Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone was established as a catalyst for economic development, using a combination of its unique location with over 3000 hectares of greenfield developable land, with King Shaka International Airport at its core.  Its close proximity to the sea ports of Durban and Richards Bay as well as its connectivity to a wide reaching rail and road network, to drive the implementation of a number of integrated infrastructure projects and business operations that come together to create a world-class industrial and commercial precinct. 

Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone’s  infrastructure and business operations include: 

• Dube TradeZone: A light industrial precinct for electronics, pharmaceutical and aerospace manufacturing, as well as logistics and distribution firms; (Designated Special Economic Zone).
• Dube Cargo Terminal: A state-of-the-art cargo handling facility, linked to

King Shaka International Airport’s airside operations (DUR);

• Dube AgriZone: An integrated agricultural precinct (Designated Special Economic Zone);
• Dube City: A business, commercial and hospitality precinct;

      and

• Dube iConnect: A cutting-edge telecommunications provider and a premier cloud computing service provider.

In the last ten years, the organisation has worked to develop its globally integrated manufacturing and logistics infrastructure, which has grown to support a range of airport-related activities, including cargo operations, warehousing, agricultural production and processing, as well as commercial office real-estate.

Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone, CEO, Mr Hamish Erskine notes, “Dube TradePort continues to enjoy a fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship with King Shaka International Airport on several critical projects that are aimed at driving the economic development of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, these include Cargo and Property development as well as air services. 

King Shaka International Airport is one of the central resources that Dube TradePort is building upon to develop a globally competitive air logistics platform, which seamlessly integrates inter-modal sea, rail and road infrastructure, through this we aim to propel the expansion of export-orientated manufacturing within Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone.”

As of  Q1, 2021 work has begun in earnest to develop the second phase of the Dube TradeZone light manufacturing precinct, with bulk services being installed in the leveled  38 hectare site, a major milestone for the organisation, the land has been set aside for medical and pharmaceutical cluster, an electronics cluster as well as general manufacturing.  

The entire Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone is made up of over 3000 hectares, which will be developed over the next 50 years.  

Some of the key sectors that will be provided for during that period will include: 

• Aerospace and aviation-linked manufacturing and related services;
• Agriculture and agro-processing, including horticulture, aquaculture and floriculture;
• Electronics manufacturing and assembly;
• Medical and pharmaceutical production and distribution;
• Clothing and textiles; and
• Automotive component manufacturing.

This will be done following market demands at the time, however, agro-processing is set to be allocated space within the development of the second phase of the 30 hectares Dube AgriZone 2 development, which is anticipated to commence construction in the fourth quarter of 2021.  

Mr Erskine further notes ” Even during the current socio-economic climate brought on by COVID-19, it is important to note that our work is guided by a long-term business strategy as far as our operations go. Our priorities remain unchanged and we have been able to continue serving our stakeholders without any disruptions to the organizational programme. Our focus is to drive investment and job creation in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa through the provision of world-class infrastructure and operations. We continue to see potential in both industrial and commercial property. 

While passenger movements through King Shaka International Airport declined by 88% when comparing the period of April – October 2019 and 2020, which has hurt cargo throughput as the majority of cargo through King Shaka International Airport (DUR) is transported on passenger aircraft. However, now in the first quarter of 2021, we are seeing a firm recovery in air traffic since the government has eased lockdown restrictions and reopened the economy. 

November figures show that King Shaka International Airports route network has been restored to 29% with a hub carrier like Qatar Airways providing onward connectivity to around 120 destinations within key markets around the world. As a province, we are actively working through the Durban Direct Route Development Committee to engage with Airlines to reinstate and increase frequencies into the market. ” 

Air services are a critical component of the Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone development, the airline connectivity to export markets is central for providing access and stimulating the growth of the local manufacturing within the zone. Especially in the wake of the African Free Trade Continental Agreement coming into effect earlier this year paving the way for improved intra-African trade, air freight will be the quickest mode of transport to access new markets within the continent.  

