Page 20 - KZN BUSINESS SENSE Vol.2 NO.6

EZaKhEni inDustrial EstatE

stablished in 1983, households receiving an income Estate, Kim Steenkamp is also Ladysmith grow, as well as Should you be looking for industrial
Ezakheni Industrial Estate well above minimum wage (Stats the President of the Ladysmith encouraging and working space at affordable rentals contact
Eis situated in Ladysmith, on SA), the benefits to the community Chamber of Commerce and closely with the Ladysmith Kim Steenkamp on 036 634 6803
the N3 corridor between Durban in terms of employment Industry. She is committed Chamber and both local and or ksteenkamp@ithala.co.za or
– Africa’s busiest harbour – and opportunities is substantial. to working closely with all district municipalities to bring propertyleads@ithala.co.za
Gauteng – the country’s major businesses of Ladysmith new investment to Ladysmith
consumer market. The Estate has also been and has a passion for seeing and the uThukela District . 
earmarked for the establishment
The industrial estate covers of an Industrial Hub to generate
a total area of 640 hectares economic growth and provide
consisting of 100 Ithala and further employment for the
privately owned factories ranging area. Ezakheni forms part of the
in size between 200 square Alfred Duma Local Municipality,
metres and 30,000 square meters. an area which has been identified
Total lettable area (GLA) in as a significant economic node
respect of Ithala owned premises on the N3 corridor.
is 272,652m² and constitutes 24%
of Ithala’s gross lettable area. According to the KwaZulu-
Natal Provincial Growth and
Ezakheni is home to large, Development Strategy, 90% of
medium and small enterprises the Province’s GGP is produced
specialising in manufactured in two identifiable corridors, that
goods, textile and clothing, is, north south corridor along
polypropylene bags, welding the coast and the western inland
consumables, corrugated corridor along the N3 highway.
cardboard, injection moulding, The significance of Ezakheni
refrigeration, mini subs, Industrial Estate as an already
footwear, stationery, etc. established industrial centre
will no doubt see it becoming a
Key tenants at Ezakheni include major contributor to the growth
Defy Appliances, Canvas & Tent, strategy plan for the region.
Iso Moulders, S A Greeting and
Derlon Textiles. As a member of the Ladysmith
Chamber of Commerce &
Ezakheni Industrial Estate Industry, Ithala is at the heart
provides approximately 15,000 of business needs and plays an
jobs. Considering that Ezakheni active role in maintaining a
township has a population of over conducive business environment
71 000, comprising more than
18 000 households with 77% of The property manager for the

a south african ExPEriEncE for Dutch stuDEnts

he Royal Haskoning DHV opportunity to work together and industry and energy, buildings, An immediate challenge of their braaiing rounded off their South
office in Umhlanga recently unite their acquired knowledge maritime, rail and logistics, mining project was dealing with limited African experience.
Thosted a group of six and skills in one project. and project and construction electronic resources and having
students from the Delft University management. to rely on paper based resources, The TU Delft has a long-
of Technology (TU Delft) in the Royal HaskoningDHV is which was not within their normal standing partnership with Royal
Netherlands. The students were an independent international The TU Delft students, who research experiences. HaskoningDHV with the intention
on a three month study visit to engineering and project have backgrounds in hydraulic to work more closely together
complete a multidisciplinary management consultancy, which engineering and water management, They also soon realised that their and develop more initiatives in
project, which forms part of their has been in operation for 135 years. were working on a project about first theory regarding the reason the fields of research, (online)
Master’s programme at TU Delft. The company offers expertise in the the flooding problem that the for the flooding experienced was education and lifelong learning,
The programme gives students fields of transportation, aviation municipality of Emnambithi not the quantity of water but related amongst other collaborations. Royal
from different disciplines the and planning, water technology, Ladysmith regularly experiences. to drainage of the Qedusizi flood HaskoningDHV and the TU Delft
control dam. This problem in turn already work together in the fields
is directly related to the amount of hydraulic engineering, water
of pollution that the watercourse management, traffic, construction
carries, which causes blockages. management and stakeholder
engagement, and social impact
The students appreciated the more assessment for research and as
relaxed attitude to work in South lecturers.
Africa. Dealing with transport
issues has been more challenging TU Delft has a large number of
as they are accustomed to a greater international students and South
ease of mobility including using African students are welcome. The
their bicycles as regular and safe visiting students’ advice to any
means of transport, which were South African student interested in
greatly missed. the master programme in Delft is to
apply early and to make an attempt
They all thoroughly enjoyed their to interact with Dutch students by
stay in South Africa, which also looking for shared accommodation.
included a trip to Cape Town and As Afrikaans is similar the Dutch
other local sightseeing and sporting language communication is not
opportunities. Visits to uShaka difficult, in addition all classes are
Marine World, watching football taught in English. 
and rugby matches, encounters with
the Big 5 animals, learning how to
Kershan Kuppusamly, Anna Wague, Nozuko Siyothula - Regional Manager KZN, Babette Schep, Twanne Roor, surf and learning that boys do the https://projectladysmith.com
Martine Rottink, Peter Spielmann, Bart van de Zande

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