Developing Durban 2023

DEVELOPING DURBAN 2023

Towards a LIVEABLE & SUSTAINABLE CITY

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inside

OVERVIEW Mayor’s 10 Point Plan 2022/23 to 2026/27 IDP

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BELL EQUIPMENT Gearing up to celebrate 70 years of manufacturing in KZN

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AB PROJECTS A partner with purpose

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WATER & SANITATION Striving to sustainably serve all

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CITY OPERATIONS Keeping the wheels turning

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API PIPING Customer-centric piping solutions

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WASTE MANAGEMENT Keeping eThekwini clean

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SMART CITY Realising its future potential

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EOH Helping eThekwini thrive through world-class tech solutions

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TRANSPORT Moving a metro

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SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Progress through targeting partnerships

BC INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING SUPPLIES Supplying metal products that make a difference 15 CATALYTIC PROJECTS Changing the game with development at scale

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DEVTECH CIVILS Achieving excellence in civil engineering

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HUMAN SETTLEMENTS Rethinking the informal housing sector

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SUPPORT SERVICES Boosting informal trade to the local economy

RENEWABLE ENERGY A low-carbon economy roadmap Launching eThekwini’s Hydrogen Strategy

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BUSINESS TOURISM The best place to meet Must-see sights in Durban

Editor Tristan Snijders

PUBLISHED BY

Head of Design Beren Bauermeister Production & Client Liaison Manager

Antois-Leigh Nepgen Bookkeeper Tonya Hebenton Distribution Manager Nomsa Masina Distribution Coordinator Asha Pursotham Group Sales Manager Chilomia Van Wijk Advertising Amanda De Beer +27 (0)72 600 9323 Amanda.DeBeer@3smedia.co.za

Publisher Jacques Breytenbach

Novus Print (Pty) Ltd t/a 3S Media Production Park, 83 Heidelberg Road, City Deep, Johannesburg South, 2136 Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 www.3smedia.co.za

PLEASE NOTE: EThekwini Metropolitan Municipality statistics and content have been drawn from both finalised and draft versions of publicly available documents that may or may not reflect the absolute correct numbers applicable at the time of publishing.

NOTICE OF RIGHTS: This publication, its form and contents vest in 3S Media. All rights reserved. No part of this book, including cover and interior designs, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.

The authors’ views may not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation and compilation of this publication, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, completeness or accuracy of its contents, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. While every effort has been taken to ensure that no copyright or copyright issues is/are infringed, 3S Media, its directors, publisher, officers and employees cannot be held responsible and consequently disclaim any liability for any loss, liability damage, direct or consequential of whatsoever nature and howsoever arising.

E THEKW I NI • OVE RVIE W

MAYOR’S

10 Point Plan

EThekwini Municipality has a bold Economic Recovery Plan, which is focused on attracting investment to the City. The Mayor’s 10 Point Plan strives to ensure that these efforts will be doubled.

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he 10 Point Plan focuses on the re-industrialisation of the City’s economic trajectory driven by the Port City Industrial Programme, job creation, catalytic projects and skills revolution war room. It will also focus on infrastructure delivery, energy reforms,

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climate change and the radical budget re-engineering reforms.

Over and above this, the recognition of township and rural economies would need to be urgently adapted and mechanisms found to mainstream these into the City’s GDP.

While the terminology in the Mayor’s 10 Point Plan and the City’s strategy may differ, the aim of delivering effective, efficient and equitable services to the citizens residing in eThekwini remain the same.

ET H EKW I NI • OVERVI EW

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Port City Industrialisation Programme

Radical Budget Re-engineering Reforms

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02 Job Creation, Catalytic Projects & Skills Revolution War Room

Infrastructure Delivery & Energy Reforms & Climate Change

eThekwini Economic Council

Enterprise & Supplier Development Master Plan

Social Solidarity Economy Programme

Radical Agrarian Socio-economic Transformation Master Plan

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Procurement Centre of Excellence Smart City & Industry 4.0

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E THEKW I NI • OVE RVIE W

EIGHT PLANS:

Goals and outcomes of eThekwini’s 2022/23 to 2026/27 IDP Plan 1: Develop and Sustain our Spatial, Natural and Built Environment Goal: The goal of this plan to lead, direct and manage the spatial, built and natural environment to ensure the sustainable and integrated growth and development of the Municipality for the benefit of all its citizens.

Desired Outcome: Citizens will be able to access and use resources to meet their needs without compromising the amenity for others and the resource base of the Municipality in the present and in the future.

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Plan 2: Develop a Prosperous, Diverse Economy and Employment Creation Goal: The goal of this plan is to develop the economic wealth and promote radical economic transformation of the eThekwini region for the material well-being of all its citizens.

Desired Outcome: Strong economic growth, sustainable job creation and poverty alleviation.

Plan 3: Creating a Quality Living Environment

Plan 4: Fostering a Socially Equitable Environment

Goal: The goal of this plan is to promote access to equitable, appropriate and sustainable levels of household infrastructure and community services and facilitate access to housing.

Desired Outcome: Appropriately serviced and well maintained, quality living environments.

Goal: The goal in this plan is to promote and create a safe, healthy and secure environment.

Desired Outcome: All citizens living in a safe, healthy and secure environment.

ET H EKW I NI • OVERVI EW

Plan 5: Creating a Platform for Growth, Empowerment and Skills Development

Plan 7: Good Governance and Responsive Local Government

Goal: The goal is to establish eThekwini as a learning city that uses knowledge management techniques and processes to enhance the skills base of the citizenry as well as share good practice with other municipalities.

Desired Outcomes: • A skilled and capable citizenry within the eThekwini Municipal Area, which shares in and contributes to the economic expansion and growth of the region • A skilled workforce that delivers effective and quality services to the citizens of eThekwini Municipality • A learning city

Goal: The goal is to ensure a strong, caring and democratic institution to promote and support a consultative and participatory local government.

Desired Outcomes: • All citizens embracing, practising and benefiting from the concepts of good governance • A stronger, more efficient public service that is capable of developing and implementing policy and delivering better services to all people at all levels • Better and more transparent public management • A more participative and responsive Municipality, particularly at all levels • A Municipality that prevents and fights corruption and waste at all levels • A Municipality where all inequalities of the past are eradicated

Plan 6: A Vibrant and Creative City – The Foundation for Sustainability and Social Cohesion Goal: To create a city where people interact creatively to stimulate economic growth, social cohesion and unity in diversity.

Desired Outcome: People living vibrantly and productively in an attractive and healthy environment.

Plan 8: Financially Accountable and Sustainable City Goal: The goal is to maximise the Municipality’s financial resources to ensure long-term financial viability and sustainability.

Desired Outcomes: •C onfidence of all internal and external stakeholders in municipal financial management • Excellence in the service delivery of municipal financial services • Compliance with prevailing municipal financial legislation

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PR OFILE | AB PR O J E CT S

A PARTNER WITH PURPOSE Founded in KwaZulu-Natal 20 years ago, AB Projects is a BBBEE Level 1 engineering, consulting, construction and project management firm that has refined its multidisciplinary expertise across the breadth of South Africa.

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stablished in 2003 by director and founder Mr Pradeep Ramlall, AB Projects is home to a team that boasts over 60 years of collective experience in developing municipal turnaround strategies and municipal engineering solutions to enhance service delivery.

Providing municipal engineering services to local government in both the professional consulting and construction spaces, AB Projects’ expertise lies in formulating and implementing turnaround strategies to address service delivery backlogs, infrastructure development as well as municipal revenue enhancement, and to ensure the delivery of sustainable basic services that are environmentally acceptable and affordable.

Over the last 20 years, the company has continually adapted in response to the challenges that face humanity both locally and abroad, with its most recent key focus areas being: • water and wastewater treatment and engineering

• non-revenue water (NRW) • municipal revenue enhancement • operation and maintenance (O&M) • infrastructure asset management.

Furthermore, through its professional affiliations with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) – combined with 7CE/PE and 7ME/PE cidb gradings – AB Projects is able to offer comprehensive turnkey solutions.

Project successes The high level of competence inherent in the work AB Projects delivers is well illustrated in the vast number of projects it has successfully completed. Below are just a few such examples executed within the firm’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal.

O&M of Water & Wastewater Infrastructure for uMzinyathi District Municipality: AB Projects was appointed on a 36-month contract that included the O&M of all water

and sanitation infrastructure for the entire uMzinyathi District, including treatment plants, pump stations, bulk and reticulation mains, as well as reservoirs. This further entailed the supply of all operational staff, vehicles, fuel and treatment chemicals.

Nquthu Sanitation Programme: This project addressed the basic sanitation services backlog in the Nquthu Municipal Area through sourcing funding, the preparation of a sanitation master plan, and the construction of over 14 000 ventilation improved pit (VIP) latrines to ensure residents’ access to safer and more dignified sanitation.

Umzinyathi Drought Relief Programme: During the 2015 KwaZulu-Natal drought, AB Projects successfully managed a drought relief programme for uMzinyathi District Municipality alongside the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) as part of the Drought System Joint Operating Committee.

Work included augmenting water supply through groundwater interventions such as borehole drilling and testing, pressure management initiatives, leak detection and repairs within households to reduce water loss, repairs and maintenance to bulk pipelines, as well as the management and coordination of water tankers in waterdeprived areas.

Umgeni Water NRW and WC/WDM Support Programme for FY 2019/20: AB Projects provided technical support to KZN’s 14 Water Services Authorities (WSAs) to ensure their compliance with the DWS’s regulatory requirements of providing water balance and water-saving reports to its regional and national offices.

The scope of works entailed reviewing and updating each WSA’s monthly water balance, developing revenue improvement strategies, determining the true cost of water, DWS reporting assistance in terms of water balances, mentoring the WSAs on water conservation and demand management

PR O F I L E | A B PR OJEC TS

(WC/WDM), providing programme support, as well as preparing NRW business plans.

Ongoing work Not a company to rest on its laurels and bask solely in its past successes, AB Projects has an impressive order book and is currently engaged in a number of large-scale projects across South Africa. These works are set to impact the lives of thousands, while improving municipal revenues and service delivery within the water and sanitation space.

Process Design of a 250 Mℓ Upgrade to Waterval Wastewater Care Works: AB Projects is working on the feasibility study and preliminary process design for an additional 250 Mℓ wastewater works for the City of Ekurhuleni and ERWAT. The feasibility study will evaluate seven separate wastewater treatment technologies and select the most optimal process for the upgrade.

Sihlanzimvelo Stream Cleaning Programme: This intervention for eThekwini Muncipality has AB Projects managing the

Working with eThekwini Metro AB Projects and eThekwini have over time collectively built a successful relationship, which continues to progress along a positive trajectory.

The firm has completed and is actively involved in many projects alongside the Metro’s Water and Sanitation as well as Roads and Stormwater Maintenance directorates. AB Projects is proud of the role it is able to play in assisting eThekwini Municipality to bring services to the people of KwaZulu-Natal.

cyclic cleaning of approximately 7 400 km of rivers, streams and canals within the Metro. Regular maintenance is performed to reduce the amount of pollutants – both chemical and biological – from washing further downstream. The streams also undergo water quality testing to identify key indictors, such as E. coli, phosphates, nitrates and oxygen levels.

Pre-feasibility Study for Proposed Tugela River Abstraction Works: AB Projects is contracted by Mhlathuze Water to conduct a pre-feasibility study to abstract raw water from the Tugela River (130 Mℓ/day) and distribute it via a pipeline to industrial and domestic customers. The project entails hydrological assessment, environmental screening and an interbasin transfer study.

Mpophomeni War on Leaks: Pilot Programme: This NRW reduction pilot programme for Umgeni Water aims to reduce water losses through the implementation of leak detection and repairs, including domestic leaks for 6 500 households, monitoring night flows, door-to-door audits and community awareness campaigns. It also provides the additional benefit of local employment and skills transfer to emerging contractors.

Smart Meter Replacement for Mafube Local Municipality: The goal of this project is the reduction of NRW by enhancing municipal revenue through the installation/ replacement of smart prepaid water meters. To date, AB Projects has installed approximately 1 700 smart prepaid meters. The full benefit of the system is important in that water resources and infrastructure could be extended to supply water to the unserved population and defer the onset of a capital-intensive infrastructure programme by simply improving revenue collection.

Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan (SDBIP) Development: AB Projects is assisting the

DWS in developing the five-year SDBIP to deliver reliable water and sanitation services for four WSAs in KZN (Uthukela, King Cetshwayo, Zululand and Ilembe).

Wastewater Treatment Works Refurbishment: In Ballito, AB Projects is currently involved in repairing and desludging the maturation ponds at Siza Water’s Frasers WWTW, as well as refurbishing the E-Pond Pump Station.

Invested in the future Despite the recent and ongoing challenges facing South Africa, and KwaZulu-Natal in particular, AB Projects is positive about the future, both in terms of its robust project pipeline and the actions of national and local government to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.

Duran Kishore of AB Projects notes, “Even though we are currently in a recession period, we have faith that the civil space will continue to improve, especially concerning eThekwini Metro, through tackling key service delivery issues caused by the recent flooding and protest actions.”

Examples of this positivity are illustrated through the Riet River Sewer Reticulation Project, where eThekwini Municipality has appointed AB Projects to construct waterborne sewerage infrastructure for residents that were unserved for many years, while AB Projects and eThekwini are also making progress in preventing further watercourse pollution through the Sihlanzimvelo Programme.

“These types of projects promote economic transformation, environmental sustainability and service delivery. Through such positive interventions, eThekwini is well on its way to becoming Africa’s most caring and liveable city by 2030,” Kishore concludes. eTHEKWINI 2023 |

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E THEKW I NI • C IT Y OP E RAT ION S

The eThekwini Municipality Chief Operations Office (COO) Cluster’s mandate is overseeing the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the City’s business. We look at some of Cluster’s recent achievements and plans for this financial year.

