Page 10 - KZN Business Sense Vol.2 No.5

A RESULTS-DRIVEN PARTNERSHIP
The KZN Growth Coalition
held its annual breakfast
summit on the 6 September
2016 at the Southern Sun
Elangeni & Maharani Hotel.
The much anticipated function
was well attended by a range of
representatives from private and
public entities across the province.
The KZN Growth Coalition,
together with various chambers partnership. From its inception,
of business, the provincial
government, especially the
Department of Economic Affairs,
Tourism and Environmental
Affairs, the Department
of Agriculture and local
government, through the KZN
Economic Council, are currently
working regularly to identify and
unlock projects that are not only
meaningful to KZN but also to
South Africa.
Since it establishment in 2000,
the KZN Growth Coalition,
KZN Premier Willies Mchunu and
Farouk Ebrahim (KPMG Director)
Lifeline for Communities
The Minister of Trade and
Industry, Dr Rob Davies
and KwaZulu-Natal MEC
for Economic Development,
Tourism and Environmental
Affairs (EDTEA), Mr Sihle
Zikalala launched the first
phase of the Isithebe Industrial
Park revitalisation in Mandeni,
KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday,
4 October 2016.
The R49-million project is
part of the Revitalisation of
Industrial Parks Programme of
the Department of Trade and
Industry (the dti). Isithebe is
one of ten industrial parks that
the department has prioritised
for revitalisation as part of the
programme. the capacity to serve as catalysts over 40 000 jobs affording up to
“The first phase of the
revitalisation includes the security host regions, mainly townships
infrastructure upgrade, fencing,
street lighting and critical
electricity requirements, but
in the case of Isithebe we have
upgraded the roofs of some of the
factories within the industrial
park,” says Davies.
10
“Has been forging a meaningful
and results-driven partnership
between government and business
in order to both fast track the
growth of the province,” said
MEC for Economic Development,
Tourism and Environmental
Affairs, Mr Sihle Zikalala.
He added, “The key pillar of
this relationship has always been
the two major partners in the
KZN Growth Coalition, being
government and business, have
been aware that, while they are
both critical players in economic
development, they play different
but complimentary roles.”
Zikalala further commented,
“We need to create conducive
conditions and indeed intervene,
where necessary, to ensure
that business thrives and our
economy grows.”
Premier of KwaZulu-Natal and
Co-Chair of the KZN Growth
Coalition, Willies Mchunu said,
“We must reiterate that the
leadership collective of the ANC,
as the ruling party, recognises
the important role of big business ■■ Cornubia
in growing the economy of the
country and the province as a
whole.”
Currently a number of flagship
projects are underway, many as
a consequence of partnerships
between the private sector and
public sectors. Moses Tembe,
Co-Chair of the KZN Growth
Coalition, commented, “We
in KZN are blessed with many
According to Davies, a large
variety of industries operating
from Isithebe contribute
significantly to the economy
of the area, providing 15 000
to 20 000 jobs. These include
textiles, clothing, weaving
and dying, steel fabrication,
furniture manufacturing, plastics, gratitude the positive impact it
polypropylene bags, chemicals,
paper products and packaging,
foundry work, white goods,
workshops and engineering, foam
manufacturing and conversion,
plastic injection moulding and
stationery.
Davies adds that the dti has
recognised that these parks have
for broader economic and
industrial development in their
and rural areas.
MEC Zikalala says the Isithebe
Industrial Estate is one of the
biggest in KwaZulu-Natal and
is home to many industries and
factories that have contributed
immensely to the growth of the
Logie Naidoo and Frances Chisholm (previous U.S. Melanie Veness (CEO of Pietermaritzburg Chamber of
Consul General in Durban)
flagship projects that are
currently being implemented,
and others that with some
extra assistance and strategic
intervention, will be up and
running in the near future.”
The following projects are
underway or operational:
■■ Keystone Commercial
Industrial Park at Inchanga and
the interchange
■■ Mr Price Mega Logistical Hub at
Hammarsdale
■■ The Umhlanga Rocks / Mt.
Edgecombe upgrading of N2/
M4 Interchange is currently the
largest of its kind in the country required to promote development
■■ Durban Point Development by
the Malaysian UEM Sunrise SA
■■ Umhlanga Pearls R3bn
development
■■ Multi-billion Oceans development
economy of the province.
The Group Chairman of Ithala,
Dr Mandla Gantsho says his
agency, acknowledges with
appreciation the magnitude of
the contribution made by the
department and recognises with
will make, not only on Isithebe
Industrial Estate but on the
community, the region and the
province as a whole.
Ithala has several industrial
estates under its ownership
including Isithebe, Ezakheni and
Madadeni Industrial Estates,
which collectively have created
an estimated 300 000 people in
regional areas a livelihood.
The 414 hectare Isithebe
industrial estate located in
Mandeni and midway between
the ports of Durban and
Richards Bay, is a one-stop shop
providing leasing of property;
property maintenance and
water, electricity, solid waste
Commerce) and Mel Clark (Executive Director Black
Balance Projects)
■■ The Sibaya precinct competencies
In addition, the Clairwood ■■ Review of the tedious and
inefficient processes to be
Park, Kings Estate, Blythedale followed for the release of land
Coastal Resort, and Finningley by the Department of
Estate should be under Agriculture for development,
construction early next year compliance with stringent
and the R700m water supply environmental laws, rezoning
system to Richards Bay has been of land and building plan
commissioned. approvals
■■ The rooting out of corruption
The following projects are still in all its many forms
in the planning phase: Suncoast, ■■ The lack of development
Natal Command Site, Centrum incentives
and Exhibition Precinct and
require government assistance or Tembe concluded, “We will
intervention. continue to do what we can to
make sure that KZN becomes a
Tembe added that a review model and prosperous province.
of the following matters was What we ask for in return is
strong leadership, political and
projects: economic certainty and a return
■■ Financial laws to the values of the South Africa
■■ Labour Act post-1994.” n
■■ VISA regulations
■■ Upscaling municipal
removal, sewage disposal by making an invaluable
and fire protection. There is contribution to job creation and
approximately 535 000 m2 of the country’s economic growth.
Ithala owned industrial property The diversification of activities
and approximately 100 000 m2 through industrialisation and
of privately owned industrial manufacturing attracts valuable
property. investments in the areas in
which the industrial estates are
Industrial estates represent the located. n
tools for sustainable development
Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies at the launch of the Isithebe
Industrial Park revitalisation programme.