KwaZulu-Natal Business 2023-24

KWAZULU-NATAL 

BUSINESS 

2023/24 EDITION 

THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT 

IN THE KWAZULU-NATAL PROVINCE 

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DURBAN CHAMBER 

OF COMMERCE AND 

INDUSTRY NPC 

ABOUT THE DURBAN CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY NPC 

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC was established in 1856 and 

is the oldest and largest metropolitan chamber in Africa. As a business-based and 

eThekwini business community. 

The Durban Chamber does this by:

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The city of 

Durban (eThekwini 

Municipality) is South 

Africa’s second most 

important economic 

region 

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Extensive first-world 

road, rail, sea and air 

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Dube 

TradePort 

and King 

Shaka 

International 1 

Airport - 60- 

year Master 

Plan - driving 

growth of 

aerotropolis, 

or airport 

city 

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Rated in top 5 

‘Quality of Living’ 

cities in Africa and 

Middle East by 

Mercer Consulting in 

2015 

Named one of the 

New 7 Wonders Cities 

by the Swiss-based 

New 7 Wonders 

Foundation in 2014 

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BUY LOCAL 

INVEST LOCAL 

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Let’s come together and heal as a nation. 

Let’s focus on Renewing, Restoring and Rebuilding 

successful partnerships and investment opportunities so we 

can get back to promoting our city as the ideal destination 

for business and pleasure to the rest of the world. 

Your support coupled with our world-class infrastructure, 

innovative business environment and ever evolving 

investment opportunities, means we can get back to 

‘connecting continents’ in no time. 

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Tel: +27 31 311 4227 

Email: invest@durban.gov.za 

web: invest.durban 

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The Durban 

Chamber of 

Commerce and 

Industry NPC 

#InBusinessForABetterWorld 

CONTACT DETAILS: 

Tel: +27 31 335 1000 

Website: www.durbanchamber.co.za 

Chief Executive Officer: Palesa Phili 

Email: ceo@durbanchamber.co.za 

Marketing and Communications 

Email: marketing@durbanchamber.co.za 

Business Development 

Email: info@durbanchamber.co.za 

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and 

Industry NPC holds the distinction of 

being the oldest and largest metropolitan 

chamber in Africa, having been established 

in 1856. Our primary objective is to serve 

the business community in eThekwini by 

advocating and lobbying for their interests. 

Our organisation has a member-focused 

approach, ensuring that their needs are 

prioritised. We take pride in our brand, 

which is built on strong values, trust and 

integrity, making us the preferred choice of 

chamber for our members. 

As the oldest metropolitan chamber in 

Africa, we are committed to delivering 

exceptional value to our members through 

our dynamic collaborations with the private 

and public sectors. Our efforts go beyond 

the vast array of value-added services that 

we provide. We have established a network 

of 20 Standing Forums that convene 

frequently to discuss and deliberate on 

pertinent matters within their respective 

industries. By doing so, we ensure that our 

members are well-informed and equipped 

to navigate the ever-evolving business 

landscape. 

The Durban Chamber also offers 

membership. We believe in MEMBERSHIP 

THROUGH FELLOWSHIP and CREATING 

PARTNERSHIPS. Therefore RELATIONSHIPS 

are the true currency of commerce. The 

Durban Chamber facilitates our members’ 

development of business relationships 

with one another, as well as with other key 

stakeholders to promote economic growth. 

“ 

BIOGRAPHY 

Palesa Phili Biography 

Palesa has over 20 years’ experience in the 

information and communication technology (ICT) 

and telecommunications sector, working for leading 

multinational companies within the ICT sector. She 

has 10 years’ experience in executive positions with 

added experience in board-level positions within 

the manufacturing and incubation sectors. Her 

specialties range from strong operational experience 

to strategic growth and market penetration into 

various customer environments. She has worked 

for organisations such as Hewlett Packard, IBM 

and EMC Computers. Her most recent role was 

at MTN SA where she was the Regional Head for 

MTN Business in KZN. Palesa holds a Master’s in 

Business Administration (MBA) from the University 

of Johannesburg (UJ) and an advanced Business 

Management Programme Certificate and is a 

member of the South African Institute of Directors 

(IOD). She also sits on various boards, including 

SmartXchange and Invotech incubators.

Developing and promoting Durban business 

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry offers a wide variety of 

services to members, debates current issues through Standing Forums and 

advocates for business in the appropriate forums. 

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS 

Access to the international market 

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC 

assists you in expanding your business globally by 

connecting you with international chambers around the 

world. This means that our members have complete access 

to international chambers of commerce and embassies, 

thus opening a world of possibilities and business 

opportunities internationally. 

Certificates of Origin 

Through our International Business Unit, we produce 

Certificates of Origin (CO). A CO is a document required for 

all export processes to prove that the goods are from South 

Africa, the country of origin. We pride ourselves on being a 

reputable organisation that is respected in industry. Our CO 

business is governed by strict compliance guidelines and 

principles which ensure that every CO produced by the 

chamber for your product will be 100% vetted and compliant. 

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 

SMME support 

Through the Business Development division, the Durban 

Chamber of Commerce and Industry aims to support and 

transform small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), 

including informal businesses in the Durban area, into 

sustainable businesses ready to do business with large 

entities. We offer non-financial assistance such as skills 

development, mentorship, networking workshops and oneon-one 

consultations. 

Company and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) 

Durban Chamber has been trusted by CIPC to be the agency 

that does most of the business legalities in KwaZulu-Natal 

such as company registrations, CIPC annual returns, name 

changing, company amendments, directors’ amendments 

and company name reservations. 

Informal sector business assistance 

The Durban Chamber has more than 54 000 informal 

traders who receive assistance with their business needs 

through the associations they belong into. These businesses 

have a special membership package which is discounted 

to accommodate them. Just like SMMEs, they receive nonfinancial 

support such as skills development, mentorship, 

networking workshops and one-on-one consultations. 

POLICY AND ADVOCACY 

We continue to add value for our members through our robust 

interactions and partnerships with both the private and public 

sectors. These initiatives are over and above the numerous 

value-adding services offered by the chamber and our system 

of Standing Forums, which meet regularly to consider and 

debate relevant issues within the sectors that they represent. 

Our policy and advocacy initiatives ensure that we 

are constantly: 

• Identifying government policies relevant to business in 

Durban and KwaZulu-Natal 

• Informing, through research and giving a broader 

perspective and on such policies 

• Liaising with relevant institutional structures to enhance 

robust collaboration 

• Amplifying core issues that impact business with short, 

medium and long-term perspectives 

• Promoting an appreciation of broad-based economic, 

social and environmental sustainability 

• Advocating good practices to our members and 

enabling policy for the city, province and state 

• Assisting in promoting partnership approaches to 

complex problematic issues affecting business

CONTENTS 

KwaZulu-Natal Business 2023/24 Edition 

Introduction 

Foreword 5 

A unique guide to business and investment in KwaZulu-Natal. 

Special features 

Regional overview of KwaZulu-Natal 6 

In energy and logistics, policy decisions at national level are having a 

spinoff for KwaZulu-Natal as Richards Bay continues to build its energy 

portfolio and a major international ports operator has been brought on 

board as a partner at the Port of Durban. Additional Special Economic 

Zones are planned to bolster textile and leather manufacturing. 

Recycling has become mainstream 12 

Recycling is good for the environment and creates 

business opportunities. 

Economic sectors 

Agriculture 18 

Training is embracing new technology. 

Forestry and paper 20 

The sector is proud of its green credentials. 

Mining 22 

High courts rule on coal expansion project. 

Oil and gas 23 

Richards Bay will host a gas power plant. 

Energy 24 

Battery storage has arrived in KwaZulu-Natal. 

Engineering 25 

Better cooling systems also help the environment. 

Water 26 

Solar power is a water solution. 

Construction and property 27 

Durban’s old buildings are getting a new life. 

Film 28 

Small studios are taking centre stage. 

Tourism 29 

New flights and upgraded airports 

are boosting tourism. 

ICT 31 

Rhinos will benefit from technology. 

Manufacturing 32 

Two new Special Economic Zones 

are planned. 

Automotive 33 

Training is being prioritised. 

Education and training 34 

Graduating as Handypersons will 

boost employment chances. 

Development finance 

and SMME support 36 

Small businesses are thriving on the 

Wild Coast. 

Banking and financial 

services 38 

TymeBank is spreading its wings. 

References 

Key sector contents 18 

Overviews of the main economic 

sectors of KwaZulu-Natal.

KwaZulu-Natal Business 

A unique guide to business and investment in KwaZulu-Natal. 

Credits 

Publishing director: 

Chris Whales 

Editor: John Young 

Managing director: Clive During 

Online editor: Christoff Scholtz 

Designer: Tyra Martin 

Production: Yonella Ngaba 

Ad sales: 

Gavin van der Merwe 

Sam Oliver 

Tahlia Wyngaard 

Tennyson Naidoo 

Gabriel Venter 

Vanessa Wallace 

Shiko Diala 

Graeme February 

Administration & accounts: 

Charlene Steynberg 

Kathy Wootton 

Sharon Angus-Leppan 

Distribution and circulation 

manager: Edward MacDonald 

Printing: FA Print 

The 2023/24 edition of KwaZulu-Natal Business is the 15th issue 

of this highly successful publication that, since its launch 

in 2008, has established itself as the premier business and 

investment guide for the KwaZulu-Natal Province. 

In addition to the regular articles providing insight into each of the 

key economic sectors of the province, there is a special feature on the 

growth and importance of the recycling sector, with increasing activity 

covering cover paper, board, e-waste and rubber. 

The overview of the regional economy notes the importance of energy 

and the steps being taken by KwaZulu-Natal to turn Richards Bay into an 

energy hub. The fact that the province is also angling to create additional 

Special Economic Zones suggests that the two existing zones, at Richards 

Bay and the Dube TradePort at King Shaka International Airport, are 

living up to expectations in terms of attracting investment and boosting 

employment. The creation of a joint venture by Transnet and a private 

operator of ports is a significant step for the Port of Durban. 

To complement the extensive local, national and international 

distribution of the print edition, the full content can also be viewed online 

at www.globalafricanetwork.com under ebooks. Updated information 

on KwaZulu-Natal is also available through our monthly e-newsletter, 

which you can subscribe to online at www.gan.co.za, in addition to our 

complementary business-to-business titles that cover all nine provinces, 

our flagship South African Business title and the latest addition to our list of 

publications, Journal of African Business, which was launched in 2020. ■ 

Chris Whales 

Publisher, Global Africa Network Media | Email: chris@gan.co.za 

FOREWORD 

DISTRIBUTION 

KwaZulu-Natal Business is distributed internationally on 

outgoing and incoming trade missions, through trade and 

investment agencies; to foreign offices in South Africa’s 

main trading partners around the world; at top national 

and international events; through the offices of foreign 

representatives in South Africa; as well as nationally and 

regionally via chambers of commerce, tourism offices, airport 

lounges, provincial government departments, municipalities 

and companies. 

Member of the Audit Bureau 

of Circulations 

COPYRIGHT | KwaZulu-Natal Business is an independent publication 

published by Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd. Full copyright to the 

publication vests with Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd. No part 

of the publication may be reproduced in any form without the written 

permission of Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd. 

PHOTO CREDITS | Aphiwe Moyo, Behind The Lens Photography; 

Energy Partners Refrigeration; Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa 

(CCBSA); Dube TradePort; Durban Automotive Cluster; iLembe District 

Municipality; Mathe Group; Meropa; Momentum; MPact Recycling; 

Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa; Renishaw Coastal 

PUBLISHED BY 

Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd 

Company Registration No: 2004/004982/07 

Directors: Clive During, Chris Whales 

Physical address: 28 Main Road, Rondebosch 7700 

Postal address: PO Box 292, Newlands 7701 

Tel: +27 21 657 6200 | Fax: +27 21 674 6943 

Email: info@gan.co.za | Website: www.gan.co.za 

ISSN 1995-1310 

Precinct; Radisson Hotel Group; Richards Bay Minerals; Sustainable 

Recycling Initiative (SRI); The Watt Club; Tongaat Hulett; Transnet 

National Ports Authority; uMfolozi TVET College; Vuthela Economic 

Development Support Programme; Wild Coast Sun. 

DISCLAIMER | While the publisher, Global Africa Network Media (Pty) 

Ltd, has used all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information 

contained in KwaZulu-Natal Business is accurate and up-to-date, 

the publishers make no representations as to the accuracy, quality, 

timeliness, or completeness of the information. Global Africa Network 

will not accept responsibility for any loss or damage suffered as a result 

of the use of or any reliance placed on such information.

A REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF 

KWAZULU-NATAL 

Radisson Blu Hotel Durban Umhlanga celebrated its one-year anniversary 

with two awards from Durban Tourism. 

In energy and logistics, policy decisions at national level are having a spinoff 

for KwaZulu-Natal as Richards Bay continues to build its energy portfolio and a 

major international ports operator has been brought on board as a partner at 

the Port of Durban. Additional Special Economic Zones are planned to bolster 

textile and leather manufacturing. 

By John Young 

The Provincial Government of KwaZulu- 

Natal has created a KZN Energy War 

Room. Over and above the interventions 

into energy efficiency of government 

buildings and investments in things like solar 

panels, and plans to continue rolling out electricity 

connections to previously unserviced households, 

the administration intends turning Richards Bay 

into an energy hub. 

This ambition received a big boost in 2023 with 

the decision by the National Energy Regulator of 

South Africa to approve Eskom’s application to build 

a 3 000MW gas power station at Richards Bay. 

Battery storage has made a debut in the province 

as well. South Korean firm Hyosung Heavy Industries 

has signed on to implement the Eskom project 

to create a battery energy storage system, in this 

instance in the uMgungundlovu District Municipality. 

In the 2023 State of the Province Address, 

Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said that, in addition 

to the R97-billion Eskom project, the following 

facilities would be established at the deepsea port: 

• Mabasa Energy and Fuels, R10-billion 

• NFE BGE Gas Supply, R25-billion 

• Phakwe RBGP, R34-billion 

An earlier announcement on the energy front 

by President Cyril Ramaphosa that private investors 

could generate up to 100MW without having to go 

through a tangled web of licence procedures was 

a boon for the province’s larger companies. The 

likes of Sappi and Mondi produce great quantities 

of biomass waste and all of the province’s sugar 

KWAZULU-NATAL BUSINESS 2032/24 

6 

PHOTO: Radisson

SPECIAL FEATURE 

producers are potentially generators of electricity. 

