Reaching beyond disaster: KwaZulu-Natal builds on its resilient ec

Reaching beyond disaster: KwaZulu-Natal builds on its resilient economy

Only 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. around 16%. The province is home to a diversified economy, with leading economic sectors including manufacturing, infrastructure development and construction, transport, tourism, agriculture and mining.

A number of programmes in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, ocean economy and tourism, are likely to be major catalysts for the province’s economic recovery, added Minister Ravi.

At the heart of the provincial government’s economic recovery programme is a focus on women, the youth and the previously disadvantaged. The programme aims to use the rebuilding efforts as a way to transform the province’s patterns of business ownership by encouraging black economic empowerment

Among the most urgent interventions carried out by the provincial government has been to restore water and electricity supply to the areas affected by flooding. Two months after the infrastructure damage, more than 90% of the areas affected had seen their water and power supply restored.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says that assistance from the private and non-profit sectors had also assisted in restoring essential services. For example, the Gift of the Givers Foundation donated 14 boreholes.

In addition, work is underway to restore infrastructure damaged during the flooding, including at the KwaDukuza water plant and the uThongathi Water Treatment Works.

A FOCUSED APPROACH

However, basic services have not been the only focus of the government’s rebuilding efforts. Three sectors are receiving special focus from the provincial government:

• Tourism: The province is one of the country's prime tourist destinations for both domestic and international tourists, and tourism contributes more than R5 billion to the provincial GDP. The administration has sought to bring tourists back to the province, to stimulate a vital part of its economy. Repairs are under way at attractions such as the Mandela Capture Site, Howick Falls and beachfronts as part of the recovery and reconstruction process. In addition, work has been carried out at King Shaka International airport, to support air travel into the province. This has seen hotel occupancy rates increasing, a sure sign that the sector is gaining traction and recovering from the effects of the flooding.

• Transport and logistics: According to Premier Zikalala, there was more than R6 billion in damage to roads in the province. However, the KwaZulu- Natal Department of Transport is leading a substantive project to patch potholes and repair damaged roads and bridges. More than 700 projects have been identified and will be implemented through emergency procurement. In addition, the backlog of delayed imported cargo has been cleared at the Durban container terminal, and rail infrastructure repairs are underway.

• Small business support: Premier Zikalala says the provincial Economic Development and Environmental Affairs Department has made funding available to almost 400 businesses, valued at close to R200 million. The businesses that have applied for the funding are mainly small businesses in the agriculture, services and manufacturing sectors.

Premier Zikalala has vowed to implement measures to ensure that no funding becomes subjected to corruption and has partnered with Treasury, the Office of the Auditor- General, the Office of the Public Protector, and the South African Human Rights Commission to oversee the contracting process for all rebuilding efforts. •

Sources:www.reliefweb.intwww.news24.comwww.iol.co.zawww.kzntopbusiness.co.zawww.zulu.org.zawww.dailymaverick.co.za