Jacob Zuma Unveils Durban International Airport's Tradeport

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President Jacob Zuma will on Thursday unveil a state-of-the-art cargo terminal, a trade zone, an agrizone and associated property development all located at the Dube Trade Port in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal.

The port, in which the King Shaka International Airport is located, has been operational for 22 months and the first phase has been completed. Included the construction was the of the Cargo Terminal, Trade House, 29 South, Dube Square, Trade Zone and Dube City infrastructure, AgriZone and the IT and Telecommunications platform.

In the long-term, an establishment of an Aerotropolis in the north of Durban, stretching from Umhlanga to Ballito, which will boost economic development and job creation in the North Coast and take forward the campaign against poverty, unemployment and inequality, is envisaged in the port.

This comes after Cabinet, in 2003, took a decision to relocate the old Durban International Airport to La Mercy and to establish the Dube Trade Port which would incorporate the King Shaka International Airport. The airport was constructed and completed in time for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup tournament.

According to the Presidency, one of the key strategic reasons for the relocation was to establish an integrated multi-modal logistics platform that would link the national road and rail systems to the seaports of Durban and Richards Bay, with an added value of air infrastructure to accommodate intercontinental-wide body aircraft

The launch of the trade port on Thursday takes place just a few weeks after the Zuma's State of Nation Address in which he unveiled a major infrastructure development programme, through the Presidential Infrastructure Coordination Commission.

Amongst the five projects announced was the improvement of the movement of goods and economic integration through a Durban-Free State-Gauteng logistics and industrial corridor.

This project is intended to connect the major economic centres of Gauteng and Durban/Pinetown, and at the same time, connect these centres with improved export capacity through our sea-ports. The Dube Trade Port project forms an important part of this pipeline of development projects.

In his State of the Province Address, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize, announced the building of a road link that will provide additional access from the Cargo Terminal and Trade Zone to the N2 and R102 highways and also open up new property development opportunities in the area.

After officially opening the port, Zuma will also unveil a statue of educationist, author, newspaper publisher and founding President of the ANC John Langalibalele Dube, after whom the trade port is named.

Zuma has declared 2012 as the year of infrastructure delivery, which will see a host of infrastructure initiatives designed to support health, education, up scaling information and communication technologies as well as regional integration.

To live up to the drive, the President will on 16 March take to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, where he will launch the completed Port of Ngqura.

On 4 April the President will host a special meeting with principals of Further Education and Training Colleges nationwide to discuss the development of skills necessary needed to make this major infrastructure drive a success. -BuaNews