Dube TradePort is now officially an Industrial Development Zone
HE launch of the Dube TradePort Industrial Development Zone (DTP IDZ) represents a significant milestone in reaffirming Dube TradePort’s role as an engine for sustained economic growth for South Africa, in line with the country’s Regional Industrial Development Strategy contained in the Industrial Policy Action Plan.
South Africa’s Trade and Industry Minister designated Dube TradePort an IDZ on July 1 – and on October 7 President Jacob Zuma officially launched the Dube TradePort Industrial Development Zone.
“Dube TradePort is a key priority infrastructural development project for the province of KwaZulu-Natal,” remarked Michael Mabuyakhulu, KZN MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs. “This status carries with it responsibility for the development of an integrated aerotropolis strategy, the development of a provincially-driven airlift strategy and the implementation of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Growth and Development Strategy.
“Dube TradePort enjoys further support by forming part of South Africa’s National Infrastructure Plan, as outlined in the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC) under Strategic Infrastructure Programme 2.
“Government’s backing and our bold vision of a 60-year master plan gives investors the security of sustained growth and development.”
Over the past five years, Dube TradePort has grown to a size of 2 840 hectares and in that time it has successfully managed to attract more than R900 million in private investment. In the process, this investment is estimated to have helped create 16 527 new job opportunities across the country – and this will increase with new development opportunities.
“Against the backdrop of exceptionally pleasing private sector interest in and uptake of investment opportunities at Dube TradePort, we are excited by the designation of Dube TradePort as an Industrial Development Zone, which will allow us to further target local and foreign investment. Work on this front is ongoing and we anticipate forging synergistic relationships with other identified industrial economic hubs for the benefit of the entire province and its business community,” said Dr Bridgette Gasa, Chairperson of the Board of Dube TradePort Corporation. “Dube TradePort is Africa’s first purpose-built Aerotropolis and has central to it an international airport. This freight-oriented Aerotropolis coupled with IDZ designation will certainly quicken the pace of development at Dube TradePort and, I would confidently add, increase demand for greater levels of airlift out of Durban to domestic, regional and international markets. This would, in turn, augment efforts to grow our strategically influential location – together with two of Africa’s major seaports – to become a truly viable and sustainable alternative gateway to South Africa, Africa and the world.”
The Dube TradePort IDZ is located within a strong economic region, close to major complementary transport and freight links and boasts world-class infrastructure. As a secure, purposeairport city and master-planned business environment, infrastructure has been designed in line with freight orientation and cargo, and is supported by the state-of-the-art King Shaka International Airport.
“IDZ status is incredibly prestigious, as it carries with it a range of benefits for enterprises,” explained Saxen van Coller, Dube TradePort Corporation’s CEO.
“DTP IDZ benefits – which include both fiscal and customs incentives – are specifically geared, at this stage, for agri-processing and manufacturing enterprises located within Dube TradeZone and Dube AgriZone. This represents the first phase of Dube TradePort Corporation’s roll-out and will cover some 300 hectares of agri- processing and industrial activities, growing to more than 700 hectares into the future.”
The Dube TradePort Industrial Development Zone will have a set of priority sectors that will comprise the core of its clustering approach, through which it will drive growth. These sectors include: • Aerospace and aviation-linked manufacturing and related services, • Agriculture and agro-processing, inclusive of horticulture, aquaculture and floriculture, • Electronics manufacturing and
assembly, • Medical and pharmaceutical
production and distribution, • Clothing and textiles. Such targeting is not limited exclusively to the identified priority sectors and supplementary sectors include: • Freight-forwarding and aviation
services, • Warehousing and storage, • Logistics and distribution, • Light manufacturing and assembly, • High-tech and automotive
industries, • General manufacturing, • Renewable energy, • Aquaculture and storage.
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Development Zones have made crucial contributions to the economic success of many developing nations, including the miracle that has seen China emerge as a global economic powerhouse. South African policy makers have worked tirelessly to successfully test the market economy business and have created these Industrial Development Zone designations in line with the country’s industrial development strategy. The aim is to bring in new institutions that will contribute significantly to gross domestic product, employment, exports and attraction of foreign investment as well as the adoption of new technologies and management practices helping to create a model for the rest of the country to follow.