Many of them already are producing power for their 

own use, now they can sell it to the grid. 

The signing of a long-term contract for energy 

supply by Eskom and South32 for its Hillside 

Aluminium smelter was another very welcome step 

in the energy field. The deal expires in 2031. 

In the oil and gas sector, the big issue of what 

is going to happen to SAPREF, South Africa’s 

largest crude oil refinery which suspended 

operations in 2022, remains unresolved. The 

provincial government is planning to have a 

meeting with the refinery’s shareholders and 

other levels of government to try to find a way of 

resolving the matter. 

The first steps in a move by national government 

to partner with the private sector in boosting 

efficiency at ports were taken in 2022: deals were 

signed at the Port of Durban and at Richards Bay. 

In 2023, these first steps became a giant leap 

when International Container Terminal Services 

Inc (ICTSI), a Philippines-based port operator, was 

announced as the preferred partner for a joint 

venture (JV) to run the Durban Container Terminal 

with Transnet. 

ICTSI operates in 20 countries and employs 

more than 11 000 people. Transnet will hold 50% 

plus one share in the JV for 25 years, with an option 

to extend to 30 years. From the initial list of 17 

potential partners, ICTSA was eventually chosen 

from a shortlist of six. Part of the plan for Durban 

Container Terminal Pier 2 is to increase traffic in such 

a way that it will be able to increase its handling 

capacity from the present 2.9-million TEUs (twomillion 

20-foot equivalent units) to 11-million TEUs 

by 2032. 

The 2022 deal involved a 15-year concession 

for the loading of grain at one of Durban’s 

agricultural terminals was won by Afgri, one of 

South Africa’s biggest agricultural firms. Afgri 

will deal with the operation and maintenance of 

all landside operations, and the deal includes a 

similar arrangement at East London. The other 

two terminals in Durban are operated by SA Bulk 

Terminals and Bidvest Bulk Terminals. 

Special Economic Zones 

The provincial government is working on an 

investment pipeline, through the Special Economic 

Zones (SEZs), of R22-billion. The SEZs at Richards 

Bay and King Shaka International Airport (the Dube 

TradePort) are key components of the strategy and 

are now well-established nodes of investment. 

Milestones have been reached in the plan for 

creating further SEZs to focus on leather and textiles. 

A business case has been completed by units within 

the provincial government and land at Ezakheni 

(Ladysmith) in the uThukela District has been 

identified and secured. Dube TradePort will be the 

SEZ operator and R780-million in investments has 

been pledged by companies keen to relocate to the 

SEZ. To spread the benefits of the SEZ, the concept 

of “The Textile Belt” will be followed. The corridor 

approach will leverage comparative advantages of 

various regions in the clothing and textile value chain. 

This belt will start from Newcastle and link Ladysmith, 

Mooi River, Pietermaritzburg, Hammarsdale, Durban, 

Isithebe and the Dube TradePort to the Richards Bay 

Industrial Development Zone. 

Infrastructure upgrades at Madadeni, Isithebe 

and Ezakheni have been completed, which went 

some way to creating jobs and which will create a 

more conducive environment for investors. 

Tourism is a key sector in the KwaZulu-Natal 

economy and provides livelihoods to many 

thousands of families in urban and rural areas. 

The closing of borders brought real hardship to 

many areas. 

A number of flights have been resumed to King 

Shaka International Airport by the likes of Turkish 

Airlines and a new flight has been inaugurated by SA 

Airlink, connecting the province to Zimbabwe. 

Economic sectors 

The province’s existing infrastructure, good soils 

and fine weather provide a solid base for a varied 

economy. KwaZulu-Natal has significant capacity 

in heavy and light manufacturing, agro-processing 

and mineral beneficiation, all of which is supported 

by South Africa’s two busiest ports (Richards Bay and 

Durban), the country’s most active highway (the N3), 

7 KWAZULU-NATAL BUSINESS 2023/24

The first fruits of the harvest are celebrated every year 

at the Umthayi Marula Festival in northern KwaZulu- 

Natal. Residents of Swaziland and Mozambique are 

frequent visitors. 

a modern international airport and pipelines that 

carry liquids of all types to and from the economic 

powerhouse of the country around Johannesburg 

in the interior. 

Sappi’s dissolving pulp mill at Umkomaas south 

of Durban is one of the province’s most significant 

industrial sites as it produces huge quantities of a 

material that is used in viscose staple fibre, which 

in turn is used in clothing and textiles. Mondi is 

the province’s other global giant in forestry, paper 

and packaging. Toyota and Bell Equipment are 

dominant players in the automotive sector. 

Many banana farmers on the KwaZulu-Natal 

South Coast have started planting macadamias. In 

one case, half of a big farm has been converted to 

cultivating the popular nut. “Along the KZN South 

Coast, we enjoy a subtropical climate that creates a 

fertile environment that supports a variety of crops 

in the agricultural sector,” explains Phelisa Mangcu, 

CEO of South Coast Tourism and Investment 

Enterprise (SCTIE). 

Regions 

KwaZulu-Natal has 10 district municipalities and a 

metropolitan municipality, the most of any province 

in South Africa. In economic terms, the province 

offers diverse opportunities. 

Southern region 

This area is the province’s most populous. The 

city of Durban has experienced booms in sectors 

such as automotive, ICT, film and call centres. The 

promenade now reaches all the way to the harbour 

and the Point development will benefit. 

Major investments are taking place at the Port 

of Durban. The Container Terminal will be expanded 

on the back of an investment by an international 

port operator. Durban’s conference facilities are 

well utilised, but many opportunities still exist 

in chemicals and industrial chemicals, food and 

beverages, infrastructure development and 

tourism. Further south, Margate’s airport and 

Port Shepstone’s beachfront are assets. 

Western region 

Also known as the Midlands, this is a 

fertile agricultural region which hosts the 

popular annual Royal Show. It produces 

sugar cane, fruit, animal products, forestry 

and dairy products. 

Pietermaritzburg is the provincial capital 

and home to a major aluminium producer 

along with several manufacturing concerns, 

including textiles, furniture, leather goods and 

food. The city has good transport links along 

the N3 national highway, excellent schools and 

a lively arts scene. The Midlands Meander is a 

popular tourist destination. 

Eastern region 

Although most of this area is rural, Richards 

Bay is one of the country’s industrial hotspots 

because of its coal terminal, port and 

aluminium smelters. 

The Richards Bay Industrial Development 

Zone is a major economic node and mining 

is an important sector. The other major 

urban centre is Empangeni which has 

several educational institutions. The King 

Shaka International Airport is adjacent to 

the Dube TradePort. 

Northern region 

The economic powerhouse is Newcastle in 

the north-west: coal mining, steel processing 

and manufacturing are major activities. Some 

old coal mines are being reopened by new 

coal companies to cater for the country’s 

power stations’ demand for the fuel. Game 

farms, trout fishing and hiking are part 

of an attractive package for tourists, and 

Zululand is a popular destination for cultural 

experiences. The region is rich in Anglo-Boer 

War history which includes battle sites such 

as Islandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. ■ 

KWAZULU-NATAL BUSINESS 2023/24 

8 

PHOTO: Meropa

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| | 10 REASONS 

WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN SOUTH AFRICA 

01. 

HOT EMERGING 

MARKET 

Growing middle class, affluent consumer 

base, excellent returns on investment. 

02. 

MOST DIVERSIFIED 

ECONOMY IN AFRICA 

South Africa (SA) has the most industrialised economy in Africa. 

It is the region’s principal manufacturing hub and a leading 

services destination. 

LARGEST PRESENCE OF MULTINATIONALS 

ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT 

SA is the location of choice of multinationals in Africa. 

03. 

Global corporates reap the benefits of doing business in 

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ADVANCED FINANCIAL SERVICES 

& BANKING SECTOR 

SA has a sophisticated banking sector with a major 

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07. 

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09. 

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04. 

06. 

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PROGRESSIVE 

CONSTITUTION 

& INDEPENDENT 

JUDICIARY 

SA has a progressive Constitution and an independent judiciary. The 

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RESOURCES 

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WORLD-CLASS 

INFRASTRUCTURE 

AND LOGISTICS 

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10. 

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sports offering all year round and a world-renowned hospitality sector. 

EXCELLENT QUALITY 

OF LIFE 

Page | 2 

19 

SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2020

FOCUS 

From poverty alleviation to national 

security: Computational modelling 

enabling smart solutions that work 

“By extending its applications, we can harness the power of computational modelling to 

tackle poverty, unemployment and national security and promote environmental, social and 

governance (ESG) practices.” – Dr Regina Maphanga 

ESG practices. As a thought leader in computational 

modelling, I firmly believe that leveraging its capabilities 

in these domains can reshape our society and 

create a more equitable and secure future. 

Dr Regina Maphanga, CSIR Research Group Leader. 

Computer modelling refers to the process 

of creating virtual representations 

or simulations of real-world systems, 

allowing researchers and policymakers 

to study and analyse complex phenomena in 

a controlled environment or processes using 

computer software and algorithms. It entails the 

use of mathematical equations, data inputs and 

computational algorithms to mimic and simulate 

the behaviour, interactions and outcomes of the 

system being modelled. 

Computer modelling offers several benefits and 

applications. It allows researchers, scientists, engineers 

and decision-makers to study complex systems, explore 

what-if scenarios, optimise designs, predict 

outcomes and make informed decisions without the 

need for costly or time-consuming physical experimentation. 

It bridges the gap between theoretical 

understanding and real-world complexity, enabling us 

to gain insights into systems that may be inaccessible, 

expensive or dangerous to study physically. 

By extending its applications, we can harness the 

power of computational modelling to tackle poverty, 

unemployment and national security and promote 

Poverty alleviation and unemployment 

Poverty alleviation and unemployment are pressing 

socioeconomic challenges that require comprehensive 

approaches to address them effectively. 

Computational modelling offers a powerful tool for 

understanding the intricate dynamics of these issues 

and developing targeted strategies for intervention. 

By applying computational models, researchers 

can simulate various scenarios to assess the impact of 

different policies and interventions on poverty reduction 

and employment creation. These models consider 

factors such as economic indicators, social conditions, 

educational attainment levels, access to resources and 

government initiatives, to cite a few. 

Furthermore, computational modelling enables 

policymakers to identify potential bottlenecks or unintended 

consequences that may arise from certain 

interventions. By analysing various parameters within 

the model’s framework, decision-makers can optimise 

resource allocation by prioritising sectors with a high 

potential for job creation, while also targeting vulnerable 

populations that are most in need of support. 

This understanding enables us to design 

targeted interventions such as skill-development 

programmes, job-creation initiatives and social-safety 

nets, with the aim of fostering inclusive economic 

growth and enhancing livelihoods. 

National security 

Ensuring the safety and security of nations in an increasingly 

digital and interconnected world demands 

KWAZULU-NATAL BUSINESS 2023/24 10

FOCUS 

advanced tools for risk assessment, intelligence analysis 

and strategic planning. Computational modelling plays 

a pivotal role in analysing complex geopolitical landscapes, 

simulating potential scenarios and assessing 

the impacts of various policies. By integrating diverse 

datasets and employing sophisticated algorithms we 

can enhance our ability to detect emerging threats, 

formulate effective defence strategies and safeguard 

national interests. 

ESG practices 

The integration of ESG principles is vital for organisations 

that are committed to long-term sustainability 

and responsible business practices. Computational 

modelling empowers decision-makers to evaluate the 

impact of their actions on environmental conservation, 

social wellbeing and corporate governance. By incorporating 

diverse variables and quantifying the potential 

outcomes, organisations can identify sustainable investment 

opportunities, optimise resource allocation and 

enhance transparency and accountability. 

Manufacturing 

Next-generation manufacturing industries can push 

the boundaries of innovation by adopting modelling 

tools. Computational modelling supports innovation in 

product and process design, reduces the need for physical 

testing and prototypes, defines complex process 

parameters and leads to quality products and robust 

manufacturing processes. 

Smart infrastructure and sustainable urban 

planning 

The efficient utilisation of resources, resilience to climate 

change and the development of smart cities are critical 

components of a sustainable future. Computational 

modelling enables us to design and optimise infrastructure 

systems, integrating renewable energy sources, 

transportation networks and waste management systems. 

By simulating the interactions between these 

components, we can identify strategies that minimise 

environmental impact, enhance energy efficiency and 

improve the quality of life for urban populations. 

Crisis response and disaster 

Management in the face of natural disasters, disease 

outbreaks or humanitarian crises, computational 

modelling offers crucial support for emergency 

response and resource allocation. By simulating 

different scenarios emergency planners can identify 

optimal strategies, assess the potential impacts 

and allocate resources effectively. Furthermore, 

modelling the spread of infectious diseases aids in 

understanding transmission dynamics, evaluating 

the effectiveness of interventions and formulating 

proactive healthcare strategies. 

As computational modelling revolutionises our 

understanding of complex systems, it becomes a 

powerful tool for driving social impact. By leveraging 

its capabilities in poverty alleviation, unemployment 

mitigation, national security and ESG 

practices, we can foster a more inclusive, secure 

and sustainable future. 

I am committed to pushing the boundaries of its 

application in various domains, working towards a 

world in which technology is harnessed for the betterment 

of society. Let us embrace computational modelling 

as a catalyst for transformative change, shaping 

a future that leaves no-one behind and prioritises the 

wellbeing of both people and the planet. ■ 

This thought leadership article was written by Dr Regina Maphanga. Dr Maphanga is the Research 

Group Leader for the Design and Optimisation research group at the Council for Scientific and Industrial 

Research (CSIR) in Pretoria. She has a PhD in physics from the University of Limpopo. 

Email: RMaphangai@csir.co.za 

Unlock new frontiers 

Now is the time to seize the tremendous opportunities offered by computational modelling. By 

partnering with the CSIR, a thought leader in computational modelling and sustainable business 

development, you can unlock new frontiers and drive innovation at a reduced cost and time. Our 

expertise will empower your organisation to harness the full potential of computational modelling, 

optimise operations, embrace sustainable practices and position your brand as a leader in the market. 

11


Recycling has become 

mainstream 

Recycling is good for the environment and creates business opportunities. 

Recyling is no longer a niche activity for ecowarriers. 

