Durban is fast emerging as on one of South Africa’s premium investments locations. The Durban Tourism and the Durban Investment Promotion team are working together with major business to position it as an attractive investment location for national and international corporations, which so far include Samsung Electronics, Toyota, Unilever and many others.

Durban is South Africa’s second largest metropolitan in terms of population and is ranked in the top 20 fastest growing cities in Africa, above Cape Town and Johannesburg.  It has the highest number of dollar millionaires added per year of any South African city with the number rising 200% between 2000 and 2014 and in May 2015, it was officially recognized as one of the New7Wonders Cities.

The Durban tourism sector continues to grow, with stats showing growth in excess of 13%. Historically seen as a destination for only local travellers, it is increasingly becoming popular amongst overseas travellers, assisted by the good exposure of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. It was also recently awarded the 2022 Commonwealth games, resulting in future global exposure and infrastructure upgrades.

A further indication of Durban’s commitment to infrastructure improvement is the new rapid public transport network, Go Durban – which is currently under construction – the first phase set to be completed during 2016. The project will improve the city’s transport system, targeting the provision of reliable, affordable, safe and organised transport to 85% of residents in the greater eThekwini area, by co-ordinating taxis, rail, bus and non-motorised transport system.

Durban has always had a strong history of manufacturing and agribusiness, being the second-largest business and industrial base in South Africa after Gauteng, accounting for 15% of national output. In addition, Kwazulu-Natal has the largest share of the most productive agricultural land in South Africa. These fundamentals, together with Durban having the largest port in Africa, the new King Shaka International Airport and Dube Tradeport, the very good road network and the abundance of vacant land at reasonable prices, bodes well for the future growth of Durban’s industrial and agricultural sectors.

One of Durban’s major projects currently underway is the massive new R25 Billion Cornubia development, located between Durban and the King Shaka Airport. It is a mixed-use, mixed-income, 1 200 hectare development, with 80 hectares earmarked for industrial development and the rest for commercial, housing and other social and public facilities. Cornubia is being created by the eThekwini Municipality and agriculture giant Tongaat Hulett. Once completed – expected to be in 20 years – the mixed-use development of housing, commercial and industrial sites will change the skyline between King Shaka International Airport and Umhlanga.