eThekwini municipality strengthens international ties for smart urban development in Abu Dhabi
The eThekwini Municipality went on a dynamic mission in the United Arab Emirates, aimed at enhancing sustainable urban development and transforming Durban into a smart city.
City Manager Musa Mbhele spearheaded this initiative with crucial discussions scheduled between 16 to 19 June 2025 in Abu Dhabi.
The objective was to forge strategic relationships with key governmental and business leaders that would unlock economic opportunities for the region.
Mbhele's delegation further embarked on a second round of talks following previous successful negotiations that laid the groundwork for collaboration on critical areas such as integrated mobility, urban planning, and digital governance.
This multifaceted mission marks a significant step towards leveraging advanced infrastructure innovations from the UAE that can be tailored to meet the unique needs of eThekwini.
Among the core mission objectives is the finalisation of agreements with the Integrated Transport Center (ITC) and the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT).
These agreements are anticipated to usher in innovative transport solutions aligned with the aspirations of the eThekwini region, ensuring that mobility is not just efficient but also sustainable.Maqta Technologies, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Ports Group, is another significant player in this engagement.
The delegation aims to explore technology-driven investment platforms that could lead to pioneering digital investment portals like the single window and the proposed 'Invest in KZN' prototype, which seeks to ease the investment process into KwaZulu-Natal, enhancing its appeal to international investors.
Moreover, the visit aimed to tighten the knowledge exchange corridor established between Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and KwaZulu-Natal, focusing on cutting-edge logistics and sustainable infrastructure.
This includes an emphasis on advanced technologies in customs clearance and risk analytics, powered by innovative platforms such as BorderVision, RiskLab, and BorderMeter.On 16 June, constructive discussions were initiated by Mbhele along with Mr Lungelo Buthelezi, Project Executive in the Chief Operations Office, and Ms Nelisiwe Zama, Acting Head of eThekwini Transport Authority, with senior leaders from Dubai's Department of Municipalities and Transport.
These discussions revolved around the urgent need to create urban spaces where mobility is intelligently connected and seamlessly integrated.
Mbhele articulated the vision behind these international engagements: 'As urban landscapes evolve, the integration of smart transport systems, thoughtful urban planning, and municipal coordination has become more crucial than ever.
We are in the United Arab Emirates to leverage international best practices. By embracing innovation and strategic planning, we pave the way for a connected and resilient urban future for our city of Durban.'The eThekwini delegation also enjoyed the opportunity to meet key figures from Abu Dhabi's intelligent mobility and digital infrastructure sectors.
Dr Emily Mogano, Vice President of Partnerships at the Sheikh Maktoum NEO Technologies Office, expressed enthusiasm for the growing collaboration and what it means for both regions involved.
Minister Abdulla Al Hashmi, Director of Traffic Systems at the ITC, shared invaluable insights on Abu Dhabi's Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) sector, which includes advancements in smart mobility, traffic infrastructure optimisation, and safety measures driven by innovative technology.
Al Hashmi underscored the UAE's readiness to partner with eThekwini to generate tailor-made solutions for Durban's urban landscape.
This series of engagements reinforces eThekwini's commitment to proactive global cooperation and positions Durban as a prime candidate for international investment, mobility innovation, and smart governance.