Keeping the wheels turning

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eporting directly to the Accounting Officer as the second in the chain of command, the COO Cluster’s main focus is on executing the city’s business plan (IDP), in accordance with the established business model by the Accounting Officer. By adopting threeyear budgets linked to longer term IDPs, eThekwini Municipality has adopted more forward-looking and better-informed policies and made better judgments about the future priorities for capital development and service delivery in our communities.

The Cluster comprises four units, namely: •P erformance Monitoring and Evaluation (PME): The PME Unit provides a holistic monitoring and evaluation function for eThekwini Municipality.

• L egal and Compliance: The provision of quality legal services is one of the critical components of a successful and compliant municipality. The Legal and Compliance Unit is integral to the provision of legal and compliance

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services within the Municipality. It seeks to ensure that the Municipality performs in a legal manner and complies with all regulatory requirements.

• Area Based Management (ABM): The ABM Unit creates an enabling environment for enhanced services through the coordination, facilitation and integration of services and resources, to empower people and improve the quality of life for all within the defined geographical areas of eThekwini Municipality. Thus, it serves as a custodian of development outcomes through integrated service delivery in the eThekwini Municipal Area.

•C hief Digital Office: The Digital Office was established to implement the use of digital information and advanced technologies such as the cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, big data, internet of things (IoT), blockchain, immersive technologies, mobile and social media, to create business value. It is concerned

with implementing digital initiatives that enable strategic innovation and business transformation and/or optimisation.

Key highlights and achievements The COO Cluster celebrated a number of key highlights and achievements during the preceding financial year of 2021/22, which are listed below.

Through the PME Unit, the Cluster shaped a PME enhancement process to address inefficiencies as well as to improve on current practices. The intention of the enhancements was also to address the disjuncture between what is happening on the ground against what is reported within the Municipality.

The Cluster introduced the verification of service delivery performance information reported by units, as a second line of defence in Treasury’s combined assurance model. This enhancement assisted in changing the approach in the development of project plans in support of the SDBIP for the 2022/23 financial year.

ET H EK W I NI • C I T Y O P ER ATI O NS In responding to the need of introducing evaluations to provide a qualitative aspect on the City’s performance, the Cluster started by evaluating the IDP process to assess whether the way in which the IDP is developed is effective. This evaluation report presented key findings that will potentially lead to change in how the City undertakes its planning processes.

Through the PME Unit, the Cluster submitted various reports to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and National Treasury to report and account on eThekwini Municipality’s performance.

The reports included the 2021/22 State of the City Report, quarterly Performance Management System Assessment Tool and the 2020/21 Annual Report.

The 2020/21 Annual Report was tabled and noted by Council on 27 January 2022 and, thereafter, public consultations were held with various stakeholders, including the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Amakhosi, People with Disabilities, civil society and Council subcommittees.

The tabled Annual Report was submitted to the Auditor-General, National Treasury, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Treasury, the KZN Legislature and CoGTA within the legislated deadline.

On 31 March 2022, the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) tabled at

Council the 2020/21 Oversight Report on the Annual Report of eThekwini Municipality for the 2020/21 financial year and Council approved the Annual Report without reservations.

All (100%) complaints, faults and service delivery backlogs were logged with relevant departments through a proactive call logging system. Line units were monitored and continually engaged on their service delivery output on all outstanding calls. The ABM fault management system was operationalised throughout the City and became an effective tool to address infrastructure maintenance.

The Digital Government Strategy and Roadmap – which is structured around the three value disciplines of citizen/business intimacy, innovation and operational excellence – was approved by the ICT Strategic Committee.

The Municipality’s Technology Investment Decision Framework – which included technology investment guiding principles to serve as a guide when considering investment in a technologyenabled solution, prioritizing technology investments and developing business cases for a potential technology investment – was also approved by the ICT Strategic Committee.

The draft Open Data policy was developed to promote efficient and transparent public access to data by making it available online in userfriendly, open formats unless restricted by law, policy, regulations or contract.

The draft Telecommunications Infrastructure Mast policy was formulated for the construction of telecommunications infrastructure networks in the eThekwini Metropolitan Area in preparation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the advanced technology solutions that will shape the Municipality in the years to come.

Council approved the Municipality’s participation in the DBSA/World Bank Smart City Pilot Programme, which will define the strategy and journey towards becoming a smart city.

COO’s focal points for 2022/23 Overhauling of the budgeting Providing strategic leadership Operationalising the Mayor’s 10-point plan. process at a project level support to the Office of the to ensure project readiness Accounting Officer and COO before projects are placed by filling the position of the The Capital on the budget.

Head: Programme Further Enhancing Management Management. capacitating the the relationships Committee Budget Accounting Officer between the PME Review workshop will by augmenting Unit, the IDP Office assist in ensuring that the COO support through and the Budget Office to the City adopts a strategyconsulting professionals. strengthen and integrate the led development to align with planning process to improve on sustainable development goals. service delivery.

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Developing the Municipality’s Smart City Strategy and obtaining approval from Council.

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8 Defining the Smart City Journey and Roadmap.

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Identifying three priority areas for the Smart City Programme and defining at least one key project in each area.

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10 Using the BSI PAS184 methodology to embed the ‘smart thinking’ approach to Smart City project identification and prioritisation.

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Getting the Open Data Policy and Telecommunications Infrastructure Mast policies approved by the relevant committees.

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12 Developing the Municipality’s Smart City 10-year investment plan.

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Progress through TARGETED PARTNERSHIPS Alongside its public and private sector partners, eThekwini Muncipality is engaged in numerous projects and interventions intended to improve socio-economic development – and thereby the lives of residents – within the region.

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o accelerate economic growth, eThekwini has a number of catalytic projects at various stages of implementation, designed to build upon its key competitive advantages.

Thus, there are several large warehousing and logistics parks being developed to support the more efficient and greater movement of containers from the Port of Durban, particularly in light of plans to extend the capacity of the port.

The Metro is also improving its tourism offering with the construction of a cruise ship terminal and the redevelopment of the harbour and beachfront areas.

There are also new mixeduse developments, which will form the backbone of urban housing and development, underway, as well as a new

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transport system to link the various parts of the Metro.

In line with national government’s commitment to infrastructure investment (as per the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Programme) to serve as the backbone of a thriving economy – as a key driver for economic growth and job creation – the Municipality has identified key catalytic projects in the inner city, rural and township areas. These strategic projects will be used to grow the economy, create jobs and, most importantly, fast-track radical socioeconomic transformation.

The Municipality has planned some investment projects in partnership with the private sector, to ensure that it develops the necessary capacity to maintain Durban as a global city and Africa’s leading tourism and investment

destination. There are ambitious plans to transform Durban’s skyline and increase the City’s rates base.

Precinct management In order to manage existing, strategic and prioritised economic precincts, and to retain and grow investment through the promotion and encouragement of public and private precinct management partnership arrangements, Council has adopted a Precinct Management Framework (PMF) for priority economic areas.

The PMF aims to achieve the following objectives: • to retain existing investment, business and jobs • t o encourage investment, economic growth and job creation • to drive spatial transformation through precinct management • to grow the rates base and arrest the decline in particular economic precincts.

ET H EKW I NI • SO C I O - EC O NO MI C D EV E LO P MENT

The success of the PMF is dependent upon sound partnership between the Municipality and other stakeholders, including internal stakeholders, other spheres of government, the private sector, civil society organisations, as well as academic and any other voluntary organisations. This partnership will enable parties to influence decisions that affect their respective precinct within the eThekwini Municipal Area.

The Economic Development Unit is making strides in providing specialised economic services for priority sectors through its Sector Development Programmes Department. The Sector Development Programmes Department is doing good work in identifying sectors in the City and adequately equipping them to compete in the global market. This, in turn, improves competitiveness and attracts investment to the City.

To increase energy supply in the Municipal Area, Council adopted the Energy Transition Policy to mitigate the impact of load-shedding on the local economy. In order to increase water supply to the Durban Heights Reservoir, which supplies water to the largest part of the municipality, plans have been finalised for the construction of the uMkhomazi Dam. In the interim, investments will be made over the next few years to improve water infrastructure.

The eThekwini Municipal Area remains the gateway of the province of KwaZuluNatal. Hence, the Municipality plays a critical role to promote economic growth, thereby benefitting the entire province.

With eThekwini being strategically positioned in the coastline area, conscious efforts have been made to use this as a differentiating factor and drive maritime and Durban harbour activities. Areas of cooperation have been identified and partnership agreements have been entered into, to drive economic growth

and attract international investors into the province.

Major projects The city of Durban is poised for growth from several major catalytic projects over the next few years, which will create investment and employment opportunities, with some of them set to transform the city’s landscape forever, while cementing Durban’s economic status globally. There are other major projects the Municipality is embarking on which are still in the planning phases as part of the City’s list of catalytic projects.

Upon the completion of these projects, Durban will certainly claim its rightful position as Africa’s leading tourism and investment destination. There are a good number of catalytic projects, with some of standout developments being the Point Waterfront, Brickworks, uMhlanga Oceans Development, Sibaya Development, Rivertown Precinct Upgrade, Ntshongweni mixed-use development, Dube TradePort, the Cato Ridge Dry Port, and the Illovo Auto Supplier Park.

A major revamp of the Mahatma Gandhi Road Precinct is underway by the City, with the rejuvenation project tackling bad, abandoned or derelict buildings, which are being revamped while ploughing millions into various infrastructure upgrades.

These strides aim to transform the precinct into space for investment opportunities. The area is a strategic location for catalytic development, and the City is fast-tracking this to stimulate economic growth, international investment, job creation and tourism.

Some of the work undertaken includes the extension of the promenade, the public realm upgrade and the successful problem buildings programme, plus the attraction of foreign direct investment.

With bustling lanes filled with boutique shops, galleries and art performances,

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E THEKW I NI • SO CIO-E CON OM IC D EV ELO P MENT

stimulating investment and development of the area.

The City’s vision is to regenerate the area with a mix between creative and commercial ventures.

With the iconic Durban Beachfront being considered a ‘platinum’ area, there was a notable link missing between the Durban ICC and the beachfront. Rivertown is now set to bridge that gap.

Durban’s Rivertown Precinct has already undergone the first phase of a facelift through the completion of a R44 million public realm beautification project. The latter involved widening and new pavement walkways, new street furniture and some elements of greening. The project, once all the phases have been fully implemented, will bridge the space between the City’s iconic Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (Durban ICC) and the Durban Beachfront. The regeneration of the inner city is important to drive further growth and halt decline, with Rivertown being one of the projects aimed at

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Aerotropolis Following the unveiling of the 50year Durban Aerotropolis Master Plan (DURAMP) detailing a purpose-built city in extent of 32 000 hectares around King Shaka International Airport, the implementation of some of the elements of the master plan is underway. The work around the Dube TradePort node is being accelerated, while the R6 billion Whetstone development, a light industry node, has kicked off. This futuristic hub of commerce and industry will create 750 000 jobs and have an investment potential of R1 trillion. This development aims to enhance urban, regional and national competitiveness through improved multimodal transport access and planned, coordinated, aviationlinked commercial development and make KwaZulu-Natal more economically efficient, sustainable and attractive to investment.

The Durban Aerotropolis has the potential to catalyse social, spatial and economic transformation as well as localise the benefits of global trends though a robust and flexible master plan framework.

The development of the aerotropolis is one of the catalytic projects that have been identified by the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy to achieve the province’s vision of strengthening its gateway into South Africa and the entire African continent. The plan reflects the importance of the KZN economy and the particular advantages of the aerotropolis site in its ability to attract development and investment. It is also a key project within the National Development Plan Strategic Infrastructure Programme.

The completion of the Point Promenade, which resulted in the extension of the beachfront promenade, has already elevated the attractiveness of the southern beachfront infrastructure. This has been done in anticipation to the muchawaited multibillion-rand skyscrapers that will be home to a hotel, offices and residential apartments. The City is awaiting confirmation from the investor for the foreign direct investment.

The new cruise terminal at the Point waterfront has already been completed and officially opened in December 2021.

ET H EKW I NI • SO C I O - EC O NO MI C D EV E LO P MENT

All these developments are going to change the skyline of Durban while also helping the City to cement its place in the country and the wider continent as a tourist mecca. The proximity of this development to uShaka Marine World is going to help to inject life into this world-class facility, to the benefit of all in the region. The City’s investment has also spurred investment into the Point precinct, as partners prepare to launch Phase 1 of the developments planned within this precinct. These developments include a 29-storey residential development, hotel development and a retail mall with a combined estimated market value of R3.5 billion.

Townships and transport Midway Crossing, a township development project, is deemed to be the biggest investment made into the township economy in South Africa. This catalytic project, together with the adjacent C3 GO!Durban rapid transit route, are set to kickstart further investment in the area. This transportoriented development is the first of many investment projects in the area. The City is expecting to see the development of manufacturing hubs, entertainment, and tourist hotspots.

The three-storey centre, which is valued at over R800 million and located

in the heart of Newlands, opened its doors in 2021. It is home to extensive retail outlets, as well as municipal services, including a clinic and the GO!Durban head office.

The City has invested billions in transport infrastructure to ensure a world-class transport system with a public transport focus. The majority of eThekwini’s residents use public transport daily. The Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (IRPTN) known as GO!Durban is one way of achieving this. GO!Durban is one of the City’s biggest catalytic projects and will change the face of public transport within the eThekwini Municipal Area.

The main focus has been building a safe, efficient and affordable public transport system. GO!Durban comprises nine main routes – eight dedicated bus lanes and one rail route that connect to all areas of the City. The delivery of the network will transform Durban’s public transport sector by introducing safer, more efficient, reliable and customercentral public transport services.

