Metros Reporter
Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has attracted R4.2 billion in private-sector investment and sustained an estimated 36,872 permanent jobs across KwaZulu-Natal since its establishment, according to a socio-economic impact assessment released by the organisation.
The assessment found that Dube TradePort’s investment and infrastructure activities had supported employment, exports and industrial development while strengthening KwaZulu-Natal’s competitiveness.
During the past year, the special economic zone attracted a further R480 million in private investment, primarily through spending by existing investors on capital assets and equipment.
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Those investors created 631 permanent jobs and another 102 temporary positions, the organisation said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Our continued investment in strategic infrastructure and investor-focused development is creating a platform for sustained economic growth and industrial expansion. Dube TradePort remains a powerful catalyst for attracting investment, creating jobs and strengthening KwaZulu-Natal’s position in global markets,” said Hamish Erskine, CEO, Dube TradePort SEZ.
Companies operating within the SEZ generated about R531 million in exports during the previous financial year, supplying products to markets in the Southern African Development Community region and elsewhere internationally.
The organisation attributed the export performance to its integrated development model, which combines industrial infrastructure and logistics capabilities with access to King Shaka International Airport, the Port of Durban and the road network linking KwaZulu-Natal with the rest of Southern Africa.
Infrastructure development was key to the organisation’s growth strategy, it said.
Dube TradePort invested R109.7 million in fixed-capital projects during the 2025/26 financial year. This included completing work on major infrastructure projects in Dube TradeZone 2 and Dube AgriZone 2, as well as advancing the construction of large industrial warehousing facilities.
The organisation has also allocated funding for strategic capital projects in the coming financial year to meet future investor demand and support the SEZ’s long-term sustainability.
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The projects include developing a solar farm capable of producing at least 4.4 megawatts of renewable energy. Dube TradePort said the project would support investors’ sustainability requirements and improve energy resilience.
It also plans to construct two industrial warehouses to meet growing demand from medium-sized manufacturers seeking facilities within the SEZ.
Planning is under way for a new water reservoir intended to secure the long-term availability of infrastructure needed to support further industrial expansion.
The organisation is also involved in efforts to improve KwaZulu-Natal’s air connectivity through its participation in the KwaZulu-Natal Route Development Committee, known as Durban Direct.
Dube TradePort has led a review of the KwaZulu-Natal Route Development Strategy, which is intended to accelerate the introduction and expansion of airline routes at King Shaka International Airport and strengthen the province’s international air links.
The initiative builds on the daily Emirates service between Durban and Dubai and the growth of Airlink’s Durban-Harare route, which had contributed significantly to Durban’s regional and international connectivity.
Qatar Airways has increased its service to Durban to seven flights a week on its Doha-Maputo-Durban route, providing greater access to markets in Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East.
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Turkish Airlines has expanded its Durban-Istanbul service to four flights a week, increasing access to more than 300 destinations through the airline’s Istanbul hub.
Eswatini Air has increased flights between Durban and Manzini to three a week, strengthening regional links and supporting trade and tourism between KwaZulu-Natal and Eswatini.