It’s become a part of the mainstream 

economy. Sustainability is becoming a 

watchword for many businesses, so it makes 

sense to recycle and to reuse. 

Mpact Recycling has expanded its operations 

in KwaZulu-Natal with the opening of a new R150- 

million facility at Bridge City, pictured. With a larger 

warehouse than the company had at its previous 

location, a large sorting plant and two baling 

machines are now accommodated under one 

roof and there are separate administration and 

operations centres. Improved design allows for 

more efficient offloading and loading of material 

and a 130kW solar installation creates efficiencies 

with regard to energy. Mpact is considering 

expanding the solar installation and connecting 

to the local grid as a supplier or wheeling to its 

other facilities in the province. Mpact Recycling 

has three sorting and baling plants in KwaZulu- 

Natal and 15 branches altogether in South Africa. 

Mpact Recycling is a division of the Mpact Group 

and processes more than 600 000 tons of waste 

every year. The company reports than by recycling 

one ton of paper, 26 498 litres of water is saved. 

The Sappi Group has a company called Sappi 

ReFibre which expressly aims to support the small, 

medium and micro-enterprise (SMME) market. 

By offering a secure market for certain types of 

recyclable board and paper, the firm gives agents 

the security of knowing that they can sell what 

they collect. Through Sappi’s Enterprise and 

Supplier Development Programme, Sappi ReFibre 

has provided equipment and business support to 

the value of about R10-million over the years. 

A new Waste Management Licence has been 

issued to the Mathe Group for a new tyre-recycling 

facility to be built alongside its existing operation. 

The exact amount of the investment will be 

determined by the technology deployed but it is 

estimated to be in the region of R65-million. 

Truck-tyre recycling company Mathe Group 

is part of the PFE International Group which also 

contains recycled-rubber-flooring company Van 

Dyck and is based in Hammarsdale, between Cato 

Ridge and Pinetown. 

The CEO of PFE is Dr Mehran Zarrebini, pictured 

right, who is also head of the industry body, TRIASA 


12 

PHOTO: MPact Recycling


E-waste is treated as part of the Sustainable 

Recycling Initiative: Wandisa Radebe, wire 

stripper; Simphiwe Menyuka, line controller 

and Jabulani Khumalo. 

(Tyre Recycling Industry Association of South 

Africa). He notes that although the volume of 

waste tyres continues to grow in South Africa, the 

country persists in importing virgin rubber. 

Because tyres are largely composed of rubber, 

when they are discarded, the potentially valuable 

rubber goes to waste. Zarrebini says, “By recycling 

tyres, this rubber can be salvaged and reused. 

This process is known as crumbing or grinding 

and involves breaking down the used tyres into 

small granules of powder. These can then be 

used in various applications as a replacement for 

new rubber. These applications range from the 

production of new tyres to road construction, 

playground surfaces and the manufacturing of 

rubber goods, among many others.” In addition to 

planning for the building of a new facility, Mathe 

Group is expanding the capacity of its existing 

plant. Output will increase from between 25 and 

30 tons of rubber crumb to 45 tons and increase 

the number of tyres recycled from 700 radial truck 

tyres per day to approximately 1 000 per day. 

From carpets to flooring 

Van Dyck, originally a carpeting manufacturer, 

pivoted away from soft flooring to rubber-based 

products during the Covid period but the factory 

was then hit by the terrible floods of 2022. 

The Van Dyck operations are now also located 

in Hammarsdale and are also expanding. The 

company produces rubber goods by moulding 

recycled rubber crumb. 

Recycled rubber flooring in a gym installation 

not only provides for a more comfortable 

performance but also enhances acoustic 

performance and eliminates noise pollution.Coming 

off a low base, Van Dyck has in 2023 registered a 

200% increase in the manufacture of moulded 

products. Notes Zarrebini, “Our production facility 

is now operating 24/7 at full capacity despite the 

interruptions of loadshedding. The new equipment 

that will arrive will enable our operations to double 

capacity of certain moulded products.” 

Most of the growth in moulded products has 

come from South Africa and the UK to which 

Van Dyck exports gym flooring, acoustic shock 

pads and acoustic cradles. Projects in Rwanda, 

Uganda and Kenya have been completed with 

the acoustic underlays, which are often utilised 

under carpeting in the hospitality sector. A 

popular product recently introduced by Van 

Dyck is a magnetically receptive rubber underlay 

known as Ezy Install. 

E-waste proliferation 

With the proliferation of gadgets in the world, the 

waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) 

recycling industry has become an increasingly 

important part of the sustainability equation. 

Despite WEEE being the fastest-growing 

waste stream in most countries, South Africa’s 

current recycling rate is between 2% and 2.5% 

for waste lighting and between 10% and 12% for 

other electrical and electronic equipment. As of 

2021, it is illegal to send e-waste to landfill but 

few people know this. 

RecycleX, located in Ballito and with more 

than 100 staff members, is one of the biggest 

e-waste recycling facilities in the country. 

Falling under the Vuthela iLembe LED 

Support Programme, the Sustainable Recycling 

Initiative (SRI) research has highlighted that little 

has been done to comply with the WEEE ban. 

As a result, a new partnership 

has been created in the 

iLembe District Municipality, 

encompassing provincial 

and local government, local 

business and residents’ 

associations, WEEE recyclers, 

NGOs, representatives of 

waste pickers, Producer 

Responsibility Organisations 

and the SRI team. It is called 

“WEEE are iLembe”. ■ 

PHOTO: SRI 


INTERVIEW 

Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa installs new 

production line to reduce plastic waste 

Gavin Lundell, CCBSA’s Senior Project Manager, explains how the project at the Premier plant 

in KwaZulu-Natal is enabling the production of 2L returnable plastic packs, underlining the 

company’s commitment to reduce environmental waste. The 2L returnable, also known as 

refillable PET bottle (RefPET), was launched in 2020 in the Eastern Cape and has since been 

expanded to other provinces – offering consumers value for money while including them as an 

important part of the recycling value chain. CCBSA was excited to launch this pack in KZN. 

Please describe the scope of the project. 

We began our project in 2022 by removing two glass pack 

production lines (Line 2 and Line 4) to accommodate the 

installation of Line 9, an innovative production line with the 

capability to produce 2L RefPET packs at 25 000 bottles per hour 

as well as 1.25L returnable glass bottles with paper labels (RGBPL) 

at 33 000 bottles per hour. We began production of RGBPL packs 

on 5 April and production of RefPET packs on 10 May 2023. The 

warehousing and distribution areas are also undergoing an 

extensive upgrade to accommodate the new pack. 

Gavin Lundell, Senior 

Project Manager, CCBSA 

BIOGRAPHY 

Gavin Lundell is a Senior Project 

Manager for CCBSA’s four 

manufacturing plants in the 

Coastal Region. Gavin’s previous 

roles in the bottling system included 

being a Unit Manager, Packaging 

Engineer and Project Engineer. 

Gavin is a qualified Mechanical 

Engineer and one of his professional 

accomplishments was leading the 

installation of Line 3 at CCBSA’s 

Phoenix plant in Durban, which was 

hailed as one of the best projects 

executed in the business. 

Explain the process of producing RefPET. 

Once a bottle is returned to CCBSA, it goes on a looped 

journey to be cleaned in accordance with Coca-Cola’s 

stringent measures and requirements, then refilled to start its 

next lifecycle. When the bottle reaches the end of its useable 

lifecycle, it joins the recycling value chain and is repurposed 

into another PET product. 

What are the innovative aspects of Line 9? 

All the drains on L9 were installed with high-flow gullies, 

which ensure that water from the various processes drains 

away quickly. This means that there is no pooling of water on 

the floors. While there are other combined returnable plastic 

and glass pack lines in CCBSA, we used different equipment 

manufacturers for Line 9 equipment. KHS supplied us with 

a new type of filler, beverage blender and labeller, as well 

as packing machines and most of the inspection equipment, 

while Unisensor supplied us with the sniffer. As time goes 

by, we are keen to see how this equipment compares to the 

equipment installed on the other bottling lines within CCBSA. 

Tell us more about the sniffer. 

RefPET bottles are porous, which means if exposed to foreign 

substances and chemicals, they may be absorbed by the 

bottles, making cleaning a challenge. To ensure that there 

is no risk of refilling RefPET bottles that have been exposed 


14

to chemicals, we have a sophisticated electronic 

machine known as the sniffer that samples the 

vapours in each bottle. If it detects chemical 

substances, it rejects the RefPET bottle which is 

then destroyed. 

What was your experience of the project? 

While it was exciting, the project, like any other, 

came with its challenges such as the late arrival of 

equipment. The equipment was ordered in 2021 

but owing to the continued impact of Covid-19, 

we only began receiving equipment from late 

2022 which delayed the installation. 

Another challenge was ensuring a continued 

supply of 1.25L RGBs. Line 4 was the only 1.25L 

RGB line in KZN, so we had to minimise the 

production downtime for its removal. We 

therefore phased preparation for Line 9 by 

removing Line 2 in 2022 and completing all the 

intensive construction work in the open area 

while Line 4 ran through our December peak. In 

early 2023, we shut down and removed Line 4 

to prepare the floor, while we started installing 

Line 9 in the old Line 2 area. 

The design and planning of the line and the 

sequence of installation was a huge collaborative 

effort between our team and all the suppliers 

involved. Condensing a three-to-four-month 

construction and build phase into a 10-week 

shutdown was a major achievement! 

How much training was required to get 

production staff up to speed to operate the 

new line? 

We arranged training internally as well as through 

the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to 

upskill employees and expand their capabilities. 

This included both theory and practical training 

on the new equipment. It is through our incredible 

and passionate people that we have been able to 

successfully commission this line. 

recycled content in all packaging and make 25% 

of its packaging reusable by the same year, while 

making all its packaging 100% recyclable by 2025. 

This is part of our World Without Waste 

Vision 2030, which relies on partnerships with 

customers, consumers, communities, industry and 

governments to succeed. This returnable 2L plastic 

pack helps us contribute to achieving that vision. 

Aside from helping to reduce waste, what are 

the other advantages? 

The 2L RefPET selling price to consumers is 33% 

lower than one-way plastic packs, making it more 

affordable for consumers and increasing sales for 

both our customers and our business. 

What do consumers need to know? 

The returnable PET bottles became available 

for the first time in KZN stores from June 2023. 

The plastic packs are identifiable by a new paper 

label, with ‘RETURNABLE’ appearing in green 

on the front of the bottle. Similar to returnable 

glass bottles, consumers will need to pay a 

deposit which they will get back upon their next 

purchase, encouraging returns. ■ 

What are the advantages of the new pack in 

terms of sustainability? 

CCBSA, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa 

(CCBA), and a bottler for The Coca-Cola Company, 

has committed to help collect a bottle or can for 

every single one it produces by 2030, use 50% 


KEY SECTORS 

Overviews of the main economic 

sectors of KwaZulu-Natal 

Agriculture 18 

Forestry and paper 20 

Mining 22 

Oil and gas 23 

Energy 24 

Engineering 25 

Water 26 

Construction and property 27 

Film 28 

Tourism 30 

ICT 31 

Manufacturing 32 

Automotive 33 

Education and training 34 

Development finance and SMME support 36 

Banking and financial services 38 

Renishaw Coastal Precinct on the KZN Mid-South Coast released two hilltop sites in early 2023. 

PHOTO: Renishaw Coastal Precinct

OVERVIEW 

Agriculture 

Training is embracing new technology. 

A 

group of young black female farmers are in the process of 

completing a three-year incubator programme which will 

equip them with the skills to compete in the marketplace 

and expand their businesses. 

The Momentum Metropolitan’s Women in Farming programme 

offers training in mental wellness and analysis, poultry and vegetable 

farming, soil fertility and plant nutrition. At the end of the programme, 

graduates are invited to become part of the Pietermaritzburg Agri 

network, qualifying as contracted traders while receiving exposure 

to new market access opportunities. 

The province’s two agricultural colleges, Cedara and Owen 

Sitole, are to become the sites of digital transformation and new 

technologies. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and 

Rural Development (DARD) is investing in 4IR to improve agricultural 

production and intends turning research stations into centres of 

excellence. Cedara is in the Midlands and the Owen Sitole College of 

Agriculture is near Empangeni. 

In the 2023/24 financial year, 340 agricultural graduates will be 

enrolled by DARD on farms where they will learn practical skills. Coaching 

and mentorship underpin this programme, now in its third year. 

Another DARD initiative is to promote food security through the 

planting of seedlings. The target in 2023/24 is 10-million seedlings on 

6 293ha, a project that will create 115 jobs for young people. 

Sugar industry 

Tongaat Hulett going into business rescue in 2020 was a major 

shock, not only to the many businesses which rely on the sugar 

producer in KwaZulu-Natal, but because the company has a long 

history and has become one of the biggest corporate names in the 

South African economy. 

In 2022 seven former Tongaat Hulett senior executives appeared 

in court on charges of fraud for allegedly backdating sales agreements 

of the company’s property division to score better bonuses. 

As a result of finding massive holes in the balance sheet, many 

assets had to be sold, including Tambankulu Estates in Eswatini for 

R375-million. 

The business rescue practitioners (BRP), Metis Strategic Advisors, 

managed to keep 2 500 employed at the company and invested 

more than R400-million in off-crop capital maintenance between 

December 2022 and April 2023. 

SECTOR INSIGHT 

Business rescue 

practitioners believe in 

Tongaat Hulett’s future. 

At the end of May 2023, 

the BRP produced a statement 

which read, in part: “When 

the business entered business 

rescue in October 2022, the 

operations were brought to 

a standstill as there was no 

free cash available to fund 

operations or to settle creditors 

or employees. 

“A constant factor in our 

minds in the execution of this 

business rescue is the enormous 

social impact of the businesses 

under our care. It is beyond 

question that the successful 

rescue of especially THL’s sugar 

operations in South Africa will 

save tens of thousands, possibly 

hundreds of thousands, of direct 

and indirect jobs. We take this 

responsibility very seriously 

and are confident that Tongaat 

Hulett has a future.” 

In July 2023, Metis 

announced that a Tanzanian 

company, Kagera Sugar, was the 

preferred buyer of Tongaat, a 

decision that will be referred to 

shareholders later in the year. 

