Academic literature on the topic 'EThekwini Municipal Area'

South African municipalities are faced with the challenges of growing demand for services. This study models the energy consumption estimation practice within the Durban municipal area. It was found that an estimation technique that accounts for the seasonal and monthly effects, as well as residential type, predicts monthly individual household electricity consumption with minimum error. Models that were developed may be used to estimate electricity consumption for household billings within a municipality.

Legislative authority in South Africa is divided among the national, provincial and local spheres of government. Section 43 of the Constitution provides in this respect that the legislative authority of the national sphere of government is vested in Parliament; that the legislative authority of the provincial sphere of government is vested in the provincial legislatures; and that the legislative authority of the local sphere of government is vested in the municipal councils. The allocation of legislative authority to municipal councils gives rise to a number of complex questions. One of these is the extent to which municipal councils are entitled to pass legislation that deals with the conservation and protection of the "environment". This issue was considered by the KwaZulu-Natal High Court: Pietermaritzburg in Le Sueur v eThekwini Municipality [2013] ZAKZPHC 6 (30 January 2013). In this case the High Court found that even though the functional area of "environment" has been explicitly allocated to the national and provincial spheres of government and not to the local sphere by the Constitution (see Schedule 4A of the Constitution), municipal councils are entitled to pass legislation that deals with the conservation and protection of the "environment", at least in those circumstances where it forms a part of "municipal planning". While there is no doubt that the functional area of "municipal planning" does encompass certain specific environmental matters at the local level, it does not encompass the broad area of the "environment", as the High Court suggests in its judgment. The approach adopted by the High Court, therefore, is open to some criticism. The purpose of this article is to set out and discuss the High Court’s judgment as well as the criticisms that may be levelled against it in the light of the allocation of legislative authority to the three spheres of government.

Informal settlements in urban areas have long been afflicted by disasters and exposed to exploitation by politicians, shacklords, academics, journalists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), tavern owners and government officials. This problem is caused to some degree by limited land for expansion which has resulted in the creation of highly densified and unplanned, irregular settlements using poor, combustible building materials. The purpose of the article is to investigate whether eThekwini Municipality’s strategies are sufficient to respond to and recover from the impact of disasters. The research was undertaken at the Foreman and Kennedy Road informal settlements located in Clare Estate, under Ward 25, in Durban within eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal (refer to Annexure 1). These areas are very important politically as they are densily populated and highly contested between political parties and local resistant’s organizations such as Abahlali baseMjondolo. Questionnaires were self-administered to a sample size of 220 of which 140 respondents completed the questionnaires, thereby generating a response rate of 63.6%. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with municipal officials. The findings indicate that 44.3% of the victims of disasters received assistance from NGOs and regard civil society as playing an important role after disasters compared to 7.1% of the responding municipal officials.

Few researchers have studied the perceptions of employees about knowledge management and processes for converting tacit into explicit knowledge within the public service, especially in local government. The purpose of this study is to gain knowledge about, and insight into, employees’ perceptions about the factors that contribute to strategies for managing knowledge, knowledge management processes to convert tacit into explicit knowledge, as well as their views regarding the implementation of knowledge management strategies, and their perceptions about the ways in which knowledge management can contribute to organizational effectiveness and efficiency in their workplace. The census approach was used and data was collected using questionnaires which were administered to 80 employees of eThekwini Municipality, of which 66 questionnaires were suitably completed. Results of the article indicate that there exist significant relationships amongst the key variables of the study relating to knowledge management, and that each of the areas of knowledge management studied needs improvement.

The KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg High Court case of Le Sueur v eThekweni Municipality was decided on the basis that a municipality, in the local government sphere, was permitted to legislate within the functional area of the environment. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 sets out functional areas of governmental powers in Schedules 4 and 5 and allocates these powers to National, Provincial and/or Local Government. Established jurisprudence in the Constitutional Court has entrenched the sanctity of the functional areas and interpreted these areas in such a way as to prohibit intrusion by one sphere into a functional area allocated to another. Both the ‘environment’ and ‘municipal planning’ are allocated functional areas, the first to the National and Provincial spheres concurrently and the second to local government. The judgment in the Le Sueur case is seemingly at odds with the accepted jurisprudence. Although the decision in Le Sueur seems to be intuitively correct the reasoning employed seems to be somewhat strained. This paper proposes an alternative rationale which could be used to permit the same decision to be reached in a less strained manner. The local government ‘right to govern’ is postulated as a plenary power granted to local government and this, in turn, requires that Schedules 4 and 5 be interpreted in a slightly different manner. If this approach is followed then local government would be entitled to legislate in the functional area of the environment (and indeed generally) subject to the limitations discussed.

Recent progress and innovation are testament to the willingness of municipal authorities to address climate change. However, urban regions worldwide exhibit an immense diversity of conditions, capabilities and responses to the challenges of changing climatic conditions. While separated by politico-administrative borders, adjacent municipalities within such regions are connected through biophysical, politico-economic, and social systems likely to be reconfigured under changing climatic/environmental conditions. Yet, to date, politico-administrative borders have largely determined the parameters of local government climate change adaptation strategies, with insufficient attention to the role of inter-municipal collaboration, especially between neighbouring rural, peri-urban and urban municipalities, for co-ordinating such policies and interventions. Within a multi-level governance framework, this paper considers the recent evolution of climate agendas in the eThekwini (formerly Durban City Council) metropolitan municipality and the adjacent Ugu (predominantly rural) district municipality on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal province (KZN), South Africa, focusing particularly on cross-border collaboration within the greater city region. The challenges were investigated by means of 53 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with municipal, regional and local authority association staff in November 2009, March 2012, and August 2017. Our core argument is that weak inter-municipal collaboration, particularly between urban, peri-urban and rural areas within metropolitan and functional city regions, has been a significant impediment to realizing transformative adaptation within such regions. The experiences of these two contiguous yet contrasting municipalities represent a microcosm of the dramatic discontinuities and inequalities on all variables within adjacent urban metropolitan and rural contexts in South Africa and beyond. Despite promising recent signs, the challenges of inter-municipal collaborative action are therefore formidable.

Waste management has become pertinent in urban regions, along with rapid population growth. The current ways of managing waste, such as refuse collection and recycling, are failing to minimise waste in cities. With urban populations growing worldwide, there is the challenge of increased pressure to import food from rural areas. Urban agriculture not only presents an opportunity to explore other means of sustainable food production, but for managing organic waste in cities. However, this opportunity is not taken advantage of. Besides, there is a challenge of mixed reactions from urban planners and policymakers concerning the challenges and benefits presented by using organic waste in urban agriculture. The current paper explores the perceived challenges and opportunities for organic waste utilisation and management through urban agriculture in the Durban South Basin in eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province of South Africa. It is anticipated that this information will be of use to the eThekwini Municipality, policymakers, researchers, urban agriculture initiatives, households and relevant stakeholders in the study areas and similar contexts globally. Two hundred (200) households involved in any urban farming activity and ten (10) key informants (six (6) staff from the Cleaning and Solid Waste Unit of the eThekwini Municipality and four (4) from the urban agricultural initiative) were selected using convenient sampling. Descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis were used to analyse data. The significant perceived challenges and risks associated with the utilisation of organic waste through urban agriculture included lack of a supporting policy, climatic variation, lack of land tenure rights, soil contamination and food safety concerns. Qualitative data further showed that the difficulty in segregating waste, water scarcity, difficulty in accessing inputs, limited transportation of organic waste, inadequate handling and treatment of organic waste, and being a health hazard were some important challenges. On the other hand, the significant perceived benefits associated with the utilisation of organic waste through urban agriculture were enhanced food and nutrition security, and opportunities for business incubation. Other important benefits established through qualitative data were an improved market expansion for farmers and improved productivity. Overall, despite the perceived challenges and risks, there is an opportunity to manage organic waste through urban agriculture. It is imperative for an integrated policy encompassing the food, climate and waste management to be developed to support this strategy. All stakeholders—the government, municipal authorities and urban agricultural initiatives should also, guided by the policy, support urban farmers, for example, through pieces of training on how to properly manage and recycle organic waste, land distribution, inputs availability and water usage rights among other things.

