The 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 1 July 2014. Today, 7 October 2014, 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. 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 Co-ordinating 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,” remarked Mr Michael Mabuyakhulu, MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs for KwaZulu-Natal.

Over the past five years, Dube TradePort has grown to a size of 2840 hectares and in that time it has successfully managed to attract over R 900 million in private investment. In the process its impact on job creation has been estimated to 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.

Dube TradePort is Africa’s first purpose-built Aerotropolis and has central to it an International Airport. This freight-orientated 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,” commented Dr Zanele Bridgette Gasa, Chairperson of the Board of Dube TradePort Corporation.

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, purpose-planned airport 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. 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,” noted Ms Saxen van Coller, Dube TradePort Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer.

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:

1. Aerospace and aviation-linked manufacturing and related services,
2. Agriculture and agro-processing, inclusive of horticulture, aquaculture and floriculture,
3. Electronics manufacturing and assembly,
4. Medical and pharmaceutical production and distribution,
5. Clothing and textiles.

Such targeting is not limited exclusively to the identified priority sectors and supplementary sectors include:

1. Freight-forwarding and aviation services,
2. Warehousing and storage,
3. Logistics and distribution,
4. Light manufacturing and assembly,
5. High-tech and automotive industries,
6. General manufacturing,
7. Renewable energy,
8. Aquaculture and Cold storage.

Industrial 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 being 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.