About Us
Our Story
Restoring Jacobs. Rebuilding Community. Renewing Hope.
The Jacobs Industrial Improvement Precinct (JIIP) is a community-driven non-profit organisation formed by local business owners, residents, and stakeholders who share a bold vision: to transform Jacobs into a world-class eco-industrial precinct—clean, safe, sustainable, and investment-ready.
Jacobs lies in Durban South Basin, just south of the harbour and is one of the oldest industrial areas in the country.
Durban’s South Basin is at the forefront of the Just Energy Transition in South Africa which is characterised by huge declines in large scale manufacturing capacity which has been rapidly replaced by high volume freight and logistics.
This rapid transformation is continuing at pace while mitigations for the new risks posed have been slow to be implemented.
The Jacobs Industrial Improvement Precinct is a collaborative initiative driven by business owners to rescue the Jacobs industrial area from the ravages of long periods of neglect that have seen the infrastructure of other nearby industrial areas completely collapse.
The Goal
Our Mission
To transform Jacobs into a clean, safe, and well-managed industrial precinct through collaborative action, innovative service delivery, and sustainable infrastructure maintenance.
Driven by our flagship Keep Jacobs Clean initiative, we work to reduce crime and grime, protect critical infrastructure, and create an environment where businesses, workers, and residents can thrive.
The Outlook
Our Vission
We envision Jacobs as a world-class Eco-Industrial Park—a vibrant, inclusive space where industry and community grow side by side.
Through education, engagement, and shared responsibility, we’re building a Jacobs that’s not only productive, but also sustainable, resilient, and full of opportunity for generations to come.
United for Jacobs
A Collaborative Approach
At JIIP, we believe real change happens from the ground up. We work hand-in-hand with:
- Small and large businesses
- Property owners and managers
- Informal traders and tuckshop owners
- Truck drivers and waste pickers
- Schools, residents, and community groups
Get Involved – Support the Movement
Whether you’re a business owner, property manager, resident, or community member — your support matters. Join us in restoring Jacobs into a world-class, clean, and sustainable industrial precinct.