City's Eric Apelgren reflects on 25 years of enhancing Durban's global image

AFTER 25 years of building Durban’s reputation around the world, the man who was brought in to enhance the city’s image is retiring.

Eric Apelgren, 63, Head of Department – International and Governance Relations at eThekwini Municipality, is retiring from the municipality this month, leaving a legacy of creating partnerships globally and increasing the number of diplomatic missions deployed to the city.

These partnerships have led to increased investments, sharing of knowledge and skills with other cities, exposing municipal staff to good governance practices, and creating international education opportunities for deserving students. 

Prior to joining the municipality, Apelgren said he had a history of community work, which included working on elections, collaborating with international organisations, and engaging with donors. He was brought in to establish and develop the unit.“I was part of momentous events like the 2010 soccer World Cup,” he said.

He stated that he was brought in to form the Department of International Relations and Governance in 2000, at a time when the city was led by City Manager Mike Sutcliffe and Mayor Obed Mlaba. Apelgren spoke to The Mercury yesterday.

Reflecting on what still needs to be achieved and what has been accomplished, he said the city has the potential to reach greater heights.

In the past 25 years, he noted that much has been achieved in terms of attracting investment to the city and enhancing its public image worldwide by increasing partnerships with other cities. His unit has successfully drawn much-needed foreign investments and skills that have helped boost the municipality.

“When it comes to attracting international investment, more could still be done if the city could work with the province to create a single point of contact for investors.

We work together, but at the moment we are disjointed,” he said, adding that it would be better for investors if they had one point of contact where the approval process for projects is fast-tracked and managed. 

He emphasised that this would be essential for the city going forward in maintaining and building more international relationships.

“When I started, the city had about six sister cities, and now we have about 23. We have grown the number of diplomatic missions to 34.”

One of his signature achievements, beyond building international relations, was creating local events in Durban that foster unity among the community.

He managed a portfolio called Halala celebrate Durban, where he oversaw approximately 40 events celebrating the city. In these events, the entire Durban community participated, with the private sector providing funding. This allowed them to host events for less money while fostering unity among the Durban community. 

“We have been very successful in organising scholarships for deserving students in Durban, collaborating with the USA and other countries.”

He said through these international partnerships with other cities, they have been able to send municipal staff around the world to learn the best practices for managing a well-run municipality.

Speaking on how he has lasted for 25 years in this job, Apelgren attributed his staying power to the passion developed dating back to when he was a community worker in Wentworth. “If you are looking for a job, you’re not going to survive in this position.”

THE MERCURY

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 19:37:19 GMTThami Magubane

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