KwaZulu-Natal and eThekwini are targeting R95 billion in new investment pledges through a joint programme that combines the 2026 KwaZulu-Natal Investment Conference with SA Auto Week at the Durban International Convention Centre. The municipal statement was issued on 12 October, one day before the four-day programme opened on 13 October.
eThekwini said the event is expected to attract more than 5,000 delegates. The programme covers automotive-industry transformation, electric-vehicle value chains, policy, infrastructure readiness and logistics, with an investment-pledge ceremony scheduled for 15 October. The official naamsa event page independently confirms KwaZulu-Natal as the partner province and Durban as the 2026 host.
The R95 billion amount is an organiser target, not evidence that investment has been committed, financed or implemented. The releases do not identify the companies or projects expected to make up that figure, and they give no municipal procurement reference, public-expenditure commitment or council approval.
The useful accountability record will come after the pledge ceremony: a named project schedule showing each investor, value, location, implementation period, conditions and delivery status. Pledges should be tracked separately from capital actually spent and projects that reach construction or operation.
What it means
Combining the provincial investment conference with the automotive sector's flagship gathering concentrates investors, policymakers and manufacturers in Durban, but the economic claim will only become measurable when organisers publish a project-level pledge register and subsequent delivery evidence.
Correction history
No material correction is recorded for this article as of 13 October 2026. Any correction will be listed on the corrections register.