Durban

Durban is KwaZulu-Natal’s biggest city, with a population of over three million. The city is administered by the eThekwini Municipality, which oversees a budget of R24.1-billion, with an operating component of R18.7-billion. Durban is a tourist Mecca, an industrial, commercial and retail centre, and it has a port that handles more than a million containers annually.

Other major concerns that make up the local economy include oil refineries, a manufacturing plant of Toyota South Africa motor vehicles, downstream processing facilities for the sugar and timber industries, a brewery and food and beverages production facilities. The city will have a new international airport in time for the 2010 Fifa World Cup. The King Shaka International Airport and the adjacent Dube TradePort, currently under construction, will strengthen the city’s strategic role in transport and logistics provision even further.

The Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre generates R1-billion for the city’s economy. Film production and call centres are sectors that have shown significant growth in recent years. Several bodies work on attracting investment. Durban has a film office, SmartXchange aims to stimulate investment in ICT and BPeSA KZN promotes call centres. The Durban Investment Promotion Agency (Dipa) and Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal work with the provincial government’s Economic Development Unit in formulating strategies. An example of public-private cooperation will see Toyota and the eThekwini Municipality combine to create a huge automotive park where the companies in the components and services sectors can be close to one another and to their principal client.

Durban has great beaches, many hotels and guest-house establishments experienced in pampering local and international tourists.

The city hosts several of the country’s most famous events, like the Durban July horse race (South Africa’s Ascot), and has wonderful sporting venues. With a historic international cricket stadium (Kingsmead), a huge and popular rugby venue (Absa Stadium) and a vast new soccer stadium (Moses Mabhida will host Fifa World Cup soccer matches) all lined up alongside one another just a few hundred metres from golden beaches and the Indian Ocean, it can truly be said that Durban is Sports City. Indeed, it would not be a surprise if the city were to bid for a major international sporting event like the Commonwealth Games.

Pietermaritzburg

The city of Pietermaritzburg is the seat of the provincial government of KwaZulu-Natal. It falls within the Msunduzi Municipality, which is part of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality. It is situated in the Midlands on the N3, the major route between Durban and Gauteng. The N3 Corridor is one of the economic spines of the province. The Oribi Airport hosts several direct daily flights to Johannesburg. The city’s economic mix ranges from heavy industrial cable manufacture (Aberdare Cables), publishing (Shuter & Shooter), large-scale carpet production (Belgotex), automotive parts and furniture to food and dairy production. Investment in the city is encouraged and facilitated by a municipal task team.

Pietermaritzburg is known for its charming Victorian architecture and attractive gardens. It has a moderate climate, with the rolling hills of the Midlands alleviating the humidity found closer to the coast. The city is an educational centre, with a major campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and several well-known colleges and schools located there.

The Royal Show (showcasing agriculture), and several popular annual sporting events take place in or near the city: the Comrades Marathon, the Dusi Canoe Marathon and the Midmar Mile. An annual outdoor art auction is very popular and Tatham Art Gallery is one of several wellsupported galleries. The Midlands Meander, which starts just north of Pietermaritzburg at Hilton, is very popular with tourists, offering an assortment of arts, crafts and culinary experiences. The city’s citizens are in the happy position of being just one hour’s drive away from superb beaches to the east and the mighty Drakensberg Mountains to the west.

Richards Bay

Two rivers flow into the sea at Richards Bay, the chief industrial centre of the uThungulu District Municipality. The city is also a transport and logistics hub as it is situated on the coastal N2 highway and is home to the largest deep-water port in Africa. Rail lines connect the busy harbour with coalfields and other heavy industry in the interior, but Richards Bay has its own heavy industry. Companies like Richards Bay Minerals (a major producer of iron, zircon and titanium) and Exxaro Sands support a strong mining sector. BHP Billiton runs two aluminium smelters, while earth-moving equipment manufacturer Bell Equipment is one of several companies that have its headquarters in the city. The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone is intended to attract international investors.

Residents of Richards Bay are fortunate to be close to splendid nature reserves like the Enseleni Game Reserve (known for its aquatic birds) and wetlands like uMhlathuze, which represent a valuable resource for prospective.