GOVERNANCE IN KWADUKUZA MUNICIPALITY
2.11 INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
2.12.1 Critical Development Challenges
Through an intensive consultative and participative process with communities and stakeholders, KwaDukuza Municipality was able to identify and prioritise eight development challenges that the Municipality is faced with. It is also important to note that KwaDukuza Municipality has put these development challenges in an integrated form with the aim of addressing them holistically. These development challenges hold the key for KwaDukuza Municipality to realise its Vision 2010. The current programmes and projects of KwaDukuza Municipality are aimed at addressing these challenges
OFFICE OF THE MANAGER
-Macro Economic Development, -Policy Research and
Advisory Services, -Internal Audit DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
– REVENUE, EXPENDITURE,
AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT OF CORPORATE SERVICES- LEGAL SERVICES, HUMAN,
COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATION
MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AND PLANNING -TOWN PLANNING, HOUSING, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES –
SAFETY, REFUSE, LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY
FACILITIES
DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL SERVICES- ELECTRICITY, ROADS AND
CIVIL ENGINEERING
(http://www.kwadukuza.gov.za): accessed on 16/09/2008.
Therefore, it is important to state that the programmes and projects that KwaDukuza Municipality is engaged in are not in any way incidental but they are well-planned with the aim of realizing the KwaDukuza Vision 2010. It must be noted that these challenges are complex and are developmental, institutional and management in nature. The KwaDukuza Municipality Integrated Development Plan (2006:25), lists the critical challenges in broad terms as follows:
(a) to improve service delivery;
(b) to provide basic services;
(c) to develop people;
(d) to address poverty and unemployment and improve service delivery;
(e) to manage the health environment and the HIV/Aids pandemic;
(f) to ensure strict credit control;
(g) to improve relationships; and
(h) to ensure a safe and secure environment (http://www.kwadukuza.gov.za).
The critical challenges were further re-classified and analysed into community needs, as will be discussed in the paragraphs below.
2.12.1.1 Providing basic services
According to the KwaDukuza Municipality IDP, the municipality is characterised by areas where major service backlogs exist. That assessment is in comparison with areas where the full range of services exists. In KwaDukuza, it is easy for a person to distinguish between the first and the second economy. One of the challenges that KwaDukuza is facing is that, while property development is promoted along the coast of KwaDukuza, it must be ensured that basic services are adequately provided for the poor communities. This makes it important for the Municipality to forge good working
relationships with sector departments and all stakeholders so that they will be able to contribute to the provision of basic services to poor communities. One of the proposals that the Municipality put forward ensures that agreements entered into with property developers along the coast include a clause on social responsibilities. This will ensure that while the up-market development goes on, the poor communities also get a slice of development (http://www.kwadukuza.gov.za).
2.12.1.2 Improving service delivery
According to the KwaDukuza Municipality Integrated Development Plan (2006:26), improving the level of service delivery is one of the critical challenges that requires serious attention. A proper strategy and programme was developed in order for the KwaDukuza Municipality to address that challenge (http://www.kwadukuza.gov.za).
2.12.1.3 Developing the people
In terms of KwaDukuza Municipality’s IDP (2006:26), the people of KwaDukuza are the Municipality’s greatest asset. Therefore, programmes have been identified that will address this challenge. The municipality works with various Sector Employment and Training Agencies, (SETA) and it is important to strengthen relationships for the benefit of every person. People development is meaningless if it does not address economic development. KwaDukuza Municipality has reviewed its Local Economic Development Strategy. The strategy aims at building the economy of KwaDukuza and empowering people in the process (http://www.kwadukuza.gov.za).
2.12.1.4 Addressing poverty and unemployment
According to the KwaDukuza Municipality Integrated Development Plan (2006:26), at the centre of the KwaDukuza development challenges is the need to create employment opportunities and the need to strengthen the economic base of the area. The development that is taking place within KwaDukuza is not incidental. These development initiatives
are aimed at creating employment opportunities for the community of KwaDukuza. Most of these employment opportunities that are created are temporary, but they are playing a very important role in the fight against poverty and unemployment (http://www.kwadukuza.gov.za).
2.12.1.5 Managing the health environment and the HIV/Aids pandemic
Council is faced with the major challenge of responding to the problem of HIV/AIDS and AIDS-related issues, such as Aids orphans. The Council has approved a number of projects aimed at providing care for AIDS orphans. The Belgian Government has also funded an AIDS Orphanage Project. The Orphanage was incorporated within the Groutville Priority 2 Housing Project (KwaDukuza Municipality Integrated Development Plan 2006:26).
2.12.1.6 Ensuring strict credit control
According to the KwaDukuza Municipality’s Integrated Development Plan (2006:26), it was acknowledged that KwaDukuza has to deal with huge unemployment and poverty challenges. It is therefore critical for Council to realise what the affordability levels for payment of services are and then to adopt appropriate credit control policies (http://www.kwadukuza.gov.za).
2.12.1.7 Improving relationships
In terms of KwaDukuza Municipality’s IDP (2006:27), it is a legal imperative for the Municipality to act in a more developmental way, and to provide an enabling environment for all its stakeholders to engage in a meaningful partnership with the council to ensure that these needs are met (http://www.kwadukuza.gov.za).
2.12.1.8 Ensuring a safe and secure environment
According to the KwaDukuza Municipality’s IDP (2006:27), if the area is to meet its Vision, the issues of crime, traffic-related offences, fire and emergency services, disaster management and prevention and households subject to flood risks need to be addressed.