The sugar industry itself 

faces many challenges, not 

least the imposition of a 

sugar tax and imports from 

countries such as Brazil, India 

and Thailand. Diversification is 

vital for the future and power 


18

OVERVIEW 

Women in Farming participants on a butternut field in Empolweni. 

generation will be an important part of that. Neither of the Big Two 

companies relies exclusively on South African sugar earnings: the 

troubled Tongaat Hulett has a big property portfolio and Illovo draws 

most of its profit from operations elsewhere in Africa. 

A start has been made on tackling the many challenges faced 

by the sugar industry: the Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan 2030 

has been signed by two national government ministers and various 

sector participants. An important part of the transformation of the 

sugar industry involves supporting small-scale farmers. Of the 10 443 

farmers who supply Tongaat Hulett, 94% are small-scale farmers. The 

Illovo Small-Scale Grower Cane Development Project used 119 local 

contractors to develop the fields of 1 630 new growers on 3 000ha. 

SA Canegrowers represents 23 866 growers and is responsible 

for the production of 18.9-million cane tons. The Sugar Terminal at 

Maydon Wharf, Durban, serves 11 mills and can store more than halfa-million 

tons of sugar. It also has a molasses mixing plant. 

Agricultural assets 

Of KwaZulu-Natal’s 6.5-million hectares of agricultural land, 18% is 

arable and the balance is suitable for the rearing of livestock. The 

ONLINE RESOURCES 

KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union: www.kwanalu.co.za 

Milk Producers Organisation: www.mpo.co.za 

South African Cane Growers’ Association: www.sacanegrowers.co.za 

South African Sugar Association: www.sasa.org.za 

province’s forests occur mostly 

in the southern and northern 

edges of the province. 

The coastal areas 

lend themselves to sugar 

production and fruit, with 

subtropical fruits doing 

particularly well in the north. 

KwaZulu-Natal produces 7% of 

South Africa’s citrus fruit. The 

Coastal Farmers Co-operative 

represents 1 400 farmers. 

TWK is a R6-billion operation 

that originated in forestry 

but which is now a diverse 

agricultural company with 

seven operating divisions. It 

has 19 trade outlets in the 

province and 21 in Swaziland 

and Mpumalanga. 

Beef originates mainly in the 

Highveld and Midlands areas, 

with dairy production being 

undertaken in the Midlands and 

south. The province produces 

18% of South Africa’s milk. 

KwaZulu-Natal’s subsistence 

farmers hold 1.5-million cattle, 

which represents 55% of the 

provincial beef herd, and their 

goat herds account for 74% 

of the province’s stock. The 

Midlands is also home to some 

of the country’s finest racehorse 

stud farms. The area around 

Camperdown is one of the 

country’s most important areas 

for pig farming. Vegetables grow 

well in most areas, and some 

maize is grown in the northwest. 

Nuts such as pecan and 

macadamia thrive. 

Enterprise iLembe, the 

development arm of the iLembe 

District Municipality, is looking 

for investors to further develop 

an agro-processing hub near 

the King Shaka International 

Airport and Dube TradePort. ■ 

PHOTO: Sisekelo Duma 


OVERVIEW 

Forestry and paper 

The sector is proud of its green credentials. 

Several myths were debunked when leaders of the forestry and 

paper sectors gathered in July 2023 for a roundtable discussion 

hosted by the Paper Manufacturers Association of South 

Africa (PAMSA). 

The first relates to misconceptions about plantations. 

“Deforestation happens when you cut trees down and do not 

replant them,” explained Jane Molony, executive director at PAMSA. 

“We do not use indigenous or natural forests in this country. We 

farm trees in just the same way you would farm grain or maize.” 

Noting that wood products can be good for the environment, Dr 

Tracy Wessels, Group Head of Sustainability and Investor Relations 

at Sappi noted, “By harvesting a small proportion of mature trees 

and replanting with new trees each year, we improve the carbon 

sequestration rate.” 

Timber plantations or planted forests represent just 7% of the 

planet’s forest area but provide about 50% of the wood for global 

industrial use such as pulp, paper and timber for construction. In 

South Africa, about 30% of the forestry-owned land is set aside 

for biodiversity. The roundtable also discussed the latest trends in 

packaging and working towards a circular economy through better 

management of waste. 

Sappi has 19 production facilities on three continents (of 

which five are in Southern Africa) and 12 800 employees in over 

35 countries. Sappi’s Stanger Mill is situated close to sugar cane 

fields from which it takes bagasse (dry sugar cane pulp) for use in 

its production processes. Typek office paper is made at this mill, 

which has the capacity to produce 80 000 tons of paper and 30 000 

tons of tissue. 

At the company’s Tugela Mill up to 200 000 tons per annum of 

containerboard (corrugating medium) can be manufactured from 

recycled and virgin fibre. The giant Sappi Saiccor mill 50km south of 

Durban is the world’s biggest manufacturer of dissolving wood pulp. 

The Mondi Group has grown into an international behemoth 

with 26 000 employees and operations in more than 30 countries. 

Mondi’s Merebank Mill produces a range of office paper products 


Forestry South Africa: www.forestry.co.za 

National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment: 

www.dffe.gov.za 

Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA): 

www.thepaperstory.co.za 

South African Institute of Forestry: www.saif.org.za 


30% of forestry-owned 

land in South Africa is set 

aside for biodiversity. 

including the well-known brand, 

Mondi Rotatrim. Uncoated 

woodfree reels are manufactured 

for the South African and Sub- 

Saharan African markets. 

Nampak produces crêpe 

paper at Verulam and Rafalo 

produces tissue paper. SA Paper 

Mills is another paper producer. 

Mpact has plastics and 

paper operations, with the 

paper section divided into three 

divisions: paper manufacturing, 

corrugated and converted paper 

products and recycling. 

The National Department 

of Forestry, Fisheries and the 

Environment has set a target for 

South Africa to plant 10-million 

trees, two-million per year for 

five years. ■ 


20 

PHOTO: PAMSA

Seeing the wood for the trees 

Using harvested wood products offers unique potential for a greener world, 

as Jane Molony, executive director, Paper Manufacturers Association of 

South Africa explains. 

Harvested timber with plantations in the background. Credit: Mondi South Africa 

Our biggest allies in building a greener, 

low-carbon world are trees, and trees 

of all kinds. Trees and countless plant 

species take up carbon dioxide for 

energy and growth. In turn, they give us oxygen. 

Photosynthesis is quite remarkable. 

A tree-poor country by global standards, South 

Africa has 500 000 hectares of closed-canopy 

indigenous forests. It is for this very reason that 

indigenous trees are never used for commercial 

production and why we have 1.2-million hectares 

of planted forests or timber plantations. 

The latter supports our wood value chain, supplying 

wood for use in pulp, cellulose, paper, packaging, 

sawn timber and poles among other things. 

Akin to farming, forestry involves the sustainable 

and scientifically backed cultivation of specific tree 

species for such purposes. 

For the pulp and paper industry, we have 

850-million trees growing on more than 676 000 

hectares. Less than 10% of this total area is harvested 

during any year and the same area is replanted with 

new trees – specially cultivated saplings. 

These plantations share land with indigenous 

landscapes – grasslands, woodlands and wetlands 

– which are actively conserved on forestry-owned 

land, complementing biodiversity and waterstewardship 

efforts. Opponents of the forestry sector 

do not see the bigger picture. Many fail to recognise 

the difference between sustainable forestry, as 

described above, and deforestation. 

The Food and Agricultural Organisation of the 

United Nations defines deforestation as “the conversion 

of forest to other land use independently 

of whether human-induced or not”, adding that 

deforestation is essentially referring to a change in 

land use, not in tree cover. Deforestation includes 

areas of forest converted to agriculture, pasture, water 

reservoirs and urban areas. 

Sustainable forestry ensures that not only do we 

improve carbon sequestration by planting young 

trees, but also keep carbon stored in harvested 

wood products. And it’s not just 

conventional wood and paper that 

have this potential. 

Cellulose has found application 

in textiles, sponges, paint, cosmetics, 

pharmaceuticals, detergents and 

even laptop screens. And of course, 

by recycling paper, carbon in the 

paper fibres is kept locked up for 

longer. Recycling is not about 

“saving trees”. 

By using more sustainably 

farmed harvested-wood products, 

we can take up more carbon, store 

more carbon and find low-carbon 

solutions for everyday needs. ■ 


OVERVIEW 

Mining 

High courts rule on coal expansion project. 

A 

project to extend the life-of-mine of an anthracite coal mine 

in a rural community north of Richards Bay will go ahead 

after several visits to high courts. 

Mining at Somkhele was halted in 2022 on the basis of 

a North Gauteng High Court ruling relating to various 

permissions not having been obtained by Tendele Coal 

Mining (a Petmin subsidiary) but in July 2023 a judge of 

the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, Pietermaritzburg, ruled that 

mining could continue. 

The case was brought by the Mfolozi Community 

Environmental Justice Organisation and other NGOs, 

including the Global Environmental Trust. A trust holds 

20% ownership of Somkhele, of which 80% belongs to a 

community trust and the balance to an employees’ trust. 

Richards Bay Minerals (RBM), a subsidiary of the Rio 

Tinto Group, resumed operations at its mineral sands 

plant and refinery in 2021 but has not yet committed to continuing 

to invest in a major mine-life extension. The main products of the 

RBM mine are zircon, rutile, titania slag, titanium dioxide feedstock 

and high-purity iron. 

RBM’s dune and environmental projects, pictured, have so far 

rehabilitated more than 3 311ha. More than 35 scientific studies 

have been conducted by scientists from around the world who have 

studied the company’s methods. 

Since 2018, titanium dioxide producer Tronox Holdings has 

contributed R22-million per year to local communities, including 

through local procurement opportunities. Tronox exports titanium 

ore, zircon and other materials to its pigment plants around the world 

where titanium dioxide pigment is produced for use in paints, plastics 

and paper. About 21% of the company’s workforce is made up of 

women. The KZN Sands mineral sands operation comprises a central 

processing complex in Empangeni and the Fairbreeze Mine. 

Most of the product from the smelter (high-quality primary 

aluminium ingot) is exported but some liquid metal form is sent to 

Isizinda Aluminium which supplies Hulamin, a company that has had 

a rolling mill in Pietermaritzburg since 1949. Hulamin is the only major 


Council for Geoscience: www.geoscience.org.za 

Geological Sciences, University of KZN: www.geology.ukzn.ac.za 

National Department of Mineral Resources: www.dmr.gov.za 


More than 60% of 

Hulamin’s sales come 

from exports. 

aluminium rolling operator in 

the region and it makes rolled 

products and extrusions. 

The Covid pandemic in 2020 

added to the ongoing problem 

of reliable electricity supply, 

which is a critical issue for a big 

energy user like a smelter. After 

extended negotiations, South32 

and Eskom have signed a longterm 

energy supply agreement 

for the Hillside Aluminium 

smelter to 2031. 

Other processing facilities in 

the province include the steel 

plant owned by Arcelor Mittal 

in Newcastle and Safa Steel’s 

metal-coating factory in Cato 

Manor. Some of the coalfields of 

the province have been revived. 

Luxembourg-based Traxys 

Africa, which has chrome 

mines in Mpumalanga and 

Limpopo provinces, runs a 

high-carbon ferrochrome 

plant at Richards Bay. ■ 


22 

PHOTO: Richards Bay Minerals

Oil and gas 

Richards Bay will host a gas power plant. 

OVERVIEW 


Eni has agreed to 

explore offshore. 

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has 

approved an application from national utility Eskom to build 

a 3 000MW gas power station in Richards Bay. 

An allocation of 3 126MW to natural gas has been made 

in the national medium-term energy policy to 2030. The National 

Department of Mineral Resources and Energy allocated one of the first 

two gas-to-power plants to be constructed under the Independent 

Power Producer Procurement Programme (IPPPP) to Richards Bay, 

pictured. This has the potential to turn the Richards Bay Industrial 

Development Zone (RBIDZ) into an energy hub. 

Environmental groups have lodged appeals in an attempt to stop 

the building of the plant, which is a step along the pathway outlined 

by national government to use gas as a “transitional fuel”, away from 

fossil fuels towards greener sources of power. 

The Port of Richards Bay is investing in new infrastructure. The 

supply of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) is set to be made much easier 

and more reliable with the erection of the 22 600-ton Mounded LPG 

Facility at Richards Bay. 

In reaction to the announcement in 2022 by Shell Downstream 

South Africa and bp Southern Africa of a “spend freeze” and a pause 

in operations at the SAPREF oil refinery in Durban, the Provincial 

Government of KwaZulu-Natal intends facilitating meetings with these 

companies and other interested parties to try to find a way to restart 

operations at this important facility. The refinery accounts for roughly 

35% of the country’s refinery capacity and is likely to be offered for sale. 


National Energy Regulator of South Africa: www.nersa.org.za 

Petroleum Agency SA: www.petroleumagencysa.com 

Durban’s other oil refinery, 

Enref, was hit by a fire in 

December 2020 and there are 

plans to convert it to a storage 

facility. South Africa is a net 

importer of fuel and the Port 

of Durban handles 80% of 

South Africa’s fuel imports.The 

regulator and promoter of oil 

and gas exploration in South 

Africa, Petroleum Agency South 

Africa, has awarded coalbedmethane 

gas exploration rights 

in KwaZulu-Natal to NT Energy 

Africa, which has a partnership 

with the Central Energy Fund. 

These awards are for onshore 

exploration. Petroleum Agency 

SA is an agency of the National 

Department of Mineral 

Resources and Energy (DMRE) 

Eni, one of the world’s biggest 

energy companies, has an 

agreement with Sasol Petroleum 

International to explore for 

hydrocarbons off the coast of 

KwaZulu-Natal. 

Getting fuel to the province 

of Gauteng is the key mission of 

the new multi-purpose pipeline 

(NMPP). Refined products such as 

jet fuel, sulphur diesel and both 

kinds of octane petrol are carried. 

The infrastructure of Transnet 

Pipelines is said to reduce the 

number of fuel tankers on South 

African roads by about 60%. ■ 

PHOTO: TNPA 23 

KWAZULU-NATAL BUSINESS 2023/24

OVERVIEW 

Energy 

Battery storage has arrived in KwaZulu-Natal. 

South Korean company Hyonsung Heavy Industries broke 

ground at Elandskop in December 2022, signalling the 

first project in Eskom’s Battery Energy Storage System 

(BESS) project. The 8MW facility will move to producing an 

additional 144MW in the second stage of the project. 

