- eThekwini plans to build an "Aerotropolis" around the King Shaka International Airport to the north of Durban.
- The Aerotropolis is due to cover 32,000ha of land, which will translate to 42 million square metres of property that can be developed.
- This is what it is supposed to look like.
- For more stories go to www.BusinessInsider.co.za.
King Shaka International Airport north of Durban is due to be at the heart of a massive "Aerotropolis" if the government of eThekwini has its way, a futuristic metropolitan hub of commerce and industry it believes will bring in massive investment.
The Durban Aerotropolis is due to take advantage of the Dube TradePort's Special Economic Zone, which besides connectivity by air is close to the seaport of Durban, and not all that distant from the Richards Bay port.
The 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.
According to Vincent Zwane, spokesperson for the Dube TradePort, the development master plan has a 50-year development horizon.
"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," he says.
The Aerotropolis is also due to take advantage of the expansion of the N2, as we well as the upgrading of Durban's R103 and M4 roads.
According to Zwane, the formal adoption of the Aerotrpolis concept commend in 2012 when the provincial government commissioned the KZN Integrated Aerotropolis Strategy. This was adopted in 2017.
Receive a daily email with all our latest news: click here.
Also from Business Insider South Africa:
- South Africa has one of the longest workweeks in the world - here's how we compare
- Five South African wines received nearly perfect scores in an international competition – and you can buy one for R190
- Elon Musk is right, ‘pedo guy’ was slang in South Africa in the 1980s– but it wasn’t that common
- South Africa’s first 5G network is now live in parts of Johannesburg and Tshwane – here’s what you’ll pay
- We tried the bacon burger for which Burger King gave up its fully-halaal status in South Africa – and we were distinctly underwhelmed
- The South African Police Service has quietly launched a crime-fighting app – which asks for your name and address before you submit tipoffs