DAILY NEWS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Tourism stakeholders reject eThekwini Municipality's proposed levy
A helicopter view of the Durban beachfront Image: File The eThekwini Municipality's recent proposal to introduce a tourism levy has sparked significant opposition from local tourism bodies, highlighting the challenges and complexities facing Durban's tourism sector. The city's Economic Development and Planning Committee recently recommended that Durban Tourism initiate a comprehensive feasibility study on the potential introduction of a tourism levy in eThekwini. According to the City, the purpose of the study is to explore the practicality, structure, and potential impact of such a levy before any final decisions are made. "The proposed levy aims to establish a dedicated, ring-fenced funding mechanism to support the marketing of Durban as a tourism destination of choice both locally and internationally, and to drive tourism-related innovations and initiatives. "The ultimate goal is to reduce reliance on municipal funding and improve long-term financial sustainability within the tourism sector," read a statement issued by the municipality. Durban Tourism has been tasked to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including the national Department of Tourism, South African Tourism, local tourism boards, industry associations, community organisations and the private sector. Following this it is expected to present its findings and recommendations to the committee. Brett Tungay, chairperson of the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (FEDHASA) for the east coast, said they were opposed to the idea. He said most hotels were already paying a 1% Tourism Marketing SA (TOMSA) levy, for travel services in South Africa. "We will definitely not allow this to happen. The City has not engaged with the private sector in a meaningful discord yet regarding this. KwaZulu-Natal as a tourism destination is yet to recover to post Covid levels. We are still 20% down on pre-Covid levels. The foreign numbers into the province is still about 80% down. It is not as if we are in a flourishing tourism environment that has excess profit that we can throw at the city," he said. Tungay said any new levy would have to be borne by the properties. "It will affect the bottom line of all the hotels and resorts in Durban. In an environment where we are trying to grow and trying to encourage employment this is not what we need. "I would rather see the City improve on its water billing and rates collections," said Tungay. He said cities around the world that charge a tourism levy have functioning municipalities. "The City needs to look at how they can tighten the belt first and get everything running properly. They must realise that tourism marketing benefits the entire city," he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO of the Tourism Business Council, also cited the TOMSA levy, adding that imposing another levy would be unfair on the sector. "There is no other sector that has a levy, so it will be unfair to impose a levy on tourism when you don't impose a levy on anybody else who operates in any different way within the municipality. "We all pay rates and taxes and other dues, why introduce something that is targeted to one sector and not targeted to others? Why impose something to say it's the basis for destination marketing?" questioned Tshivhengwa. He said there were many municipalities with functioning tourism bodies. "What the municipality needs to do is fund destination marketing and make sure they realise the benefits. If they fund it, the return on investment is far greater. "There are many other models out there that are very successful. Cape Town Tourism has a different model where it's not necessarily funded directly through the municipality," he said. Tshivhengwa said the municipality needed to fix its infrastructure to attract tourists. "Fix the beaches and make sure there is no sewage going into the beaches and ensure it's a safe place. There will then be more economic activity and those in the tourism sector will derive benefits and be able to create employment. But to say you are going to impose a statutory levy and not do it for any other industry, is unfair. "Durban has not been getting the lion's share of tourists and the problem is infrastructure. You can go and market all you want, but if the beaches and water is not clean and we don't deal with issues of safety and security, no one is going to go there," he said. SUNDAY TRIBUNE
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
Durban's uShaka Marine World launches local campaigns amid rising costs and cashflow issues
uShaka Marine World, one of Durban's most famous attractions, is working hard to reconnect with local communities Image: uShaka Marine World uShaka Marine World, one of Durban's most famous attractions, said it is working hard to reconnect with local communities and change the way people see the park. Opened in 2004 along Durban's beachfront, uShaka was created to be a major tourism hub for the city and the KwaZulu-Natal province. It features an aquarium, water park, restaurants, and various marine-related activities. "Many think it's just for kids, but there's something here for everyone from snorkelling and scuba diving to restaurants and dangerous creatures.' CEO of uShaka Ndabo Khoza told IOL. This effort to boost local interest comes as the park faces serious financial challenges. The eThekwini Municipality recently approved a R14 million cash injection to help uShaka stay afloat during the quieter months. IOL previously reported that, according to the municipality, the cashflow challenges are attributed to the current business model as well as institutional arrangements. These issues become much more pronounced