A study into using solar energy to provide power for the 

Sundumbili Water Treatment Works in the iLembe District 

Municipality was conducted through the Vuthela iLembe LED 

Support Programme. Funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for 

Economic Affairs (SECO), the study found that the system, estimated 

to cost just over R5-million to build, would result in savings of about 

R4.8-million over a nine-year period. 

This study is just one of several initiatives regarding energy 

taking place within the iLembe District Municipality. This was 

illustrated at a meeting held under the title “Synergy for Energy” 

hosted by Vuthela iLembe recently. There was interaction 

between business operators and provincial and municipal officials 

such as Sibusiso Jali, KwaDukuza Municipality Executive Director: 

Electrical Engineering Business Unit, pictured. Moves to improve 

the efficiency of the electricity supply to the coastal areas are 

starting to take shape was one of the conclusions, but stronger 

collaboration between the public and private sector is needed to 

secure reliable power. 

Several alternative-energy options are being considered by 

the public and private sector to produce additional power. These 

include using waste heat generated by industry and biomass fuels 

using waste from forestry and natural gas. 

Also in the district, an open-cycle gas turbine plant at 

Shakaskraal can be converted to gas-fired technology, a method 

which energy planners are encouraging. The 670MW plant came 

on stream in 2017. Its project company, Avon Peaking Power, is 

jointly owned by a community trust, Mitsui (Japan), Legend Power 

Solutions (South Africa) and ENGIE of France. 

As part of the provincial government’s strategy to boost regional 

development, the iLembe District has been named as an Industrial 

Economic Hub (IEH) for the renewable energy sector. 

The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality has entered the 


National Department of Energy: www.energy.gov.za 

South African National Energy Development Institute: 

www.sanedi.org.za 

iLembe District Municipality 

is taking action on energy. 

field of renewable energy 

provision with the publication 

of its eThekwini Integrated 

Resource Plan (EIRP). This 

document outlines the steps 

the city will take towards its 

cleaner energy goals. 

Illovo Sugar SA is keen 

to produce biofuel and bioenergy 

and at the company’s 

Eswatini mill, Ubombo, it 

has a commercial supply 

agreement with the Eswatini 

Electricity Company. 

Biomass technology is at 

the centre of the conversion 

scheme of South African 

Breweries at its Prospecton 

plant south of Durban. 

Methane-gas emissions from 

a nearby effluent plant are 

piped to the plant where they 

are converted to electricity. ■ 


24 PHOTO: iLembe District Municipality

Engineering 

Better cooling systems also help the environment. 

OVERVIEW 


UKZN’s School of Engineering 

offers nine areas of specialisation. 

When dairy company Clover decided to consolidate its 

national operations into just four plants, technological 

expertise was needed to make sure those factories 

were able to cope with greater demand. 

One such company was Energy Partners Refrigeration (EPR) who 

were contracted to tackle a number of issues, including increased 

power requirements to higher refrigeration load as well as increased 

steam demand and pressure requirements. 

The upgrade of the cooling structure featured the installation of 

a new 10MW ammonia system and 16% of all the electricity used 

by the new system is generated by solar PV. An innovative aspect 

of the project, pictured, is that Clover has a Cooling-as-a-Service 

(CaaS) contract, a pay-per-use model that removes the large upfront 

investment cost as a barrier to improved efficiencies and improved 

environmental performance. 

All of the province’s biggest industries require sophisticated 

engineering skills: aluminium smelters in Richards Bay and steel works 

in Newcastle, Richards Bay and Cato Ridge. There are also chemicals 

and plastics production plants, and large automotive works. 

Marine repair and engineering are important, with established 

companies such as EBH South Africa offering comprehensive services 

at the ports of Durban and Richards Bay. 

Dormac, which is headquartered in the Bayhead area of the Port 

of Durban, is best known for its marine engineering but it offers 

specialised services to the sugar industry and provides machinery 


Consulting Engineers South Africa: www.cesa.co.za 

Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering: www.saiie.co.za 

WASH R&D Centre: www.washcentre.ukzn.ac.za 

for industrial giants like Toyota 

and Defy. 

One of the largest independent 

wire manufacturers in the country, 

Hendok Group, is steadily increasing 

its exports to other African countries. 

With more than 1 000 employees at 

the factory in the Phoenix Industrial 

Park in Durban, the company makes 

a wide variety of wires and is the 

country’s biggest producer of nails. 

ArcelorMittalSA is Africa’s 

biggest steelmaker and it has a plant 

at Newcastle, but tough times in the 

steel business have meant that the 

company has shut down some of 

its facilities. The first to be shuttered 

was Saldanha in the Western Cape 

and an analysis of the profitability of 

other centres is underway. 

A big project that has created 

a lot of work for engineers is the 

multi-year Western Aqueduct 

project to bring fresh water to 

greater Durban. The Transnet 

Engineering (TE) plant in the Port 

of Durban houses six business 

units and has 3 555 employees. 

The Port Equipment Maintenance 

unit and units specialising in 

wheels and locomotive overhaul 

are other entities. 

The School of Engineering at 

University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) 

offers a range of degree options 

in nine areas of specialisation 

including Bioresources, Chemical, 

Electronic and Computer 

Engineering and Land Surveying. ■ 

PHOTO: EPR 25 


OVERVIEW 

Water 

Solar power is a water solution. 

An off-grid, solar-powered groundwater harvesting system 

has been installed in Ekushane. 

The Mayor of eThekwini was on hand to help launch the 

system together with a representative from Coca-Cola 

Beverages South Africa (CCBSA). The Coke Ville Project, pictured, was 

launched at several sites across South Africa in 2020 and not only 

harvests groundwater but treats it as well. Water wheelbarrows are 

distributed as part of the project to enable residents to transport 

water easily. 

In the Harry Gwala District Municipality, an amount of R30- 

million has been set aside for 28 solar-powered boreholes with 

elevated tankstands to be constructed. In the Umkhanyakude 

District, Mhlathuze has been appointed as the implementing agent 

to install boreholes across all four local municipalities. The water 

infrastructure servicing the coastal areas from Southbroom to 

Port Edward and the inland rural areas will receive more than R40- 

million in upgrades and repairs. 

In response to loadshedding, the iLembe District Municipality 

and two local municipalities, in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal 

Department of Economic Development and Tourism and funded 

by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, has conducted 

a feasibility study into using renewable energy to abstract raw water 

from the lower Tugela River, treat it to safe drinkable standards and 

pump it to consumers in the Mandeni and KwaDukuza municipalities. 

A provincial Water Intervention Plan is being rolled out in 

hotspots where municipalities are struggling to provide consistent 

services. The main pipelines of Kokstad and Underberg are receiving 

upgrades, as are the water supply systems at Bergville, Skhemelele 

and Moyeni Zwelisha. 

The area north of the Durban central business district is one of the 

fastest-growing urban areas in South Africa, with a number of large 

office and accommodation projects going ahead simultaneously. 

This is a welcome development for the economy, but the new 

buildings also create pressure on infrastructure. 

The multi-year, R250-million Northern Aqueduct Augmentation 

project was initiated in 2014 and the fifth phase of the project is 

underway. This will provide water for Durban North, Umhlanga, 

Newlands, KwaMashu, Phoenix and Cornubia. 


National Department of Water and Sanitation: www.dws.gov.za 

Umgeni Water: www.umgeni.co.za 

Water Research Commission: www.wrc.org.za 


Municipalities are 

upgrading infrastructure. 

Umgeni Water currently 

supplies seven municipalities, 

including the eThekwini 

Metropolitan Municipality which 

includes Umlazi and Durban. 

Large parts of the northern 

part of the province are served 

by Mhlathuze Water. The utility 

has assets valued at more than 

R3-billion and its area of supply 

covers 37 000m². 

New technology has 

been installed at the Verulam 

Wastewater Treatment Works 

of the eThekwini municipality. 

Murray & Roberts Water and its 

European technology partner, 

Organica Water, has installed an 

environmentally friendly system 

that uses 30% less energy and 

produces 30% less sludge. ■ 


26 PHOTO: CCBSA

Construction and property 

Durban’s old buildings are getting a new life. 

OVERVIEW 

The regeneration of Durban’s centre is happening one building 

at a time. The Inner City Regeneration Programme of 

the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality reported on good 

progress on 33 identified buildings in 2022. Introduced in 

2021 to eradicate problem buildings, the programme aimed to see 

property owners, the Department of Public Works and Transnet 

working together. 

An investment of R270-million in water supply and sanitation 

in the Point Precinct and Anton Lembede Street is underway and 

public spaces on Mahatma Gandhi Road have been upgraded. 

A private developer has been busy repurposing inner-city 

buildings. In 2019 the Garlicks department store building was 

relaunched as the new HOMii building with 145 flats. Since then 

Urban Lifestyle Investment, again through its HOMii brand, has 

opened The Watt Club, pictured, which offers studio and one- and 

two-bedroom apartments, a gym, a rooftop social area, games 

lounge, co-working spaces and a laundry. Flats can be bought or 

there is a rent-to-buy option. 

The Mid-South Coast does not have anything like the same 

number of estates as the North Coast, but that is about to change. 

Renishaw Property Developments controls 1 300ha which it has 

started releasing into the market. The Renishaw Coastal Precinct 

near Scottburgh will eventually have five multi-use nodes and 

the aim is for them to be self-sufficient in water supply and power 

generation. Two sites of Node 1 were released in 2023 and have 

been marketed as ideal sites for eco-estates. The sites are near the 

road leading to Renishaw Hills, a 25ha mature lifestyle estate with 

more than 300 residents and about R400-million in sales to date. 

Tongaat Hulett Developments (THD) has for some years been 

rolling out a series of developments on land it owns and it has 

launched the nTshongweni Urban Development on either side of 

the busy N3 highway west of the city. 

Investec Property is behind a major new development, The 

Brickworks, strategically located between the Port of Durban and 

King Shaka International Airport. 

The R2-billion first phase, on which construction will start 

in the middle of 2022, will see the old Corobrik factory site 


Construction Industry Development Board: www.cidb.org.za 

Master Builders Association KwaZulu-Natal: www.mba-kzn.co.za 

SA Estate Agency Affairs Board: www.eaab.org.za 


Land is being released for 

estate developments. 

transformed into a business 

and logistics park. Once the 

project is complete there will 

be more than 450 000m² of 

leasable space. 

KwaZulu-Natal has a 

number of brick companies 

and four cement factories. 

Three of these are run by 

NPC at Simuma, Durban 

and Newcastle, and the 

company has a further six 

sites for concrete and two for 

aggregate. NPC is part of the 

Intercement group. Lafarge has 

several aggregate quarries and 

eight Readymix plants around 

the province. The company’s 

grinding operation in Richards 

Bay has closed. ■ 

PHOTO: The Watt Club 27 


OVERVIEW 

Film 

Small studios are taking centre stage. 

Small film production companies celebrated in 2023 when the 

Micro Budget Film Fund of the Durban Film Office (DFO) handed 

over five substantial cheques to allow them to bring their 

projects to completion and achieve high production standards. 

Cheques of R250 000 were presented at a ceremony at the 

Barnyard Theatre Suncoast on 19 May 2023. Among the recipients 

were BTS Films (Pty) Ltd which secured funding for “The Life 

Between Us”, while Lwazi Duma Entertainment received support for 

“Thulebone” and Umqhele Films (Pty) Ltd was awarded funding for its 

project, “Amalootist” (Youth in the midst of war). 

This initiative aims to invigorate the growth of Durban’s film 

industry and provide vital support to emerging local filmmakers by 

fostering a platform for their talent to flourish. Celebrating its 20th 

anniversary in 2023, the DFO has played a pivotal role in positioning 

Durban as a globally competitive film city. 

The DFO has two other development programmes targeting 

filmmakers at different levels in the industry: the Development 

Fund Grant and Festivals and the Markets Support Grant. Together, 

these programmes aim to support intermediate and experienced 

producers and local emerging filmmakers based in Durban. Also, 

to provide opportunities for skills development and market 

access, expose local talent to international audiences and to 

promote local films. 

The KZN Film Industry Transformation Initiative (FITI) is another 

strategy to support previously disadvantaged and emerging 

filmmakers. Administered by the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, the 

one-year FITI aims to increase skills levels with a view to individuals 

being able to advance to senior positions within the industry. 

The first edition of the Durban International Film Festival 

(DIFF) was held in 1979 and its reputation has been building ever 

since. In 2023, 3 000 films from 137 countries were viewed over 

10 days. Presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University 

of Kwazulu-Natal, a number of prizes are on offer, including Best 

Feature Film, Best African Feature Film, Best South African Feature 

Film and Best Documentary. The programme also encompasses the 

Isiphethu International Student Film Festival, open to filmmakers 


Durban Film Office: www.film.durban.gov.za 

Centre for Creative Arts: www.cca.ukzn.ac.za 

Durban Film Mart: www.durbanfilmmart.co.za 

KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission: www.kznfilm.co.za 

The 45th Durban 

International Film Festival 

will be held in 2024. 

Simphiwe Ngcobo, Regional Manager 

of SABC, Nise Malange, Chairperson 

of KZN Film, Xolani Gumbi and Ismail 

Mahomed, Director of the Centre for 

Creative Arts. 

at tertiary institutions. The 45th 

edition of the DIFF will be held 

in July 2024. 

The Durban FilmMart 

Institute hosts an annual 

Durban FilmMart that in 2023 

attracted 1 018 delegates from 

43 countries. The four-day 

industry event is a finance and 

co-production market designed 

to create partnerships and 

further the development and 

production of African cinema. 

In 2023 it was held under the 

title of “African Constellations” 

and featured 28 official projects, 

seven partner projects and 

44 industry sessions. Primary 

funding is received from the 

Durban Film Office and the 

eThekwini Municipality. ■ 


28 PHOTO: Aphiwe Moyo, Behind The Lens Photography

Durban 

The home of stunning 

locations for every kind of film shoot 

DURBAN FILM OFFICE 

41 MARGARET MNCADI AVENUE 

11TH FLOOR RENNIES HOUSE 

DURBAN 

4001 

Tel: +27 31 311 4243 

#FilmDurban 

Durban Film Office 

@durbanfilmoffice 

@FilmDurban 

https://film.durban.gov.za/

OVERVIEW 

Tourism 

New flights and upgraded airports are boosting tourism. 