While the City has an extensive economic plan to regenerate, attract and retain investments to stimulate the economy, it is hoped that these will be a catalyst for growth and job creation, which is the biggest challenge facing the country. The City aims to provide the kindling to the fires of progress and

act as a facilitator that drives extensive investment from the private sector and foreign direct investors.

Of course, the ever-present coronavirus pandemic has left a lasting impact on the economies of almost every country globally, while locally, it also has a devastating impact on economic development and tourism – not to mention South Africa’s wider energy challenges. Through various successfully executed interventions entailed in Phase 1 of the Economic Recovery Plan crafted by the City, the way is being paved for the commencement of Phase 2, which is the Economic Recovery and Shared Growth Path (ERSG) – a framework for collective action to rebuild and regenerate the eThekwini economy. It is hoped that such steps will serve to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic in particular.

That said, the recent floods across the KwaZulu-Natal province caused extensive damage to infrastructure in the city, impacting on residents and the local economy, which necessitated the reprioritisation of certain projects with possible delays in some. However, all efforts are being made to ensure repairs are undertaken and services are restored, working with national government bodies as well as partners in the private sector.

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The company takes great pride in being part of the steel industry and, as such, is constantly seeking to elevate service levels in manufacturing and metals distribution to new heights.

Adding value across a range of industries BC Industrial & Engineering Supplies provides products that are broadly broken down into three categories: abrasive products, power tools and industrial supplies. Its metal products offering includes structural steel, plate, sheet and coil, tubular, merchant bar, pipes, valves, fittings, rails, as well as stainless and engineering steels, fittings and hardware.

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Flexibility and versatility: Industrial metal products can be moulded and shaped to fit various needs and applications – from fittings on pipelines and valves, to steel plating on maritime and defence equipment.

Corrosion resistance: Metal products can be coated with materials that prevent rust and corrosion, ensuring their longevity and reliability. This is especially important in harsh environments where exposure to moisture, chemicals and salt can cause rapid deterioration of materials.

Cost-effectiveness: Industrial metal products are often cost-effective and offer a high return on investment. They require minimal maintenance, have a long lifespan and can be recycled at their end of life, making them an environmentally friendly and sustainable option.

Aesthetic appeal: Metal products can also provide an aesthetic appeal to various industries. For example, stainless steel is commonly used in architectural designs and interior decoration due to its sleek and modern appearance.

Service excellence In a market demanding excellence, BC Industrial & Engineering Supplies leads the industry in service and value. The company has also expanded its capabilities to meet the demands of a constantly changing market, offering competitive pricing and service that is second to none.

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E THEKW I NI • C ATA LY T IC P ROJE CT S

EThekwini Municipality has long held that the delivery of projects and infrastructure at scale can lead to a profound shift in the region’s socioeconomic development. Serving as prime examples of the potential of publicprivate partnerships, there are numerous catalytic projects underway within the city of Durban.

Point Waterfront

Changing the game with development at scale

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he Municipality has earmarked a number of key infrastructure investments that will change the landscape of the city and create a true global destination, which will serve as an economic and logistical gateway into the African continent.

There are a number of catalytic projects underway within the eThekwini Municipal Area, each at various stages of planning and development. Below are highlights drawn from some of the latest publicly available information on the status updates of various major projects.

Point Waterfront The project is a public-private sector investment and forms part of the City’s initiative to redevelop and regenerate the inner city. The private sector is expected to spend R35 billion on the Point Waterfront development to be undertaken over the next 10 years, comprising a hotel, retail mall, offices, as well as a residential apartment and leisure infrastructure.

When completed, the development will create 6 750 permanent jobs and provide 11 000 construction jobs with an annual rates contribution of R200 million. The City has already spent about R900 million due to the Point promenade, trunk sewer upgrading and Point watermains, as catalysts for the much anticipated private sector investment.

A particular highlight here is the official opening of the MSC Cruise Terminal

ET H EKW I NI • C ATA LY T I C P RO J EC TS

in December 2021, which is valued at approximately R200 million.

Cornubia The Cornubia development is a strategic flagship programme of eThekwini Municipality. The project is based on a framework of public-private partnership where, apart from the housing solution it provides, it creates an atmosphere for emerging business to become part of the development framework. The Cornubia development is regarded as a catalytic intervention establishing the first fully integrated human settlement in the country. Cornubia is a government priority project and large-scale, mixed-use, mixedincome integrated human settlement.

This groundbreaking development caters for logistics and industrial development, as well as commercial, integrated residential, retail and other social and public facilities.

Current development nodes include a town centre, retail park and business park, with a number of mixed-income housing opportunities, as well as a school facility and the Cornubia Mall.

Two GO!Durban routes will run through the development: the C8 route linking uMhlanga and the Durban CBD with King Shaka International Airport, and the C9 linking Bridge City with uMhlanga.

The development is set to have a large impact on job creation in eThekwini during both the construction and operation phases. In the long term, nearly 285 000 new employment

Cornubia

opportunities will be created due to the commercial activities associated with Cornubia, representing a healthy 12% of total employment in the province.

Dube TradePort The Dube TradePort node is a 3 800 hectare development near King Shaka International Airport, with an airfreight hub comprising cargo terminal, trade, agri and support zones. Dube TradePort has secured R3.2 billion in private sector investment and R880 million investments in infrastructure projects by Dube TradePort Corporation. TradeZone 1, Dube City and AgriZone 1 are complete.

Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status for the TradeZones has been received, while the new link road from uShukela Highway has been constructed. Building on this success, work is underway to develop the second phase of the Dube TradeZone light industrial development, which will be 45 hectares, as well as Dube AgriZone 2.

Bulk earthworks and platforming are in progress, while the installation of internal services is underway. Recent projections point to the expanded zone attracting in excess of R10 billion in private sector investment over the next years. The TradePort will eventually provide 150 000 permanent jobs with a

Dube TradePort

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E THEKW I NI • C ATA LY T IC P ROJE CT S

The Brickworks

total rates contribution of R180 million annually. The complete investment value is R13 billion.

Dumisani Makhaye Development The Dumisani Makhaye Node (Westrich Mall) Development (Midway Crossing) is strategically located on the City’s C3 IPTN Corridor, which creates a northwest connection through Bridge City to Pinetown CBD, and entails the commercial development of a shopping centre. This will be integrated with the GO!Durban feeder facility, safety and security centre, Sizakala Centre, municipal services centre (library, clinic) and the Newlands Expressway. The development has already been completed and was officially opened in September 2021. The total investment value was R900 million, with the municipality contributing R375 million towards municipal infrastructure. A total of 810 construction jobs were created and over R80 million was spent on

Contractor Participation Goals and local economic empowerment.

The completed facility generates significant monthly revenue and benefits the communities of Lindelani, KwaMashu and Newlands West.

Brickworks The Avoca Nodal Development is made up of three precincts ideally located along the N2 corridor. The precincts consist of the Brickworks and Northfields industrial developments, as well as the Caneridge residential development. The Municipality will be funding some of the bulk infrastructure (i.e. upgrading of Old North Coast Road) for the development of this node.

The development investment value is estimated at R10 billion.

Private sector construction for Phase 1 commenced in January 2021, with the first phase of construction set to result in the development of about

Oceans uMhlanga

18 | eTHEKWINI 2023

150 000 m2 of gross lettable area (GLA), worth close to R2 billion. Once all three phases have been developed, The Brickworks will include in excess of 450 000 m2 of GLA, at an estimated value of R6 billion. The municipality is currently finalising plans for construction at Old North Coast Road.

Oceans uMhlanga Oceans uMhlanga is a R4 billion mixed-use development situated strategically within the core tourism node of uMhlanga Rocks Village. It is currently being facilitated as a Catalytic Project within the Municipality due to the anticipated positive socioeconomic benefits it will bring into the municipal area. This includes R725 million towards GDP, an additional annual income to the City of R135 million per annum from rates and service charges, as well as the creation of over 2 100 sustainable jobs. The mixed-use development consists of the Raddison Blu Hotel, a retail mall and 600 apartments.

The project, which began in 2016, has so far created 6 000 jobs during construction and another 2 500 permanent jobs.

Positive progress was made during 2022 and the first phase of the development, namely the hotel and hotel apartments, as well as retail spaces opened their doors in late 2022.

Rivertown The Rivertown Precinct lies to the east of Durban CBD, between the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre Complex (Durban ICC) and the Durban Beachfront. The precinct is formerly Durban’s light industrial area with several low-rise warehouses, some of which are of

ET H EKW I NI • C ATA LY T I C P RO J EC TS

heritage value. City architects have been exploring the potential of reopening the canal (along John Milne street) as a strong feature of the City and developing a vision and character of the precinct centred on this canal.

The objectives of the redevelopment of this precinct include: • providing linkages between Durban ICC and the Durban Beachfront • developing the precinct taking an overall cultural theme and in service of the Durban Exhibition Centre • commercialising creative ventures through private galleries, small theatres, restaurants and other entertainment venues.

Construction for the upgrading of the Rivertown precinct commenced in June 2019 and was completed by June 2021 with a contract value of R44 million.

Arrangements are underway via the Development Planning Unit to encourage property owners to facelift their premises (buildings and open yards) to enhance the aesthetic look and feel of the area.

Centrum Site The Centrum Site has always been at the crossroads of a developing Durban.

Movements from west to east intersect with north-south connections. The Centrum Urban Design Framework aims to develop a new mixed-use precinct comprising IRPTN and innercity distribution service bus stations, a

new super basement parking with public service buildings such as a city library, council chambers and municipal buildings, integrated with high-density residential, hotel, retail and commercial developments anchored by an expanded Gugu Dlamini Square. It is expected that this site will complement the adjoining CBD while trying to preserve the city’s heritage in terms of its historic buildings. This development is itself currently at a crossroads.

Durban Iconic Tower The City received a proposal from the Durban Tower Development Company in 2016 to build a R6 billion, 88-storey skyscraper near the Moses Mabhida Stadium, which would become the highest building in the southern hemisphere. It was planned to be built over five years and become operational by 2021 should construction commence in 2018, following approval of the project.

The proposed location of the project is on the Durban Country Club site and the premises of the Natal Mounted Rifles. These timelines have shifted out significantly, but a formal letter was received from the Country Club in 2022, giving the Municipality consent to excise a portion of the leased property.

The project may serve as a potential catalyst to future large-scale development within the Durban inner

city and the greater metropolitan area.

The most recent status regarding the developing is that internal Council discussions were being held.

Keystone Park Located immediately adjacent to the N3 Hammarsdale interchange, the 152 hectare Keystone Park Light Industrial Warehousing and Logistics Precinct is being developed by Rokwil Property Development. The R6.5 billion Keystone Park development – which consists of 152 hectares of logistics, warehouse and light industrial zoning – has been categorised as one of the best projects to tackle unemployment, creating 2 000 permanent jobs within the first phase of the development.

This development, which is a privatepublic partnership, is also aimed at attracting new industries to the region and unlocking further employment and business opportunities for locals.

Development activity at the site commenced with the 15 000 m2 Malda Pack facility having started business operations. Mr Price’s new National Distribution Centre, Ackermans, ND Engineering, Dromex, Kerry Foods, and Pepkor’s new Distribution Centre have also been completed.

Several further significant top-structure projects are in the final stages of

Centrum Site

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ET H EKW I NI • C ATA LY T I C P RO J EC TS

being packaged. This regional catalytic development will generate substantial employment opportunities including around 3 500 temporary construction jobs at peak and approximately 6 500 permanent employment opportunities and annual rates of R2 million when fully completed.

Ntshongweni The Ntshongweni/Westown development is strategically located at the N3 and Kassier Road interchange and forms part of the SIP (Strategic Infrastructure Project) 2 corridor along the Durban-Free State-Gauteng logistics and industrial corridor. The 2 000 hectare precinct is a mixed-use development intended to create a new economic hub in Durban’s Outer West area. The precinct development will include lifestyle and tourism-based developments, new lifestyle estates, highquality office and business park space, freight and logistics platforms, as well as golf, equestrian and leisure facilities. The overall investment value is over R28 billion with the City contributing R328 million for road upgrades, substation upgrades and water treatment works upgrades.

A mixed-use precinct of urban and green space perfectly positioned off the N3 between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, Westown is an active construction site, with the first phase of the development, the retail hub of Westown Square, planned for opening in 2024.

Westown is designed around the highstreet retail experience of Westown Square and is supported by the mixed-use offerings of The West Private Hospital, Westown Lifestyle, residential apartments, warehousing and logistics, commercial/ business activities and uses. Planned as a managed urban environment that understands the value of open space and the ecological assets that characterise the Shongweni area, Westown will not only integrate with existing outdoor and lifestyle activities and facilities in the area but enhance them with the rehabilitation of sugar cane into an active indigenous green belt.

Durban Film City Labelled as a landmark project, Durban Film City, with a projected capital cost of more than R7.5 billion, is to be located on the Durban Beachfront. It comprises a number of components that work together and individually to ensure economic viability. The development is set to change the face of Durban, its

Ntshongweni/Westown

tourism offering and local lifestyle to world-class standards by integrating film studios and related film industry elements with tourism, lifestyle and entertainment components, thereby creating a must-see, must-do attraction for Durban.

Long delayed, the implementation of the development was hampered by various court cases and litigating involving the developer, with the High Court finally ruling in their favour in 2021. Phase 1 will consist of a motion picture, media, resort and entertainment precinct with the potential to create approximately 4 000 to 5 000 permanent jobs and attract filmmakers from around the world.

