Dube TradePort: a world-class industrial and commercial precinct

Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Southern Africa's global manufacturing and air logistics platform, provides a competitive business operating environment for businesses involved in manufacturing and export.

Created to be a world-class development, Dube TradePort SEZ offers globally integrated logistics and manufacturing infrastructure with support for a range of airport-related activities including cargo operations, warehousing, agriculture, commercial real estate for office, retail and hospitality.

Dube TradePort Corporation, a public entity of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, is tasked with the development of the precinct.

Benefits associated with operating within this zone are designed to promote business growth, revenue generation, employment creation, the export of value-added commodities and attracting both foreign and local investment — all enhancing SA’s manufacturing and export capabilities.

Crucially, Dube TradePort SEZ’s efficient infrastructure, seamless support services provision and available incentives give businesses located there a significant competitive edge.

Strategically positioned at the intersection of local and global intermodal transport routes, SEZ is seamlessly integrated with intermodal road, rail and port infrastructure, providing exceptional supply chain efficiencies and market access.

The precinct, a greenfield development covering more than 3,800ha 30km north of Durban, is a 50-year, master-planned airfreight and passenger hub comprising four business zones and a telecommunications platform:

• Dube TradeZone is an industrial area for electronics, pharmaceutical and aerospace manufacturing (designated special economic zone);
• Dube Cargo Terminal is a state-of-the-art air cargo-handling facility;
• Dube AgriZone is an advanced agricultural precinct (designated special economic zone);
• Dube City is a business and hospitality precinct; and
• Dube iConnect is a cutting-edge telecommunications platform and premier cloud service provider.

SEZ status was conferred in December 2016, adding impetus to investor interest in the fast-growing industrial node. Presently, two zones are designated SEZ, namely Dube TradeZone and Dube AgriZone, with plans to extend this to other zones and phases.

Becoming a SEZ has enhanced its industrial development agenda, radically augmenting Dube TradePort Corporation’s ability to attract both domestic and foreign direct investment capable of promoting strong local production capabilities within targeted focus sectors:

• aerospace and aviation-linked manufacturing and related services;
• agriculture and agro-processing;
• horticulture, aquaculture and floriculture;
• electronics manufacturing and assembly;
• medical and pharmaceutical production and distribution;
• clothing and textiles; and
• automotive component manufacturing.

Dube TradePort SEZ, also has an on-site one-stop-shop facility providing a single point of contact and interface for businesses, and government agencies and departments.

The one-stop-shop assists with registrations, licensing, visa services, and investor aftercare services. Incentive benefits available to investors include:

• reduced corporate income tax — section 12R: 15% corporate income tax for qualifying companies;
• building allowance (12S): accelerated depreciation allowance on capital structures (buildings, 10% a year over 10 years). The special rate of capital (depreciation) allowances in lieu of normal allowances will be available for erecting or improving buildings and other fixed structures;
• employment tax incentives (ETI): available to any business located within an SEZ with employees earning less than R60,000 a year;
• customs controlled area: VAT and customs relief. Import duty rebate and VAT exemption on imports with the aim of exporting the finished products;
• 12I tax allowance: for greenfield and brownfield industrial projects. This incentive supports capital investment and training;
• high-end infrastructure: funded through the provincial government and SEZ fund; and
• the black industrialist programme: offered by the KwaZulu-Natal department of economic development, tourism & environmental affairs and the department of trade & industry.

For more information about Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone e-mail: invest@dubetradeport.co.za. 

This article was paid for by Dube TradePort.