eThekwini municipality invests R5 million in golf tournament to boost local economy
The eThekwini Municipality will co-sponsor the Jonsson Workwear Durban Open (JWDO) 2026. Durban’s first annual Sunshine Tour Professional Golf event will take place between February 19 to 22, at the Durban Country Club.
Image: File Picture
The eThekwini Municipality stated that a R5 million co-sponsorship of the Jonsson Workwear Durban Open (JWDO) in February 2026 will benefit the city economically.
This event creates a permanent high-profile golf championship for Durban, equivalent to the longstanding Johannesburg Open.
According to the municipality, the JWDO is established as Durban’s first annual Sunshine Tour Professional Golf event, between February 19 and 22, at the Durban Country Club. The municipality will co-sponsor the event over three financial years, 2025/2026, 2026/2027 and 2027/2028.
eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba said that the negotiated JWDO sponsorship delivers on the Council’s strategic intent by securing presenting rights, metropolitan exposure, and a dedicated legacy impact programme.
“This contributes directly to the goals of the Integrated Development Plan with respect to economic development and social cohesion,” he said.
The strategic brand and media value for Durban are:
- embedding Durban directly in the tournament name for all global communications, leaderboards, and broadcasts.
- Durban will receive official host city designation, inclusion in the event logo, and extensive on-course branding.
- The event is forecast to reach a potential audience of 214.7 million people through 220 hours of global television coverage, with a gross advertising value of approximately R100 million.
Regarding the Community and Youth Development Legacy in Durban, Xaba stated that a dedicated junior golf development programme will serve around 30 boys and girls from local schools annually, creating a pathway into the SA Golf Development Board and providing equipment and coaching.
The municipality stated that the R5 million per year investment secures naming-level visibility and a broader programme of activities. This represents a 50% discount on the original R10 million valuation for the host city fee of the higher-tier 2025 Investec SA Open.
In January 2025, the municipal council pronounced its strategic direction to secure recurring major events. The municipality stated that this new event, the JWDO, builds on the proven success of the Investec SA Open Championship hosted in February 2025 in Durban.
The municipality stated that the outcomes of the Investec SA Open Championship in 2025 were:
- R150.2 million in total economic impact
- R38.9 million in net sponsorship value for the city
- R42 million in direct local expenditure
- Broadcast reach to over 535 million homes globally
- Creation or sustenance of 205 jobs.