Preliminary investigations on energy efficiency of manufacturing firms operating in South Africa have shown that no previous study on the barriers and drivers to energy efficiency was conducted. It was also found that South Africa is the only member within the Brazilian, Russian, Indian, Chinese and South African (BRICS) community that has not conducted any formal study on the drivers and barriers to Energy efficiency despite the current energy challenges the country faces. Whilst the National Energy Efficiency Strategy (NEES) was developed and targets were set to improve the country’s efficiency landscape, this strategy failed to account for the barriers and drivers to energy efficiency operating within the local context. This research study sets out to investigate whether an energy efficiency gap exists within manufacturing firms operating in the eThekwini Municipal Area (EMA) and by inference, the national context. It goes on further to analyse the drivers and barriers to Energy Efficiency (EE) within such firms. Such drivers and barriers are then analysed by firm characteristics and across manufacturing sectors. The results are interesting and contribute well to the general body of knowledge on EE in South Africa. It was found that whilst there is a degree of adoption and awareness of EE technologies amongst manufacturing firms, the quality of the adoption profile is poor. This poor quality profile suggests the possibility of an energy efficiency gap. The barriers and drivers that were found to be significant were also found to be mostly similar across manufacturing sectors. A main finding is that firms are very sensitive to cost and are mainly driven to adopt EE technologies only where there exists an opportunity for cost savings. It was also found that taken together, institutional barriers pose the greatest hurdle to EE adoption. Several interesting results were found in terms of how the barriers and drivers vary with the characteristics of the firm. The findings of this research indicate that more can be achieved in terms of energy efficiency within the manufacturing subsectors in South Africa. Policy-makers should take into consideration the salient findings of this research when drafting new policy on energy efficiency.<br>Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2017.<br>Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM)<br>MEng<br>Unrestricted