Turkish Airlines returned to King Shaka International Airport 

in 2022. Two of the airline’s Istanbul-Johannesburg flights 

now extend to Durban on Thursdays and Saturdays and it 

has plans to increase these to four weekly flights. 

A new direct flight from Durban to Harare in Zimbabwe was 

launched by Airlink in April 2022. Durban Direct, the KZN Route 

Development Committee, arranged a water-canon salute as the 

first plane touched down with a full load of passengers. These 

new flights are in addition to Emirates flying five flights a week 

from Durban directly to Dubai and the four-weekly direct flights 

that Qatar Airways offers. 

The project to improve regional airports is continuing. 

Upgrades at Pietermaritzburg, Newcastle and Richards Bay have 

been authorised and terminals at Margate and Mkuze, where 

R72-million was spent, have been completed. Located in the 

far north of the province, Mkuze holds great potential for the 

distribution of agricultural produce into the SADC market and 

for tourism, given its proximity to several private reserves and 

the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. 

The KwaZulu-Natal Convention Bureau reports that 26 major 

conferences, exhibitions and meetings were held in the province 

in 2021/22, resulting in a direct local economic impact of about 

R220-billion. Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022 attracted 3 700 delegates. 

Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga, shortly after celebrating 

its one-year anniversary in July 2023, received two awards from 

Durban Tourism, the Visitor Experience and Restaurants Award as 

well as the Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events (MESE) Award. 

The Docklands Hotel at the Durban Waterfront is a four-star 

Signature development that cost about R100-million to develop. 

Hotels are located at each of Tsogo Sun’s three casinos in the 

province, with two at Suncoast Casino Hotels & Entertainment. 

Southern Sun runs 13 establishments in KwaZulu-Natal, with 

Durban (five) and Umhlanga (four), making up the majority. 

Premier Hotels & Resorts has nine properties in the province, 

including two recently built in Umhlanga on land bought during 

the Covid-19 pandemic. The group has also restored the Cutty 


Durban International Convention Centre: www.icc.co.za 

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife: www.kznwildlife.com 

Tourism KwaZulu-Natal: www.zulu.org.za 


The MESE sector generated 

R20-billion in 2021/22. 

Sark in Scottburgh. The Royal 

Hotel in the heart of Durban 

is one of eight Three Cities 

Group hotels in the province. 

The Golden Horse Casino 

Hotel is a Three Cities property, 

and the Group administers the 

International Hotel School in 

Westville that also hosts the 

Christine Martin School of 

Food and Wine. 

IFA Hotels & Resorts runs 

several luxury properties 

including the Zimbali Coastal 

Resort and Zimbali Lakes Resort. 

Signature Life Hotels 

has 13 properties and 

Gooderson Leisure has a 

varied portfolio. Sibaya Casino 

and Entertainment Kingdom 

is north of Durban and there 

are casinos in Newcastle 

(Century City), Empangeni 

(Tusk Umfolozi Casino) and 

Pietermaritzburg (Golden 

Horse Casino). ■ 


30 

PHOTO: Dube TradePort

ICT 

OVERVIEW 

Rhinos will benefit from technology. 

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has become the first government 

entity in the province to receive a Remotely Piloted Aircraft 

System Operations Certificate from the South African Civil 

Aviation Authority. 

Not only will rangers be able to check on the condition of rhinos 

threatened by poachers, but being able to deploy drones will assist 

research efforts, promote marketing and allow for more detailed 

inspections more often. 

A group of young people from KwaDukuza and Mandeni Local 

Municipalities have completed their one-year, SETA-accredited 

training under the iLembe ICT project, which will enable them to 

design and develop websites and apps. 

The digital training programme was managed by the Vuthela 

iLembe LED Support Programme in partnership with Enterprise 

iLembe, the district’s economic development agency, the Moses 

Kotane Institute and the youth managers of both municipalities. 

The graduation, pictured, formed part of a one-day event titled 

“Let’s Talk Youth Entrepreneurship” hosted by Enterprise iLembe 

where opportunities in the Green Economy and in the digital world 

were discussed. 

South Africa became better connected to Mauritius, Madagascar 

and Reunion in 2023 when Liquid Intelligent Technologies South 

Africa deployed its MTEL T3 subsea cable on Amanzimtoti’s Pipeline 

Beach. The company will host and manage the submarine cable and 

provide the fibre-landing facility that will house two subsea cables. 

A provincial strategy for creating smart cities is targeting three 

districts: Ugu (Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality as anchor), iLembe 

(KwaDukuza) and Richards Bay (uMhlathuze). 

Broadband Infraco is providing layer two network services to 

Dube TradePort to provide over 810 WiFi hotspots at 405 selected 

sites across the province. 

Over the next five years, the Moses Kotane Institute, another 

subsidiary of the KZN Department of Economic Development, 

Tourism and Environmental Affairs, will connect several rural 

communities. Hubs are expected to be functional in Community 


Dube TradePort: www.dubetradeport.co.za 

Information Technology Association of South Africa: www.ita.org.za 

SmartExchange: www.smartxchange.co.za 

South African Vanguard of Technology: www.savant.co.za 


A new subsea cable landed 

in 2023. 

Service Centres to improve public 

access to digital services. 

South African Vanguard 

of Technology (Savant) is a 

Department of Trade, Industry and 

Competition (dtic) programme. It 

is the marketing and awareness 

programme for the South African 

ICT and electronics sector. The 

aim is to develop South African 

exports and to attract foreign 

investment. It houses a venture 

fund and an incubator. 

A SmartXchange SMME 

Incubator has been launched 

in Port Shepstone on the South 

Coast. The concept of ICT has been 

expanded to include media and 

electronics, so the hub is called an 

MICTe Incubator. 

The province’s SmartXchange is 

an example of a successful publicprivate 

partnership that supports 

businesses in the information 

technology and communications 

sector. Incubation strategies for 

startups and skills development 

(including links to educational 

institutions) are important parts of 

the organisation’s brief. ■ 

PHOTO: Vuthela 

31 


OVERVIEW 

Manufacturing 

Two new Special Economic Zones are planned. 

A 

key component of the economic policies of KwaZulu-Natal 

and South Africa is the support of Special Economic Zones 

(SEZs). In addition to its two existing zones, the province 

wants to establish two new ones. 

Leather and textiles will be the focus of the planned SEZs in the 

Newcastle-Ladysmith corridor, an area where those industries already 

flourish. The province’s two established zones, Dube TradePort (at 

King Shaka International Airport, pictured) and Richards Bay Industrial 

Development Zone (RBIDZ) are attracting investments in a range of 

targeted sectors, agricultural exports and logistics, manufacturing 

and energy, among others. 

TradeZone2 at Dube TradePort has been completed and has 

started attracting investors. These include: 

• Futurelife, food-processors, R57-million 

• LM Diapers, expansion of plant, R75-million 

• Synergy Blenders, chemical manufacturing, R93-million 

KwaZulu-Natal is the second-largest manufacturing centre in 

South Africa, contributing 21% to national manufacturing GDP. The 

strongest export sectors are base metals (32% including aluminium), 

mineral products such as ores, vehicles and chemical products. 

The sector is also a major contributor to the eThekwini 

Municipality GDP. The city’s economy grew 4.9% in 2021, 73% of 

which came from manufacturing, finance, business and trade. 

“Manufacturing is responsible for 20% of the employment 

opportunities in eThekwini which translates to 176 000 jobs of 

which 83% are semi-skilled,” says Takalani Rathiyaya, Head of 

the Economic Development Programmes Department at the 

eThekwini Municipality. Over the last five years the municipality 

established four manufacturing clusters that collectively have 

over 200 member firms. 

Through the Durban Chemicals Cluster, Durban Automotive 

Cluster, KZN Clothing and Textiles Cluster and eThekwini Furniture 

Cluster, a number of programmes are tackling challenges and 

attempting to stimulate growth. As Takalani explains, “Though we 

are only a couple of years into our industrial recovery plan, we are 


Aluminium Federation of South Africa: www.afsa.org.za 

Chemical and Allied Industries’ Association: www.caia.co.za 

Enterprise iLembe: www.enterpriseilembe.org.za 


Durban’s cluster 

approach is paying off. 

seeing the first green shoots 

in harnessing the industry’s 

potential to create highincome 

jobs, boost upstream 

development of local businesses 

as well as benefit from the 

multiplier effect for both formal 

and informal workers.” 

Sappi’s massive Saiccor Mill 

on KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast 

is one of the province’s largest 

processing facilities. 

Aluminium producer Hulamin 

experienced reduced demand 

during the Covid-19 lockdowns 

but has secured a number of 

good orders, including to supply 

product to a US manufacturer 

of electric vehicles. Hulamin had 

previously laid off some workers 

and closed one of its factories in 

another province. The company 

believes that its restructuring is 

working well, and its beverage 

business is thriving. Hulamin 

also makes rolled products at 

Edendale, Pietermaritzburg and 

Camps Drift. 

LG Electronics South Africa 

has opened a R21-million 

factory and distribution centre 

in Cornubia, north of Durban. ■ 


32 

PHOTO: Dube TradePort

Automotive 

OVERVIEW 

Training is being prioritised. 

The Durban Automotive Cluster (DAC) aims to drive 

competitiveness and transformation in the sector. 

Another important role is to promote training. One 

such series of training sessions culminated in a graduation 

ceremony for more than 400 graduates from the DAC and other 

similar groups in May 2022. 

Participants are trained by a private contractor, B&M Analysts, 

through its Skills Development division which runs the Team 

Leader Development Programme (TLDP) and Emerging Leader 

Development Programme (ELDP). 

At the graduation Natalie Kotze, from Bell Equipment, reported 

how she had used what she learnt on her course to reduce the 

amount of time it takes to manufacture a tube by 43% and free up 

more than 90 hours of team capacity. 

A new programme introduced by DAC is TLDP Blitz Fundamentals 

Training, a two-day course that focusses on waste reduction and 

process optimisation. Participants receive a certificate on completion. 

The DAC is working with firms and their supply chains to 

understand and map their carbon emissions at Scopes 1, 2 and 3 

levels. The aim is to see if collaboration between firms in the same 

supply chain can help to reduce their carbon emissions and support 

the drive towards a net-zero future. KwaZulu-Natal has a substantial 

automotive components sector which includes large manufacturers 

such as GUD Filters. 

In line with the policy of developing Industrial Economic Hubs, the 

Durban Automotive Supplier Park is planned at Illovo, south of Durban 

and near to the Toyota manufacturing plant. The Dube TradePort 

Corporation will manage the project, which covers 1 013ha. Other 

partners are the eThekwini Municipality, Toyota and the provincial 

government but the major floods which hit the province in 2022 have 

slowed progress on the project. 

Toyota’s plant, just a few kilometres south of the harbour at 

Prospecton, received a R2.4-billion investment to produce the 

Corolla Cross which started production in 2021. Toyota sells about 

a quarter of the vehicles sold in South Africa, and accounts for the 

same proportion of export volumes. The company’s total investment 


Automotive Industry Development Centre: www.aidc.co.za 

Durban Automotive Cluster: www.dbnautocluster.org.za 

National Association of Automotive Component and Allied 

Manufacturers (NAACAM): www.naacam.co.za 


Carbon emission mapping 

is underway. 

Firms are being asked to collaborate 

to reduce carbon emissions. 

of R4.2-billion between 2019 and 

2021 includes other manufacturing 

projects and a huge increase in 

warehousing capabilities. 

The other large-scale original 

equipment manufacturer in 

the province is Bell Equipment. 

Between the Toyota plant and 

the Richards Bay facility of heavyequipment 

manufacturer Bell 

Equipment, upwards of 11 000 

people are employed. 

Another manufacturer of 

earthmoving equipment is at Port 

Shepstone on the South Coast. 

Dezzi is part of the Desmond 

Group of companies that was 

founded in 1973 and now has 18 

offices and branches. The Dezzi 

CMI backhoe loader is a popular 

part of the company’s range. ■ 

PHOTO: Durban Automotive Cluster 


OVERVIEW 

Education and training 

Graduating as Handypersons will boost employment chances. 


UKZN has close to 40 000 

students. 

Five Handyperson graduates show their tablets. The gentlemen 

in the middle, Xhanti Mhlambiso, NBI Programme Manager: 

Economic Inclusion, and the Centre Manager of uMfolozi TVET 

College, Namasivayam Perumaul, presented the graduates with 

a tablet and a toolbox. 

A 

double graduation took place at the end of 2022 at the 

uMfolozi TVET College at the Installation, Repair and 

Maintenance (IRM) Hub in Mandeni. The 43 students 

graduating as Assistant Handypersons were joined by 10 

candidates from the Artisan Recognition Prior Learning Programme 

(ARPL), whereby candidates’ prior learning and experiences is 

acknowledged through formal certification. All graduates were 

awarded with a toolkit and a tablet to assist them in starting their 

own businesses. 

The IRM Hub is supported by the National Business Initiative, 

GIZ, the German development agency, Sappi and the Swiss State 

Secretariat for Economic Affairs, which also supports the Vuthela 

iLembe LED Support Programme. 

The hub aims to expand opportunities for job retention and job 

growth across a range of sectors such as domestic appliance repairs, 

autobody repairs, cellphone repairs, plumbing, electrical and general 

maintenance. It is SETA-accredited to offer trade tests for electrician, 

fitter, fitter and turner and instrument mechanic. 

Of the 10 ARPL graduates, seven qualified as electricians and 

three qualified as fitters. 

uMfolozi College has eight main campuses: Chief Albert Luthuli, 

Eshowe, Esikhawini, Mandeni and Richtek, Sundumbili/Isithebe, 

Bambanana and Nkandla. There are a further six skills centres. 

The college offers a range 

of national business and 

engineering programmes which 

include the National Certificate 

(Vocational) and N4-N6 Diploma 

programmes. KwaZulu-Natal has 

nine Technical and Vocational 

Education and Training (TVET) 

Colleges with a total enrolment of 

about 80 000. 

Coastal KZN TVET College 

gives students practical 

experience through facilities such 

as the Nongalo Industrial Park. 

The college hosts the Samsung 

Engineering Academy, a Tooling 

Centre of Excellence and a 

manufacturing plant for sanitary 

towels. The college has several 

sites on the South Coast and 

caters for 15 400 students. 

