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P R 231548Z OCT 07
FM AMCONSUL DURBAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1237
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0530
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DURBAN 000062 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/S - RMARBURG; AF/EPS 
COMMERCE FOR 4510/ITA/MAC/AME/OA/DIEMOND 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  10/23/2017 
TAGS: ECON EAIR EWWT PGOV SENV SF
SUBJECT: DURBAN ECONOMIC UPDATE - ISSUE 1 
 
 
DURBAN 00000062  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Eugene S. Young, Consul General. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
¶1. (C) IN THIS ISSUE: 
- Plans for New Durban Airport Approved 
- Plans for Current Durban Airport Still Under Debate 
- Succession Debate Hindering Public Service Delivery in Durban 
- Construction of New Durban Stadium on Target 
- Environmentalists Accuse eThekwini Health Department of 
Cover-up 
 
PLANS FOR NEW DURBAN AIRPORT APPROVED 
 
¶2. (U) On August 23, the Department of Environmental Affairs and 
Tourism gave the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) 
permission to proceed with construction of the new King Shaka 
International Airport and Dube Tradeport in La Mercy, north of 
Durban.  The approval comes nine years after KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) 
authorities revived plans for a new airport to increase 
capacity.  The new airport will have an initial capacity of 7.5 
million passengers per year.  The approval came with the caveat 
that 80 environmental conditions must still be addressed before 
full construction can begin. 
 
¶3. (U) While the provincial and municipal governments have 
celebrated the approval, the construction contractor Ilembe 
consortium, led by Group Five and WBHO, has been less 
enthusiastic.  Mike Upton, Group Five's CEO, noted on August 24 
that the "implications of the conditions still have to be 
assessed on the program and design."  Since the approval, eight 
appeals have been filed in a challenge against the final 
environmental impact assessment.  Earthlife Africa, one of the 
appellants, objected on the grounds that there "had been no risk 
assessment conducted on the aviation fuel storage tanks" and 
that this led to a "risk of explosions, similar to the recent 
explosion in Durban harbor."  (NOTE: See below for background on 
Durban harbor explosion. END NOTE)  Zweli Mkhize, KZN MEC for 
Finance and Economic Development, said that in spite of the 
appeals, "we will certainly now be able to finish in time" for 
the 2010 World Cup. 
 
PLANS FOR CURRENT DURBAN AIRPORT STILL UNDER DEBATE 
 
¶4. (C) Plans for the land occupied by the current Durban 
International Airport remains a hotly contested subject amongst 
eThekwini Municipality (Durban) officials.  On September 25, 
Pol/EconOff discussed with city officials various proposals for 
use of the land.   Durban Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo noted that 
the three main proposals are the creation of a dug-out port to 
extend the Port of Durban's container capacity, the purchase of 
the land by Toyota, and the purchase of the land by a 
petrochemical consortium. 
 
¶5. (C) KZN Growth Coalition CEO John Barton stated that his 
group's preference is to extend the port.  He noted that the 
growth of the port is "essential" for the growth of South 
Africa's economy.  Durban Chamber of Commerce CEO Bonke Dumisa 
emphasized that the only "logical option" is the extension of 
the port if "politics doesn't get involved."  Deputy Mayor 
Naidoo was more circumspect, hinting that not all concerned 
parties in the municipality have come to an agreement, and noted 
that the national government would play a large role in the 
final decision. 
 
¶6. (C) On October 2, Pol/EconOff met with Eric Apelgren, 
Durban's International and Governance Relations Officer. 
Apelgren stated that the debate surrounding the proposals for 
the use of the current airport's land remains contentious.  He 
affirmed that the purchase of the land by Toyota or the 
petrochemical coalition remained viable options, as Durban would 
only be able to afford the construction of a dug-out port with 
financial support from the national government.  He noted that 
the concerned parties would likely avoid further discussion of 
the petrochemical option, due to opposition of local 
environmental groups, heightened by the ongoing saga surrounding 
the explosion at Durban's Island View storage terminal (see 
below).  Apelgren also commented that the national government 
had the authority to make the final decision, given that the 
implication of the various options on economic growth were vital 
to national security. 
 
¶7. (C) COMMENT:  The Transnet National Ports Authority, South 
Africa's parastatal ports authority, has also been studying ways 
to expand capacity at the port of Durban.  Transnet does haveQr options besides digging out the site of the current 
airport to expand port capacity in Durban.  Two viable options 
are to dig out the southern side of the port at Bayhead or to 
convert Salisbury Island into a container terminal.  Transnet is 
also discussing the conversion of Richards Bay's container unit 
 
DURBAN 00000062  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
into a full-scale container terminal.  If Transnet determines 
that these options are better than a dug-out expansion using the 
current airport's land, then Toyota may indeed have a chance at 
purchasing the land.  It is likely, however, that final plans 
for the land will not be announced until it is certain that the 
new King Shaka International Airport will be ready by 2010.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
SUCCESSION DEBATE HINDERING PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY IN DURBAN 
 
¶8. (C) On September 27 and October 2, Pol/EconOff also discussed 
the impact of the ANC presidential succession debate on public 
service delivery with Apelgren.  Apelgren stated that 
approximately 80 percent of department heads within the 
eThekwini Municipality (Durban) are ANC political appointees. 
He then noted with frustration that department heads' support in 
the succession race is divided between President Mbeki and ANC 
Deputy President Jacob Zuma.  He said he "couldn't wait for 
December to be over" so that eThekwini departments can "focus on 
their jobs, instead of politics."  Apelgren said that the 
tension between certain department heads was becoming 
"unpalatable," to the extent that some will no longer converse. 
He also confirmed that the heads know that their time is limited 
should they support the wrong candidate before December. 
 
CONSTRUCTION OF NEW DURBAN STADIUM ON TARGET 
 
¶9. (C) On October 3, Julie-May Ellingson, Head of Strategic 
Projects for eThekwini Municipality (Durban), took Pol/EconOff 
on a tour of the new Moses Mabhida Stadium complex being 
constructed for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.  Ellingson said that 
the stadium was on target for a June 2009 completion.  Ellingson 
said that she hoped to plan an official inauguration ceremony 
for October 2009, allowing a few months for any delays that may 
occur.  Ellingson stated, however, that while the stadium plans 
are on track, that plans to increase public transport capacity 
to the stadium by 2010 are lagging.  Further, Ellingson said 
that while security for the World Cup has been thoroughly 
addressed, that the overall crime situation in Durban has yet to 
improve. 
 
ENVIRONMENTALISTS ACCUSE ETHEKWINI HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF COVER-UP 
 
¶10. (U) On September 18, an explosion occurred at Durban's 
Island View storage terminal, located within the Port of Durban. 
 The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. 
Residents of area neighborhoods were evacuated following the 
explosion, but told only hours later that it was safe to return 
home after the eThekwini Municipal Health Department had 
concluded that the toxins released in the air did not pose a 
threat.  Area residents have now accused the Health Department 
of a cover-up, after an independent test showed that residents 
were in danger.  Two air samples were taken by the South Durban 
Community Environmental Alliance on the night of the explosion, 
and sent to the US for testing.  The results of the Alliance's 
tests reportedly showed that residents were exposed to 
bromomethane, tetrachloroethylene, and benzene at levels above 
the World Health Organization's annual limit for exposure.  The 
Health Department has denied the cover-up charges, but 
acknowledged that the Department has "engaged the services of a 
specialist engineer to carry out further investigations." 
YOUNG