Local economic development for urban resilience: The South African experiment

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 694-709
Author(s):  
Gerrit van der Waldt
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Urban Communities ◽  
South African ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Urban Resilience ◽  
Local Areas ◽  
Metropolitan Municipalities ◽  
Development Applications

The severity of environmental problems, rapid urbanisation and the dynamics underlying local governance requires clear strategies for local economic development, which target specific growth areas and collectively aim to increase the resilience of urban communities. A resilient city is one that has developed capacities to absorb future shocks and stresses. Therefore, the collective aim of such a city’s systems, structures, processes and functions entails responding to challenges of sustainable development. Local economic development is generally regarded as an integrated strategy to address complex urban challenges by promoting economic development in local areas. The purpose of this article is twofold: to explore the critical interface between urban resilience and local economic development, and to uncover the successes and failures of local economic development applications in local, district and metropolitan municipalities in South Africa. This assessment and accompanying recommendations can provide valuable guidelines for local economic development best practice.

scholarly journals Assessing Local and National Government Interaction in LED: A Policy Evaluation of South Africa’s Metros

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 183
Author(s):  
Babalwa Soga ◽  
Shikha Vyas-Doorgapersad
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
South African ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Financial Resources ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Demographic Heterogeneity ◽  
Metropolitan Municipalities ◽  
National Framework

The article examined the adoption of the 2018-2028 National Framework for Local Economic Development (NFLED 2018-2028) in South Africa eight metropolitan municipalities. The article employs a qualitative research approach whereby a document analysis of municipality strategic reports reveals that there is low adoption of the National Framework for Local Economic Development in South African metros. The findings confirm that whilst metropolitan municipalities cannot be expected to share the exact policy adoption considerations due to their political, administrative, economic and demographic heterogeneity, it is suggested that there should be a balanced level of policy standardisation when it comes to LED and other municipal kep performance areas (KPAs). The article concludes that South Africa’s metropolitan municipalities had not adopted most of the five enabling pillars of the National Framework for LED 2018-2028 as part of the key performance areas (KPAs). This points to the discord between national LED policies and local level LED planning. While there is a need for LED planning decentralisation to meet local needs in metros, general alignment with national policies could assist in unlocking intellectual and financial resources that municipalities lack.   Received: 23 September 2021 / Accepted: 25 October 2021 / Published: 5 November 2021

Bridging the urban–rural gap in facilitating Local Economic Development: The case study of uMgungundlovu District Municipality in KwaZulu–Natal, South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 026909422110363
Author(s):  
Ayanda C Makhaye ◽  
Mogie Subban ◽  
Cecile N Gerwel Proches
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
South African ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Local Municipalities ◽  
Infrastructure Provision ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
South African Constitution ◽  
Rural Service Delivery

Municipalities are faced with poverty, unemployment and inequality, to the detriment of growth and development. As specified in the South African Constitution (1996), municipalities are obligated to advance Local Economic Development (LED). Municipalities cannot accomplish this task alone; therefore, participation of all stakeholders is required. The aim of this study is to investigate bridging the urban–rural gap in facilitating LED within uMgungundlovu District Municipality in KwaZulu–Natal in understanding this phenomenon. The district is made up of seven urban and rural local municipalities. Using a qualitative research method through an interpretive paradigm, data were collected from purposely selected participants through in-depth open-ended interviews. Collected data were analysed through induction using thematic and content analysis. Results revealed gaps in understanding LED planning, facilitation and implementation, including gaps in resource planning and provision. The study revealed numerous stakeholders were relevant in facilitating LED within the District. It is recommended that the District improves rural service delivery and infrastructure provision enabling access of opportunities and creating platforms for stakeholder engagement, with inclusion of traditional leaders driving LED facilitation. Priority areas for enhancing LED initiatives are suggested, with LED viewed as a good initiative in achieving sustainable development in district municipalities.

A conceptual framework for using social innovation as an approach to local economic development

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pontso Chomane ◽  
Maréve I. Biljohn
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
South African ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences ◽  
The Impact

Background: Approaches such as social innovation were visible during many of the responses that public-sector organisations, civil society, communities, and the private sector collaboratively implemented to address the issues of unemployment and the impact of economic challenges during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The use of social innovation as an approach to local economic development by South African municipalities, however, reveals a research gap in terms of a conceptual framework for enabling such use.Aim: This article explores a conceptual framework for using social innovation as an approach to local economic development by South African municipalities.Setting: Conventional top-down local economic development approaches by South African municipalities have become inadequate for dealing with contemporary local economic development challenges. Such inadequacy calls for municipalities to rethink and adapt their approach to dealing with economic challenges and to developing and implementing their local economic development strategies.Methods: Through an interpretivist paradigm, the adopted methodology is underpinned by a qualitative research approach. Content analysis was performed of relevant research documents concerning social innovation and local economic development. From this content analysis, a conceptual framework was developed through an inductive approach.Results: The findings illustrate that the praxis for using this conceptual framework is vested in the interconnected nature of its attributes, antecedents, and consequences, which will contribute to the achievement of certain local economic development outcomes.Conclusion: This article suggests that a conceptual framework could contribute to stimulating future research concerning the phenomenon and can serve as an impetus and direction for research inquiry.