Majuba TVET College is 

a Centre of Specialisation for 

boiler-making. The Mnambithi 

TVET College is located in the 

Battlefields Route tourism area 

and offers National Diploma 

courses in tourism, among other 

qualifications. A satellite campus 

operates at Estcourt. 

Universities 

There are two universities and 

two universities of technology 

in KwaZulu-Natal, and the 


34 

PHOTO: uMfolozi TVET College

OVERVIEW 

national distance university, the University of South Africa (Unisa), 

has a presence in five locations. USB Executive Development offers 

business courses for executives. 

UKZN has close to 40 000 students studying on five campuses 

in two cities. Greater Durban hosts Howard College, Berea 

(environment, engineering, law, humanities) and the Nelson 

Mandela School of Medicine at Congella. The UKZN administration 

and the Graduate School of Business are based at Westville (also 

science, engineering and health) whereas the Edgewood, Pinetown, 

campus focusses on education. 

The Pietermaritzburg campus offers a broad academic 

programme but its specialities are fine art, theology and agriculture. 

UKZN also hosts the National Research Foundation. 

The Durban University of Technology (DUT) has six faculties 

operating in seven campuses in Durban and in the Midlands. DUT is 

well known for its outstanding graphic-design school and offers one 

of only two chiropractic programmes in South Africa. 

The University of Zululand offers diploma and degree courses on 

two campuses at Empangeni and Richards Bay. 

Several provincial government departments make tertiary 

bursaries available to qualifying students, including Agriculture and 

Rural Development, Human Settlements, Public Works, Transport 

and the Treasury. The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) 

supports 26 public universities across the country in advancing 

payment of registration fees for poor students. 

The private sector also actively supports education through 

bursaries. A crowdfunding platform set up by Standard Bank, the 

Feenix Trust, raised more than R35-million in three years to support 

more than 1 000 students. The bank’s Ikusasa Student Financial Aid 

Programme (ISFAP) provides bursaries for students from families 

earning less than R600 000 per annum. 

Schools 

KwaZulu-Natal has 2.8-million school pupils, many of whom are in rural 

areas. With 30% of South Africa’s pupils in its schools, the province’s results 

have a big bearing on how the nation fares in annual examinations. 

There is now near universal access to primary and secondary schooling 

and a new drive to enrol pre-school children in Grade R has achieved 


KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education: www.kzneducation.gov.za 

National Research Foundation: www.nrf.ac.za 

National Skills Authority: www.nationalskillsauthority.org.za 

uMfolozi TVET College: www.umfolozicollege.co.za 

a 70% success rate. The province 

has 1 689 early childhood 

development centres. Transport is 

provided to 350 schools, covering 

59 000 pupils, and 2 400 bicycles 

have been made available under 

the Shovakalula programme. 

A primary school in the 

Harry Gwala District was the site 

of the launch of an e-learning 

infrastructure programme that 

is intended to be rolled out 

to rural areas throughout the 

province. Digital access will 

allow pupils in remote areas 

to be connected to the best 

teachers in the province. 

The unbundling from the 

successful Curro group of a 

separate tertiary entity which 

listed on the JSE as Stadio 

Holdings is a good indicator of 

the growth of the private sector 

in education. 

Stadio currently has three 

institutions: Southern Business 

School, AFDA (the School for 

the Creative Economy) and the 

Embury Institute for Higher 

Education which has a campus 

in Musgrave, Durban. There are 

seven schools in KwaZulu-Natal 

operating under Curro brands. 

Advtech, the other big 

private company in the sector, 

already has 27 tertiary campuses 

nationally, in addition to its 

78 schools operating under 

a variety of labels. Advtech 

operates 10 educational sites 

in KwaZulu-Natal, including 

schools such as Crawford and 

Trinity House, a chefs’ school 

(Capsicum), three Varsity 

Colleges and the Design School 

for Southern Africa. ■ 

35 


OVERVIEW 

Development finance and 

SMME support 

Small businesses are thriving on the Wild Coast. 


Ithala paid out R146-million 

in 2022. 

Pamela Gumede of GPN Amangunie Trading Company and 

Siphokazi Nogojela of Poshy A Printing and Branding 

The Enterprise and Supplier Development programme of 

the Wild Coast Sun is having a big impact. 

Self-taught graphic designer Siphokazi Nogojela has 

seen her business, Poshy A Printing and Branding, grow 

tremendously since she teamed up with the hotel who provided 

her small business with an industrial printing machine and access to 

training. She now employs five staff members between her offices at 

Msizazwe and Wild Coast Sun. 

Having worked at Wild Coast Sun as a seamstress, Pamela 

Gumede submitted a business plan to the hotel in 2021 and now 

GPN Amangunie Trading Company employs four seamstresses from 

a rent-free space within the complex. Her latest order is for 700 sheets 

and 1 700 pillows. 

Since an SMME conference was hosted at the Wild Coast Sun in 

2022, Sun International has put about 15 new SMMEs on its books as 

new suppliers and businesses which it supports. 

At Africa’s Travel Indaba in May 2022, 22 local SMMEs were invited 

to display their offerings to 3 700 South African, African and overseas 

delegates and guests. 

As part of the cluster initiative of the eThekwini Municipality, 

there is a specific SMME programme called Business Accelerators. 

These are sector-specific and run by the Durban Chemicals Cluster, 

Durban Automotive Cluster, KZN Clothing and Textiles Cluster and 

the eThekwini Furniture Cluster. 

The programme has resulted in 

45 black-owned SMMEs signing 

commercial agreements with 

leading manufacturers, delivering 

R3.6-million in new market 

opportunities and 250 new jobs. 

The intention is to be supporting 

2 000 SMMEs by 2025, with 200 

new contracts in place with the 

formal manufacturing sector. 

The provincial government’s 

Sukuma 100 000 surpassed 

its target by creating 137 000 

job opportunities in 2021, with 

all government departments 

participating in focussing 

on opportunities for youth 

employment. Examples of 

companies that received support 

under the project are Gelanison 

Agric, an agricultural initiative that 

produces high-value crops using the 

hydroponic system, and AdNotes, 

a telecommunications company 

which is 100% black and youthowned. 

The company received 

funding from the KZN Youth Fund 

and provides Internet services in the 

Ugu and King Cetshwayo Districts 

and eThekwini Metro. 

Funding options 

Operation Vula Fund is an SMME 

grant funding scheme run by the 


36 

PHOTOS: Wild Coast Sun

KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and 

Environmental Affairs (DEDTEA). A total of 1 016 applications worth 

R339.2-million were approved for funding in the first window in 

various sectors of the economy. 

In the year to 31 December 2022, the Ithala Development Finance 

Corporation disbursed R146-million to 293 SMMEs and co-operatives. 

This created 1 297 job opportunities. 

For the 2023/24 financial year the Youth Fund will deploy R100- 

million to support businesses that are seen to create jobs. The 

provincial government is teaming up with Sumitomo to create smart 

centres and co-operatives to be run by young people. The intention 

is to promote local economic growth in the tyre sector. 

Funding from the National Department of Trade, Industry and 

Competition’s (dtic) Black Industrialist Programme and from the 

Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) secured 70% of Newcastlebased 

Boschpick Engineering for entrepreneurs Bongani Khumalo 

and Phillip Majali and their company Lipsobex. The IDC provides 

finance across a range of sectors, from agriculture to tourism. 

The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) is active in 

supporting entrepreneurs. Seda gives non-financial support through 

training, assistance with filling in forms, marketing and creating 

business plans. 

In KwaZulu-Natal, Seda runs 12 Incubators which either help 

new businesses get started or with the rehabilitation of existing 

enterprises. Three models are used: Technology Demonstration 

Centres (demonstration and training); Technology Incubators (where 

the focus is rehabilitation); Hybrid Centres, which combine elements 

of the other two models. The KwaZulu-Natal incubators include ICT 

and construction (three centres each), furniture and hi-tech (two 

each) and chemicals and essential oils. 

Digital know-how is potentially going to make a big difference 

for the business that Zamalinda Mbatha runs. Her skincare products 

are made from natural products found where she lives in KwaDukuza 

but unemployment in the area is high so local sales are limited. With 

a SETA-accredited ICT certificate in hand, she intends to build her 

own website for her skincare products business and grow her market 

online. The one-year course from which Zamalinda graduated was 

run by the iLembe ICT project. 

Sappi is helping honey-makers make money. A project run jointly 

by Sappi and the African Honey Bee programme is supporting about 

100 beekeepers in Northern KwaZulu-Natal and encouraging them 


National Department of Small Business Development: 

www.dsbd.gov.za 

SA SME Fund: www.sasmefund.co.za 

Small Enterprise Development Agency: www.seda.co.za 

Zamalinda Mbatha will use her ICT 

training to boost her business. 

to invest in sources of income 

such as vegetable gardens that 

can keep their families going 

between honey harvests. A 

benefit to Sappi is that fires 

which used to be used as a 

method of smoking out bees 

has largely been eliminated, 

reducing the risk to Sappi’s 

plantation assets. 

The sugar industry’s 

R1-billion, five-year plan to 

transform the sector will have 

positive spinoffs for small-scale 

growers and distributors. 

Contributions from 

millers and growers have 

allowed for sums of R165- 

million (transformation) 

and R60-million (Value 

Chain Masterplan) to be 

allocated as the first part 

of the scheme. National 

government supported these 

measures with initiatives of 

its own, including providing 

input vouchers to small-scale 

growers. The aim is to reach 

up to 250 000 small-scale 

farmers (including the 21 000 

contributing to the sugarcane 

value chain), in partnership 

with the private sector. ■ 

PHOTO: iLembe ICT Project 


OVERVIEW 

Banking and financial services 

TymeBank is spreading its wings. 

The Competition Tribunal has unconditionally approved Tyme- 

Bank’s purchase of Retail Capital, a fintech SMME funder. 

TymeBank, which is majority owned by Patrice 

Motsepe’s African Rainbow Capital, has been moving 

beyond its basic banking model recently and this purchase 

indicates another broadening of the scope of the bank’s 

ambitions. Having run banking kiosks within Pick n Pay and Boxer 

stores for several years, TymeBank has also signed a deal with TFG, 

a group that has a big presence in KwaZulu-Natal. 

What used to be known as the Foschini Group has 34 brands, 

including Markhams, Totalsports, Jet and Dial a Bed, and 30-million 

customers. In the short term, TymeBank will have access to 600 TFG 

kiosks, taking the bank’s total in South Africa to 1 450. 

The launch by Sanlam Investments of a Sustainable 

Infrastructure Fund is a sign of the times. The South African state 

and the Provincial Government of KwaZulu-Natal has promised 

a huge infrastructure drive but in the context of climate change 

caused by the use of fossil fuels, the investment community is 

increasingly putting emphasis on sustainability. 

The Brics New Development Bank has made a $200-million loan 

for the expansion of the container terminal in Durban. The busy port 

is currently stretched beyond capacity and waiting time for trucks 

can be extremely long. 

Activist groups in Durban’s southern suburbs are opposing 

the loan and the expansion, saying that further development will 

increase pollution in the area and lead to even more dangerous 

traffic congestion. 

Up the coast at Richards Bay, the World Bank’s International 

Finance Corporation (IFC) has committed $2-million to a feasibility 

study on the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage 

and regasification terminal. The study’s costs are shared with Transnet 

and a private investor will be sought if the feasibility study is positive. 

Aspen Pharmacare is a speciality pharmaceuticals company with 

a presence in more than 50 countries and nearly 9 000 employees. 

The company’s headquarters are in La Lucia Ridge north of Durban. 

Aspen’s decision to register a second listing on one of South Africa’s 


Association for Savings and Investment South Africa: www.asisa.org.za 

Financial Sector Conduct Authority: www.fsca.co.za 

South African Institute for Chartered Accountants: www.saica.co.za 


Sustainability has a 

financial component. 

newest stock exchanges (the 

primary listing remains on the 

JSE) was a boost for A2X, which 

set out to attract secondary 

listings. 

Of the four new exchanges 

that South Africa has seen since 

2017, ZARX has been suspended 

and 4AX has rebranded as the 

Cape Town Stock Exchange. 

Equity Express Securities 

Exchange (EESE) trades in Black 

Economic Empowerment (BEE). 

Together with real estate 

and general business, the 

financial sector in KwaZulu- 

Natal accounts for 18% of gross 

domestic product (GDP). ■ 


38

LISTING 

KwaZulu-Natal Provincial 

Government 

A guide to KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial government departments. All addresses are located 

in Pietermaritzburg (code 3201) unless stated otherwise. Visit www.kznonline.gov.za. 

Office of the Premier 

Premier: Nomusa Dube-Ncube 

Moses Mabhida Building, 

300 Langalibalele Street 

Tel: +27 33 341 3300 

Agriculture and Rural Development 

MEC: Super Zuma 

Cedara College, 1 Cedara Road 

Tel: +27 33 335 9100 

Website: www.kzndard.gov.za 

Community Safety and Liaison 

MEC: Sipho Emmanuel Hlomuka 

179 Jabu Ndlovu Street 

Tel: +27 33 341 9300 

Website: www.kzncomsafety.gov.za 

Cooperative Governance and Traditional 

Affairs 

MEC: Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi 


Tel: +27 33 260 8255 

Website: www.kzncogta.gov.za 

Economic Development, Tourism and 

Land Affairs 

MEC: Siboniso Armstrong Duma 


Tel: +27 33 264 2500 

Website: www.kznedtea.gov.za 

Education 

MEC: Mbali Frazer 

Anton Lembede Building, 247 Burger Street 

Tel: +27 33 846 5000 

Website: www.kzneducation.gov.za 

Human Settlements 

MEC: Sipho Nkosi 

203 Church Street 

Tel: +27 33 392 6400 

Website: www.kzndhs.gov.za 

Provincial Treasury 

MEC for Finance: Peggy Nkonyeni 

Treasury House, 145 Chief Albert Luthuli Street 

Tel: +27 33 897 4200 

Website: www.kzntreasury.gov.za 

Public Works 

MEC: Sipho Nkosi 

Oliver Tambo House, 191 Prince Alfred Street 

Tel: +27 33 355 5500 

Website: www.kznworks.gov.za 

Sports, Arts and Culture 

MEC: Dr N Mahlaba 

135 Pietermaritz Street 

Tel: +27 33 342 6300 

Website: www.kzndac.gov.za 

Social Development 

MEC: Nonhlanhla Mildred Khoza 


Tel: +27 87 158 3000 

Website: www.kzndsd.gov.za 

Transport 

MEC: Sipho Hlomuka 

Inkosi Mhlabunzima Maphumulo House, 

172 Burger Street 

Tel: +27 33 355 8600 

Website: www.kzntransport.gov.za 

Health 

MEC: Nomagugu Simelane 

11th Floor, Natalia Building, 


Tel: +27 33 395 2111 

Website: www.kznhealth.gov.za

LISTING 

KwaZulu-Natal metropolitan Local Government and 

A guide to KwaZulu-Natal's municipalities. 

district KwaZulu-Natal ETHEKWINI METROPOLITAN has one metropolitan MUNICIPALITY municipality uMzimkhulu and 10 district Municipality municipalities. 

