President Jacob Zuma, flanked by Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, KZN Premier Senzo Mchunu and eThekwini mayor James Nxumalo at the launch of the Dube TradePort Industrial Development Zone.
With Durban’s Dube TradePort already having attracted R900 million in investment over the last five years, small businesses can expect to grab a share of the R5.6 billion that the hub is expected to contribute to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2060.
Dube TradePort – one of six Industrial Development Zones (IDZs) created by the government to boost industrial growth – was conceptualised a decade ago and opened in 2010.
Speaking at the official launch last month, President Jacob Zuma said the project is expected to contribute about 0.5% of South Africa’s GDP and create about 150 000 jobs by 2060.
Upgraded roads, the extension of the cargo terminal, an increase in passenger volumes and the development of small and medium businesses around the region will also help the region grow.
Trade and Industry spokesman Sidwell Medupe says the opportunities for small businesses are endless.
“The focus of the hub is broadly on the manufacturing sector and mainly on light and medium manufacturing, specifically on industries that have airfreight as a component in their value chain.
“This is particularly suited to high value, low weight products, or products where security-of-supply or time-to-market is critical,” says Medupe. The Dube TradePort was identified as a hub due to its strong logistic links. At the heart of the precinct is King Shaka International Airport.
The hub is also strategically located between southern Africa’s two primary seaports – Durban and Richard’s Bay.
It is also close to major rail and road links. It is also because of these strong logistics ties that the hub identified a set of priority sectors to drive growth.
These include aerospace and aviation-linked manufacturing services.
There is also a strong focus on agriculture and agro-processing, horticulture, aquaculture and floriculture.
Electronics manufacturing and assembly, medical and pharmaceutical production and distribution as well as clothing and textiles are also seen as priority sectors.
Medupe says business owners interested in coming on board will have the full backing of several support agencies.
These include the Department of Small Business Development and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), as well as Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal and Ithala Development Finance Corporation
Dube TradePort Corporation chief executive Saxen van Coller says the hub holds a range of other benefits for enterprises.
“The hub’s benefits – which include both fiscal and customs incentives – are specifically geared, at this stage, for agro-processing and manufacturing enterprises located within the Dube TradeZone and Dube AgriZone.
This represents the first phase of Dube TradePort Corporation’s roll-out and will cover some 300 hectares of agro-processing and industrial activities, growing to more than 700 hectares into the future,” says Van Coller.
The country’s other industrial hubs are situated in Saldanha Bay, Coega, East London, OR Tambo International Airport and Richards Bay.
- For more information contact the Dube TradePort on
032 814 0100 or visit www.dubetradeport.co.za.