Illovo Auto Supplier Park The R6.5 billion Illovo Auto Supply Park (ASP) development is a strategic economic priority for both national and provincial government. It is aimed at centralising production, assembly, sequencing and warehousing facilities that are within close proximity to original equipment manufacturers such as Toyota and any new entrants. Through the KZN ASP, companies will benefit from economies of scale (land development, construction, shared services concept and logistics hub and infrastructure), while the project will also create 6 000 construction and 2 600 permanent jobs.

The proposed ASP site was initially identified within the Illovo area on agricultural land earmarked for a KZN automotive supplier industrial park to strengthen the manufacturing sector.

Given the environmental delays on the

Illovo South site, which did not meet Toyota’s requirements, DTP is now undertaking feasibility studies on an alternative site to be used for Phase 1A. The new site earmarked for this purpose is the old Durban International Airport.

Cato Ridge Cato Ridge Logistics Hub is a logistics, warehousing and light industrial precinct on the N3, in close proximity to Ntshongweni and Keystone. The key components of the development are Mega Truck Stop and Staging, Logistics and Industrial Park, and Tank Farm. It forms an important hub to support the capacity-constrained Durban harbour. This development, which is a private and public partnership, is also aimed at attracting new industries to the region and unlocking further employment and business opportunities for locals.

The development is at a planning stage.

The designs for the N3 interchange have been completed. The city and the developer are currently in discussion regarding the funding for the development of the interchange while discussions are currently ongoing with Infrastructure South Africa to source funding, as well as the DBSA Project Preparation department to complete the infrastructure feasibility studies.

Sanral has already made a commitment to cover the costs for the widening of the N3 bridge. The investment value of the development is estimated at over R5 billion. The duration of the project will be no less than 25 years. eTHEKWINI 2023 |

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Achieving excellence in our industry Founded in 1997, we’ve set our sights on being an industry leader and preferred contractor in the greater KwaZulu-Natal region. We make sure that quality, HSE and skills development are at the core of what we do.

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Achieving excellence in the civil engineering industry

Founded in 1997, DevTech Civils has grown to become a cidb 8CE Contractor and Level 1 BBBEE Contributor with a vast range of expertise in civil engineering works.

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he extensive expertise, diverse and inclusive organisational structure, and cidb grading of DevTech Civils all come together to make the company an ideal partner on civil engineering projects up to the value of R200 million.

DevTech Civils tenders for work in both the public and private sectors, with systems in place to ensure that each awarded project receives the proper organisational structure and management processes for timeous delivery of a successful contract.

DevTech Civils’ areas of expertise include: • project management • bulk earthworks • water and sewer reticulation, as well as canalisation

• roads construction and stormwater drainage • industrial and residential paving • sports and synthetic turf fields • township developments • buildings • heavy-duty container parks • landfill sites and waste transfer stations • motorsport street circuits • retaining structures • turnkey projects.

The company strives to achieve excellence on all its projects with the integrated management of all elements involved in bringing tenders to life. Time, project scope, cost, quality, HSE (health, safety and environment), production, stakeholders, training and skills development are always considerations at the forefront of every project undertaken.

Delivering quality lies at the heart of every well executed civils project, and at DevTech Civils, quality is never compromised. The Quality Management System within the organisation controls all aspects of construction activities, ensuring compliance to the applicable quality standards.

A keen municipal partner DevTech Civils has long been a keen partner to eThekwini Municipality,

delivering work on key projects within the municipal area and the wider KwaZulu-Natal province.

Key projects undertaken for eThekwini include the realignment of the Inanda arterial between Seacow Lake Road and Chris Hani Road – to accommodate and expand the GO!Durban BRT service – as well as the second phase of the Vusi Mzimela (Bellair) Road upgrade, which entailed extensive bulk earthworks.

The former was valued at over R60 million, while the latter had a budget of over R35 million.

In executing public sector tenders in the wider region, DevTech Civils provided extensive bulk earthworks and allied services for the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone, on a project valued at nearly R140 million, as well as upgraded Main Road P489 for the KwaZuluNatal Department of Transport (at a value of nearly R44 million).

The company has also executed numerous projects for private sector clients such as Easigas, Basil Read, Gold Circle, Tongaat Hulett and BPB Sindi Civils, among others.

With over 26 years of experience and a proven track record of delivering civil works on almost any scale imaginable, DevTech Civils stakes its claim as KwaZulu-Natal’s preferred civil engineering contractor. eTHEKWINI 2023 |

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E THEKW I NI • HU M A N S E T T L E M E N T S

Rethinking the informal housing sector Like South Africa’s other major cities, eThekwini faces a series of challenges in not only addressing housing shortages but in ensuring the delivery of services to the marginalised and sprawling informal settlements that dot its landscape.

T

here has been an acceptance that conventional approaches to upgrading – premised on Breaking New Ground-type housing delivery and formalisation – are inadequate in addressing the informal settlements challenge in South Africa.

It is further accepted that, given the scale of settlements and services backlogs, it is impossible to comprehensively upgrade all informal settlements in the short to medium term and that an incremental approach focused mainly on essential services provision and secure tenure should the main response. The objective is to reach as many households as possible instead of having a waiting-list-oriented approach where many settlements may wait a long time before being assisted.

The new approach to upgrading needs to be inclusive of all informal settlements, incremental, participative and

24 | eTHEKWINI 2023

partnership-oriented. This is consistent with both national policy as well as international practice.

The new approach to upgrading needs to foster a different and more functional relationship between the state and the urban poor, which is not premised solely on state service delivery, but which also leverages the partnerships necessary for more effective social capital formation, collaboration and ‘self-help’. State investments (e.g. in basic services) need to ‘leverage’ this kind of shift.

Reprioritising criteria In order to establish a more effective informal settlement upgrading pipeline (including incremental services) – which meet Urban Settlement Development Grant (USDG), NUSP and the Municipality’s own objectives – refined prioritisation criteria are required. These are outlined below: • Vulnerability: extent of health and safety threats, using net density as one of the means to apply this criterion.

• Services deficit: the various components of incremental services that are absent or lacking due to inefficient ratios/thresholds of household numbers relative to service points.

• Population coverage: the larger the settlement in terms of the number of

households, the greater the efficiency of delivery and return on investment.

• Age of settlement: how long have people been waiting for services.

• Community readiness: how stable the community and leadership are and their appetite to embrace the new, incremental approach. While not confined to the South African Shack Dwellers (SDI) settlements, for which the organisation has entered into an MoU with the City, but serves as one example to consider.

• Location: in terms of various strategic plans and policy prescripts such as the Built Environment Performance Plan (BEPP), the Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF), Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA), the Spatial Development Framework (SDF) and others, the need to address spatial inequality and inefficiencies is a high priority from national right down to local government.

Taking direction from the BEPP’s integration zones, which is a concept to spatially deal with objectives of city-building – especially inclusiveness, efficiency and connectivity – the prime investment corridor and the urban zone have been identified as areas to focus on without necessarily neglecting the

ET H EK W I NI • HU MA N SET TLEMENTS

needs to informal settlements in the remaining zones.

Broadening services There also needs to be a focus on more than just basic services, functional tenure and incremental housing improvements.

Key social services (e.g. early childhood development, schools, clinics, etc.) are also important, alongside more effective access to public transport and economic opportunities. Upgrading needs to be seen as a sustained process of urban change over time rather than a onceoff, project-type intervention. It needs to be programmatic and area-based in orientation rather than just focused on delivering single/separate ‘projects’. In general, the state needs to focus its efforts and finite resources mainly on enabling public realm investments (rather than the provision of free housing).

In support of the broader collaborative informal settlement action approach, the new approach to informal settlement upgrading also needs to include a focus on ensuring that informal settlements (and their associated upgrading) are sustainable and climate smart. This could, for example, include exploring circular green economy opportunities for job creation and innovative off-grid energy and sanitation solutions. From a climate change perspective, interventions could focus on reducing climate risk through early warning systems, innovative informal settlement designs, and tree planting for soil stabilisation.

In summary, the new approach to informal settlement upgrading should be: • inclusive and city-wide – reaches all informal settlements

• incremental – improvements over time • in situ – relocations a last resort • partnership based – municipality, communities, NGOs, CBOs, universities, private sector, etc.

• participative – communities as co-drivers • programmatic and area-based – as opposed to project-delivery focused • differentiated – addresses a range of key local priorities, not one-size fits all • flexible – statutory and regulatory, working with and not against informality • sustainable • climate smart.

Housing delivery challenges The reality is that the ideal situation would be to house every single person and family in decent, formal housing; however, this is simply not possible, as housing delivery presents significant challenges.

The funding portion for top structures is insufficient for- medium and high-density developments such as double-storey row-houses, especially if they are located on steep sites. Medium- to high-density developments are required to implement the spatial and housing strategies of eThekwini. Top-ups per unit are required to enable the construction of double-storey duplexes, yet going two storeys and more results in significantly higher costs.

As a result, the very poor cannot own units in high-density developments.

Even if funding were made available, a focused home ownership programme would need to be initiated, educating

beneficiaries on their responsibilities in living within sectional title developments.

This also begs the question of whether such beneficiaries would be in a position to afford the levies.

The housing subsidy provisions for difficult geotechnical conditions are insufficient for building on steep and geotechnically difficult land. The geotechnical variation allowed for in the subsidy scheme does not adequately respond to eThekwini’s soil and slope conditions. A top-up subsidy is required to enable additional earthworks, embankments, soil retaining, slope stabilisation, and stormwater control in such areas.

Other key challenges relating to housing include: high backlogs with limited available funding; a lack of well-located and suitable land; projects being stalled due to delays experienced in land acquisition, environmental and developmental approvals and conflicting interests, especially with adjoining communities; the invasion of land and houses; and the unavailability of bulk infrastructure (sewer, water, electricity and roads) and/or ageing infrastructure.

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E THEKW I NI • REN E WA BL E E N E RG Y

A low-carbon economy roadmap KwaZulu-Natal has the potential to cover the energy needs of the province and still supply excess energy into the national grid, writes Sohana Singh.

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iven the power crisis facing the country presently, alternative power sources are being investigated. Several projects are planned, which could potentially lead to KwaZuluNatal being the hub for renewable energy in the future.

Below are some key projects being undertaken as part of the City’s and regions roadmap to a low-carbon energy supply.

Independent Power Producers Programme The roll-out of eThekwini’s Municipal Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (MIPPPP) is expected to attract approximately R324 billion by 2035.

However, the first batch of procurement will attract R10 billion and create over 8 000 jobs. This project will be delivered through a public-private partnerships as outlined in Section 120 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and external service delivery mechanism of Section 76 (b) in the Municipal Systems Act (MSA).

The power generation plants are expected to generate net outputs of 1 576 800 MWh for natural gas and 175 200 MWh for solar power. The combined net energy output is expected to reach 1 752 000 MWh annually going to 2065.

26 | eTHEKWINI 2023

The Municipality presented intentions to procure new generation capacity to the KZN Provincial Executive Council (PEC) on 8 June 2022. The KZN PEC supported the procurement of electricity from IPPs and mandated relevant departments to act accordingly.

As part of the R324 billion plan, the Municipality plans to further procure an additional capacity of 2 600 MW from various sources of power generation. This includes procurement on behalf of other regional municipalities within KZN. This will fast-track regional transformation in the province and restore energy security, not only within the eThekwini region, but across other 10 districts in the province. EThekwini is willing to become an ultimate buyer from IPPs on behalf of KZN and other municipalities.

Gas Economy and Hydrogen Supply Chain Infrastructure The Municipality’s Sustainable Energy Masterplan outlines that energy consumption will increase by 70% by 2030 if business as usual scenarios continue.

Therefore, eThekwini is considering several strategic interventions such as building gas distribution networks and gas storage infrastructure in partnership with the private sector.

The eThekwini Regional Hydrogen Strategy, launched on 2 March 2023 at the eThekwini Energy Transformation Summit, seeks to explore and articulate the role that the eThekwini and Richards Bay districts can play in establishing a hydrogen economy in South Africa. It also uses modelling and analysis to show how hydrogen can help to facilitate the increased use of sustainable energy in the region and possibly create an export market for hydrogen-derived products. EThekwini is the first city in Africa to develop a world-class hydrogen strategy that is built on circular economy principles.

South Durban Energy and Chemicals Park (SDECP) EThekwini Municipality has established the SDECP, which sees energy infrastructure coupled in the form of a land-based floating system and regasification unit, LNG import terminal and refined products terminal, along with various gas-to-power plants.

Hydrogen production and storage, as well as biofuel production and storage will be deployed to turn around the economic situation of South Durban. The SDECP will be delivered through the public-private partnership model and will offer alternatives to pure-play product storage conversions, mitigate deindustrialisation in Durban and defer decommissioning provisions.

ET H EKW I NI • R ENEWA B L E ENGERGY

Launching eThekwini’s Hydrogen Strategy In a groundbreaking first for the country, eThekwini Mayor Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda launched the eThekwini regional Hydrogen Strategy.

Simphiwe Dlamini & Sohana Singh

T

he launch took place during the eThekwini Energy Transformation Summit, held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on 1 and 2 March, marking eThekwini as the first city in South Africa to develop a world-class Hydrogen Strategy. This is in line with the City’s continued efforts to explore the hydrogen economy in South Africa.

Elaborating on the strategy, Mayor Kaunda said it outlines the exciting potential that lies in building a future hydrogen economy that can deliver, beyond clean energy and fuels, a holistic city resilience built on circular economy principles.

Kaunda added that the Municipality had already identified three hydrogen hubs (namely Durban Port, Richards Bay, and Cato Ridge Dry Port). Each hub serves to meet demand and supply for conventional fuels. “The supply chain infrastructure for hydrogen projects already exists in Durban and Richards Bay; however, more repurposing must happen to ensure projects reach commercial operation.

