Staff Reporter
eThekwini Municipality is looking to attract investment in electric vehicle manufacturing, expand local automotive supply chains and create green jobs as Durban prepares to host two major automotive and investment events this week.
The municipality said on Monday that the arrival of the Escaping the Noise 3.0 New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Road Trip on Sunday marked an opportunity to promote Durban as a centre for sustainable vehicle manufacturing and related industries.
The road trip, which travelled from Gauteng to Durban, brought together participants from Gqeberha, KuGompo and Cape Town to promote the adoption of new energy vehicles in South Africa.
The initiative comes ahead of SA Auto Week 2026 and the KwaZulu-Natal Investment Conference, which will take place at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) from 13 to 16 October.
The municipality said it hopes to use the events to attract investment in automotive manufacturing, encourage the localisation of supply chains and position the city to benefit from the transition to cleaner transport technologies.
Takalani Rathiyaya, Deputy Head of the City’s Economic Development Directorate, said strengthening local manufacturing capabilities would be critical to the municipality’s ambitions.
“Developing local suppliers and manufacturers within our automotive value chain will contribute significantly to expanding the City’s manufacturing sector. Highlighting these new energy initiatives creates an important platform to review and elevate our automotive performance, reinforcing our commitment to building a stable, competitive, and sustainable future.”
The municipality said the transition to new energy vehicles was aligned with its strategy to develop a climate-resilient, low-carbon economy while protecting the long-term competitiveness of local industries.
It said the two upcoming events would provide an opportunity to showcase Durban’s existing automotive manufacturing capabilities to potential investors and international industry representatives.
The city also hopes to secure high-value investments that could support the development of sustainable supply chains and create employment opportunities in emerging green industries.
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