King Cetshwayo’s gateway to the world markets is the Port of Richards Bay, which is the largest deep-water port on the African continent. The harbour facilities at Richards Bay are world-class and there is tremendous potential for further expansion. This has resulted in Richards Bay becoming the fastest growing urban centre in South Africa. The port imports the highest volume of bulk cargo of all African ports and has double the capacity of the Port of Durban.

In addition, the development of the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone within the vicinity of the harbour is serving to boost economic activity and attract international investors wishing to take advantage of the investment incentives on offer, the competitive electricity price and the availability of affordable labour. The N2 highway links the District to other significant economic centres in the country such as Durban and Johannesburg. It offers a direct route to Maputo in Mozambique. Its challenge is to provide basic services such as water and sanitation to these people while stimulating local economic development, job creation and the growth of the small and medium business sector. The need to address poverty is one of the most critical issues. The municipality enjoys good relations with the business sector and non-governmental organizations. Confidence in King Cetshwayo is increasing rapidly as investment flows into the region.

Local economic development through sustainable means is a priority of the King Cetshwayo District Municipality, which is focused on achieving this through community participation and empowerment. Various comparative advantages such as affordable labour, service costs and industrial land availability position uThungulu as a competitive investment destination.