Urbanisation in KwaZulu-Natal should not be viewed as a problem to manage but an opportunity to unlock inclusive growth.
The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Thamsanqa Ntuli, made this pronouncement at the recent South African Local Government Association (SALGA) 2025 National Urban Forum Dialogue at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Durban.
The Dialogue saw a convergence of stakeholders, including policymakers, thought leaders, and civil society, map out a provincial plan of what urbanisation should be.
“We are a province defined by contrast by global ports and agricultural villages, by world-class industries and informal traders, by economic policies and persistent inequalities.
“The task before us is to bridge these divides, to weave together rural and urban, township and suburb, formal and informal, into one coherent, inclusive fabric. This means making choices, choices about what we build, where we build it, and for whom we build,” said Ntuli.
Urbanisation plans should be cognisant of climate change
Ntuli indicated that KwaZulu-Natal has experienced the perilous effects of climate change. The floods experienced in the province in recent years point to the fact that climate change is not “a distant threat” but a reality.
KwaZulu-Natal may have experienced the destructive force of climate change, but it can also be a catalyst for innovation, renewable energy, sustainable transport, biodiversity protection, and secular economies.
Developing these sectors now would create new categories of jobs for the generations to come, indicated Ntuli.
He said urbanisation should equate to re-imagined cities that are resilient to the forces of nature, climate-smart, and people-centred.
“Let us be clear that cities only succeed when they create livelihoods. That is why we are diversifying our economic base around the Durban-Richards Bay Corridor, the trade ports, industrial and tourism hubs, and the creative and technology sectors,” said Ntuli.
With this in mind, the Province has channeled funds towards township economies, securing trading spaces, improving service delivery, and providing finances for small businesses.
How do you feel urbanisation should be approached in KwaZulu-Natal?
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