South Africa, hoping to copy the miracle that created Asia's tiger economies, is building a multibillion-rand duty-free industrial park, the first in a series aimed at boosting economic growth.

South Africa's largest industrial development zone (IDZ), the Coega IDZ outside Port Elizabeth, is "ready" if and when Canadian aluminium giant Alcan makes up its mind over the US$2.2bln aluminium smelter project originally agreed by Pechiney to be located there, before Pechiney's takeover by Alcan late last year.