Once a sleepy holiday destination on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, Ballito has become a prominent testing ground for smart estates and the tech-driven retail market in South Africa.
Located approximately 46km north of Durban, Ballito was established as a private township in 1954 by the Glen Anil Development Corporation, headed by Dr Edward Rubenstein.
At the time, the land itself formed part of a sugarcane farm at Compensation Beach, and Ballito’s name was borrowed from Ballito Hosiery Limited, a stockings producer based in England.
Read more: Sleepy seaside village Ballito in South Africa is pioneering cutting-edge smart city tech
Countries worldwide are accelerating investment in smart, green cities designed to drive economic growth, attract investment and showcase sustainability innovation. From Masdar City to Freiburg and Songdo, these digitally connected urban environments are reshaping how cities operate and consume resources.
Cape Town is also investing heavily in smart grids, water-management systems and digital ecosystems as it advances its own smart-city ambitions.
Read more: ZA: Smart city ambitions expose critical infrastructure to rising cyber threats
Jewel City, located 10 minutes from Hillbrow in the Johannesburg CBD, offers residents free high-speed, uncapped fibre Internet, biometric access to apartments, and a digital high school.
Real estate development firm Atterbury led the redevelopment of the six-block precinct in November 2018, with apartments now offered from R3,550 per month by Ithemba Property Group.
With R50bn committed to data centres and Amazon Web Services already operating here, SA has everything it needs to lead Africa’s digital transformation.
President Ramaphosa’s announcement at the 2026 State of the Nation Address of a R50 billion investment into data centres over the next three years signals that South Africa recognises digital infrastructure as the foundation for economic growth.
Read more: Building South Africa’s digital future: Infrastructure, skills, and the AI opportunity
A new smart city is being planned next to the Vaal River, alongside a new international airport expected to benefit residents of nearby municipalities, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said.
The department is holding public consultations on the planned designation of the Vaal Special Economic Zone (SEZ), where community members will get a chance to share their views and ideas.
Read more: New South African smart city with its own international airport