C. DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
4.2 ACCELERATED AND SHARED GROWTH INITIATIVE FOR SOUTH AFRICA (ASGISA) 152
This government instituted initiative is aimed at promoting a growth for all strategy for South Africa that is intended to halve poverty and unemployment by 2014. Maintaining a steady growth in GDP of above 4.5% in the short term, and then adopting envisaged growth of 6%
between 2010 and 2014 is a cornerstone of the initiative. Developing labour absorbing industries that generate value added activities is at the core of the initiative. Investment in infrastructure, education and skills development are significant components of the initiative.
The elimination of the second economy by enhancing access to micro-finance, SMME support and the reduction of gender inequality issues in conjunction with government‟s macro-economic and good governance strategy focusing on the role of local government and service delivery forms the remainder of the initiatives outline.
The ASGISA initiative has identified the following focus areas in order to attain its objective of accelerated and shared growth:
Economic opportunities that are labour intensive
Economic sectors that are growing
Sectors that provide opportunities for BBEEE
Small business development
APPLICATION:
This national initiative is routed in local level implementation, specifically through the uMlalazi LED Plan. This shared growth strategy has been designed to help eradicate inequality and poverty, which are the desired outcomes of the LED Strategy process. The emphasis on the infrastructure and skills development also speaks to the LED Plan, and the development of LED Strategies, within the LED Plan, needs to be considered within the ASGISA initiative framework.
The following table provides a summary of alignment between ASGISA initiatives/actions and the Development Strategies underpinned by the uMlalazi Local Municipality‟s Key Performance Management Areas:
Table 42:ASGISA & uMlalazi’s Development Strategies Alignment UMLALAZI DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGIES
ASGISA INITIATIVES o Ensure that Financial Resources
are efficiently and affectively allocated
ASGISA has identified the need to monitor budget expenditure of departments in that some departments overspend while others under spend.
National Treasury is proposing the implementation of a Capital Expenditure Management Information System.
o To promote Umlalazi as a tourism destination
ASGISA has identified the need to increase the contribution of tourism to the GDP. Also, a number of strategies are focused on eliminating the 2nd economy.
o To facilitate economic growth and development within the municipal area
o To ensure the provision, upgrading and maintenance of Infrastructure and Services to address Backlogs
LED is a critical contributor towards halving unemployment by 2014. Also, ASGISA moots the need to increase infrastructure investment in order to address backlogs.
o To promote SMME development in the Municipality
o To facilitate economic growth and development within the municipal area
ASGISA has identified the need to support and introduce more labour absorbing economic activities.
o To ensure the appropriate and effective use of land through spatial planning initiatives and the implementation of the outcomes thereof
o Ensure the sustainability and protection of the Municipality‟s Natural Resources
o To facilitate economic growth and development within the municipal area
It is crucial that the planning and management of land use (in terms of zoning) does not prevent the timeous development of land. Similarly, environmental procedures should be expedited for developments to obtain approvals faster.
o To cater for the economic and social development needs of youth, women, the disabled and the aged members of communities
Need to work closely with women and youth in order to halve poverty.
o To promote SMME development in the Municipality
The national skills shortage is considered as the largest impediment to sustained economic growth.
o To ensure the provision of sustainable community facilities
Improve electronic communication
4.3 KWAZULU-NATAL PROVINCIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) has as its purpose the provision of strategic direction for development and planning in the Province. The following six provincial priorities that address a number of developmental challenges related to economic and social needs of the province provide the focus of the PGDS:
Strengthening governance and service delivery
Integrating investments in community infrastructure
Sustainable economic development and job creation
developing human capability
Developing a comprehensive response to HIV/Aids
Fighting poverty and protecting vulnerable groups in society
The link between the PGDS goals and programmes and the uMlalazi is illustrated hereunder:
Table 43:Alignment with KZN PGDS
PGDS UMLALAZI’S DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
PGDS GOALS
Build a People Focused and Effective, Efficient Government
Programme 1:
Good Governance
o To facilitate community development and involvement in all aspects of local governance o To promote active participation of all political
role players Programme 2:
Transformation
o To develop staff and councilor skills to ensure effective service delivery
o To improve effective and efficient communication between internal staff and councilors
o To improve productive and accountable staff through an effective Municipal Performance Management System
Build the Economy
Programme 3:
Competitive Investment
o To facilitate economic growth and development within the municipal area
o To market uMlalazi Municipal area to attract investment
Programme 4:
Local Economic Development
o To facilitate economic growth and development within the municipal area
o To market uMlalazi Municipal area to attract investment
o To promote uMlalazi as a tourism destination Reduce
Poverty and Create
Sustainable Communities
Programme 5:
Sustainable Communities
o To facilitate economic growth and development within the municipal area
o To cater for the economic and social development needs of youth, women, the disabled and the aged members of communities o To ensure the provision, upgrading and
maintenance of Infrastructure and Services to address Backlogs
PGDS UMLALAZI’S DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES Programme 6:
Basic Income Opportunities
o To facilitate economic growth and development within the municipal area
o To promote SMME development in the Municipality
Cross Cutting Issues
HIV and Aids o To reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS on communities
BEE o Preferential Procurement
o To promote SMME development in the Municipality
Environmental Management
o Ensure the sustainability and protection of the Municipality‟s Natural Resources
o To ensure the appropriate and effective use of land through spatial planning initiatives and the implementation of the outcomes thereof
Human Rights and AA
o To facilitate community development and involvement in all aspects of local governance o To cater for the needs of human resources
within the municipality
Integration o Ward Committees and Development
o To facilitate community development and involvement in all aspects of local governance Capacity
Building
o To facilitate community development and involvement in all aspects of local governance o To promote SMME development in the
Municipality Science and
Technology
o GIS Development
4.4 PROVINCIAL SPATIAL & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
The Provincial Spatial & Economic Development Strategy aims to: Provide spatial context to the PGDS;
Address spatial imbalances, curb urban sprawl and ensure sustainable interventions;
Identify priority areas and types of development;
Align to municipal spatial development frameworks;
Guide budgeting processes of the province and municipalities;
Influence investment decisions of the private sector;
The PSEDS is intended as a guide to service delivery within the cluster to achieve the goals set in ASGI-SA: Halve poverty & unemployment by 2014. Principles of development and growth underpinning PSEDS:
Government has a constitutional obligation to provide basic services to all citizens.
Basic services include health, education, housing, transport
All areas of the province require development
Certain areas of the province will drive economic growth
The PSEDS attempts to indicate where different types of investment should be directed in order to achieve development and/or economic growth
Four key sectors have been identified as drivers of economic growth in the province, namely:
o The Agricultural sector (including agri-processing and land reform ) o The Industrial sector (Including Manufacturing)
o The Tourism sector
o The Service sector (including government services)
The logistics and transport sector (including rail) underpin growth in all four sectors.
Sustainable and affordable water and energy provision is crucial to economic growth
& development.