Durban Our Award Wining Home

2017-02-15

A city's success can be measured through the strength of the economy, social conditions, and the environment. Over the past few years Durban has been forging ahead of the pack with a whole list of achievements. The accolades speak for themselves:

ECONOMY

Investment Promotion: R700Bn on Durban Investment's Dashboard and 2016 winner of “KZN Top Business Portfolio Award” for best Investment Promotion.

Infrastructure Projects: Numerous international project specific awards (e.g. U.N. recognised landfill gas to electricity, “Use-It” waste recovery projects, etc.)

Treasury and Finance: Best Credit Rating in SA municipal sector (AA- in long-term with positive watch and A1+ in shortterm). “Unqualified” Audit Reports from the A.G.'s Office since 2000.

SA's “Top performing City for growth in millionaires since 2000” - New World Wealth Report, 2015

Rated by the New York Times as number 7 of their Top 52 Places to Go in 2015.

Durban awarded Host City 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Ranked #1 in SA, and whole of Africa for capital investment growth in residential properties, plus in Top 50 Worldwide (@ #26) - 2016 Knight Frank Global Residential Cities Index.

Durban included in “7 Emerging Luxury Housing Markets To Watch in 2015” by Christies International Real Estate Group.

SA is in the second quartile out of 189 countries on the 2016 World Bank “Doing Business Report”.

Master Card Global Destination City Index predicted Durban to be fastest growing tourism city in Africa and would be one of the fastest growing tourism cities worldwide.

SOCIAL CONDITIONS

Utilities: 2015 African Utility Week Industry Awards: “Municipality of the Year”.

Housing: 2014 and 2015 Winner of “Govan Mbeki Award” for best Housing Delivery - “unparalleled record of housing delivery” - Judging Panel, and 2014 “SALGA Awards” for water quality and best housing delivery.

Roads: 2015 CAPSA ConferenceeThekwini recognised as the leading road authority in Africa alongside SANRAL and no 1 in terms of internal capacity.

Rated #1 City in Africa for “Quality Of Living” by Mercer Consulting in 2015 and 2016.

SA is #1 on the Top 10 Cheapest Countries for Transport (train, bus, and air) - 2014 GoEuro.com Report.

“GoBankingRates” 2016 Report ranked SA (and in several categories, Durban) as the cheapest country in the world to live and retire in, out of 112 countries.

Most affordable of all SA Metro Cities to live in - The 2016 “Numbeo” and “Expatistan” Cost of Living Indices.

ENVIRONMENT

Environment: 2012 Winner “SA's Greenest City Award”; 2013 and 2014 “Arbor City Award” and 100 Resilient Cities Partner (Rockefeller Foundation)

Water and Sanitation: 2014 Winner of Stockholm Industry Water Award: “most progressive water utility in Africa and a forerunner in the world of utilityrun service” - Stockholm International Water Institute.

Solid Waste: 2014 Professional Management Review Awards - “PMR Golden Arrow Award”.

New “7 Wonders City of the World” - 2014.

National Geographic rated Durban in Top 10 Oceanfront Cities, globally in 2015.

Voted by CNN as one of the world's “Top 10 most underrated cities”; the Umhlanga Pier as the best globally, and the “Coolest City in SA”.

“Invest in this Smart, Globally Connected African City.”

Russell Curtis, who heads up Durban Investment Promotion, said that there are good opportunities in the Durban region and we need to capitalise on the advantages present. Durban Investment Promotion is part of the eThekwini Municipality and was recommended by the Durban City Council and organised private business as the appropriate vehicle to stimulate economic growth and new investment into Durban. The team's main purpose is to, “Facilitate sustainable investment in Durban for the benefit of ALL”.