Low-carbon hydrogen is catalytic for the transformation of eThekwini’s

energy landscape by reducing a heavy dependence on domestically produced and imported fossil fuels, in exchange for reliance on domestically sourced renewable energy and a circular economy,” said Kaunda.

He assured attendees that the document wouldn’t gather dust on the shelves of City Hall, but serve as a practical strategy derived from circular economy approaches to outline supply chain infrastructure projects in the hydrogen economy.

“Our regional Hydrogen Strategy could unlock US$23 billion (R421 billion) of private investment in the long term.

Approximately $10 billion (R199.5 billion) is estimated on infrastructure investment by 2030. Up to 260 000 constructions jobs, and 11 000 permanent jobs could be created by 2030. By 2050, the hydrogen economy could create approximately 392 786 construction jobs and 24 671 permanent jobs in the eThekwini and Richards Bay regions,” he added.

Working together Kaunda told delegates that the City welcomes the interventions by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the Central Energy Fund, and the provincial turnaround plan to repurpose the SAPREF refinery.

He urged investors to work with government to restructure the gas industry in the province and that the turnaround plan would require all stakeholders to assess the possibility of stranded assets and job losses in the south of Durban.

The summit was hosted by the City’s Energy Office and was the first of its kind in South Africa. Held under the theme ‘Building Energy Security Today’, it aimed to increase market appetite for the private sector to deal with the current power crisis in search for sustainable alternative energy. The summit built against the backdrop of South Africa’s increasing energy constraints.

Various stakeholders from the private sector also posed questions to a panel of Municipal staff from the Economic Development Unit, the Office of Strategic Management, and the Chief Financial Officer that will be integral to the implementation of the Municipal Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

This forms part of eThekwini’s reform strategy to revive energy security in the City. The Municipality is also looking at using solar and hydrogen as part of the energy mix that will lessen the dependence on the national power grid.

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LIFT HIGHER

REACH FURTHER

WORK FASTER

REHANDLING

CLEANING

Bell1805

STACKING

LIFTING

Tel: +27 (0)11 928 9700 E-mail: jcbsales@bellequipment.com www.bellequipment.com

TRANSPORTING

Strong Reliable Machines Strong Reliable Support

PR O F I L E | B EL L EQU I PMENT

Bell gears up to celebrate 70 years of manufacturing in KZN 2024 will mark the 70th anniversary of Bell Equipment, KwaZulu-Natal’s designer and manufacturer of earthmoving and material handling equipment that is distributed and supported in the mining, construction, forestry, and agriculture industries around the world.

Bell Equipment Sales South Africa became the dealer for JCB Construction equipment in May 2021, which sees the company selling and supporting the JCB range of backhoe loaders, excavators, wheeled loaders, rollers, telehandlers and skid steers

S

ince the company was established in 1954 by Irvine Bell as a small engineering and agricultural repair business on the KZN North Coast, it has been characterised by its passion for innovation. The Bell tri-wheeled cane loader, invented by Irvine in the 1960s, revolutionised the sugarcane farming industry. Now in the F-series generation, this machine is still in production and used extensively in forestry and agriculture.

Bell made a breakthrough into mining and construction in the 1980s when the first articulated dump trucks (ADTs) arrived in the country from Europe. Although effective and versatile, Bell saw room for improvement and fine-tuned its design to better cope with the harsh operating conditions common in Africa.

A global leader Today, the company is recognised as a global ADT specialist and manufacturer with the largest and most advanced range in the world. The current E-series generation ranges from 18 t to 60 t and is suited to construction, infrastructure, bulk earthworks, mining and quarrying. The range is complemented by the Versatruck programme, which offers niche custom

equipment, such as water tankers, based on the proven Bell ADT chassis.

As a technological innovation leader, Bell has pioneered several features that improve productivity and safety, as well as lower operating costs. A standout is Bell Fleetm@tic® – the company’s telematics system and the ultimate tool for asset, production and machine health management.

In South Africa, Bell provides customers with a full-line range of premium mining and construction equipment through strategic partnerships with the leading global manufacturers, JCB, Finlay and Kobelco. This enables Bell to complement its own range with wheel loaders, excavators, backhoe loaders, telehandlers, skid steers, forklifts, compaction machinery and a mobile material processing product line.

A nationwide footprint Distribution and support take place through the Bell Equipment Sales South Africa (BESSA) network of 22 Customer Service Centres strategically located throughout the country, including eThekwini. BESSA is a Level 1 BBBEE entity that is 51% black-owned and 30% black women-owned. Together with the manufacturing division, Bell Equipment Company South Africa (BECSA), which is a Level 2 BBBEE entity with 51% black ownership, Bell provides the best BBBEE procurement score for customers.

Bell Equipment employs over 3 000 people locally and is an integral part of the communities in which it operates.

The group takes its responsibilities as a corporate citizen seriously by, among others, purchasing from local suppliers wherever possible and investing in outreach opportunities with a focus on education, training and development, both internally and externally.

The strength of the Bell brand lies in the strong family values of integrity, honesty, accountability and respect. Supporting this foundation is the Bell motto of ‘Strong Reliable Machines, Strong Reliable Support’, which represents the company’s customercentric approach, ideals and ethical stance throughout its manufacturing, distribution and support network.

The Bell range of ADTs, forestry and agriculture equipment, as well as underground mining machinery is designed and manufactured at its factory in Richards Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast eTHEKWINI 2023 |

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E THEKW I NI • WAT E R & S A N ITAT ION

Striving to sustainably serve all

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he Water and Sanitation Unit’s key goal entails the provision of water and sanitation services that are: equitable, with adequate services provided fairly to all people; affordable, ensuring no one is excluded from access to basic services because of cost; efficient and effective, by doing the job properly; sustainable – financially, environmentally, institutionally and socially; as well as professional.

Below are some of the highlights of the performance of eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) during the previous financial year, as well as a snapshot of what projects have been completed and are currently underway within the Municipal Area.

2021/22 performance EWS manages a water network that exceeds 14 469 km and

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The aim of eThekwini Water and Sanitation is to provide all citizens in the Municipality with access to appropriate, acceptable, safe and affordable basic water and sanitation services.

a sewer network of more than 8 600 km. This includes 30 wastewater treatment works with two sea outfall pipelines and 255 wastewater pump stations. The eThekwini Municipal Area is largely served by 361 water storage facilities and 33 water pump stations.

Informal settlements are served by 1 633 toilet blocks, which is a higher level of service than a water standpipe that is required by the World Health Organization. The toilet blocks (or community ablution blocks) include handwashing, clothes washing, toilet, urinal and shower facilities, and are deemed to serve 50 households.

There are 976 902 households served with water, of which 596 974 are indigent.

Households served with sanitation number 874 072, of which 461 141 are indigent.

An additional 8 213 households were served with water during 2021/22, while 11 287 households were added within the sanitation services space. Over the same period, the unit responded to in excess of 29 879 sewer faults and 122 279 water faults.

Water quality As standard, full chemical analysis is done on selected points of eThekwini’s supply systems at least twice a year. In June 2022, samples were taken from the eThekwini Main,

ET H EKW I NI • WAT ER & SANI TATI O N Midmar Dam

Tongaat and Ogunjini systems to perform chemical and microbiological testing and determine compliance with the SANS 241 water quality standard requirements. For all systems, compliance targets of >99% for microbiological and 97% for chemical quality standards were targeted. Both the June 2022 samples and the rolling averages indicated that all targets were exceeded for the year, highlighting the good work being done by EWS in ensuring drinking water quality standards are consistently met.

Storage The Umgeni System – comprising Springfield Dam, Midmar Dam, Albert Fall Dam, Nagle Dam and Inanda Dam – supplies the bulk of the water reticulated to eThekwini Municipality.

Recent good rainfall seasons have seen these dams maintain high levels, with overall storage for the month of June 2022 measured at around 931 million cubic metres. This equates to about 577 days of storage based on normal (unrestricted) use.

Albert Falls Dam

Pipe bursts Pipe bursts are prioritised over water leaks.

A total of 11 384 leaks were responded to during FY 2021/22, with 8 742 responses within 24 hours – representing a 77% response rate in under 24 hours. This means there is clear room for improvement; further, a shortage of materials has been the biggest contributor to the below-target performance.

This is being addressed in conjunction with the Supply Chain Management Unit.

Sewer complaints For the 2021/22 reporting period, on average, 42% of sewer faults were resolved within 24 hours. This underperformance is largely due to insufficient capacity. For many years, the unit relied on contractors that were being engaged on a quotation basis but it was subsequently decided that this method of procurement could be deemed irregular expenditure. A new approach must be found to address challenges surrounding this slow turnaround.

Effluent compliance As in much of South Africa, final effluent compliance from wastewater treatment works within eThekwini is in need of drastic improvement. The challenges have been exacerbated by adverse weather events.

Overall branch compliance for 2021/22 was noted at 73.3%.

MABR and Water Reuse Pilot Project at KwaMashu WWTW Council approved a pilot project at KwaMashu WWTW where MEB Energy is currently demonstrating advanced membrane aerated bioreactor (MABR) wastewater and water reuse technologies. This is taking place at a small-scale with no capital and operational cost to Council. Phase 1 was successfully completed in December 2021, with MABR wastewater treatment technology achieving operational results that were recorded and verified by an independent and accredited testing laboratory for a six-month operational period (June 2021 to December 2021).

Through this phase, the effluent produced is suitable for irrigation purposes, while the second phase will add tertiary treatment processes to produce drinking water of a SANS 241 standard.

RemixWater Demonstration Plant EWS, Hitachi and NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology

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E THEKW I NI • WAT E R & S A N ITAT ION Development Organisation) have collaborated to build and operate a RemixWater demonstration plant at eThekwini’s Central Wastewater Treatment Works at no cost to Council. The demonstration project compromised a 300 m3/day containerised unit and a 6 250 m3/day demonstration plant. The construction of the plant was completed in February 2020 and was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The plant was successfully recommissioned in August 2021 and was operational until February 2022; operational results were recorded and met potable water standards.

2020/21 projects completed Zwelibomvu Inlet Phase 1: Zwelibomvu 2 Reservoir is supplied via an existing 300 mm diameter gravity main from Shongweni Reservoir. Two types of pipe material were used for this pipeline, namely steel and fibre glass. The fibre glass section has become brittle over time and is resulting in numerous bursts which require constant repairs. This pipeline also has insufficient capacity to cater for future demand and needs to be upsized. This project is for the construction of a 3.6 km long 500 mm diameter welded steel branch pipeline to the existing Zwelibomvu 2 Reservoir.

Maphephetheni Augmentation Project (Phase 1 & 2): The upper and lower Maphephetheni areas, located in Ward 2, north-west of Durban were designed to be supplied by Mkhizwana Water Treatment Works (MWTW). Over the years, the demand for water supply in these areas has increased, gradually putting strain on the

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limited supply from the MWTW. EWS therefore proposed to augment the supply into the area via gravity feed to pump water to a reservoir zoned for high-level areas. Phases 1 and 2 are complete.

Inlet to Hammarsdale Trunk Main: The demand at the Hammarsdale High Level Reservoir is projected to increase from 7.7 Mℓ/ day to 13.9 Mℓ/day in 2036. In order to meet this projected demand, a dedicated inlet trunk main from the recently constructed Western Aqueduct is to be constructed.

This contract is for the construction of a 1.5 km long 500 mm diameter welded steel branch pipeline from the Western Aqueduct to the existing supply pipeline to Hammarsdale Reservoir.

Redcliffe Valleyview Drive Trunk Sewer: The project entailed construction of 860 m of 355 mm diameter trunk sewer to serve 720 units from the Redcliffe housing development and surrounds. This includes gabion protection works and manhole construction. The project was completed in October 2021.

Kingsway 2 Rising Main: The project entailed the construction of approximately 40 m of 400 mm diameter steel sewer pipelines that will tie into the existing Kingsway 2 rising main within the Kingsburgh area located in Ward 97.

Select projects under construction Shongweni Reservoir: The Shongweni Reservoir supplies the existing Shongweni zone and the Zwelibomvu, Ofudu, Clifton and Salem reservoirs downstream. The wider increase in water demand has resulted in supply constraints due to insufficient onsite storage. The objective of the project is to increase storage capacity at the existing Shongweni Reservoir, including the construction of a 6 Mℓ reinforced concrete reservoir and ancillary works.

Replacement of Water Pipes in Chatsworth

Reservoir 4 Zone: The objective of this contract is to assist the Municipality in its objective to replace approximately 2% of existing water mains year-on-year in critical reservoir zones within the eThekwini Municipal Area. The expected outcome of this programme is that the budget provided in respect of each financial year will be spent on replacing water mains in accordance with the critical reservoir zones identified.

Emona Reservoir: EWS identified the need to increase the storage at the existing Emona Reservoir, in order to accommodate the increase for water demand in the area, which is due to growth in the supply zone, including the proposed Sunhills development. The project includes the construction of a 5 Mℓ reinforced concrete potable water reservoir and a 15 kℓ elevated steel tank, among other associated infrastructure.

Kweqetho Reservoir: The need to increase storage at the existing Kweqetho Reservoir was identified in order to accommodate the increase for water demand in the area. This project entails the construction of a 6 Mℓ square, reinforced concrete reservoir for the storage of potable water, as well as all associated works.

Ntuzuma B Sewer Reticulation: This project is required in order to complete the waterborne sewer reticulation in the Ntuzuma B area. The project entails the construction of approximately 5 500 m of sewer reticulation of 160 mm diameter pipe, as well as 205 manholes and nine road crossings in Ward 45.

Ntuzuma Sewer Reticulation: This project, broken into localised contracts for various areas within Ntuzuma, entails the construction of extensive sewer reticulation throughout the township. Residents in the area are dependent upon on-site sanitation, such as pit latrines, septic tanks and conservancy tanks. The provision of a waterborne sewer system is required to eliminate the pollution risk posed by the current on-site sanitation.

