CHAPTER 6: ASESSING ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION WORK THROUGH THE
6.2 The eThekwini Municipality context in which change occurs
The context in which change occurs has a significant impact on the extent to which transformation is possible and the ease or difficulty with which this can be catalysed and sustained. In a context of flexibility and acceptance of change, for example, transformation may be initiated more easily and rapid shifts may be possible. In systems that are more resistant, transformation may be more difficult.
Context also plays a role in determining the rate at which change processes should unfold in order to be sustainable. In some contexts, rapid shifts may facilitate transformation, while in systems where change is viewed with mistrust, incremental change may be more appropriate in facilitating transformative outcomes in the longer-term.
Understanding Durban and the local government institution (eThekwini Municipality) in which the climate change adaptation work has been emerging, is therefore critical when assessing the changes that have taken place in the Municipality’s adaptation work and whether these constitute transformative adaptation. Chapter 4 provided the background for the case study and described the range of social, economic, environmental and governance challenges facing Durban. It highlighted the fact that much of the population still lives in conditions of poverty, despite some improvements in levels of employment and basic service provision, and described the municipal institution as “silo- ised”, with little cross-sectoral interaction and integration. In the interviews for this research, respondents were asked to describe the Municipality in terms of its ability to change and to respond to change, and to elaborate on what institutional factors either facilitate or hamper the ability to effect change when this is required. These questions were posed in relation to the broader institution, and were not specifically climate change related. The interview responses provide important data on the context, which provides the socio-economic, environmental and political setting within which to understand and assess the changes that have taken place in the climate change adaptation case study in eThekwini Municipality. The storylines25 that emerged in the interviews are summarised in Table 6.1 and then described in more detail.
It should be noted that some of the storylines raised by respondents in this section are explored again in more detail in Chapter 7, given that the municipal context itself was perceived by respondents to be one of the major barriers to transformative adaptation. For the purposes of the current section, the main ideas are summarised for context purposes only.
25 Storylines and storyline components in the tables have been ordered in a way that ensures a logical sequencing of conceptual ideas, and are not necessarily ordered in terms of frequency of response.
Table 6.1: A summary of the storylines that emerged in the interviews for the theme relating to “the municipal context in which change occurs”.
Theme Storyline
The municipal context in which change occurs
Storyline 1: The bureaucratic nature of the municipal institution is not conducive to change
Storyline 2: Local government institutions are not well equipped to deal with multiple complex challenges
Storyline 3: Party politics has significant influence in determining the development path of the municipality
Storyline 4: EThekwini Municipality has the responsibility and capacity to initiate change
Storyline 1: The bureaucratic nature of the municipal institution is not conducive to change
For many respondents, the rigid systems and structures that are inherent in the way bureaucracies are designed are a significant barrier to innovation and change. In such contexts, effecting change is extremely challenging, not only because of the rigidity of the systems and standard operating procedures, but also because of the mind-set of those who have become accustomed to working and surviving within a heavily regulated environment, and who are reluctant to do things differently. As two respondents commented:
“It’s a bit like stopping a train …Or turning around a ship, this is an established, large (institution) – the way people have always done things and continue to do them and think it’s the best way to do it” (Municipal official: HSU, 06/11/2014).
“But I’m telling you we’re like…bloody dinosaurs! To get a small change can take you months to years… and I think we miss a lot of opportunities because by the time we think about a change, we’re already caught with our pants down” (Strategic Executive: EU, 12/12/2014).
Others reflected that, in such a context, “it’s just very very hard to be innovative” (Former researcher:
EDU, 10/09/2014) and “anything new is looked upon with suspicion” (Specialist ecologist: EPCPD, 09/03/2015). Within this bureaucratic context, introducing a new agenda like climate adaptation and driving transformation that challenges the very systems that are foundational to the institution, can therefore be a slow and difficult process, requiring long-term commitment and investment. In this context of system resistance, small changes could be considered significant.
