KwaZulu-Natal Business 2023-24
A unique guide to business and investment in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. 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.
A unique guide to business and investment in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.
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.
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OVERVIEW<br />
Tourism<br />
New flights and upgraded airports are boosting tourism.<br />
Turkish Airlines returned to King Shaka International Airport<br />
in 2022. Two of the airline’s Istanbul-Johannesburg flights<br />
now extend to Durban on Thursdays and Saturdays and it<br />
has plans to increase these to four weekly flights.<br />
A new direct flight from Durban to Harare in Zimbabwe was<br />
launched by Airlink in April 2022. Durban Direct, the KZN Route<br />
Development Committee, arranged a water-canon salute as the<br />
first plane touched down with a full load of passengers. These<br />
new flights are in addition to Emirates flying five flights a week<br />
from Durban directly to Dubai and the four-weekly direct flights<br />
that Qatar Airways offers.<br />
The project to improve regional airports is continuing.<br />
Upgrades at Pietermaritzburg, Newcastle and Richards Bay have<br />
been authorised and terminals at Margate and Mkuze, where<br />
R72-million was spent, have been completed. Located in the<br />
far north of the province, Mkuze holds great potential for the<br />
distribution of agricultural produce into the SADC market and<br />
for tourism, given its proximity to several private reserves and<br />
the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.<br />
The <strong>KwaZulu</strong>-<strong>Natal</strong> Convention Bureau reports that 26 major<br />
conferences, exhibitions and meetings were held in the province<br />
in 2021/22, resulting in a direct local economic impact of about<br />
R220-billion. Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022 attracted 3 700 delegates.<br />
Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga, shortly after celebrating<br />
its one-year anniversary in July <strong>2023</strong>, received two awards from<br />
Durban Tourism, the Visitor Experience and Restaurants Award as<br />
well as the Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events (MESE) Award.<br />
The Docklands Hotel at the Durban Waterfront is a four-star<br />
Signature development that cost about R100-million to develop.<br />
Hotels are located at each of Tsogo Sun’s three casinos in the<br />
province, with two at Suncoast Casino Hotels & Entertainment.<br />
Southern Sun runs 13 establishments in <strong>KwaZulu</strong>-<strong>Natal</strong>, with<br />
Durban (five) and Umhlanga (four), making up the majority.<br />
Premier Hotels & Resorts has nine properties in the province,<br />
including two recently built in Umhlanga on land bought during<br />
the Covid-19 pandemic. The group has also restored the Cutty<br />
ONLINE RESOURCES<br />
Durban International Convention Centre: www.icc.co.za<br />
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife: www.kznwildlife.com<br />
Tourism <strong>KwaZulu</strong>-<strong>Natal</strong>: www.zulu.org.za<br />
SECTOR INSIGHT<br />
The MESE sector generated<br />
R20-billion in 2021/22.<br />
Sark in Scottburgh. The Royal<br />
Hotel in the heart of Durban<br />
is one of eight Three Cities<br />
Group hotels in the province.<br />
The Golden Horse Casino<br />
Hotel is a Three Cities property,<br />
and the Group administers the<br />
International Hotel School in<br />
Westville that also hosts the<br />
Christine Martin School of<br />
Food and Wine.<br />
IFA Hotels & Resorts runs<br />
several luxury properties<br />
including the Zimbali Coastal<br />
Resort and Zimbali Lakes Resort.<br />
Signature Life Hotels<br />
has 13 properties and<br />
Gooderson Leisure has a<br />
varied portfolio. Sibaya Casino<br />
and Entertainment Kingdom<br />
is north of Durban and there<br />
are casinos in Newcastle<br />
(Century City), Empangeni<br />
(Tusk Umfolozi Casino) and<br />
Pietermaritzburg (Golden<br />
Horse Casino). ■<br />
KWAZULU-NATAL BUSINESS <strong>2023</strong>/<strong>24</strong><br />
30<br />
PHOTO: Dube TradePort
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