Inanda B Sewer Reticulation: The project entails the construction of approximately 2.7 km of 160 mm diameter sewer pipelines, tying into existing waterborne sewerage network within Inanda B of Ward 107, for the provision of sanitation services to approximately 118 households.

Mkhizwana WTW Capacity Upgrade: The existing Mkhizwana WTW is located in the Valley of a Thousand Hills and receives raw water from the Nagle Aqueduct. It has a design capacity of 1.3 Mℓ/day, based on slow sand filter technology. Currently being serviced by a temporary package plant since 2018 due to

ET H EKW I NI • WAT ER & SANI TATI O N vandalism of the plant during service delivery protests, the works is being upgraded from 1.3 Mℓ/day to 4 Mℓ/day capacity. The project commenced in September 2021 and is due to be completed in September 2023.

Ogunjini WTW upgrade: The existing Ogunjini WTW, which is located alongside the Mdloti River in the rural area of Iqadi north of Verulam, receives raw water from this river and has a current design capacity of 1 Mℓ/day, based on slow sand filter technology. The proposed capacity increase will comprise a new abstraction pumping system, inlet works, pre-treatment comprising flocculation and clarification, balancing tank, pressure filter units, storage reservoir, hypochlorite dosing unit, clear water high-lift pumps and sludge dewatering unit. Construction work for the upgrade commenced in September 2021.

Hammarsdale WWTW Improvements: The existing Hammarsdale WWTW, which is located in the Hammarsdale area in the Inner West and receives wastewater predominantly from the surrounding industries, has a design capacity of 27 Mℓ/day based on the extended aeration activated sludge process. However, the very high chemical and organic load over the years has resulted in this plant being derated to approximately 9 Mℓ/day. The proposed improvements will comprise a new inlet works with mechanical coarse, fine and ultrafine screens, grit removal facility comprising induced vortex Pista grit traps, new 27 Mℓ/day raw sewage pump station (to replace existing), new sludge dewatering facility designed for four solid bowl decanter centrifuges, as well as new medium- and low-voltage electrical infrastructure. The estimated cost of the project is R170 million (currently on hold due to budget reprioritisation due to flood damages).

by the flooding of the Tongaat Dam in April 2022. The road to the WTW was washed away and no repairs or even a comprehensive assessment of the damage to the treatment works could be done until a new road was built. Other damage included: • The motor control centre (MCC) was located underground within the pump house, and both were submerged in nearly 4 m of water – destroying all electrical equipment and damaging mechanical systems like the pumps, motors, instrumentation and control systems.

• A lot of silt and rocks were found in the clarifiers and some of them were severely damaged.

• The head of works channel was significantly damaged and founding material washed

Special mention: Tongaat WTW The Tongaat WTW was severely damaged

Before: The motor control centre (MCC) of the Tongaat WTW was located underground within the pump house, and both were submerged in nearly 4 m of water

away. This channel settled and required significant repairs, including being jacked back into position.

• The floods also caused substantial erosion, resulting in the undermining of the chemical and chlorine building foundations.

• Most interconnecting pipework, cabling and ducting on-site was damaged.

What followed was identifying the need for the emergency remediation and operationalisation of the WTW. Requiring work that would normally take between 9 and 12 months, the various stakeholders involved came together to realise a highly impressive feat of engineering by getting the Tongaat WTW up and running within 105 days. Extensive works were also undertaken to ensure that similar events may be avoided in the future.

After: The repair of the Tongaat WTW was completed within the agreed upon 15 weeks or 105 days (13 July to 27 October 2022)

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Supplier of steel pipe and accessories across the globe that ensures it has access to materials from world recognised mills and stockists.

API Piping has supplied hundreds of kilometres to South African and international landscapes, conveying water, petrochemicaIs and gas to major cities, towns and refineries.

THE SCIENCE IN STEEL TUBING www.apipiping.co.za API takes pride in positioning itself as a complete solution by providing our customers with key services: • Technical Advisory Service • Sourcing and Supplying of pipes, fittings and flanges • Lining and Coating • Fabrication Services • Logistics Services – delivery to site

API has built extensive supplier databases, knowledge and relationships in the following sectors: • Petrochemicals • Construction and building • Farming and agriculture • Paper and forestry • Food and beverage • Mining • Water • Engineering • Energy

Head Office: 68 Brand Road, President Park, Midrand, Gauteng Tel: 011 589 9615 | Email: info@apipiping.co.za

Durban Branch: 281 Balfour Road, Jacobs, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Tel: 011 589 9615 | Email: info@apipiping.co.za

PR O F I L E | A PI PI PI NG

with its vast expertise, API Piping has been able to cement its place as a major player in the local and SADC export markets.

The multisectoral internal proficiencies API has developed over the years ensure that the products and services it offers are ideally suited to the intended context. The company has built extensive supplier databases, knowledge and relationships in sectors that include petrochemical, water, paper and forestry, food and beverage, mining, farming and agriculture, construction and building, engineering, and energy. It offers tailor-made solutions for its core sectors.

API has worked extensively with both major public and private sector players, including eThekwini Municipality.

Customer-centric piping solutions A Level 1 BBBEE supplier of steel pipe and accessories, API Piping has been servicing the South African market since 1996.

A

PI Piping is a 100% black-owned company established 27 years ago to provide customers with quality and consistent products, underpinned by personal service from subject matter and industry experts.

The company has aligned itself through partnerships with leading OEMs across the globe to ensure it has access to materials from world recognised mills and stockists, all the while keeping itself accountable through ISO 9001:2015 certification, which is audited by Dekra. API also has a consignment store within one of Southern Africa’s major refineries, ensuring the highest levels of service.

More than being just a supplier of materials, API works with its customers to make sure that the best, fit-for-purpose products are produced at the most appropriate standard for their application. This approach, backed by the company’s technical and logistical

excellence, plays a key role in guaranteeing customers’ peace of mind.

API takes pride in being a complete solutions provider, by delivering five key services: • Technical Advisory Service • Sourcing and Supplying of pipes, fittings, and flanges, • Lining and Coating • Fabrication Services and • Logistics Services – delivery to site.

Working with eThekwini Between 2013 and 2015, API was responsible for the provision of piping for eThekwini’s extensive Western Aqueduct project. Under this contract, the company provided approximately 15 km of OD 914 up to OD 1200 mm, which is Durban’s largest ever bulk water pipeline.

This supply line feeds water to Durban from the Midmar and Spring Grove dams and is set to meet the needs of the greater Durban region until 2036. API was also awarded the maintenance contract between 2016 and 2018 for the supply of pipes from OD 100 mm to OD 610 mm and currently hold the maintenance contract for small bore piping.

Beyond this, API consistently helps to keep water flowing across eThekwini through supplying pipes and services to the various contractors working on capital and refurbishment works across the municipal area.

API has taken the decision to establish a cement lining and coating plant in KZN to meet market and provincial needs. This coupled with its ability to provide full turnkey services – from cement lining to fabrication and materials delivery – it is clear that API Piping is geared to be a proud partner of local government and the private sector for many years to come.

An established, multisectoral reputation API has built its reputation through operating with integrity, establishing trust among all stakeholders in its value chain, and gaining the necessary experience over nearly three decades of doing business to ensure quality service. The company has consistently placed a focus on cultivating strong relationships with its customers by providing superior quality products and excellent service levels. Coupled eTHEKWINI 2023 |

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E THEKW I NI • WA S T E M A NAG E M E N T

Keeping eThekwini clean The eThekwini Cleansing and Solid Waste Unit has done a commendable job in keeping the City’s waste management wheels turning despite facing a raft of challenges.

Shongweni landfill

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he Cleansing and Solid Waste (CSW) Unit of eThekwini Municipality is mandated exercise executive authority on solid waste management, which is to protect and enhance the health of the Municipality’s communities by providing reasonable measures for the prevention of pollution and ecological degradation. This is done by ensuring compliance and enforcement through an environmentally acceptable, cost-effective and sustainable Waste Management Service.

CSW is the leading provider of a comprehensive set of waste management

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services. CSW’s network of business and operations includes 32 operational centres, seven transfer stations, three landfill sites, 22 recycling plants, three landfill gas projects and two leachate plants.

These assets enable CSW to provide a full range of services to 3.4 million residential, industrial and commercial customers.

In preparing its report on the 2021/22 financial year, CSW endeavoured to present a holistic and integrated representation of its performance in terms of both its profitability and its long-term sustainability.

Its report reflected highlights and achievements, as well as its performance

with regard to financial, human and environmental issues.

In the year under review, a number of initiatives continued to improve the provision of a clean and healthy environment for all communities within the eThekwini Municipal Area. The Unit’s approach ensured that over 1 million households received a once-a-week refuse collection services, with a 5% backlog reported.

The unavailability of landfill airspace still poses a huge challenge and, as a mitigation measure, CSW secured the Shongweni Landfill Site to service communities in the Outer West regions. The construction will, however, take two to three years to complete. As an interim measure, waste from the western catchment is transported to Buffelsdraai Landfill via transfer stations.

To extend the lifespan of its landfill sites, CSW has embarked on aggressive recycling initiatives. The unit’s recycling programmes have yielded positive results; 16.47% was achieved against a target of 8% per annum and over 42 500 tonnes of waste were recycled. In respect of the percentage of municipal landfills in compliance with the Environmental Conservation Act, 80.93% was achieved against a target of 80%.

Despite the challenging economic climate, including public unrest/looting and province-wide floods, CSW managed to exceed its revenue budget by R826 260 000. This was achieved despite CSW experiencing endless challenges with fleet breakdowns due to an ageing fleet and the unavailability of resources like wheelie bins due to delays in SCM processes.

The Unit recognised some strides during 2021/22 financial year despite the difficult economic conditions caused by the various challenges mentioned during the last financial year. Despite the challenges and setbacks, the Unit is optimistic about the year ahead and the future.

ET H EK W I NI • WA ST E MA NAGEMENT

Refuse collection and street sweeping All backlogs were cleared based on the current analysis to previously nonserviced areas. New dwellings/informal settlements are continually identified; however, this creates a moving target that is addressed on an annual basis.

All major streets are cleaned daily with the CBD area being swept three times a day. High-pressure washing of streets and pavements is carried out at night, particularly in all hotspot areas within the city. Freeways and national roads within the eThekwini Municipal Area are cleaned with mechanical sweepers on a planned schedule.

CSW has engaged five major contractors for the servicing of the informal areas and 27 major contractors to provide domestic refuse collection and litter picking in the townships. The annual total spent on the township contractors amounted to R440 million and generated employment for 6 000 people within the community.

Operational performance The percentage of houses receiving basic refuse removal service at least once a week is 95%. Each region consists of depots where key services – including refuse collection, street sweeping, the distribution of refuse bags, complaints management and illegal dumping removal – are being implemented and monitored.

New developments are additional households/flats/complexes that require services in terms of waste collection and are entitled to receiving black refuse bags. These are some of the factors that results in additional black refuse bags being issued out by regions and constant withdrawals from stores, which resulted in supply constraints.

All complaints are monitored and captured through a faults-management system; however, the regions also receive complaints via calls, walk-ins and via email.

These are recorded and dealt with on a specified service standard.

Challenges faced by the Cleansing and Solid Waste Unit and how these are to be addressed

CHALLENGES

MITIGATION

Protest action: The biggest challenge for CSW remains ser vice deliver y protests. Another ser vice deliver y interruption emanated from the employees embarking on an illegal strike demanding a salar y increase.

Labour-related matters urgently need to be resolved in line with Organisation Relations Agreement where Human Capital Unit takes the lead.

Supply of refuse bags: CSW experienced challenges with the supply of refuse bags during the 2021/22 financial year. The ser vice provider that was awarded the contract was not consistent in the supply of bags, which resulted in CSW not meeting its target for the year.

Supply Chain Management must ensure that contract management is strengthened on awarded contracts.

Inadequate transfer stations: The Transfer Stations Unit is responsible for the containerisation and bulk transpor tation of domestic refuse. Less than 10% of transfer stations are fully functional across the regions, which impacts on the turnaround times for refuse collection ser vices in par ticular.

A budget must be allocated for the upgrading of the transfer stations, as well as resourcing in terms of human capital.

Truck breakdowns: CSW’s ageing fleet resulted in increased over time. The downtime of refuse vehicles poses a challenge in respect of ser vice deliver y.

A budget must be set aside for the acquisition of new vehicles.

Lack of disposal facility at Outer West: The closure of the Mariannhill and Bisasar Road landfill sites has created a huge challenge for the transpor tation of waste for some of the regions – i.e. Outer West, Inner West and Nor th Central.

Airspace in the Outer Region must be secured urgently to reduce the travelling distances of operations trucks to fur ther nor therly and southerly landfill sites.

Priorities for 2022/23 The Unit’s objective is to provide an effective and efficient world-standard service. Given the fact that the approach on services disruptions has been continuing for more than two years, it has become imperative for CSW to take a more focused approach to resolve the challenges facing the City.

This approach is deemed as the most sustainable solution and further presents an opportunity for the Unit to implement the strategic objectives of its Integrated Waste Management Plan that relates to integrated waste management, which includes reduction, reuse, minimisation and avoidance.

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E THEKW I NI • SMA RT CIT Y

Realising its future potential In moving with precedents set in some of the world’s leading cities, eThekwini Municipality aspires to digitally transform itself in order to increase public value and optimise return on investment in public services and infrastructure.

A

smart city is a municipality that uses information and communication technologies (ICT) to increase operational efficiency, share information with the public, and improve both the quality of government services and citizen welfare.