Storyline 2: Local government institutions are not well equipped to deal with multiple complex challenges
Respondents also highlighted the fact that municipalities are more experienced in coping with immediate changes and challenges, rather than engaging with longer-term and more complex issues that may require risk-taking and fundamental change. Bureaucracies, by their design, are not flexible and adaptive. The characteristics of bureaucracies are important in responding effectively to predetermined and well-defined needs but can undermine effectiveness when the local context requires such institutions to respond to issues that require a longer-term perspective and an ability to
address a range of interconnected social, economic and environmental challenges, whose outcomes may not be predictable or time-bound. As one respondent commented:
“I think municipalities are better equipped at dealing with change that is like now, with change that you can react to...change that is slow and creeping change whatever sector that’s happening within, I think the Municipality is less equipped to deal with... we don't as a human race deal well with any change that happens slowly” (Former Climate Protection Scientist: EPCPD, 27/09/2014).
This tendency of local government institutions (particularly those that face immediate social and economic challenges) to favour investments that are low risk, short-term and predictable, does not predispose them to engaging in complex, longer-term challenges such as climate change adaptation, and makes transformation in this space challenging. It is likely to also undermine their ability to integrate climate adaptation with the other, equally complex, agendas of climate mitigation, disaster risk reduction and development, to ensure that adaptation is transformative. Again, in this context, small system shifts in relation to such agendas, could be considered to be important precursors for more significant systemic change.
Storyline 3: Party politics has significant influence in determining the development path of the municipality
A number of respondents commented on the politicised nature of the municipal environment and the influence that party politics has in determining the city’s development path. As one respondent commented:
“I just think these power struggles within the ANC are so disruptive at every level of the country…it does seem to me that what is a real risk for Durban and South Africa, not only for climate change but across the board…is the whole thing of disruptiveness and the sort of power struggles... (political interference is) taking time and energy away from people.”
(Convenor: IRC, 15/05/2015).
This political influence has potentially significant implications, and may make it extremely difficult to initiate transformation that is seen to undermine the dominant political agenda. In eThekwini Municipality, the political focus on short-term service delivery and job creation can hamper efforts to integrate longer-term agendas such as climate change into municipal planning, particularly if it is perceived to undermine development. This reinforces the importance of integrating climate adaptation and development objectives.
Storyline 4: EThekwini Municipality has the responsibility and capacity to initiate change
Although respondents saw the municipal context as a challenging setting in which to initiate change, others emphasised that it is precisely such institutions that have the responsibility to lead change at the local level, given that: they have the scope to consider longer-term issues; they are not driven by profit; and they are mandated to plan in the interests of people.
One respondent emphasised this point, saying:
“But from the City point of view… it’s completely different and a lot of people miss this.
When you’re working for the Municipality, you’re not designing as a businessman, you’re designing as though the City is going to be here for a long time still. And so you can’t just think about the near horizon, you have got to be thinking about it long term... officials within the departments have got that long term view and have accepted the responsibility of that's what they're tasked with doing, that's what they are entrusted to do” (Senior Manager: CSCM, 11/09/2014).
This responsibility, coupled with the fact that local governments such as eThekwini Municipality have the institutional depth, knowledge and good technical skills to be able to drive change (Convenor: IRC, 15/05/2015), provides them with significant potential to change when this is needed. In a context of high poverty and unemployment, where citizens and civil society might be focused on more immediate needs, this strategic “foresight” role for institutions like local government becomes even more critical.
Analysis and interpretation
The responses outlined above paint a picture of a municipal institution that is generally resistant to change and where the bureaucracy is designed to achieve specific (and often short-term) objectives, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for those who work within it. EThekwini Municipality is also a highly regularised and controlled environment in terms of work programmes and this can impact on levels of innovation. Working “outside the system” requires significant energy and commitment from those who wish to explore alternative development pathways. These factors are compounded by a socio-economic context that is already overwhelming in terms of the magnitude of the challenges being faced. Party politics also plays a central role in influencing decision-making within the Municipality and can contribute to the way in which local challenges are prioritised. In this context, trying to initiate transformation that requires an ability to engage with complex (and often poorly understood) issues like climate change and integrate knowledge across multiple municipal departments, is extremely challenging. Such change processes are also slow, given the bureaucratic way in which the Municipality and its systems are structured. This highlights the potential challenges associated with initiating transformation in municipal institutions and raises questions as to the rate of change that is appropriate in a context that is generally resistant to change. It is within this context that the climate change adaptation agenda has been introduced in eThekwini Municipality.