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

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 Probing the efficacy of local economic development in South African Municipalities: A case of POLOKWANE local municipality

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
CM Mashabela ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
South African ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

The government of South Africa adopted Local Economic Development (LED) as part of its development policy in its quest for an inclusive economic development and growth. LED is intended to create a conducive environment for an inclusive local economy. However, unemployment and poverty rates are high in local communities with some SMMEs struggling to secure funding. Although municipalities do not create jobs directly through LED, they should, however, ensure that strategies implemented talk to inclusive economic growth, particularly the mitigation of unemployment and poverty rates. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the efficacy of LED in South African municipalities. The paper aims to evaluate and analyse the impact of implementing LED in South Africa. The quantitative research approach was adopted, and questionnaires were utilised to collect primary data. The paper found that LED in South Africa produces desired results at a low rate in that only a small fraction of the participants agrees that the municipality facilitates funding for SMMEs; only a small fraction of the participants is of the view that LED units provide adequate infrastructure and create industries. Moreover, the paper found that only a fraction of the participants is able to create job opportunities. Consequently, the paper recommends that municipalities should facilitate SMMEs funding, provide adequate infrastructure, develop industries and design LED strategies that enhance job creation. The paper argues that effective measures of implementing LED will enhance LED impact rate and fast track the prospects of inclusive economic growth in South African municipalities.

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.

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.

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.

scholarly journals Industrial strategy and local economic development: The case of the foundry industry in Ekurhuleni Metro

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Phele ◽  
S Roberts ◽  
I Steuart
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Action Plans ◽  
Foundry Industry ◽  
The Past ◽  
Concrete Action

This  article explores the challenges for the development of manufacturing through a case study of the foundry industry in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. Ekurhuleni Metro covers the largest concentration in South Africa, but the industry’s performance has been poor over the past decade.  The findings reported here highlight the need to understand firm decisions around investment, technology and skills, and the role of local economic linkages in this regard.  The differing performance of foundries strongly supports the need to develop concrete action plans and effective institutions at local level to support the development of local agglomerations.

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.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of the Expanded Public Works Program in Promoting Local Economic Development: A case study of Zibambele Project, eThekwini Municipality

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3(J)) ◽  
pp. 60-72
Author(s):  
Nonkululeko Zulu ◽  
Jabulani Nyawo ◽  
Pfano Mashau
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Public Works ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Marginalised Groups ◽  
The Government

In South Africa, with the advent of democracy, the Expanded Public Works Programme was conceived as an employment strategy by government in order to alleviate poverty and promote a better standard of living for marginalised groups, particularly youth and women in South Africa. This is a qualitative exploratory research in which the data was collected through face-to-face interviews with beneficiaries. The researcher utilised the exploratory research in order to explore the effectiveness of the Zibambele Project at the local level, and to see how it creates employment opportunities for marginalised groups. The key focus of the literature review is on local economic development, with special reference to the poverty alleviation strategies as a guideline for economic growth at local levels. The findings show that the government-led programmes that eliminate poverty at the grassroots level as well as creating employment opportunities for marginalised are crucial. Furthermore, the study shows that the government programmes are more needed in order to tackle poverty and also increase local economic development in South Africa.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of the Expanded Public Works Program in Promoting Local Economic Development: A case study of Zibambele Project, eThekwini Municipality

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Nonkululeko Zulu ◽  
Jabulani Nyawo ◽  
Pfano Mashau
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Public Works ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Marginalised Groups ◽  
The Government

In South Africa, with the advent of democracy, the Expanded Public Works Programme was conceived as an employment strategy by government in order to alleviate poverty and promote a better standard of living for marginalised groups, particularly youth and women in South Africa. This is a qualitative exploratory research in which the data was collected through face-to-face interviews with beneficiaries. The researcher utilised the exploratory research in order to explore the effectiveness of the Zibambele Project at the local level, and to see how it creates employment opportunities for marginalised groups. The key focus of the literature review is on local economic development, with special reference to the poverty alleviation strategies as a guideline for economic growth at local levels. The findings show that the government-led programmes that eliminate poverty at the grassroots level as well as creating employment opportunities for marginalised are crucial. Furthermore, the study shows that the government programmes are more needed in order to tackle poverty and also increase local economic development in South Africa.

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