Worldwide, it has been recognised that local governments are uniquely placed to bring about positive environmental change in their areas of jurisdiction. This research was conducted to assess how one South African local municipality, the eThekwini Municipality, Durban, is faring in its efforts to achieve sustainability. Hajer's (1993, 1995, 2003) discourse approach to environmental policy making was used as the key theoretical and methodological basis of the research. This approach recognises the power of discourse in shaping how society's relationship with the environment should be managed and sustained. In global environmental politics, ecological modernisation has emerged as the dominant environmental policy discourse and reflects a weak approach to sustainability. An alternative is the strong sustainability discourse, which argues that sustainability cannot be achieved without giving attention to issues of social and environmental justice and including local communities in environmental policy making. These two discourses are used to structure the assessment of environmental policy discourse in the eThekwini Municipality. A recent municipal project, "eThekwini Catchments 2002: A Strategic Tool for Planning" was used as the research case study. The project provides an assessment of the environmental health of each of the 18 river catchments identified in the municipal area, using environmental indicators. The intention of the project was for this information to be used by municipal planners as a tool for environmental decision-making. Municipal officials, representing several municipal sectors, and the project consultants were interviewed to determine their perspectives on the project. The interview transcripts, as well as the Catchments Project report and other municipal documents, were analysed using Hajer's discourse methodology to uncover the key discourses operating in the municipality that influence environmental policy making. Municipal discourse was then reviewed in terms of the EM and strong sustainability discourses to determine whether the municipality is moving towards stronger sustainability. This research also contributes to an improved understanding of how discourse shapes environmental policy projects and their outcomes. By identifying the environmental discourse dynamics at work, it is possible to stimulate a more deliberate approach to environmental policy making to bring about positive environmental change in the municipality.<br>Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are increasing in prevalence worldwide, including in developing countries like South Africa. If the assumption that ASDs manifests similarly across all cultures, then the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), the western gold standard for diagnosing ASDs, will be able to accurately discriminate those children that have ASDs from those that do not. The ADOS was designed to increase the likelihood of children displaying ASD type behaviours to facilitate a diagnosis, but this may negatively impact on scores obtained by African children which are socialised to be respectful as opposed to spontaneous. This research study formed part of the larger KwaZulu-Natal-ASD1 (K-ASD) study, and aimed to explore the diagnostic ability of the ADOS in special needs schools in the greater eThekwini area. The study design used a matched blinded sample comprising of an atypically developing ASD and non-ASD group from Black, White and Indian ethnicities. The sample came from special needs schools. The experimental group thus comprised people with ASD and the control group was a learning disabled group that did not have ASD. This study compared Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) algorithm scores of a sample of 26 children (6-11 years of age) who were administered modules 1-3 of the ADOS with the clinical diagnoses for each of these children. Using McNemar’s Westlake Schuirmann Test of equivalence it was found that the clinician diagnoses and the ADOS coding algorithm results were statistically equivalent. Thus, no significant difference existed between the two methods of diagnosis. The ADOS showed greater sensitivity in identifying symptoms associated with ASD than did the clinician diagnoses. An ANOVA revealed significant differences in the communication and the reciprocal social interaction algorithm’s. This indicates a cultural variation in behaviours, since Black participants behaved in various gestural ways that were significantly different to the manner in which Whites behaved to the ADOS testing.<br>Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Until recently it was fashionable to describe Durban as one of the fastest growing cities in the world. For those who held this view, the proliferation of informal settlements in and around the city pointed to massive rural-urban in-migration from the rural areas. Migration, itself, it was conceived, was typically the outcome of a direct move from the rural areas, whereby the migrant simply arrived in the city and took to squatting on any available land he or she could find. In actuality, while research has pointed out that substantial rural-urban in-migration is indeed a feature of the urban landscape, little light has been shed on the extent and nature of such migration. The aim of this dissertation is therefore to elucidate on these two features of the migration phenomenon. Through the application of the Todaro model of migration it is hoped that an understanding of the driving force behind migration to and within the Durban Functional Region could also be achieved.<br>Thesis (M.Com.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1994.

