Age Group
5.3. SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS
OBJECTIVES # 1: To study the nature of local economic development.
5.3.1. The Importance of Local Economic Development for the Municipality
According to interviewees, the interview's findings showed that LED is significant to the neighbourhood municipality in the following ways: Backlogs in local economic growth are addressed, community representatives are encouraged to participate or consult, community needs and priorities are identified, and municipal activities are better integrated and coordinated.
5.3.2. Problems the Municipality Encounters in the Planning and Implementation of The Local Economic Development
The interview's findings revealed the following issues that municipality has while organising and putting LED into practice. These consist of insufficient public involvement, scarce resources, project abandonment, and political interference. Themain obstacle to the planning and execution of the LED is determined to be a lack of public participation.
5.3.3. Specific Areas That Need Improvement in the Implementation of the Local Economic Development
The interview's findings suggested that public involvement procedures needed to be reviewed. The following were certain areas that require improvement:
Public involvement is necessary since communities must assume full responsibility for their own development;
Effective application of MIG to support ongoing service and infrastructure projects;
To facilitate the effective use of resources, there is a need for clear collaboration between municipal and provincial departments;
Consultations with a variety of groups, including the civil society and NGOs;
and
Platforms for reporting and feedback to improve community and local government cooperation.
OBJECTIVES # 2: To examine the typologies and characteristics of livelihood strategies.
5.3.4. The Livelihood Strategies Practiced by the Community Members
The community members and rural households must rely on income-generating livelihood methods to meet their daily food needs. Sometimes the amount and quality of this meal is insufficient to satisfy their nutritional demands. For the majority of low-income households in Botlokwa Village, using livelihood strategies is an easy way to supplement their income and diversify their sources of livelihood in the face of ongoing economic instability and risks like unemployment and diminishing purchasing power. Strategies for increasing one's household income have frequently been seen as appropriate in response to improving one's access to food.To promote the sector as a potential remedy for poverty, food instabilities, low incomes, and unemployment that are pervasive in the study region, it is essential that all community members working in the sector understand the characteristics and dynamics of livelihood strategies.
Understanding the nature of the livelihood strategies sector can help make it more well-known to community members who aren't already involved, which can be important for the sector's expansion and success.
Due to the scarcity of employment options in the research area, the majority (48%) of respondents regarded livelihood strategies as a reliable means of obtaining income. The money made from the usage of livelihood methods has aided in the purchase of home necessities for the most basic needs. The majority of residents believe that the municipality's LED project provision is not very good.
Residents proposed that the town concentrate on enhancing the LED efforts project for low-income families.
The results of the interview showed that the different communities in the municipality have received LED initiatives services on average; nevertheless, there is definitely opportunity for enhancement, particularly in project facility areas like commercial farming, micro and small enterprises, and sewing, amongst others.
5.3.5. The Involvement of Communities in the Municipal Local Economic Development Service Issues
The results showed one of the most efficient methods for incorporating communities in LED service issues is ward-based planning. Additionally, every year, ward-based planning meetings are organized to coordinate needs for the LED and IDP.
According to the interview's findings, communities are involved through public involvement procedures like IDP and LED forums. The findings showed that the mayor and the IDP and LED manager engage with the neighbourhoods to identify, prioritize, and develop implementation strategies.
However, community participation initiatives frequently fail because residents hav emust read one word given up on the municipality's ability to run effectively.
5.3.6. The Extent of the Municipal Achievement in Local Economic Development Project Provision Targets
The results from respondents showed that target accomplishments are relative since LED project provision backlogs are still present. Since there are still high rate of unemployment, persistent poverty and hunger in every village in every ward, the goal for LED programs has not been met. The municipality continues to
work to increase its successes in relations to employment creation, better livelihood measures, and poverty level lessening.
5.3.7. Causes of Local Economic Development Project Backlogs
The main issues with LED project backlogs include corruption, a lack of resource s, the development of municipal staff capacity and shifting goals or new extensio ns.
5.3.8. Strategies for Addressing Local Economic Development Project Backlogs in the Municipality
As part of strategies to address the municipality's project backlogs for LED initiati ves, the results from the respondents' surveys exposed that: there is a necessity for strategic placement meetings amid LED, IDP and Service Delivery and Budge tary Implementation Plan (SDBIP); institutional restructuring for sector departmen ts; setting explicit and measurable plans in LED; need for annual review of LED p rojects and institutional restructuring for other municipalities in the province
Objective # 3: To explore the impact of local economic development on the livelihood strategies in the communities.
5.3.9. The Implementation of the Local Economic Development Has Led to Improved Livelihood Strategies in the Communities
Because municipality begins all its development planning and programs with the I DP, it is impossible to plan for and fulfill the intended demands of the population, so the implementation of the ISDP has not improved livelihood strategies.
The results showed that, despite the dependability being a key worry, the LED pr oject has not resulted in improved livelihood strategies since many communities i n the municipality have not increased access to better job development and pove rty alleviation.
Because not all projects and programs have been completed, the interview replies suggested that the upgraded LED initiative project is also relative in some places. However, it is still true that many members of the community have experienced some measure of alleviation as a result of the services provided.
Thus, it can be concluded that the adoption of the LED and IDP has helped the municipality to plan and execute in accordance with the demands of the communities to some extent. However, the survey revealed the main obstacles or problems that must be overcomed for the municipal LEDs to be implemented successfully. Issues with municipal staff capacity, a lack of resources, insufficient community involvement in municipal operations etc.