KZN ocean economy must grow sustainably, says MEC Musa Zondi
The MEC for Environmental Affairs says KZN’s ocean's economy must deliver significantly without sinking the environment.
MEC Musa Zondi yesterday convened a Maritime Roundtable at the MSC Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal in Durban.
The discussion coincides with World Maritime Day later this month.
The Port of Durban handles over 60% of South Africa's container traffic.
It contributes an estimated R90 billion in revenue, and supports more than 100 000 jobs in KZN.
READ: KZN seeks to turn ‘green opportunities’ into permanent jobs
But Zondi warns that growth must go hand-in-hand with ecological stewardship.
He pointed to green initiatives, including Transnet’s R2-billion port upgrades, and stricter fishing quotas that have already cut overfishing by 15%.
Zondi says the ocean economy is central to South Africa’s trade and industry. " We have an obligation to do something so that our people benefit from it, from an industrial point of view. And so the consultation that is going on here is assisting us to begin to lay the foundation as to how the various elements can come together."