Disparities between housing, water and sanitation policy initiatives continuously undermine the efforts of informal settlements upgrading programme of transforming living conditions of people living in informal settlements. The objective of this research project was to explore the disparities between the above mentioned policy initiatives in informal settlements upgrading with the view to develop an understanding of various elements leading to these disparities. To achieve this research two case study areas were selected from which data was collected. The case studies were selected purposively. Household surveys were conducted from each of the two case studies and interviews were conducted with housing, water and sanitation officials. Findings of the research indicate that there are indeed disparities between housing, water and sanitation. It indicated that the disparities manifested themselves at various levels of policy. The nature of these disparities also varied according to the level at which they manifested. The research concludes that disparities in housing, water and sanitation manifest themselves in informal settlement upgrading. Various levels of policy indicate the manifestation of these disparities. Informal settlement upgrading efforts are undermined by the lack of coordination and integration in the implementation of policy. The research therefore recommends adjustments from all levels of policy from formulation to implementation. Housing, water and sanitation policy formulation process should be conducted in an integrated and coordinated manner. All parties involved in policy development and implementation should adopt high level of communication and consultation on all policy related issues. Policy objectives should be consolidated.<br>Thesis (M.Housing)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Given that access to adequate housing is defined under South Africa's constitution as a fundamental human right, it is understandable that the post Apartheid government focuses significant time and expense on establishing human settlements intended to redress the historically unequal distribution of wealth and resources. This thesis is concerned with looking at why, in spite of this attention, the government has underperformed in delivering low income housing projects that evolve into socially sustainable and integrated communities. Since there is no substantial evidence that a comprehensive study of the consolidation of human settlements has been done in South Africa, this research and the recommendations it engenders will be an important resource for planning truly sustainable and integrated human settlements in the future. Both theoretical and applied research methodologies were utilised in this thesis to examine specifically six human settlements in the KwaZulu-Natal Ethekwini region, selected for their diversity in terms of social, economic and location characteristics, as well as the differing historical circumstances surrounding their establishments. That the analysis included three settlements with Greenfield and social housing projects developed during the Apartheid regime and three settlements established after the 1994 democratic elections, permits comparisons to be drawn and so facilitates a deeper understanding of the successes and failures of the creation of sustainable housing settlements. A thorough review of the limited literature in South Africa in this field and an assessment of strategies contained in the National Housing Policy, was complimented by a more practical approach, including the use of a Delphi survey method, which was conducted with experts in the housing field, policy makers and settlement inhabitants, and extensive on site data collection. This investigation shows that, paradoxically, the Apartheid housing settlements, designed to entrench racial segregation and inequality, have in fact flourished as consolidated communities, in comparison with post Apartheid housing projects. The thesis draws the conclusion that in the Apartheid settlements inhabitants are using their housing units as an invaluable asset to improve their living conditions and to create a sustainable environment. However, in the settlements developed by the post Apartheid regime, inhabitants are struggling to use their home as an asset to improve their living conditions and to create a convenient and sustainable environment. Consequently, poverty, social exclusion and vulnerability of the beneficiaries of low-cost housing are deepening. While this does not justify the Apartheid policy of enforced removals or the subsequent social evils, the sense of ownership that ensued from forcing inhabitants to thererafter pay for their dwelling based on a calculated proportion of household income, is key to understanding this disparity. In comparison, post Apartheid housing policy, framed within a socialist agenda, does not allow for equitable distribution based on income levels and so for the mainly poor and economically inactive inhabitants, there is an absence of this same ownership incentive to either care for or improve the dwellings that they are given. Furthermore, the current National Housing Policy fails to take a holistic approach to the issue since its priority is simply meeting short-term high demand to eradicate the most visible effects of Apartheid. Subsequently, the National Housing Policy has failed to consider how access to education facilities for children, availability of consumer goods and the proximity to commercial activity, jostle with the need for shelter as high priorities for low income households, which fundamentally affects the success of any housing policy. For this reason, several beneficiaries of post Apartheid housing units have sold their homes to raise income to meet more pressing needs. All social housing settlements that formed the sample of this research study have long term viability issues and so replicating any model is problematic. The thesis suggests therefore, that in the future, legislators and policy makers look towards cultivating mixed use housing settlements centred around vibrant commercial, business and retail sites with connecting public transit and pedestrian networks, and various tenure options, including rentals, rent-to-buy and outright purchase. Development initiatives taking into considerations the reforms and recommendations outlined in this thesis could be implemented on housing projects that use developed buffer zones of land that were left over from the Apartheid era housing policy or on "lost spaces" within existing human settlements. The advantages of such a new approach for creating sustainable housing settlements provides an opportunity to link spatially and economically dislocated communities while ensuring beneficiaries and stakeholders in housing settlements meet a wider variety of needs. The conclusion that this thesis draws is that South Africa needs a post Apartheid approach to create sustainable human settlements. The Delphi Study reveals that the strategy to be adopted should represent the expectations of both policy-makers and beneficiaries. Consequently, this thesis proposes a sustainable housing development model and has developed guidelines and processes that take into consideration the many issues affecting housing policies and so becomes a workable tool for future housing professionals. Consolidated and integrated settlements that evolve into socially sustainable communities then becomes a real possibility.<br>Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

