Amanzimtoti set for big economic boom

Amanzimtoti is now the area to invest in with two major economic boosts on the cards. The KZN Automotive Supplier Park (ASP) in Illovo is going ahead, with construction completion of the bulk earthworks and services estimated as early as August 2022.

The ASP is intended to support original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in KZN and attract others to the region, to support Toyota SA Motors. Plans for the ASP were conceptualised as early as November 2015 when the Dube TradePort Corporation was requested to acquire the site from Illovo Sugar. The park will be designated as part of a special economic zone.

Two initial processes to the construction is a proposed sewer pipeline connection from the development site to the existing Kingsburgh Wastewater Treatment Works and 132kV electrical powerline from the existing Kingsburgh substation to a proposed 132kV substation on site.

A draft basic assessment report is available for public review from 25 October to 27 November, while the public review period for the integrated water and waste management plan is from 25 October to 20 January. Hard copies of the reports can be accessed at the Umnini library, located at the Umnini Thusong Centre in Umgababa, and Kingsburgh library at 1 Hall Road, Warner Beach. A CD copy of the report is available on request online at https://projects.gibb.co.za.

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The project will be done in four phases, with each phase open after completion. The size of the property is about 1 000 hectres (ha). Each platform will be about 265ha, and the site lies adjacent to the N2, between Winkelspruit and Umgababa.

It is currently accessible from the P197 and the increase in traffic, during construction and on completion, is of major concern to local residents. The developers have proposed various options, with option one having the least impact on the environment, the preferred route. It consists of a new narrow diamond interchange off the N2, and with no access from the R102, it is likely most vehicles will gain access to the site via this interchange. The central boulevard through the park will be a public road.

With five of the available nine plots already sold, the Kingsburgh Industrial Park is a second major job creator in Toti.
Local property developer, Len Brown, his son Terry Brown and attorney Dean Petiti bought the bushed area up the R603, which borders the ASP, three years ago. “It was such a difficult site to tackle and develop, but we got there eventually,” said Len.

The EIA was approved and levelling the 13 000 square metre area, putting in services, roads sewer, walling the entire park and cutting platforms came at a cost of R50m. “As a trade-off to the environment, we left a large portion of bush on site,” he said.

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The seven ha park is the only available land that is zoned light industrial and commercial in Toti. Mini factories will occupy one plot and a spice factory is relocating to set up its entire operation in Illovo. “This is currently the only big development in Kingsburgh and it will create jobs in Toti,” said Len.

“The sooner the better” was the word from ward 97 councillor, André Beetge, commenting on the biggest industrial development the area has ever experienced and a project which is set to create employment opportunities over a 20-year period in the establishment phases alone.

“Until now, both the West and North have been beneficiaries of the third industrial revolution while the South, albeit with exponential growth in residential dwellings, has been unable to keep up with the socio-economic demands in absence of infrastructure to sustain the ever-increasing labour market.

“The people are increasing, but not the job opportunities to put food on the table. People’s lives are set to change and although there will always be doom prophets, development inevitably brings prosperity. One has to be blind not to recognise the positive change that the private development along the R603 hasn’t already done for the Uitsig Road node.

“We did express some concerns during the engagement process, not so much in the development itself, but rather in the traffic management model, as given future plans we envisage this being a major challenge. We were thus delighted to hear that consideration was being extended towards a new interchange, the preferred option being dead end north-south on and off ramps, thus facilitating development traffic flow directly from and onto the N2 with no disruption to residential flow along either the R603 or R102.

“We also cautioned against possible illegal land occupation, as was experienced several months ago when third parties occupied municipality and provincial land on the South-Western side of the R603, given that any such occupations could impair future much-needed development.

“So will life change in Toti’s southern suburbs? Absolutely, as similar to agricultural areas across the world, development changes the face of everything and we have to accept that we are destined to become someone’s developed North.

Would investing be encouraged? Now more than ever and one would have to laud private developers who had the foresight to start investing in Lower Illovo. We are currently so limited with usable industrial and business space, and the development should bring the South back into the city’s triangular industrial net.

“On the down side and given the numerous speculations on the Illovo development, one would question why so few took the opportunity to engage during the public open day, in effect losing an opportunity to get the information ‘from the horse’s mouth’.”

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