KwaZulu-Natal's R100 billion investment set to create 300,000 jobs

KwaZulu-Natal is showing signs of economic renewal, with its 2025 Investment Conference having secured R100 billion for 34 development projects, which are expected to create extensive employment opportunities, said Premier Thami Ntuli.

Ntuli was addressing members of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) at the provincial legislature on Tuesday. 

The NCOP visited the province on a fact-finding mission on how the provincial government is performing in delivering services, with the main focus being on the municipalities. 

Ntuli said the provincial economy was showing encouraging signs of renewal.

“At the 2025 KZN Investment Conference, we secured R100.1bn in commitments across 34 major projects—expected to create 60 000 direct and 240 000 indirect jobs. 

“Export-oriented companies supported by TIKZN (Trade Investment KwaZulu-Natal) grew turnover by R73 million and created nearly 500 jobs,” said Ntuli.

He raised concerns about municipalities being let down by national and provincial government departments, households, and businesses failing to pay for service delivery.

“No municipality can function when the state itself owes money to its own institutions. We are resolving this decisively,” he said.

However, when the media asked which government departments owed the municipalities and how much their total debt was, Ntuli said that information was with the South African Local Government Association.

He said the province was also thriving in economic development, as it had secured R227bn for eThekwini development corridors, R2bn tourism resort in iLembe, and R463m for developing a bulk water scheme in Mthonjaneni Municipality in King Cetshwayo District.

Ntuli said the provincial government had in August launched the KwaZulu-Natal Infrastructure Council to coordinate R3.9 trillion worth of projects such as agro-processing, green manufacturing, logistics, and digital innovation over the next 30 years.

He said such projects would benefit rural communities, women, and young people involved in Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises.

Ntuli also told the NCOP that his government was also spending R14m on rehabilitating the more than five million square metres of road networks.

“Projects in uMgungundlovu—such as the P130 and P278—are progressing well with significant work allocated to local contractors. 

“We have taken a zero-tolerance stance against construction mafias, working with SAPS to stabilise project sites,” he said. 

He also said the province has established the KwaZulu-Natal Climate Change Council, which will comprise scientists, academics, business representatives, civil society members, and traditional leaders, to address weather-related natural disasters. 

He said this council would focus on finding ways to build harsh climate resilient infrastructure, such as stormwater systems, bridges, and electricity networks, early-warning systems, and district disaster readiness. 

He said that to create weather-resilient infrastructure, the province would support green industries, recycling, waste-to-energy, renewable power, and youth green skills.

He also gave an update on the provincial government’s progress in improving service delivery at the Msunduzi Municipality, the home of the provincial government.

This municipality had been under administration for more than five years before Ntuli established Premier’s Working Group, led by former Public Works and Finance MEC Ravi Pillay, early this year. 

“Mr Pillay and the team are filing regular progress reports to the Premier and the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, which indicate a positive march towards a financially compliant municipality,” he said. 

Ntuli dismissed National Freedom Party's (NFP) president Ivan Barnes’s recent call for a vote of no confidence against him. 

He said he was not worried since Barnes was not an MPL and that such a call had not been tabled in the legislature. 

“We (different political parties in parliament) are working quite well together.

“NFP is working quite well with us (IFP) as the MEC (NFP), Mbali Shinga, is on record making a statement that she is confident about this government of the premier.

“Those who are detractors make noise on the side, but we are forging ahead to deliver services to our people and to turn around the province for a better future because we have a duty to reshape this province for the sake of our children so that they will enjoy living in this province,” said Ntuli.

Speaker Nontembeko Boyce also said she would not entertain a call that was not raised in the house. 

“I will be inconsistent if I respond to every political statement, and it may make me, in terms of my job, depart from the lack of bias,” said Boyce. 

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