International evidence demonstrates that Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprises (SMMEs) play a critical role in the growth and stimulation of developed and developing country economies. Within the South African context, the National Framework for Local Economic Development (LED) aims to support the development of sustainable local economies through integrated government action. This Framework will ensure that SMMEs have an element of support from a local government perspective. With greater responsibility being allocated to local government, interrogating what local authorities could do to support SMMEs is important. The dissertation reflects on the eThekwini Municipality’s approach to this issue by focusing on the support of small enterprises through business linkages, and assesses the role played by Small Business Fairs in this regard. The primary empirical component of the research examines the effectiveness of the municipality’s flagship SMME support initiative – the annual SMME Fair. Over 160 small businesses were surveyed. The survey found in general that the stallholders felt the Fair was beneficial. Apart from the usual problems related to the organization of the Fair, the exhibitors also identified a number of weaknesses that hinted at the municipality’s strategic approach. Much of the frustrations of the respondents were linked to not receiving direct benefits from the SMME Fair in relation to business contacts and increased sales and it is argued that the municipality should explore further the benefits of business linkages. The role of local government in stimulating SMME Fairs to establish suitable business linkages with the big businesses may assist in addressing this major weakness that was identified. The SMME Fair has the potential to provide an ideal platform SMMEs from which to create business linkages.<br>Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Recreation and Tourism degree in the Department of Recreation and Tourism at the University of Zululand, 2009.<br>The differentially-abled tourism market is a niche market that could make a significant contribution to the region’s economy. This market is, however, a largely untapped activity in the study area. An Integrated National Disability Strategy White Paper was published in November 1997 by the South African government as a guideline to cater for those who have physical and related challenges. However, the contents of the strategy are not obvious or known to recreation service providers within the study area. The rights of people with disabilities are protected by the South African Constitution. People with disabilities should be able to access the same fundamental rights and responsibilities as any other South African. People with disabilities are equal citizens and should therefore enjoy equal rights and responsibilities. In line with this, tourism opportunities and equal participation in tourism activities should be the norm but this is not evident in the study area. This study therefore is based on the following objectives. The objectives have been formulated as component parts within the larger research goal. (a) To establish the respondents’ understanding of the meaning and importance of tourism for the differentially-able [physically challenged] in the study area. (b) To investigate the adequacy and provision of recreation facilities and services for the differentially-able [physically challenged] tourists in the study area. (c) To determine the extent to which the differentially-able [physically challenged] tourists visit and participate in recreation activities in the study area. establish the approximate number of differentially able tourist visiting the eThekwini Municipal Area. (d) To ascertain the strategies or management practices, which are used by the Ethekwini Municipal authorities to offer services to the differentially-able [physically challenged] tourists in the study area. (e) To investigate the extent to which recreation service providers are implementing the policy of Integrated National Disability Strategy, relating to recreation service provision for the differentially-able [physically challenged] persons in the study area. Through the postulation of some related hypotheses, the data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings of the research study established that many of the recreation service providers do not cater for this niche market. The activities offered by recreation service providers are geared towards able bodied tourists. Furthermore, many of the service providers are not aware of the contents of the Integrated Disability Strategy White Paper. Some are not even aware of the existence of such a White Paper. Tourism KwaZulu-Natal has conducted some research on the differentially-able market but has been slow to bring on board the relevant service providers. It is the contention of this study that the tourism authorities need to spearhead and be the driving force behind the campaign for empowering the differentially-able tourism related market. It would be in the region’s best interest to target this market, as it would secure sizeable revenue that would create positive spin-offs for the region as a whole. The study closes by proposing some recommendations towards ameliorating the plight of the physically challenged recreators and tourists. Some of these findings are: (a) National and regional tourism organization need to establish guidelines for tourism service providers with regard to tourism for the differentially-abled. (b) Develop tourist areas that cater for the needs of the differentially-abled in terms of transportation, accommodation, access to tourism sites and services. (c) Enlist the assistance of various organisations that cater for varying forms of disability to research the needs and challenges of its members in terms of travel. (d) Develop accessible websites with relevant information for the tourist as well as the service providers. (e) Provide incentives for tourism operators and service providers to cater for tourists with disability. Award prizes to those service providers who cater for the differentially-abled market. (f) Use the Integrated National Disability Strategy White Paper: November 1997 to develop educational and training programmes for tourism service providers. Differentially-abled persons could assist with the development of relevant programmes and could act as advisors.