Page 13 - KZN Top Busines Portfolio 2020/21

KWAZULU-NATAL IN CONTEXT

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Location by value and bulk respectively. The Durban – Free
KwaZulu-Natal is one of the nine provinces in South State – Gauteng logistics and transport corridor
Africa. Situated on the east coast of the country, forms the backbone of South Africa’s freight
KwaZulu-Natal neighbours three other provinces: transportation network and is vital in facilitating
Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and the Free State. economic growth for the country.
KwaZulu-Natal borders the countries of Mozambique Special Economic Zones
and Swaziland in the north, and Lesotho in the south. The Dube TradePort is home to King Shaka Inter-
Area national Airport which forms the heart of the first
The province is South Africa’s third smallest, taking up purpose-built aerotropolis in Africa and is destined to
7, 7% of the country’s land area and has a total area of become a premier business and trade hub. The Dube
94 361 km². TradePort is the only facility in Africa that brings
together an international airport, a cargo terminal,
Many people either live or work in fast developing first warehousing, offices, a retail sector, hotels, and an
world urban centres with competitive infrastructure, agricultural area.
or in very under resourced rural areas.
The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone
Major cities and towns: Durban, Pietermaritzburg (RBIDZ) is a purpose built and secure industrial estate
(capital), Port Shepstone, Margate, Richards Bay, on the north-eastern South African coast. The N2
Ulundi, Ballito, Umhlanga. business corridor links the Province’s two major ports,
Municipalities Durban and Richards Bay, and connects with Maputo
Local government in KwaZulu-Natal is organised into in Mozambique and, ultimately, areas of East Africa.
the eThekwini Metropolitan Council, and ten district Economy
municipalities, namely: Amajuba; iLembe; Harry Gwala; KZN is the second largest contributor to the economy
Ugu; uMgungundlovu; uMkhanyakude; uMzinyathi; of the country, generating a percentage share of
uThukela; King Cetshwayo and Zululand. Each district national GDP of 16 per cent after Gauteng with
is further divided into a varying number of local a percentage share of GDP of 35.2 per cent; this
municipalities. proves that the province plays a significant role in
Climate SA’s economy.
The summer-rainfall coastal regions are hot and humid, Economic Sectors
with a subtropical climate. The Midlands area is drier, The province offers a competitive advantage in manu-
with extremely cold conditions in winter and snow on facturing, transport, storage and communications,
the high-lying ground. In the north, the subtropical as well as finance and business services. It is well
strip extends around Swaziland to the edge of the positioned in agriculture, forestry and fishing,
escarpment. agricultural resource-intensive manufacturing and in
Principal Languages the tourism and accommodation sectors.
The province comprises a multicultural mix of people Economic activity is concentrated in the metropolitan
and the principal languages are 80,9% Zulu, 13,6% areas of Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Richards
English, 2,3% Xhosa, 1,5% Afrikaans, 1,7% other. Bay, with the coastal belts utilised for sugar cane
plantations and sub-tropical fruit and vegetables.
Monarchy
KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a monarchy Tourism
specifically provided for in the Constitution. Goodwill KZN has many tourist attractions: stunning
Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu (b. 27 July 1948 at Nongoma) mountainous areas, wildlife reserves (with big five
is the reigning king of the Zulu nation under the animals – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, rhino) and
Traditional Leadership clause of South Africa’s beautiful beaches washed by the warm Indian Ocean.
republican constitution. The province has two UNESCO World Heritage
Sites: iSimangaliso Wetland Park and uKhahlamba
Infrastructure
Drakensberg Park.
Of major significance is that the ports of Durban
and Richards Bay, around which KwaZulu-Natal is Lifestyle
established, are two of Africa’s gateways to the sea KZN comprises diverse people, a mixture of cultures,
lanes of the world. Durban and Richards Bay ports are a relaxed coastal lifestyle with all necessary amenities
southern Africa’s busiest in terms of handling cargo and a business-friendly environment.
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