, weddings, conferences and other celebratory and non-celebratory events of life.
Snuggly nestled away in tall green forestry along the R51 in Balfour is Welgelegen Manor, a five star hotel that offers exquisite treatment from the luxurious rooms to scrumptious meals. A real first class hotel fit for a king or queen.
The area also has the following must-see tourist attraction sites on offer;
- Graves of the Anglo Boer-War – The women and men in the concentration camps died in thousands due illness and mal-nutrition.
- Laerskool Greylingstad – Built in 1902 after realizing that there was a need for a school since there were children in the concentration camps, the oldest school in the Region.
- N.G Kerk in Greylingstad – designed (1909) by a world known architect – Sir Herbert Baker who also built the Union Buildings, Parliament in Cape Town, Grey College in Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth.
- Missionary Church in Nthoroane – designed by a renowned architect, Gerald Moerdyk who also designed the Freedom Park in Pretoria.
- Wessel Mngomezulu’s house – Mr. Mngomezulu led the march protesting against the dom-pass which he never possessed. When his wife passed away, the apartheid police waited next to the graveyard to resist the burial. Mr Mngomezulu decided to bury her in the yard. The likes of Lilian Ngoyi and other comrades used to sleep/hide themselves in the house when they travel to Durban on secret radical missions.
