Mooi River set for a major redevelopment into a Logistics Hub
- Dylan Naidoo
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
By: Dylan Naidoo
The uMgungundlovu Economic Development Agency (Umeda) recently announced that plans have been put in place to transform Mooi River into a new logistics hub. The announcement was made on Tuesday the 11 March 2026 by UMEDA as per a 2025/26 Financial Year UMEDA Newsletters report, specifically Quarter 4 Issue #4.
One of these major development spots is the Tai Yuen Factory in Mooi River, which has not been operational for three years. However, interest to develop the building has been reinvigorated due to its close proximity to the N3 highway, and the “extensive land holdings”. The factory is estimated to be five hectares in size, with an estimated R500 million to be used to transform this factory specifically, as part of transforming Mooi River into a logistics hub.
Tai Yuen Factory’s George Liu informed The Witness that amidst an unstable textile manufacturing industry in South Africa, Liu and his partners were committed to operating in South Africa. Liu is confident that existing infrastructure at the factory, including electricity connections and large warehouses, highlight the factory as a significant opportunity for investment.
NMD International and another property developer have set plans in place for this development strategy in Mooi River, with the project’s projected value at R5 billion. James Martin, manager at UMEDA, commented that the town of Mooi River has been severely affected by incidents over the past decades, including excessive violence pre-1994 apartheid era, and the town being in shambles following incidents of civil unrest. Amidst these unfortunate incidents, Martin is keen on the opportunities that this venture entails. “We identified Mooi River as a key development strategic node, especially given that the N3 corridor from Durban, Hammarsdale, Mkhambathini, and Pietermaritzburg is filling up and there is no more industrial space for development” (Quote taken by Thami Magubane from IOL News).
Themba Mkhasibe, manager of local economic development (LED) in the Mooi River Mpofana Local Municipality, mentions that a logistics hub in Mooi River, specifically placed near the N3, is one of the key projects to take note of, citing improvements to driving conditions in Mooi River. “Given the number of truck accidents along the N3, this hub will be central in decreasing truck congestion on the N3, thereby reducing accidents by ensuring that goods are transported by train” (Quote taken by Thami Magubane from IOL News).
The major R5 billion investments into Mooi River to transform the area into a logistics hub provides an excellent opportunity for investors. The small town’s close proximity to the major cities of Durban and Johannesburg and its location near the N3 highlights major development potential, and this new development of an estimated R5 billion logistics hub is a result of this.\