scholarly journals Local Economic Development Strategies and Challenges: A Comparative Empirical Evidence from Ghana’s Local Governance System

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akpeko Agbevade
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Land Tenure ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Development Strategies ◽  
Governance System ◽  
Development Policies ◽  
Land Tenure System ◽  
District Assemblies ◽  
Economic Development Strategies

Local level economic development has eluded Ghana since independence. This was because most policies were centralized. As a result, focus was shifted to local economic development. This article comparatively examined the local economic development strategies implemented in three of Ghana’s Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies. Using the mixed method and multiple case study approaches of research, the study sampled a total of 533 respondents across the three Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and analyzed data using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The study gleaned that the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies implemented similar local economic development strategies which could be categorized into contemporary local economic development and traditional local economic development approaches. Challenges such as inadequate finance, land tenure system, lack of modern equipment among others were identified. The provision of a central pool for financing local economic development, harmonization of locality development policies, de-politicization of local economic development policies, the adoption of change management strategies in Ghana’s local governance system, effective land tenure system are recommended for the success of local economic development in Ghana.

scholarly journals Power laws, demography and entrepreneurship in selected South African regions

2018 ◽  
Vol 114 (5/6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daan Toerien
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
South African ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Power Laws ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Skewed Distributions ◽  
Enterprise Growth ◽  
Different Parts

Statistically significant Pareto-like log-log rank-size distributions were recorded for population and enterprise agglomeration in the towns of three different regions of South Africa, and are indicative of skewed distributions of population and enterprise numbers in regional towns. There were no distinct differences between groups of towns of regions from different parts of the country. However, the regional agglomerations differed from those of groups of towns randomly selected from a database. Regions, therefore, appear to have some uniqueness regarding such agglomerations. The identification of Zipf-like links between population and enterprise growth in regional towns still does not fully explain why some towns grow large and others stay small and there is a need to further explore these issues. The extreme skewness in population and enterprise numbers of different towns’ distributions should, however, be considered in local economic development planning and execution.

Is a Self-help Orientation Sufficient Basis for Local [Economic] Development?

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 151-166
Author(s):  
Eris D. Schoburgh
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Participatory Development ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Reform Process ◽  
Governance Reform ◽  
Local Authorities

Local government reform in Jamaica aims (i) to refocus local authorities to providing leadership and a coordinating framework for the collective efforts of the people towards local development and (ii) to assess local service distribution modalities between central and local governments, the private sector and CSOs for more cost-effective arrangements. The institutional context in which these objectives are to be pursued is characterized by a new local governance framework populated by ‘a federated system of development committees’. Development committees are expected to work in partnership with local authorities in pursuit of economic transformation of geographic spaces. Participatory development that development committees exemplify conjures up images of ownership of local [economic] development projects and an empowered citizenry that has the capacity to direct resources in their favour. Development committees represent a differentiated method of local economic governance. But the concern is: Are development committees fit for purpose? This is the fundamental question with which this research is concerned. A survey of parish development committees (PDCs) was conducted to determine the extent to which the organizations are giving effect to their mandate. The study is exploratory in design and relies on qualitative methodologies. The results of the study will be important for assisting the local governance reform process currently underway in Jamaica but should contribute to the discourse on the alternative approaches to managing development in developing countries.

Developmental State No Birth Right: South Africa’s Post-1994 Economic Development Story

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. K. Pooe
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
South African ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Separation Of Powers ◽  
Developmental State ◽  
Law And Development ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
Legal Frameworks

AbstractThis paper explores how South Africa despite having one of the most lauded constitutions and legal frameworks in the world has been unable to advance as a developmental state in economic development and institutional building endeavours. The contention of this paper is that the South African government, prioritising law and development, did so at the expense of institutional building for economic development purposes. Law and development is conceptualised in this paper as States prioritising liberal actions such as separation of powers (judiciary, executive and legislature) and human rights. Consequently, this paper is not arguing against some of the tenants characterising the law and development agenda. Rather it asks, did South Africa lose its credentials as a possible developmental state by prioritising law and development initiatives over building developmental state institutions for local economic development purposes in particular? Ultimately, this paper contends that for South Africa to become a functional developmental state it needs to reconsider its constitutional/law and development aspirations, in favour of reconfiguring government institutions to prioritise economic development.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document