263 Dr Pixley ka Seme Street, Durban 4001 

Tel: +27 39 259 5000 | Fax: +27 39 259 0427 

Tel: +27 31 311 1111 | Fax: +27 31 311 2170 

Website: www.umzimkhululm.gov.za 

ETHEKWINI Website: www.durban.gov.za METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY Local municipalities: KwaDukuza Local 

Durban is the principal city of the province’s Municipality; Mandeni Local Municipality; 

only AMAJUBA metropolitan DISTRICT municipality. 

MUNICIPALITY 

ILEMBE Maphumulo DISTRICT Local Municipality; MUNICIPALITY Ndwedwe Local 

Postal Unit B9356, address: Ithala Building, PO Box Section 1014, 1, Main Durban Street, Madadeni 4000 Township, 59/61 Municipality 

Mahatma Gandhi St, KwaDukuza 4450 

Physical Newcastle 2940 address: City Hall, 263 Dr Pixley Ka Seme Tel: +27 32 437 9300 | Fax: +27 32 437 9587 

(West) Tel: +27 34 Street, 329 7200 Durban | Fax: +27 34 314 3785 

Website: KING www.ilembe.gov.za 

CETSHWAYO DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

Tel: Website: +27 www.amajuba.gov.za 

31 311 1111 

Principal city: Richards Bay 

Website: www.durban.gov 

KwaDukuza Physical address: Municipality King Cetshwayo House, Kruger 

Dannhauser Municipality 

Tel: Rand, +27 32 Richards 437 5000 Bay 

AMAJUBA Tel: +27 34 621 DISTRICT 2666 | Fax: +27 MUNICIPALITY 

34 621 3114 

Fax: Postal +27 32 address: 437 5098 Private Bag X1025, Richards Bay 

Principal Website: www.dannhauser.gov.za 

city: Newcastle 

Website: 3900 www.kwadukuza.gov.za 

Physical address: B9356 Amajuba Building, 

Tel: +27 35 799 2500 

Madadeni eMadlangeni (Utrecht) Municipality 

Mandeni Website: www.kingcetshwayo.gov.za 

Municipality 

Postal address: Private Bag X6615, Newcastle 

Local municipalities: City of uMhlathuze Local 

Tel: +27 34 331 3041 | Fax: +27 34 331 4312 

Tel: +27 32 456 8200 

2940 

Municipality; Mthonjaneni Local Municipality; 

Website: www.emadlangeni.gov.za 

Fax: +27 32 456 2504 

Tel: +27 34 329 7200 

Nkandla Local Municipality; uMfolozi Local 

Website: www.mandeni.gov.za 

Website: Newcastle www.amajuba.gov.za 

Municipality 

Municipality; uMlalazi Local Municipality 

Local municipalities: Dannhauser Local 

Tel: +27 34 328 7600 | Fax: +27 34 312 1570 

Maphumulo Municipality 

Municipality; eMadlangeni Local Municipality; UGU DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

Newcastle 

Website: www.newcastle.gov.za 

Local Municipality 

Tel: 

Principal 

+27 32 481 4500 

city: Port Shepstone 

Fax: 

Physical 

+27 32 481 

address: 

2053 

28 Connor Street, Port 

HARRY GWALA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

HARRY GWALA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

Website: Shepstone www.maphumuloonline.gov.za 

Principal 40 Main Street, city: Ixopo Ixopo 3276 

Postal address: PO Box 33, Port Shepstone 4240 

Tel: +27 39 834 8700 

Ndwedwe Municipality 

Physical address: 40 Main Street, Ixopo 

Tel: +27 39 688 5700 

Postal Fax: +27 address: 39 834 1701 Private Bag X501, Ixopo 3276 

Tel: Website: +27 32 532 www.ugu.gov.za 

5000 

Tel: Website: +27 www.harrygwaladm.gov.za 

39 834 8700 

Fax: Local +27 32 municipalities: 532 5031/2 Ray Nkonyeni Local 

Website: www.harrygwaladm.gov.za 

Website: Municipality; www.ndwedwe.gov.za Umdoni Local Municipality; 

Local Dr Dlamini municipalities: Zuma Municipality 

Dr Nkosazana Dlamini 

Umuziwabantu Local Municipality; Umzumbe 

Zuma Tel: + 27 Local 39 833 Municipality; 1038 | Fax: + 27 Greater 39 833 1179 Kokstad Local Local Municipality 

Municipality; Website: www.ndz.gov.za Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality; KING CETSHWAYO DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

Umzimkhulu Local Municipality 

King UMGUNGUNDLOVU Cetshwayo House, Kruger Rand DISTRICT Rd, Richards MUNICIPALITY 

Bay 3900 

Greater Kokstad Municipality 

Tel: Principal +27 35 799 city: 2500 Pietermaritzburg 

ILEMBE Tel: +27 39 DISTRICT 797 6600 | Fax: MUNICIPALITY 

+27 39 727 5501 

Fax: Physical +27 35 789 address: 1641 242 Langalibalele Street, 

Principal Website: www.kokstad.gov.za 

city: KwaDukuza 

Website: Pietermaritzburg 

www.kingcetshwayo.gov.za 

Physical address: iLembe House, 59/61 Mahatma Postal address: PO Box 3235, Pietermaritzburg 

Ghandi uBuhlebezwe Street, KwaDukuza Municipality 

City 3200of uMhlathuze Municipality 

Postal Tel: +27 address: 39 834 7700 PO | Fax: Box +27 1788, 39 834 KwaDukuza 1168 4450 

Tel: Tel: +27 +27 35 907 335000 897 | 6700 Fax: +27 35 907 5444 

Tel: Website: +27 www.ubuhlebezwe.gov.za 

32 437 9300 

Website: Website: www.umhlathuze.gov.za 

www.umdm.gov.za 

Website: www.ilembe.gov.za 

Local municipalities: Impendle Local 

KWAZULU-NATAL BUSINESS 2019/20 


60 

40

Comrades Marathon and the Dusi Canoe race. The city could become another port, if the money can be 

th Floor, Telkom province Building, has 300 excellent Langalibalele game Street and nature reserves. Anton Lembede Building, 247 Burger Street 

N17 

N17 Bethal 

el: DISTRICT +27 33 341 3300 Isimangaliso MUNICIPALITY Wetland PRINCIPAL Park is a World CITY Heritage Site Tel: +27 33 846 5000 | Fax: +27 33 355 1293 SWAZILAND 

KWAZULU-NATAL ErmeloPROVINCE 

ax: +27 33 331 and 7368 helps to fund 80 small businesses associated Website: 

Standerton 

www.kzneducation.gov.za 

Mpumalanga 

Piet Retief 

N11 

Amajuba with its business as a tourist Newcastle site. 

N2 

griculture The and building Rural Development 

of the King Shaka International Health 

Volksrust 

Paulpietersburg 

Vrede 

Pongola 

EC: Bongiwe Airport Nomusa to the Sithole-Moloi north of Durban allows tourists to get MEC: Nomagugu Simelane-ZuluR33 

Utrecht 

Harry Gwala 

Ixopo 

R69 

Mkuze 

to superb beaches and game farms very quickly, 

R66 

Newcastle 

R34 

edara College, Cedara Road 

1st Floor, 330 Langalibalele Street 

Vryheid 

Free State 

Nongoma 

el: 

and Municipality; the airport Mkhambathini has its own industrial Local Municipality; development 

N3 

R34 

iLembe +27 33 335 9100 

KwaDukuza 

Tel: +27 33 395 2111 

Dundee 

Hluhluwe 

Hlabisa 

zone, Mpofana the Dube Local TradePort. Municipality; New Msunduzi international Local direct 

Harrismith Glencoe 

R65 

N2 

ax: +27 33 343 8255 

Website: N5www.kznhealth.gov.za 

N11 

R68 uLundi 

Municipality; Richmond Local Municipality; 

St Lucia 

flights have been announced; 4.5-million passengers 

passed through the airport in 2014/15, almost 

R74 

R33 

Mtubatuba 

ebsite: King www.kzndard.gov.za 

Cetshwayo uMngeni Local Municipality; Richards uMshwathi Bay Local 

Ladysmith 

Melmoth 

Municipality 

Human Settlements 

Colenso 

and Public Works 

Bergville 

N3 

eMpangeni 

300 000 of whom were foreign visitors or tourists (ACSA). 

R74 

Winterton 

Kranskop 

Richards Bay 

rts Uguand Culture 

Port Shepstone 

MEC: Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni 

Estcourt 

Greytown 

Gingindlovu 

EC: Hlengiwe UMKHANYAKUDE Goodness Slindile Mavimbela DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 203 Church Street Mooi River 

R33 

KwaDukuza Stanger Darnall 

Principal city: Mkuze 

Howick 

N2 

22 uMgungundlovu 

Jabu Ndlovu Geography 

Street 

Pietermaritzburg 

Tel: +27 33 392 6400 | Fax: +27 33 392 6490 

Tongaat 

Physical address: Harlingen No.13433, Kingfisher 

Ballito 

el: +27 33 264 3400 

Road, Mkuze 

Website: www.kznworks.gov.za 

PIETERMARITZBURG 

N3 

uMhlanga 

Underberg 

Pinetown 

ax: uMkhanyakude 

+27 33 394 The Postal 2237 mixed address: topography PO Box of Mkuze 449, the Mkuze3965 province allows for varied 

Tel: agriculture, +27 35 573 animal 8600 husbandry and horticulture. 

iXopo 

aManzimtoti 

DURBAN 

R56 

ebsite: www.kzndac.gov.za 

Provincial Treasury 

uMzinto uMkomaas 

uMzinyathi The Website: lowland www.ukdm.gov.za 

area along Dundee the Indian Ocean coastline MEC for Finance: Ravigasen Ranganathan Pillay 

N2 

Kokstad 

INDIAN OCEAN 

Harding 

ommunity is made Local Safety up municipalities: of subtropical and Liaison Big thickets 5 Hlabisa and Local Afromontane 

Hibberdene 

Treasury House, 145 Chief Albert Luthuli Street, 

N 

uMtentweni 

Forest. Municipality; High humidity Jozini Local is experienced, Municipality; especially in 

N2 

Port Shepstone 

EC: uThukela Thomas Mxolisi Kaunda Ladysmith 

Tel: +27 33 897 4200 | Fax: +27 Margate 33 342 2486 

the Mtubatuba far north, and Local this Municipality; 

Southbroom 

79 Jabu Ndlovu 

is a summer rainfall area. The 

Port Edward 

uMhlabuyalingana Street 

Local Municipality 

Website: www.kzntreasury.gov.za 

Eastern Cape 

Motorway 

Main Road 

Zululand centrally located Midlands Ulundi is on a grassland plateau 

among rolling hills. Temperatures generally 

Railway 

el: + 27 33 341 9300 

ax: + 27 33 342 UMZINYATHI 6345 DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY Sport and Recreation 

ebsite: www.kzncomsafety.gov.za 

Principal city: Dundee 

MEC: Hlengiwe Website: www.uthukela.gov.za 

Goodness Slindile Mavimbela 

KWAZULU-NATAL Physical address: BUSINESS 39 Victoria 2016/17 Street, Princess 

14 

Local municipalities: Alfred Duma Local 


Magogo Building, Dundee 

Municipality; Inkosi Langalibalele Local 

ooperative Governance and Traditional 

Postal address: PO Box 1965, Dundee 3000 Tel: +27 Municipality; 33 897 9400 Okhahlamba Local Municipality 

ffairs Tel: +27 34 219 1500 

Website: www.kzn.dsr.gov.za 

EC: Sipho Hlomuka Website: www.umzinyathi.gov.za 

ZULULAND DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

30 Langalibalele Local Street municipalities: Endumeni Local Social Principal Development 

city: Ulundi 

Municipality; Nquthu Local Municipality; uMsinga Physical address: 400 Ugagane Street, Ulundi 

el: +27 33 395 2831 

MEC: Nonhlanhla Mildred Khoza 

Local Municipality; Umvoti Local Municipality Postal address: Private Bag X76, Ulundi 3838 

ax: +27 33 345 6432 

208 Hoosen Tel: +27 Haffejee 35 874 Street 5500 

ebsite: www.kzncogta.gov.za 

UTHUKELA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

Tel: +27 Website: 33 264 5402 www.zululand.org.za 

Principal city: Ladysmith 

Fax: +27 Local 33 341 municipalities: 9610 

AbaQulusi Local 

conomic Physical Development, address: 36 Tourism Lyell Street, and Ladysmith Website: Municipality; www.kzndsd.gov.za eDumbe Local Municipality; 

and Affairs Postal address: PO Box 116, Ladysmith 3370 Nongoma Local Municipality; Ulundi Local 

EC: Nomsa Dube-Ncube 

Tel: +27 36 638 5100 

Transport Municipality; uPhongolo Local Municipality 

MEC: Thomas Mxolisi Kaunda 


el: +27 33 264 2500 | Fax: +27 331 310 5416 

ebsite: www.kzndedt.gov.za 

LESOTHO 

DRAKENSBERG 

172 Burger Street 

Tel: + 27 33 355 8600 

Fax: 15 + 27 33 355 8092KWAZULU-NATAL BUSINESS 2021/22 

Web: www.kzntransport.gov.za 

BIQUE 

Kosi Bay in the UMKHANYAKUDE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY is one of the province’s great natural treasures. 

PHOTO: Joshua Gaunt on Unsplash

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KwaZulu-Natal Business 2023-24

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