RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
CHAPTER 4 EMPIRICAL STUDY
4.2. THE STUDY SITE
conducted.
4.3 Research participants Discusses the research participants.
4.4 Research design and data collection
Presents the steps followed to conduct the enquiry.
4.5 Chapter summary Presents highlights on topic covered in the chapter.
The researcher identified the general research problem, which was to investigate how cyber- security capacity in South African metropolitan municipalities could be assessed. Assessing cyber-security capacity entailed determining the structures, processes and relationa l mechanisms that the municipalities have implemented to manage cyber-security business risk facing the organisation.
4.2. THE STUDY SITE
The empirical study was conducted in the only metropolitan municipality found in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in South Africa. EThekwini Municipality covers an area of roughly 2555km2 and was home in 2016 to some 3.7 million people (ETh-IDP, 2017).
As enshrined in Section 155 (1) of the South African Constitution of 1996, the Municipa lit y is Category A, which means it has exclusive municipal executive and legislative authorit y in its area. The population in the municipality represents 33, 7% of the provincial population and 6, 6% of South Africa’s total population (ETh-IDP, 2017).
Figure 4.1: Districts and metropolitan municipalities in KZN
Source: EThekwini Municipality Integrated Development Plan (ETh-IDP). (2017). Durban:
EThekwini Municipality, p. 32.
The economic powerhouse of KZN, the eThekwini Municipality, makes a significa nt contribution to the South African economy and is an important link between the regional economies of Pietermaritzburg and Richards Bay. The municipality offers 10% of all employment opportunities in the country (ETh-IDP, 2017). Ranked as the second largest economic centre, the municipality is the second most significant industrial region in the country and is a promising global competitor with a world-class manufacturing sector (ETh- IDP, 2017). Being home to Africa’s first multimodal logistics platform, eThekwini Municipality has an international passenger airport and that is King Shaka Internatio na l Airport. The municipality is home to Africa’s busiest port which is Durban Port; and has an
international conferencing centre, which is the Durban International Conference Centre. It is also regarded as South Africa’s playground and tourist destination. The municipa lity provides essential public services within its jurisdiction. Being a coastal municipality with a large manufacturing base, eThekwini Municipality like any other government institution in the country, is at risk and vulnerable to a range of technological, natural, man-made and environmental disasters.
The Rockefeller Foundation launched the 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge (100RCCC) to enable cities globally to better address the 21st century major challenges, and to assist in the building of urban resilience. Urban resilience is the ability of the city to withstand continual stress and acute shocks while at the same time sustaining the provision of essential functions. 100RCCC prepares cities to cope with future changes. As a pioneer for the 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge, the City of Durban was selected as one of 372 cities internationally to apply for the 100RCCC. In December 2013, it was selected as one of the first cohort of 33 successful cities to be inaugurated into the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) Programme (ETh-IDP, 2017). The City of Durban has to face up to the challenge of translating global ideas around resilience into our local context. The eThekwini Municipality as local sphere of government is particularly susceptible to changes to environmental, social, and economic systems, with many citizens vulnerable to lack of adequate housing, access to sanitation and waste removal, safe drinking water, a healthy natural environment and adequate health care facilities. To avoid exacerbating an already fragile situation, it becomes important how the municipality plans and prepares for these challenges such that it can respond effectively to current and future changes. The opportunit y to participate in the 100RC Programme provides the municipality with the prospect of starting to consider and plan in a coordinated and innovative way on resilience issues and to stimulate the needed support to implement action around key resilience priorities for the city.
This study sought to enhance the implementation of cyber-security at local government level.
At a national government level, in 2015, the country published the NCPF which stresses the importance of cyber-security implementation at local government level. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (RSA, 1996) requires local government to ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner, promote social and economic development, and promote a safe and healthy environment. Section 41(1)(b) further requires all spheres of government to secure the well-being of the people of South Africa. Some
municipal essential services are effectively and efficiently provided to communities through the utilisation of cyberspace. Participating in cyberspace presents colossal challenges to the municipality and hence for institutional arrangements to manage the information, critical infrastructures need to be better structured. The country’s National Development Plan (NDP) vision 2030 put forward the need of establishing a municipal fibre-optic network to provide the backbone for broadband access to meet social objectives.
Municipalities in South Africa are required by the Municipal Systems Act (No.32) of 2000 (RSA, 2000) to prepare Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) which comprise a key component in entrenching government principles. Municipalities deliver the communit y needs through IDPs. EThekwini Municipality has aligned the IDP with internatio na l, national, provincial, and local developmental policies (ETh-IDP, 2017). The services provided by the municipality to the eThekwini citizens include clean water, energy, and emergency services. The municipality uses an information infrastructure to support the administration of the city.