The 2018/19 edition of KwaZulu-Natal Business is the 10th 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 are special features on the investment prospects of Durban (eThekwini) and on the specific attractions for investors of other regions throughout the province.
We are pleased to include a survey of the province’s economy from Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal, the dedicated trade and inward investment promotion agency that promises to be “your knowledge partner in business”.
To complement the extensive local, national and international distribution of the print edition, the full content can also be viewed online at www.kwazulunatalbusiness.co.za. 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 as well as our flagship South African Business title.
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FOCUS Pietermaritzburg’s Edendale Town Centre is being transformed to attract investment. 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 Possible investment: the manufacture of polysilicon for PV solar energy installations at Pietermaritzburg. The project is at the conceptual stage. UMKHANYAKUDE Industrial park focus: to be decided. The Isimangaliso Wetland Park extends 220km along the northern reaches of the province, to the border with Mozambique, and offers unrivalled birding, game viewing, deep-sea fishing, turtle tours, kayaking and whale-watching. It is a World Heritage Site and, together with the Hluhluwe-uMfolozi Game Reserve, forms the core of the tourism and conservation offering in the province. With agriculture the other dominant economic activity in the area, any new investment would have to be ecologically sensitive. Possible investments: ethanol manufacturing plant near Jozini on the Makhatini Flats using sugar cane as a feed stock; an entertainment complex at Hlungweni Peninsula within the Tembe Tribal Authority, 30km north of Sodwana Bay. The Alfred Duma Local Municipality offers investors industrial space at good rates. UMZINYATHI Industrial Park focus: to be decided. The area hosts one of the most important historical sites from the colonial era, Isandlwana. The N3 highway, a vital corridor of trade and traffic between KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, runs through the district and would support logistics operations. The chief town is Dundee which was founded because of the presence of coal. The Majuba TVET College has a campus in the town. Possible investment: the cultivation and processing of soya beans. South Africa has a high demand for oilseed cake but the country is a net importer of soybean products. This project is in the concept phase but initial thinking is to have facilities in two districts in the north of the province. UTHUKELA Industrial park focus: electronics. Larger towns include Estcourt, Colenso and Ladysmith. Predominantly rural, the district encompasses two of the greatest natural assets in the province in the Thukela River and a part of the Drakensberg mountain range, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. Sumitomo Rubber Industries and Defy are manufacturing companies with a presence in the Alfred Duma Local Municipality, which also hosts TVET college facilities. Possible investment: the Alfred Duma Local Municipality offers industrial stands to new investors at good rates; the development of a cableway system in the Drakensberg (near Bergville) with entertainment and accommodation facilities. ZULULAND Industrial park focus: agriprocessing. Zululand is a popular destination for cultural experiences and the area is rich in Zulu history and Anglo-Boer War history. Vryheid and Ulundi are the main towns. Much of the area falls under traditional authorities and it is predominately rural. Possible investment: Agriprocessing and tourism are the main sectors that are most suitable for investment. Development of a heritage site at Nongoma to serve as a catalyst for other sites to offer traditional Zulu experience, encompassing arts and crafts, agriprocessing, traditional medicines and cosmetics and leveraging the profusion of aloe plants in the district. KWAZULU-NATAL BUSINESS 2018/19 32
FOCUS Global leader Our strategy is to deliver sustainable value by providing high-quality packaging and paper solutions. Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, employing around 26 000 people in over 30 countries. We are fully integrated across the packaging and paper value-chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films, to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is embedded in everything we do, with clearly defined commitments across 10 action areas. We delight our customers with our innovative and sustainable packaging and paper solutions. Our major operations are in central Europe, Russia, North America and South Africa. In 2017, Mondi had revenues of €7.1-billion and a return on capital employed of 19.7%. Mondi has a dual listed company structure, with a primary listing on the JSE Limited for Mondi Limited and a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange for Mondi plc. We are a FTSE 100 constituent and have been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the JSE's Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index since 2007. Mondi South Africa Our South African business sustainably manages plantation forests and manufactures and sells pulp, virgin containerboard and uncoated fine paper. We have around 1 500 employees working in our forestry operations and two mills. 33 KWAZULU-NATAL BUSINESS 2018/19
