Industrial and Commercial land development and premises

• Booth West Industrial Park and Value Centre: aims at maximising job creation for Cato Manor residents as well as maximising revenues to be reinvested in socio-economic projects in Cato Manor. Project is in packaging stage, with the land assembly in progress and the preliminary design started. Construction to start in June 2002. Plans are developed to construct a Motor City on the Value Centre site.
• Edwin Swales Industrial Park: aims at maximising job creation for Cato Manor residents as well as maximising revenues to be reinvested in socio-economic projects in Cato Manor. Project is in packaging stage, with the land assembly in progress and the preliminary design started. Construction to start in June 2002.
• Booth Central Industrial and Commercial Land: aims at preparing land along Booth Road Central for industrial and commercial development. Project is in packaging stage, with the land assembly in progress and the preliminary design started. Construction to start in June 2002.
• Wiggins Economic Hive: CMDA is preparing to upgrade the Housing Support Centre in Wiggins to an economic hive. This hive is mainly targeting business people living at Wiggins. The steering committee comprising the Metropolitan and Community representatives has been set up. Natal Portland Cement has been approached to supply technical support and to upgrade the block yards. Meanwhile current accommodation is rented to emerging business and co-ops in Cato Manor. The Professional team has been selected and a feasibility study will be presented to the Steering Committee in due course. Construction to start soon and to be implemented before March 2003. The existing co-ops have been temporarily allocated to unused containers. The lease agreements will be signed soon. The design brief for the hive has been issued to consultants and work has commenced.
• Molver Road Economic Hive: CMDA is planning to formalise the informal development of business units in Cato Crest’s Molver Road into an economic hive. A Steering Committee will be set up soon.
• Small-Scale Industry Workshops – Premises for the ESC: An administration building and industrial workshop units will be constructed on a site in the Booth Central Industrial Park, for occupation by the ESC in 2003. Designs are finalised and tenders have been received. Construction will begin as soon as contractual agreements are finalised and site preparation is complete.
• Business Support
• Short Term Guarantee Finance: The scheme aims at improving access to working capital loans for local contractors working on Cato Manor projects. The scheme is operational.
• SED Vehicle: CMDA, in close co-operation with the eThekwini Municipality, is in the process of establishing a socio-economic development vehicle which will sustain economic development in Cato Manor after CMDA closes down. Workshops are being held with metropolitan and community representatives to determine the configuration of it. A business plan has been produced. Incremental implementation will start in due course.
• Legacy and Tourism project: The New Cato Manor Tourism Office comprises four components. The Cato Manor Visitors Centre which will open soon. The Internet Coffee Bar has been awarded to Ilembe Catering (Princess Nombuso Zulu) and Ikhono Technologies (Sizwe Makhaye). The facility was opened on 8 May 2002
  The Umkhumbane Conference Centre which also forms part of the Tourism Office is also open and available for bookings.
  A third component of the Tourism Centre is the Interpretative Centre, a small museum about the history and development of Cato Manor will be opened in June 2002.
  The Tourism Awareness Campaign in Cato Manor is well underway. Several local tour guides have been trained and are now liaising with CMDA and tour agents in taking Cato Manor visitors around.
• Building Materials Manufacture: A feasibility study and business plan have been conducted to analyse the building manufacturing sector in Cato Manor. The proposal is to set up a Central Distribution and Support Unit for the sector, providing services such as bulk purchase, transport, marketing and business support. A steering committee is being set up. Applications for financial assistance for phase 1to the City and private sectors are awaiting approval.
• ESC Incubator/Industrial Workshops: The ESC is now operational. Working from offices on 2nd Floor POD3 Intuthuko Junction. The ESC is engaging entrepreneurs specifically from the manufacturing sectors, but also from the service industries and the retail sector. The ESC offers assistance, ranging from advice, tender advice information, business planning, access to financial institutions, administrative services and business management skills training. Two full time business advisors are in attendance and can be contacted at Intuthuko Junction and/or on 031- 261 5585.
• Small Business Fair 2002: Preparations for this year’s Small Business Fair are afoot and an event organiser has been appointed. The Business Fair is going to benefit a lot of people as services like security, catering and cleaning will be sourced from the community. Local business people are gearing themselves for the event as this year’s fair will be the biggest and best ever.