Industry’s Proud Landlord

As any estate agency would testify, ‘position’ is the single-most plus when it comes to desirable property.

That is one of the reasons the City of uMhlathuze attracts the attention of national and global investors.

Growing around the deep water Port of Richards Bay, it has everything the industrial venture capitalist desires, including rail and road access, plus bulk electricity and water infrastructure security.

The City, working in partnership with the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone, has made large parcels of land available for development.
It is also in the process of developing additional water resources through waste water treatment which will become available for use by industries in 2022.

It is further anticipated that by then the relocation of the Richards Bay Airport would have been completed to help improve and reduce the cost of travelling for local businesses.

We have also allocated R30 million towards the construction of a road that will link Kruggerand road to Alumina Allee in Alton.

This will further unlock development of the Central Industrial Area, which is earmarked for mixed land development.

The City in 2018 signed a tripartite agreement with RBIDZ and Transnet National Ports Authority, to promote integrated planning and management of projects which will thereafter result in regional economic growth.

We have since been working with RBIDZ to attract investors to the region by visiting international trade and exhibitions, through its partnership with SANEC (Southern African Netherlands Chamber of Commerce) from the Netherlands.

As a member of SANEC, the City was also introduced to the enormous Rotterdam and Amsterdam ports. Rotterdam was visited with the purpose of investigating the effect of a possible hard BREXIT which may present the Port of Richards Bay with an opportunity of service to the Greater British Business Community on behalf of the two Dutch ports.

The City has since established a strong bond with other SANEC members in the Netherlands, such as NUFFIC – Dutch study opportunities – and Flower Centre.

The City of uMhlathuze amended the SCM Policy to favour the previously disadvantaged sectors by setting aside 40% of capital projects to women, 40% to youth and 20% to disabled persons dubbed 40-40-20 Set Aside policy amendment.

Beneficiary figures are showing reasonable growth especially regarding women and youth with more work to be done to develop the disabled persons’ sector.

The City in 2019 launched a Buy Local Charter Campaign to encourage local companies to prioritise local products when procuring services.

Though the initiative is relatively new and making inroads to industries, the City plans to continue lobbying local companies to support local businesses, especially young entrepreneurs.

The City in 2018 launched its own SMME One-Stop-Shop with the purpose of bringing everything under the same roof.

The centre is currently housing National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), National Development Agency (NDA) and the Zikhulise Community Development Organization, which has aided communities of the whole region including uMkhanyakude and Zululand Districts (Mtubatuba, Jozini, Phongolo, Ulundi, Vryheid, etc.).

The City is also in the process of appointing a contractor for the development of a Business Centre at eSikhaleni for the development of young entrepreneurs in the township.

To ensure participation of young people in the construction industry, the City working in partnership with SEDA Construction Incubator will launch its own Construction Incubator at eSikhaleni Township in September 2019.

The recruitment of young entrepreneurs who are already in possession of CIDB Grade 2 and 3 will start in June 2019.

The City’s impeccable record in terms of audits and service delivery awards, gives assurance to investors of good governance.

The City of uMhlathuze continues to be the epitome of clean governance, having obtained five consecutive clean audits.

We believe that investors are keen on how the government where they will invest is run and that credibility is crucial in their decision making processes.

On the other hand, this means taxpayers’ money is directed where it is meant to go: into service delivery projects within the prescribed period.

Our self-funded budget is also an indication that our revenue collection base remains healthy although it can be improved, thus reducing reliance on government grants.