Dube TradePort

Dube TradePort Corporation, is a business entity of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government that manages a 3,000ha infrastructure project called the Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone set up to promote local and international trade. Located at the King Shaka International Airport, it is situated 30 minutes from Durban Harbour and 90 minutes from the Richards Bay Harbour, and has an international airport, a cargo terminal, warehousing, offices and an agricultural zone.

The Dube TradePort Corporation is named after John Langalibalele Dube, who was an educator, clergyman, writer, newspaper editor and the founding president of the then South African Native National Congress, later the ANC. In 2002, the South African government decided to invest in new international airport outside Durban. The following year saw the creation of the Dube TradePort Company by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government to develop a world-class aviation export facility. 2005 saw the beginnings of a development master plan for the Dube TradePort at the proposed airport. In 2007, the iLembe Consortium were appointed to construct Dube TradePort and the King Shaka International Airport. In 2010, the Dube Cargo Terminal and King Shaka International Airport opened on schedule with the Dube TradeHouse opening later in the year. The air-bridge from the cargo terminal opened in 2011 with the first produce at the AgriZone harvested and the Corporation moved into its new headquarters onsite.

The Dube TradePort Corporation is managed by the Board Chairperson Dr Zanele Bridgette Gasa and its daily operations are managed by Chief Executive Officer Hamish Erskine. Erskine had been in the acting role from February 2015 and was officially appointed as CEO in September 2016. The previous CEO, Saxen van Coller, had been fired in June 2015 when she failed to disclose previous criminal offences.

The Dube TradePort Corporation's business is divided amongst a number of entities:

The cargo terminal currently has a capacity to handle 100,000 tons of cargo a year and can in the future has the capacity to increase to two million tons. Located next to King Shaka International Airport there is direct airside access to the cargo terminal. It is open 24 hours as is the on-site regulatory services such as customs. The cargo terminal connects Dube Trade Zones via overhead conveyor air-bridge allowing freight-forwarding community, logistics service providers, assemblers, distributors and manufacturers to based in that zone. The facility also boasts 1 500 m2 of open cold storage area and specialised temperature controlled storage. The cargo terminal has five main operators, Emirates Sky Cargo, SAA Cargo, Bid Air Cargo, SA Airlink and Africa Charter Airline. It also operates Dube AiRoad, that operates air-to-road and road-to-air cargo to clients in South and Southern Africa.