As Mr Owen Mungwe, Dube TradePort’s Development Planning and Infrastructure Executive highlights, “We are already seeing local and multinational firms position themselves within Dube TradePort in order to take advantage of the market opportunities that are available within the rest of the African continent.

Therefore, Dube TradePort in collaboration with provincial and local government as well as the private sector is currently in the process of developing one of Africa’s most connected cities, the Durban Aerotropolis.” 

The Durban Aerotropolis is a new urban development around King Shaka International Airport, taking advantage of increasing global air connectivity, and the efficient manufacturing and logistics infrastructure, of Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone, which is connected to the nearby seaports of Durban and Richards Bay.  

The Durban Aerotropolis is set to cover an area 32 000ha of land, translating to 42 million square metres of developable property, inclusive of a green space area of some 10 000ha. The area has been designed to develop a globally competitive environment that becomes a catalyst for social, spatial and economic transformation, which is the basis for a robust and flexible long-term development framework for KwaZulu-Natal. 

Durban Aerotropolis Master Plan has a 50-year development horizon, in that time it is projected that it will stimulate the creation of some 750 000 employment opportunities, as well as the attraction of R1 trillion in investment. 

The Durban Aerotropolis already comprises of a foundation of a purpose-built airport city development, centred around Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone and King Shaka International Airport; and area that is enhancing urban and industrial competitiveness through improved multi-modal transport access that is opening up new land for development, while improving the efficiency of transport nodes throughout the region, as seen through the expansion of the N2 and upgrading of the R103 and M4, with plans underway to introduce a rapid but system and monorail connecting the rest of the northern region to the Durban CBD. The Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone precinct has created a manufacturing and air logistics platform which supports export and logistics-orientated firms enabling them to speedily access markets locally, throughout the rest of the African continent and globally. 

The area covered by the Durban Aerotropolis also caters to local communities, transforming the traditional commercial, urban, peri-urban divide, by fostering an integrated development, revitalising neighbourhoods, creating mixed-use developments, improving transport links, and bringing opportunities to where people live, in a structured and sustainable way.

Through this whole development, Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone remains committed to ensuring transformation is achieved in all its activities with the implementation of a sound and robust BBBEE Policy, that seeks to ensure the participation of all previously marginalised groups. ” Amongst the key positions, the organisation has taken in the last five years is ensuring that there is full implementation of the provisions of the PPPFA. We have furthermore developed a comprehensive supplier development program which creates space for increased participation for SMME’s,” concludes Mr Erskine. 

DTPC prescribes that for all large contracts, bidders must subcontract a minimum of 30% of the tendered amount black-owned companies including women, youth and people living with disabilities. Furthermore, DTPC’s procurement strategy targets vulnerable groups, in line with the priorities of Operation Vula.

Supply Chain Management 

Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone issues contracts to suppliers through two procurement processes, namely, Requests for Proposals (RFP) for contracts exceeding five hundred thousand rand and Requests for Quotes (RFQ) for contracts under five hundred thousand rand. 

  

Requests for Proposals 

To get access to all the Requests for Proposals that are issued by Dube TradePort regularly visit: www.dubetradeport.co.za/Pages/Tenders/Adverts

www.gov.za/tenders

Requests for Quotes 

To receive Request for Quotes from Dube TradePort ensure that your business is registered on the South African Government Central Supplier Database (CSD): secure.csd.gov.za

Thereafter submit your company profile as well as the Central Supplier Database Report to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dube TradePort has committed itself to the development of SMME’s and therefore gives preference to SMME’s when issuing Requests for Quotes. 

Supplier Training 

Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone provides development training to SMME’s in various fields, in partnership with accredited institutions. 

In addition, the organization has established a quarterly Supplier Forum, where enterprises have an opportunity to meet the Supply Chain Management team to discuss any of the aforementioned items.  

To receive an invited to the Supplier Forum and training opportunities email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.