Page 79 - KZN Top Business Portfolio eBook -2024
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shift the socio-economic landscape and trigger a Cluster Initiatives
series of investments across several sectors Durban has a very diverse economic landscape,
Priority Sectors, which receive the focus within which there are some large-scale enterprises.
of planners in a variety of ways, including the Cooperation between the public and private
creation of clusters and the development of value sectors is formalised by the large number of cluster
chains to promote new ventures and investment initiatives which aim to draw to together experience
opportunities. and expertise from commerce and industry, labour
Catalytic Projects organisations, government and academia.
Durban is working on a number of large-scale projects Under manufacturing, the following clusters or
that have the potential to make a regional impact. The programmes are active:
location of these projects is vital. They must either be on
national trade routes or they should help to break down KZN Clothing and Textile Cluster (KZN CTC)
the old apartheid living/working dynamics. Projects Durban Automotive Cluster (DAC)
are selected for their scale in terms of job creation, Durban Chemical Cluster (DCC)
investment size and potential revenue creation. Ideally, eThekwini Maritime Cluster (EMC)
the projects should include a combination of uses KZN Furniture Incubator
(retail, commercial and housing, for example) and Agro-processing development programmes
they should fit in with the United Nation’s Sustainable Research aims to find out how best to grow particular
Development Goals. economic sectors, and in-depth discussions are held
The Point Waterfront Development, for example, about how to develop and grow value chains. The
fits very well into the category of a catalytic project. wealth of KwaZulu-Natal is mostly consumed or
Some projections put the potential investment exported in its raw state - much more could be done
value at R40-billion and the number of permanent to add value through processing.
jobs to be created at 6 750. It is an ambitious plan The priority sectors are:
that is already linking the city’s beach promenade Automotive and allied industries
and the harbour.
Logistics and logistics management
The Point Waterfront Development offers a property ICT and BPS (Information & communication’s
use mix of office space, retail shops, residential technology, plus business process services)
dwellings and leisure options. The 55 ha site has Agri-processing
already seen significant investment. The new cruise Life sciences (including pharmaceuticals, medical
line terminal in the harbour, backing on to the Point, device manufacturing, plus health facilities)
dovetails well with the new atmosphere of the precinct. Tourism asset development
Other major projects, amongst others, include the: Some of these initiatives play to the existing strengths
GO!Durban Transport Oriented Development, of the regional economy, some seek to exploit newer
which has already received major road upgrades avenues as in the emphasis on the environment and a
and will be an even greater enabler of trade growing interest in the oceans’ economy. A variety of
Centrum Government Precinct which would projects link tourism, renewable energy generation,
formalise the relationship between buildings recycling and job creation.
such as the International Convention Centre (and There are various other broader programmes which
extensions) and a related hotel, the library, have their own goals, but there will be positive spin-
council chambers and the redevelopment of offs for the targeted sectors. These schemes include
Gugu Dlamini Park
the drive to increase local content, boosting metal
Cornubia integrated human settlement fabrication across sectors, the promotion of black
development north of Durban, on 1 300 ha, a industrialists, promoting exports and the over-
partnership between Tongaat Hulett arching eThekwini Industrial Development Policy
Development, the human settlement Action Plan.
departments at national and provincial level and
eThekwini municipality Companies operating in these key sectors are invited
Dube TradePort, the multi-modal facility at King to contact Invest Durban and benefit from these
Shaka International Airport initiatives!
www.invest.durban 77