A smart city’s success depends on its ability to form a strong relationship between the government (bureaucracy and regulations), citizens and the private sector. This relationship is necessary because most of the work that is done

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to create and maintain a digital, datadriven environment occurs outside of the government. Surveillance equipment symbolises another element of a smart city for busy streets, and these could include sensors from one company, cameras from another, and a server from yet another (Rouse, 2019).

Defining a smart city Smart cities use a combination of the internet of things (IoT) devices, software solutions, user interfaces (UI) and

What is a smart city?

A smart city is characterised by: 1. Digital infrastructure 2. Sustainable environment 3. Smart mobility 4. Data-driven governance 5. Citizen engagement

communication networks. However, they rely first and foremost on IoT. IoT is a network of connected devices – such as vehicles, sensors or home appliances – that can communicate and exchange data.

Data collected and delivered by IoT sensors and devices is stored in the cloud or on servers. The connection of these devices and the use of data analytics facilitates the convergence of the physical and digital city elements, thus improving both public and

ET H EKW I NI • SMAR T C I TY

private sector efficiency, enabling economic benefits and improving citizen's lives.

IoT devices sometimes have processing capabilities called edge computing.

Edge computing ensures that only the most important and relevant information is communicated over the communication network.

A firewall security system is also necessary for the protection, monitoring, and control of network traffic within a computing system. Firewalls ensure that the data constantly being transmitted within a smart city network is secure by preventing any unauthorized access to the IoT network or city-data.

Other smart city technologies include application programming interfaces (APIs), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, dashboards, machine learning (ML), machine-to-machine (M2M), mesh network, and more (Rouse, 2019).

Smart traffic management is used to monitor and analyse traffic flows in order to optimise streetlights and prevent roads from becoming too congested based on time of day or rush-hour schedules.

Smart public transit is another facet

of smart cities, used to ensure public transportation meets user demand. Smart transit companies are able to coordinate services and fulfil riders’ needs in real time, improving efficiency and rider satisfaction.

Ride- and bikesharing are also common services in a smart city (Rouse, 2019).

EThekwini’s road to smarts According to City Manager Musa Mbhele, “The City is moving towards smart city status. Aside from the implementation of Wi-Fi in various areas throughout eThekwini, a Digital Government Strategy and roadmap structured around citizen/ business intimacy, innovation, and operational excellence was approved by the ICT Strategic Committee. They also approved the Technology Investment Decision Framework, which serves as a guide when considering investment in a technology-enabled solution, prioritising technology investments, and developing business cases for potential technology investment.

“The draft Open Data Policy has been developed to promote efficient and transparent public access to data by

making it available online in user-friendly, open formats unless restricted by law, policy, regulations or contract.

“The draft Telecommunications Infrastructure Mast Policy has been formulated for the construction of telecommunications infrastructure networks in eThekwini Municipality in preparation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its advanced technology solutions that will shape the Municipality in the years to come. Council has also approved the Municipality’s participation in the Development Bank of South Africa/ World Bank Smart City Pilot Programme which will define the strategy and journey towards becoming a smart city.”

Defining Durban EThekwini Municipality seeks to develop a smart city that: • Has a smart government where technology and digital platforms are used to improve systems, processes and procedures to create more efficient and effective government operations • Employs smart governance, where technology and digital platforms are used to improve the relationship between government and its citizens as well as improve the interaction of citizens with government • Sees the municipality contribute to creating an enabling environment for businesses, communities and others to thrive in the digital environment, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship

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PR OFILE | E OH

EOH helps eThekwini thrive through world-class technology solutions services that allow them to be more efficient and productive.

EOH’s technology solutions The available to the City of EOH Group, eThekwini are designed one of the largest ICT to put powerful data service providers in Africa, relating to services and infrastructure in the offers eThekwini Municipality a hands of the City’s suite of cutting-edge technology decision-makers. “When products and services that will the relevant data is support Durban’s economic provided, the City gains important insights into recovery and development how its services and and help to make it a assets are performing,” world-class, says Marius de la Rey, group smart city. executive of iOCO Services, a proudly EOH company. “This data will allow the City to understand where it is losing water, where it is gaining and losing revenue, how to efficiently manage and maintain OH has successfully partnered assets like plants, and how to devise with large municipalities an effective roads and highways and numerous government repair plan.” entities in South Africa for many years, De la Rey gives the example of enabling the public sector to offer its sensors placed on the road to monitor private sector and citizen customers

E

40 | eTHEKWINI 2023

factors like the volume and weight of traffic. “This solution will help the City to determine exactly which roads need to be repaired when and allow it to develop an effective road maintenance plan.”

The Group’s technology solutions work together to help make the City world-class. Online portals provide citizens with an easy way of reporting service interruptions or infrastructure problems like missing road signs or manhole covers, providing the City with important, real-time data on its services and operations on the ground.

Advanced technologies powering catalytic projects EOH offers the City of eThekwini advanced technologies to power its catalytic projects. As one of the largest ICT groups in Africa, the Group benefits from its working relationship with leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) around the world and has a wide range of expertise and proprietary products.

“Our partnerships with OEMs give us access to the latest technological developments around the world,” says De la Rey. “Because we have in-depth expertise within our Group, we augment these solutions with our own best-inclass intellectual property.”

The Group’s advanced technology offering includes a digital twin capable of virtually replicating the entire infrastructure estate of the City or a selection of power, road and other infrastructure. The digital twin is powered by data and artificial intelligence programs and allows the municipality to monitor its estate, perform predictive maintenance on its infrastructure and optimise the performance of its assets.

PR O F I L E | EOH

One of EOH’s own technology solutions, the IMQS platform, provides a detailed picture of infrastructure such as cables or pipes that runs underground.

The platform indicates to property developers what they will find below the surface of the ground and updates the digital geospatial map with their property development plans. It enables better management and maintenance of City assets by providing the exact geolocation of leaking pipes or other below-surface infrastructure that need to be repaired.

“This EOH solution is a prime example of how we place data in the hands of the right people, from the technician on-site to the person dispatching the repairs team for the City,” says De la Rey. “It goes a long way to making the City smarter, since it sends the team directly to the correct site.”

EThekwini also stands to benefit from EOH’s Scan RF mesh network technology, which will prepare the way for reliably connecting all the port’s devices and systems and making it a seamless, secure and almost entirely automated operation. This would be part of a digital transformation roadmap that the Group offers the City to improve the efficiency of the port and restore its world-class status.

“The Group has developed a full-service municipal offering in the last 20 years, spanning mechanical, electrical, civils, water and environmental technology infrastructure solutions,” says De la Rey. “We provide all the technology infrastructure required for the City of eThekwini’s planned upgrade and development projects, which will bring prosperity to the province and the rest of the country.”

The EOH Group’s technology solutions are bespoke and modernised. Where the City may have outdated IT systems that need to be replaced, EOH can help it to achieve efficiencies by modernising the older A trusted public sector partner systems. “Because the Group is embracing EOH is a long-standing partner of the the global trend of offering technology public sector, having provided major ICT solutions as a service and solutions and services on a consumption basis, to public sector Where the City it will replace old systems entities in KwaZulumay have with more efficient and Natal, across South outdated IT systems cost-effective solutions like Africa and beyond that need to be the cloud, where you only the country’s borders replaced, EOH can help pay for what you use. over the past 25 it to achieve efficiencies “EOH has a dedicated years. Its excellent by modernising the public sector team that track record of older systems understands what a delivery for the sector municipality wants and includes: security is increasingly providing cities with ICT solutions for the City of Cape Town; services based on consumption models. information technology and payment upgrade solutions in KwaZulu-Natal; water The Group has extensive experience of working with the public and private sectors conservation and demand management in KwaZulu-Natal and is therefore wellprojects in KwaZulu-Natal, the Western positioned to realise the efficiencies that Cape and Gauteng (through its JOAT can be achieved in eThekwini Municipality.” business); and roads management and EOH’s successful partnership with large specialist engineering support in Namibia.

municipalities is based on its ability to provide tailored, innovative and regulatorily compliant technology solutions and services to forward-thinking cities.

Its offering includes all the technology solutions required for a thriving smart city, including data analytics solutions, scalable infrastructure asset management solutions, connected healthcare and education solutions, electronic security solutions, turnkey power and power management solutions, and renewable energy solutions. In addition to technology infrastructure, EOH offers bespoke application development, data solutions, cybersecurity solutions, and other core ICT products and services.

“EOH is a socially responsible citizen that supplies solutions that are in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution market trends.

We believe that strategic partnerships between the public and private sectors in the area of technology support job creation and lead to citizens becoming part of the global workforce ,” says De la Rey.

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E THEKW I NI • TRA N S P ORT

Ensuring the safety and efficacy of a city’s roads, public transport and traffic infrastructure is vital to enable citizens to move and access economic opportunities more freely.

Moving a metro T

he eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA) is the directorate mandated to provide high-quality infrastructure and public transport services that are reliable, efficient, user-friendly and affordable to the citizens of eThekwini.

The programmes implemented by the ETA are more broadly informed by the City’s Integrated Development Plan, with a particular focus on three pillars. The first pillar is Plan 2 – Economic Development and Job Creation, which looks to develop a logistics plan, the City-port partnership, as well as the Dube TradePort implementation Strategy. The second is Plan 3 – Quality Living Environment, aimed at addressing the service backlog, infrastructure asset management and the implementation of an effective public transport plan for eThekwini. Finally, Plan 4 – Safe, Healthy and Secure Environment is targeted at making the city safe from crime in public transport, safe while travelling on the road, and safe at public transport facilities.

Below are some of the key highlights and achievements of the ETA during the course of the 2021/22 financial year.

Public Transport Licensing Office The premises of the long outstanding Public Transport Licensing Office were finally secured after many delays to secure a suitable building. The building was refurbished and the ETA staff performing the Rank Management System functions moved into the new offices in the 2021 financial year. The delivery of this office will resolve a long-outstanding commitment to bring public transport licensing closer to the eThekwini public transport operators who had to travel all the way to Pietermaritzburg to apply for their operating licences. The office will serve as a one-stop shop for public transport operating licensing and this will be a collaboration between the ETA, Metro Police and the KZN Department of Transport.

New Traffic Signals Design An in-house innovative design of a new traffic controller bracket and uninterruptable power supply cabinet was fabricated to reduce theft and vandalism of traffic signal components.

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ET H EK W I NI • T RANSP O R T

Road Safety Plan (RSP): 2022-2026 This is eThekwini’s fourth RSP and it coincides with the second UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030. The UN General Assembly Resolution 74/299 declared a Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, with the target being to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50% during this period. As the world embarks on the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety, governments and global stakeholders must choose between ‘business as usual’ – in the hopes that this will be enough to significantly reduce the number of deaths – or acting boldly and decisively, using the tools and knowledge gained from the last Decade of Action to change course.

Successes and awards eThekwini Safe to School, Safe to Home – Scholar Transport Programme (2019 to 2022): The programme addressed two key issues: reducing learner transport fatal and serious injuries, and improving the attitude and behaviour of learner transport drivers.

The programme provided a step-bystep approach to education, awareness and behaviour change with a focus on providers of scholar transport, school management teams, learners, local and regional government officials, enforcement agencies, parents, and communities.

A total of 185 scholar transport drivers from the South Durban region were trained in both theoretical content focusing on the major road safety risk factors and in practical driving skills with the use of driving simulators. The drivers were also trained in firefighting, vehicle maintenance and first aid.

The project provided first-aid kits, fire extinguishers and warning triangles, to improve the drivers’ compliance with the National Land Transport Act requirements.

Tracking devices sponsored by Netstar were fitted to 106 project vehicles in June and July 2021, to record and monitor movements such as speeding, harsh acceleration or braking, which are not appropriate driving behaviours for drivers of learner transport. The aim of the monitoring period was to incentivise drivers to limit the number of transgressions per kilometre travelled, and good driving was rewarded with fuel vouchers, with an ultimate prize of a Toyota Quantum.

Eight drivers who recorded no transgressions and drove over 4 000 km in the six-month monitoring period were declared finalists for the prize, and the main prize was won in a lucky draw at the final prize giving ceremony by Nondumiso Hlengwa.

Awareness relating to the safety of learner transports, parents and caregivers will be actively promoted in the schools where these drivers provide transport, and behaviour and risk factors will continue to be monitored.

ETA/SARF Road Safety Primary Schools’ Poetry and Prepared Speech Competition: The ETA, in partnership with the South African Road Federation (SARF), held its annual poetry and prepared speech competition on 3 June

2022 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. This was the fourth annual event since its inception in 2018.

The main objectives of this competition are to support and complement the national curriculum statement on road safety education and delivery in schools, promote good road safety practices among learners in primary schools and raise road safety public awareness among primary school learners. In 2019, for the first time, the competition extended the invitation to learners with special educational needs (LSEN) with the understanding of the importance of road safety education to all primary school learners irrespective of their educational barriers or needs.

Invitation to participate was published through eThekwini media platforms like Facebook, Twitter,

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E THEKW I NI • TRA N S P ORT

the municipal website and publications.

The theme of the competition was ‘Road Safety concerns affecting my community and the possible solutions’. The competition had three categories, namely: Category 1 for grade 2 and 3 (poetry), Category 2 for grade 4 to 7 (prepared speech), and Category 3 for LSEN (poetry).

All participating schools were invited to a teachers’ workshop held on 18 April 2022.

At this workshop, a presentation thoroughly explained the rules and regulations of the competition. The teachers were also given an opportunity to seek clarities on matters that were unclear. The deadlines of all the entries and build-up activities leading to the awards’ event were reviewed and agreed upon.

For this 2022 event, SARF again sponsored an amount of R30 000 for the prizes to be won by the winners. The ETA was responsible for the facilitation and all the necessary logistics of the competition.

