REBUILDING KZN BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Reaching beyond disaster: KwaZulu-Natal builds on its resilient economy
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nly three months ago, KwaZulu-Natal was devastated by flooding that saw more than 400 lives lost, and 40 000 people displaced. The natural disaster resulted in billions of rands’ worth of damages to public and private infrastructure, as well as the economic cost brought on by closures to transport routes in Durban, one of the country’s essential port cities. Yet the province has started to rebuild after the tragedy and provincial leadership has remained steadfast in its commitment to economic recovery. R1-billion in contingency funding has been committed by National Treasury for flood relief efforts and provincial departments are currently reprioritising budgets to manage rebuild efforts. BOUNCING BACK KwaZulu-Natal MEC for the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Ravi Pillay has said that while the flooding has impacted KwaZulu-Natal’s economic activity, the province remains resilient. Many industries were severely affected, including tourism and logistics. However, the province’s diversified economy has provided a competitive edge that has enabled the province to begin rebuilding. KwaZulu-Natal plays a critical role in South Africa's economy as the second-largest contributor at
40 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2022