during the low trading periods of the park, wherein the monthly cash generated is less than the cash required to meet the mandatory expenditure for the corresponding period. "I think the first one is that the cost of operating a facility like this is quite huge to the extent that if you were to try and pass on all those costs to the visitors, it would then render the place to be extremely expensive for people to come. "So we try and find a way of cross-subsidizing some of those costs with other secondary revenue initiatives that we've got in place but sometimes that's also still not enough whereby one would then have to be able to get a grant here and there just to balance the books so that we still keep the price of coming to UshaKa Marine and being affordable," Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Despite the challenges, uShaka remains a key tourism destination for the city of Durban, attracting about 3 million visitors annually, with around 750,000 paying for entry to the main attractions. Khoza also outlined the financial difficulties faced by the park, noting that rising operational costs, particularly electricity and water for the large aquarium tanks, have put pressure on the budget. "I'll give you an example, the one year, the electricity increase that we had to deal with year on year, was 8 million in our bill, 8 million per annum now". "8 million at our price at that time would have meant that we need to bring in almost 28,000 more people into the park, just to be able to pay for that increase, so if you're not, then you must pass it on" To help close the gap, Khoza said uShaka is ramping up its efforts to attract local visitors, especially during off-peak periods. That includes discounted ticket prices, targeted marketing campaigns, and taking the brand directly to people in township malls and community spaces. "Everyone knows about Ushaka, but very few people have been there. If you think about it, if you ask a person why they don't go to Ushaka, they will say to you, It's expensive, and then you ask them how much it is. They wouldn't even tell you because they've just concluded that it's expensive. "So, amongst other things, we also now do this special price at certain times of the year, just to make it possible for the locals who perceive this place to be expensive for them to come and see" IOL Business Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel
IOL News
7 days ago
- IOL News
eThekwini Municipality denies awarding contracts for smart meters amid allegations of wasteful expenditure
eThekwini Municipality denies purchasing smart meters from seven companies, saying the procurement process is still ongoing. Image: Willem Phungula eThekwini Municipality has denied awarding seven companies to supply electricity smart meters. In a written response to the story that the Independent Media published last week, the city's spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, said the municipality was not aware of differing quantities being placed across suppliers; therefore, dismissing the assertion of wasteful expenditure. Sisilana said the procurement process is still ongoing. 'The allegations of wasteful expenditure, which are not corroborated by any evidence, are not true. This is due to the fact that the procurement process for electricity meters is still ongoing through the Supply Chain Management process. We are not aware of differing quantities being placed across suppliers,' she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Despite the city's denial and information obtained from the city's website, it was revealed that indeed the companies were awarded. Independent Media also saw purchase orders matching the companies on the city's website. Sources within the municipality have described the decision to award all the companies as an attempt to avoid awarding the tender to a qualified supplier with the lowest quote. The source said the only possible reason for this was that the officials wanted kickbacks from the highest bidders. In May 2024, the National Treasury approved the RT29 national transversal for smart metering. The Treasury approved seven companies for the city to choose from when buying these smart meters. In the purchase orders, the city ordered 2,000 smart meters from a particular supplier, which cost R2,591 per unit, whereas the other supplier's unit price was R1,645. One provider charged R2,218 per item, while the other charged R1,811. The city had to pay R5.9 million for 2,000 smart meters from the highest-priced supplier, which likewise had a unit price of R2,600. The source said the city also ordered non-smart meters for R1,996 per unit, which totalled R4.5 million for 2,000 units. It is not clear why the city needed non-smart meters and which customers will be supplied with them, whereas others use smart meters. Among the companies are two giant cellular network companies. In contrast to non-smart meters, which require personnel to physically visit the site and disconnect when consumers have circumvented them or established unauthorised connections, smart meters may be switched off by city officials from the office, the source claimed. 'This is another wasteful expenditure the city has incurred, and there is no valid reason why the officials chose to purchase the same product with the same quality from different suppliers with varying prices. Surely, there is something fishy,' said the source. The municipality has been in the headlines for incurring costs that many view as wasteful, stemming from court cases it has lost. It was recently forced to pay a supplier more than R20 million, which was an interest that had accumulated from the court appeals it had finally lost. The supplier had initially demanded R30 million, which the city disputed but lost the appeal.