There were three winners from each category and the prizes were as follows for all categories: first prize – R3 000 for the learner plus R4 000 for the school; second prize – R2 000 for the learner; and third prize – R1 000 for the learner.

A total of 68 schools within eThekwini submitted entries and, after careful screening, 22 made it through to the finals which is the highest record of participants to date, 18 mainstream schools and four LSEN schools. This competition is growing each year with the number of

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participating primary schools increasing.

This competition has also developed and maintained an excellent working relationship and partnership with the ETA, SARF, Department of Transport and Department of Education.

The standard of the winning entries was most encouraging and it is hoped that SARF would be able to continue supporting this endeavour going forward.

Speed Humps: Speed humps were installed on about 3 500 roads in the municipal area at a cost of R9 000 000 per annum.

In the 2021/22 financial year, R3.5 million was budgeted for traffic calming at 22 locations, and 15 of these locations were near schools.

Success at the Fulton Awards: The ETA scooped an award and two commendation certificates for two projects at the prestigious Fulton Awards gala function held in Johannesburg in June 2022.

The Fulton Awards are hosted every two years and are a celebration of the Southern African concrete construction industry to recognise and honour excellence in the design, use and innovation in concrete.

The ETA brought home an award for the Infrastructure of under R100 million category for the Umhlatuzana River Bridge Modification and two commendation certificates for Essex Terrace/M13 Bridge Modification for the categories: Infrastructure of under R100 million and Innovation and Invention in Concrete.

For the Umhlatuzana River Bridge project, the judges applauded the team for “the unique solution that overcame extensive challenges to save a large part of the bridge while causing limited damage to the existing habitat”.

The road bridge (linking Seaward Road in Clairwood with Sarnia in Pinetown) was severely damaged during the 2019 KwaZulu-Natal floods.

The Essex Terrace/ M13 Bridge infrastructure improvement project was triggered by the significant urban development in the neighbourhood, which necessitated additional lane capacity through the surrounding Umhlatuzana River Bridge Modification interchange.

In their citation, the judges indicated, “This project used several experimental solutions to support a design rationale that directly addressed sustainability concerns. It also involved some boldly progressive and effective responses to the aesthetic challenges associated with modification of an existing structure.”

An exciting addition was the announcement of the 2022 winners of the Fulton Awards being entered in the American Concrete Institute’s Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards, as the projects compare favourably with the world-class projects. The annual awards gala, with the announcement of winners, was held in Dallas, Texas, in October 2022.

Focus for 2022/23 The ETA’s focus for the financial year 2022/23 is as follows: • The operationalisation of the GO! Durban C3 Corridor.

• The new eThekwini Road Safety Plan for the period 2022-2026 has recently been completed and will guide the interventions in Durban for this period.

• Undertaking an internal review of the Integrated Public Transport Network.

• The implementation of the second access to the Port.

• The establishment of truck stop and staging areas in partnership with Transnet and the private sector.

• The refinement of the Integrated Freight and Logistics Strategy to incorporate the proposed new Port Master Plan.

• The finalisation of the Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan for the City, to support the IDP 2021-2026.

• The compilation of business plans for the C2 and C8 corridors in partnership with PRASA and Dube TradePort, respectively.

• The installation of uninterrupted power supplies at critical intersections and replacing old-technology traffic controllers with newer traffic controllers in the Durban CBD. • The operationalisation of a fully functional Traffic Management Centre, Integrated Fare Management System and a low-cost Public Transport Management System.

• The resurfacing of ranks in the south and north regions.

• Undertaking the design of the Inkosi Albert Luthuli and Mophela taxi ranks.

• The formalisation of e-hailing and metered-taxi operators.

ET H EK W I NI • SU PP O R T SERVI C ES

Boosting informal trade to grow the local economy

Key projects are underway across the eThekwini Municipal Area to support the informal economy, writes Nonduduzo Ngcongo.

E

Thekwini Municipality was the first metro to approve and adopt an Informal Economy Policy to regulate the informal trading sector. The policy provided guidance on how to best support and develop the sector.

Michael Hlangu, senior manager: Informal Trade at eThekwini, presented a progress report to the eThekwini Economic Council on 15 March 2023.

Key projects During his presentation, Hlangu highlighted projects that are underway and are expected to be completed in the next three months. This includes new developments and the upgrade of existing infrastructure.

Projects include: • A new R40 million KwaMcoyi Traders Project in Hammarsdale. The development includes the construction of trading shelters, storage facilities, installation of containers, a cold storage room for perishable goods and ablution facilities. It will benefit about 52 traders.

• A newly built R13 million business hive in KwaMashu A - Hostel Trader’s Facility (KwaMazambane) in Ward 39, which will accommodate 32 small businesses.

• A new R12 million Blue Lagoon Trader’s Facility (at the beachfront) located in Ward 27, which will accommodate 36 informal traders.

• The R12 million Cornubia Retail Facility, Phase1B in Ward 102 will house 33 local small businesses.

• A new R6 million Folweni Business Hive development is almost complete.

This project will accommodate 28 local businesses.

• The Tara Road SMME Hub in Ward 66 is receiving a facelift of R2.8 million. These renovations will assist in accommodating more small businesses, incorporating 120 flea market vendors.

• KwaMashu Station Traders shelters in Ward 45 is currently being renovated to the value of R3 million. This includes constructing new toilets and a storage facility, as well as adding a cold storage room. The facility accommodates 45 food sellers.

• Construction of a R1.8 million St Windolins Container Park in Klaarwater in Ward 17 is complete. Around 35 businesses will benefit from this development.

• The upgrade of the Bester Container Park in Ward 42 in Inanda to the tune of R3 million is also complete. Bester Container Park accommodates 18 informal traders.

• A R4 million budget is set aside to build a Midway Container Park in Ward 38. This will accommodate 42 informal traders outside the Midway Shopping Centre.

Construction will begin in July.

Hlangu said they also support informal recyclers operating in Isiphingo, Palmer Street (North Beach), KwaMashu and Hammarsdale. They are supplied with tools and equipment, as well as a monthly stipend. The project value is R1 million.

Bulk Buying Programme The Bulk Buying Programme is currently being piloted at 80 spaza shops in different townships in eThekwini.

The programme is a partnership between the City and the KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Department.

Participating spaza shop owners were given cashless ATM machines. The devices aim to attract customers to their stores, as the cashless ATM allows customers to pay for DStv, buy airtime and perform SASSA transactions. They can also place orders from various wholesalers.

The device functions as a self-service kiosk from which customers from any bank can make withdrawals and view balances.

“R10 million has been invested in the Bulk Buying Programme. We intend on increasing the number of shop owners in the programme to 180. Most of the shop owners in the pilot said the cashless ATM has increased foot traffic into their stores,” added Hlangu. eTHEKWINI 2023 |

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ETHEKWINI • BUSINESS TOURISM

R

esearch by Tourism KwaZulu-Natal shows that this coastal province continuously has the best hotel occupancy rates in the country, which is no surprise given its wonderfully warm and sunny subtropical coastal climate, beautiful Blue Flag beaches, and huge range of activities to choose from.

Business tourists also benefit from its award-winning facilities that have attracted major events like the International Aids Conference at the Durban International Convention Centre twice – which was only the second time in the event’s history that it returned to the same city.

Venues and accommodation According to a Tourism KwaZulu-Natal report published in December 2021, the province has 248 hotels, 308 guesthouses, 197 lodges, 586 B&Bs and 322 conference venues.

The biggest eventing venue in the province is the internationally acclaimed Durban International Convention Centre (ICC). It offers the largest column-free, multipurpose event space on the African continent, and has successfully hosted international and national conventions, exhibitions, sporting events, concerts and special occasions of every kind, while its state-of-the-art technological capabilities allow for live-streaming events, remotepresentation events, hybrid events, and video-on-demand.

The Durban ICC has scooped up various accolades, including being voted ‘Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre’ by the World Travel Awards no fewer than 17 times. It is also ranked in the world’s Top 15 Convention Centres by the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC).

It is a 30-minute drive from King Shaka International Airport, and a 10-minute walk to over 3 600 hotel rooms.

For smaller (but not exactly small) events, it’s worth considering escaping to Zimbali Estate, which is a 50-minute drive from Durban up the North Coast. The elegant Capital Zimbali Hotel includes a Conference Centre with five venues and two meeting rooms, which can host upwards of 700 delegates or 500 in banquet style. The recently revamped hotel has 154 luxury rooms, apartments, presidential suites and penthouses, as well as several luxury villas, plus eight food and beverage options, a tranquil Mangwanani Signature Spa, and the gorgeous Valley of the Pools, which

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The best place to meet When it comes to business tourism, the numerous venues and accommodation options spread across the city and its surrounds make Durban one of South Africa’s prime locations for hosting events. overlooks the Indian Ocean and is the perfect place for sun lovers across all seasons.

The estate also includes Zimbali Lodge, which caters for conferences of up to 90 delegates and has 18 hotel suites and 35 self-catering vacation ownership units, as well as the Zimbali Country Club, which boasts an 18-hole Tom Weiskopf-designed golf course and a luxury contemporary clubhouse suited to hosting social events.

An exciting new Durban offering is the Radisson Blu Hotel in Umhlanga, which is the first phase of a R4.5 billion Oceans Umhlanga mega development. The hotel is the first internationally branded five-star hotel to open in Durban since the Hilton Hotel in 1997, and features 206 luxury hotel rooms and 95 stylish suites, a 36 000 m² mall, and approximately 500 apartments.

It also offers eight state-of-the-art meeting facilities, with the ballroom accommodating 600 delegates in cinema style.

It would be remiss not to mention one of the most celebrated hotels in South Africa – The Oyster Box. This five-star luxury establishment on Umhlanga’s beachfront is known for its charm and nostalgia of a bygone era while offering all the comfort and amenities modern guests expect. It’s a great location for memorable events and has 86 rooms and suites, as well as a tantalising collection of dining experiences.

Unique experiences Alongside the city’s extensive venue and accommodation offerings, the fact is that many business tourists and visitors will want to spend a fair amount of time

ETHEKWINI • BUSINESS TOURISM

Durban International Convention Centre

through services such as business registration compliance and planning, printing, marketing, branding, social media and mentorship – thus expanding on the entrepreneurial support they are providing to these communities. eNanda Adventures In the heart of the vast and stunningly beautiful Inanda Valley, adventure awaits.

Situated right on Durban’s doorstep, eNanda Adventures describes itself as “a hidden gem with everything you need to revitalise and break free from the hustle and bustle of city life”.

Visitors can go on a guided hike to the majestic Mzinyathi Falls and discover Inanda’s cultural treasures etched into the landscape along the way. The Inanda Dam offers an array of activities from canoeing to fishing to waterskiing while spotting the vibrant birdlife found in the area. eNanda Adventures is also home to one of the GO!Durban Cycle Academy’s tracks with mountain bike cycling trails available for cycling enthusiasts.

Bookings for eNanda Adventures can be done through the Durban Green Corridor, a social-purpose and impact-focused organisation that aims to see communities thrive in balance with the habitats around them. Green Corridors explains, “We cocreate open spaces in key local destinations that balance environmental ‘musts’ with the challenges and opportunities of the communities that live, work and thrive within them.”

eNanda Adventures

outside the exhibition halls and meeting rooms, exploring their surrounds. With an endless list of amazing sites to see around Durban, below, we choose to rather focus on two endeavours that offer unique experiences while also making a difference.

WOWZULU Marketplaces Durban delegates can visit one of five contemporary and colourful WOWZULU Marketplaces located at Inanda Durban, eMazizini, Khula Village, KwaNzimakwe and Ilembe.

The marketplaces started out as a space for rural craft organisations to sell their beautiful handmade products, under the Africa! Ignite programme. Most of the crafters are women who come from areas with poor infrastructure, high

unemployment and a high incidence of HIV/Aids, so this opportunity provides them with a much-needed source of income.

However, the WOWZULU Marketplaces have evolved into something much bigger, and now combine craft sales with vibrant cultural experiences and attractions such as traditional culinary experiences, storytelling, rural home stays, and opportunities to learn timehonoured craft techniques while creating special keepsakes.

Africa! Ignite is a leading South African non-profit rural enterprise development agency that has worked across rural KwaZulu-Natal for more than a decade.

In 2019, it launched its WOWBiz social franchises. The WOWBiz centres offer critical support for emerging businesses

Cultural experiences at WOWZULU Marketplaces

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E THEKW I NI • TOURIS M TOP 10

Must-see sights

IN DURBAN 1

The famous Golden Mile is a stunning stretch of beachfront that offers a variety of activities – from gaming and dining to swimming and surfing.

2

3

5

6

7

8

Africa’a largest marine theme park, uShaka Marine World aquarium and water park, showcases South Africa’s marine life and offers various water activities and entertainment.

KwaMuhle Museum showcases the history and culture of Durban, providing a glimpse of what life was like in and around Durban leading up to and during the apartheid era.

The Phansi Museum is one of the world’s most extensive Southern African art museums and a true treasure trove of cultural artifacts.

Established in 1849, the Durban Botanic Gardens boast a collection of both local and exotic plant species.

4

Moses Mabhida Stadium is a modern and iconic sports ground with various activities for visitors, such as the SkyCar, which offers panoramic views of Durban, and bungee jumping from the stadium arch.

Durban’s oldest marketplace, the Victoria Street Market is home to a vibrant array of traditional African and Indian goods – from crafts to fresh produce.

Beyond its remarkable, old-world architecture, Durban City Hall hosts the municipal chambers, Durban Art Gallery, Natural Science Museum and a public library.

9

The Durban Cultural and Documentation Centre is a museum that showcases the history and culture of the Durban’s Indian community.

10

Durban Art Gallery showcases a diverse collection of contemporary and traditional South African art.

48 | eTHEKWINI 2023

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