THE CITY OF DURBAN (ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY) IS SOUTH AFRICA'S SECOND MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC REGION
Durban’s IPA, commonly known to date as DIPA (Durban Investment Promotion Authority), now has the refreshed brand name of “Invest Durban”. We act as a partnership between the Metro City Council and the private business sector, offering a free investor advisory service, plus key promotion, facilitation, aftercare services between all investment stakeholders.
Invest Durban was recommended by the Durban City Council and organised private business as the “First Stop Shop” to stimulate economic growth and new investment in the Durban metropolis.
MAIN PURPOSE
To facilitate sustainable investment in Durban for the benefit of ALL through the:
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Expansion, retention and aftercare of existing foreign corporate business within the Metro;
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Proactive investment promotion and marketing of Durban Metro as a premium investment destination;
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Proactive connection to, and marketing of the City’s large investment projects, plus core strategies;
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Identification and development of new investment & business infrastructure opportunities for new Investors, whilst connecting-in and empowering the existing local business people;
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Attraction, support and facilitation for prospective new foreign investors into Durban;
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Improvement in the investment and economic development environments, in partnership with the National, Provincial, City and Business Authorities;
Invest Durban works closely with the Department of Trade & Industry including Invest SA, Trade and Investment KZN (TIKZN), the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the KZN Growth Coalition, and State Owned Enterprises such as Dube Trade Port, the DBSA, IDC, Eskom & others. Key Partners include the largest Banks, Audit & Advisory Firms, plus sector based organised business bodies working in concert to promote investment in Durban.
Invest Durban delivers a world-class Metro based Investor support service, encompassing investment marketing & promotion, plus investment facilitation and retention activities by:
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Following a focussed investor relationship management, marketing and communication strategy, with a healthy focus on broad-based empowerment and local partnerships;
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Making available appropriate and specific city and nationally based economic and sector information, or opportunity studies;
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Facilitating the arrangement of appropriate meetings with, and solutions from the region's businesses and public sectors at all levels;
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Leading site visits to, and site evaluations of industrial and commercial premises, along with introductions to complementary Service Providers, Empowerment Executives, financial organisations, and sector bodies such as SA Property Owners Assn, plus our formalised Industrial Clusters;
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Advising on and accelerating all investment related regulatory processes towards speedy approvals, along with the required bulk infrastructure services connections and support.