Infrastructure Projects Create Opportunities for U.S. Businesses in Durban
The New Durban Soccer Stadium for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, along with airport and transport projects set to be ready in time for the games, have created a center of opportunity for U.S. businesses in this coastal South African city.
The government plans to spend at least $860 million (R6 billion) on investments in Durban in preparation for the Soccer World Cup. Projects include a new 85,000-seat stadium, a new airport and trade port, a new tram system in downtown Durban, and upgrades to harbors, roads, railways, and beaches.
The new King Shaka International
Airport will replace Durban’s existing airport. The airport
and adjacent trade hub will cost an estimated $230 to $285
million (R1.6 to R2 billion). The airport will include a
3.7-kilometer runway and a terminal with capacity to handle 6
million passengers a year.
The adjacent Dube Trade Port will occupy 35 hectares and will offer a cargo terminal, an integrated logistics platform, an agricultural export zone, manufacturing space, and opportunities for property development such as hotel, retail, and conferencing space.
For information on the Trade Port, visit: http://www.dubetradeport.co.za/
Construction is set to begin by March 2007 with the goal of completing the new airport by the end of 2009. The new airport would be functional and the current Durban airport decommissioned before the 2010 World Cup.
The New Durban King Senzangakhona Stadium
Durban has secured a semi-final game during the 2010 World Cup and hopes to attract well over 100,000 tourists for this game and others. The Ibhola Lethu corsortium (led by civil engineering firm BKS Group) has won the contract to design and manage construction of the stadium, which has an overall price tag of $235-285 million (R2 billion).
The construction of the Future Durban Stadium contract itself is expected to be awarded by the end of January 2007. The stadium will be the centerpiece of a new sports precinct the city hopes to develop, including an indoor stadium catering for the disabled, a high performance sports center and sports academies, a city park and cultural center, parking facilities for 7,500 vehicles, public transport connections, and access to the Durban beachfront and hotels.
Transportation upgrades are also planned in time for the 2010 games, including: a new tram system in downtown Durban and upgrades to existing roads and railways, including an intelligent transport system. The new tram system, known as the “People Mover,” will have two lines running through central Durban connecting major tourist attractions, the beachfront, and the new stadium. The tram will link with the city’s existing rail and bus network.
Durban expects that its seaside location and moderate climate will attract visitors for the 2010 Games and beyond.
For general information about Durban, visit the official city website: http://www.durban.gov.za/eThekwini
Special research for this issue provided by Amy Patel, U.S. Consulate Durban