This is the Northern part of KwaZulu-Natal. Dundee and Greytown are key towns of economic activities. This district lies between the N3 corridor and Durban. It is well known with rivers like Tugela, Mooi, Umvoti, Blood and Buffalo. Economically, this district is the fifth least contributor to the provincial GGP, standing at 2%. Statistically there are 456 455 people living in this district of which 35 625 are employed with a total labour force of 239 327.
Agriculture is the biggest contributor to the district's economy as it contributes approximately 60% to the district economy. An area with moderate potential for agriculture in the form of commercial farming is in Endumeni and Umvoti south and north of the district. With its irrigation land around Dundee and Greytown are suitable for maize, soya and sunflower. There is also a potential for sugar cane and cattle in Umvoti hence Dundee has good potential for cattle farming. The main production or agricultural activities in this district are cattle, dairy, maize, vegetables & timber. Orange Grove Dairy is the biggest agri-business in the region. Their produced products are exported to the whole of KZN and produced wool is exported overseas and brought back as finished goods.
The district has identified the following key as tourist attraction areas:
-Battlefields are main attraction - Anglo Boer and Zulu wars, annual historic events and Talana Museum.
-Zulu Heritage - mainly arts and crafts centres
-Culture & history - Nguni route, St. Lucia & Drakensburg connecting route
Endumeni has a well developed tourism infrastructure with an extensive area of scenery beauty and a large
number of heritage sites. Parts of Msinga have potential for adventure tourism. The district has great variety
of accommodation establishment like bed & breakfast, small hotels and guest houses and also with most well
established Isandlwana lodge.
According to the district IDP, tourism sector is providing an increasing contribution to the local economies
and the estimated contributions are Dundee 13.6%, Nqutu 12.7%, Msinga 11.1% and uMvoti 7.7%. Tourism industry
has thus replaced mining and manufacturing as the most strategic sector of the economy.
Manufacturing takes place mainly around Dundee & Greytown even though some of the firms/companies have closed down. The main products in the region or district are food products metals/ steel products, wood based products, clothing & leather goods. An area of Msinga has developed a small scale of manufacturing companies such as shoe and brick production industries.
The district is situated in northern KwaZulu-Natal. It lies between the N3 corridor from Durban and Gauteng. UMzinyathi comprises of four local municipalities namely, Endumeni, Nquthu, Msinga and Umvoti. The temperate climate, which only receives some frost in parts of the region in winter, allows for a range of agricultural activities. There are three main towns, Dundee which is the trade centre. Its main economic activities are retail, tourism and farming. Greytown is the agricultural centre of the district. UMsinga and Nquthu municipalities have rural-based subsistence economies with cultural heritage areas that attract some tourists but need to be substantially developed.
Zulu Day of The Dead Moon - Isandlwana
Nodes and Development Corridors for this region for the next five years.
Tugela & Mooi river valleys: develop small scale intensive agriculture |
Develop land and support land reform projects concerning livestock farming and the development of an abattoir |
Development of livestock and game farming potential on Trust land |
Develop agri-processing in Tugela Ferry - vegetables & fish |
Zulu heritage route: Develop cultural potential of Msinga, provide road links between Weenen, Msinga & Nkandla, improve R33. |
Battle fields routes: development of linkages to benefit previously disadvantaged |
Formalise and plan Msinga & Nqutu to position for investment |
Provide adequate affordable housing and related services in nodes |
Finally, the Agrarian Revolution Strategy has clearly identified targeted Districts for 2006/7 which should each receive approximately R35m of Siyavuna funding . Each district will have specific targeted commodity focus areas that respond to the Provincial Agricultural Framework, areas of identified Hunger, and the priority areas identified by the Provincial Government and the Premier for 2006/7 specifically.
Implement 'massified' / high impact Maize and Bean projects in conjunction with market / processing facilities, mechanisation fund and sustainable irrigation infrastructure |
Implement Nguni projects and construct basic abattoir (see Utrecht Game facility) in partnership with Livestock Associations established under the Siyavuna Diptank Programme and the ARRUP Corridors (using Zimbambele Savings Clubs) |
Facilitate the resuscitation of defunct Vegetable Packhouse at Msinga |
Support Land Reform initiatives |
Support Land Care and Alien Weed Control Initiatives |
ABSA
Standard Bank
The district is situated in northern KwaZulu-Natal. It lies between the N3 corridor from Durban and Gauteng. uMzinyathi comprises of four local municipalities namely, Endumeni, Nquthu, Msinga and Umvoti. The temperate climate, which only receives some frost in parts of the region in winter, allows for a range of agricultural activities. There are three main towns, Dundee which is the trade centre. Its main economic activities are retail, tourism and farming. Greytown is the agricultural centre of the district. UMsinga and Nquthu municipalities have rural-based subsistence economies with cultural heritage areas that attract some tourists but need to be substantially developed.
Local Municipality | Telephone | Facsimile | |
---|---|---|---|
Endumeni | 034 212 2121 | 034 212 3856 | cheryl@endumeni.gov.za bart@endumeni.gov.za |
Nquthu | 034 271 6100 | 034 271 6111 | bongig@nquthu.gov.za |
Msinga | 033 493 0761 | 033 493 0766 | sinqobile.majozi@msinga.org |
Umvoti | 033 413 1115 | 033 413 1369 | mm.pa@umvoti.gov.za municipal.manager@umvoti.gov.za |
The government projects are the responsibility of each respective government department, therefore TIKZN is not responsible for the updating of this information. For further assistance, kindly contact the department responsible directly. Follow this link for available projects:
http://www.kwazulunatal.gov.zaDespite the fact that KwaZulu-Natal covers such a small portion of South Africa's land area, a significant percentage of the country's small-scale farmers are based here. Agriculture in KwaZulu-Natal is extremely diverse and is reflected in the patterns of its topography. Most of the world's agricultural activities can be practised here. Due to the good reliable rainfall and fertile soils, the region's agricultural sector has become very productive, and is known for its specialist capability in several types of farming. The Province has a total of 6.5 million hectares of land for farming purposes of which 82% is suitable for extensive livestock production and 18% is arable land.
The agricultural sector is focused mainly on the following:
Crops: Sugar, Maize
Horticulture: Sub-tropical fruits especially pineapples and bananas, Cashew nuts, Potatoes, Vegetables
Animal Husbandry: Beef, Sheep (mutton and wool), Pigs, Poultry
Forestry: SA Pine, Saligna, Black Wattle, eucalyptus, poplar,
There is tremendous potential for agricultural expansion in KwaZulu-Natal. It has been conservatively
estimated that if the agricultural natural resources were optimally managed, the present production yield
could be increased dramatically, thus unlocking the full agricultural production potential of KwaZulu-Natal.
The social programs and the government/private sector joint projects that have been facilitated and implemented by the sugar industry bear testimony to the industry's conscious commitment to the socio-economic and welfare upliftment of its employees. The key challenge for the sugar cane industry remains the maintenance of competitiveness in relation to other world-class producers and industries.