Premier unveils bold plan to revive KZN towns

Transforming local economies for shared prosperity

- PHILANI MAZIBUKO & THAMI MAGUBANE

KWAZULU-NATAL small towns, which have been experiencing infrastructure decay and job losses for several years, are finally going to be revitalised following the launch of “a bold initiative designed to ensure that development and prosperity are shared across the province.”

The announcement was made by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli when he delivered his keynote address at the KwaZulu-Natal Investment Conference in Durban yesterday. Ntuli told the delegates from the public and private sectors that the establishment of the KwaZulu-Natal Secondary Cities Network was motivated by a desire to broaden the geography of opportunity beyond Durban.

“As premier, I have established the KwaZulu-Natal Secondary Cities Network, a bold initiative designed to decentralise development and ensure that prosperity is not confined to one centre, but shared across our province,’ said Ntuli.

The premier revealed that small towns that have been identified as the province's new growth nodes include Richards Bay, Newcastle, uMhlathuze, Ladysmith, Kokstad, Port Shepstone, Pietermaritzburg, and uMkhanyakude.

The revitalisation of small towns project has received widespread support from economists and business leaders in KZN following years of infrastructure decay, job losses, the migration of influential firms such as ArcelorMittal in Newcastle and service delivery failures by municipalities.

Speaking about the revitalisation plan, Ntuli described the approach as “practical and visionary.”