New harbour development planned for KZN South Coast towns
Officials have earmarked two coastal towns along the KZN South Coast as potential sites for a new harbour development.
Public Works and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala announced that the government has identified two seaside towns in the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal—Scottburgh and Hibberdene, as possible sites for a new small harbour development.
According to Freight News, these towns, along with six other locations, form part of a proposed Tier 2 small harbour expansion. Zikalala shared the plans during the Umdoni Municipality Investment Conference recently held in Scottburgh.
Small harbours on the cards for KZN South Coast
The KZN South Coast harbour development will reportedly include a boat launching site, fisheries as well as related facilities, and is expected to create thousands of work opportunities in the community.
Officials have already completed the environmental impact assessment for the harbour project in Hibberdene, marking a key step forward in the approval process.
Deputy Minister Zikalala stated that the government remains committed to upgrading economic and social infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, dams, and fibre networks, to support small, micro, and medium enterprises (SMMEs) and drive industrialisation.
“Working with you, we want to build capacity, including technical, planning and project management capacity, to maintain all public infrastructure, and prioritise it in budgeting. We are determined to provide resources to maintain ageing infrastructure to prevent disasters and loss of life,” the Deputy Minister said at the conference.