Theme 3: Creating a prosperous city where all enjoy Sustainable Livelihoods Print

Where do we want to be? 

All citizens in a prosperous Durban earn a decent living and support a sustainable lifestyle.

Targets


Short Term Target (10 years) Medium Term Target (20 years) Long Term Target (50 years)
Unemployment in Durban is reduced by 25% Unemployment in Durban is reduced by 50% People are able to sustain themselves

How will we get there?

Strategy A: Enhancing livelihood choices and prospects of citizens, especially the poor

In a rapidly changing city, people living on the outskirts (both spatially and in terms of exclusion from employment opportunities and access to services) need to be able to explore and develop livelihood strategies.  In many cities, livelihood opportunities are reduced as a result of policy impacts, the allocation of service delivery and the behaviour of other sections of society.  This requires cities to examine their policies and implementation of services to ensure they support diverse livelihood options for poor people.  This may also necessitate changes in how individuals, government and non-government entities operate.  For example the limited electricity options provided to people living in shacks and low cost housing, preventing them from conducting small-scale businesses that requiring levels of electricity much higher than the average household demand (e.g. providing iron services). 

Strategy B: Increase level and diversity of skills that meet local requirements

Basic literacy skills are critical for successful engagement in society and for the pursuit of different livelihood practices. Additional and/or further skills may be required for specific areas of employment.  The widespread distribution of skills related to literacy and numeracy is foundational and these need to be developed to improve employability, especially amongst the young and poor.  Effective action in this field should also seek to promote formal and informal entrepreneurship; as well as an uptake of formal employment in the manufacturing, services and other sectors.  This strategy focuses on the formation of in-house, public and public-private projects promoting the creation of appropriate skills.  

Strategy C: Improving opportunities for small and medium businesses

Whilst Small and Medium Businesses (SMMEs) form an important part of employment creation and business development initiatives, many of these initiatives remain relatively inaccessible to the poor and uneducated, and many people participating in SMMEs. Policies associated with capital provision for and management of SMMEs should be re-configured to create a simpler and more user-friendly framework created (specifically aimed at empowering the poor and uneducated).  The new policy-based context should promote the availability of banking facilities and give rise to facilities for the provision of small-scale start-up capital.

Strategy D: Support local innovation and knowledge development

Societies failing to support knowledge creation and innovation are likely to be marginalised from engaging effectively with the global economy and will struggle to develop appropriate local solutions to local and global future challenges.  Evidence from other countries has shown that leaving the processes of knowledge creation and innovation to chance results in further obstacle to effective local development.  It is also clear that innovation and knowledge development requires new forms of partnership.  Innovation processes should be responsive to social goals.  For instance, the emergence of cell phones in South Africa has generated economic opportunities for many individuals who were unable to access communication services in the past. 

Strategy E: Business retention, expansion and new business growth

Responsible business development, new business formation and investment must be encouraged.  However, cities must carefully balance the imperative to attract and support growing businesses with social and environmental goals.  It is likely that sustained public commitments and new forms of partnerships with business and civil society are needed to strive towards sustainable economies.  For example, encouraging a more creative approach to waste management might require a range of many stakeholders working towards enhancing business conditions, which are aligned to waste reduction practices

Strategy F: Food Production

Global fluctuations in food production as a result of a range of factors result in high prices and food insecurity.  Successful cities have higher levels of food security as a result of more internal food production.  

What should be done?

Action List Individuals Civil Society Business Local  government Provincial & National Government
 
Strategy 3.A: Enhance livelihood choices and prospects for all citizens, especially the poor
3.A.1 Understand ways in which the poor can improve their livelihood options. Create organisations  that can improve members’ livelihood options. Ensure civil society organisations become involved in initiatives.. Open dialogue with civil society and government to understand role of business in supporting livelihood options for the poor. Open dialogue with civil society and business in order to understand the role of local government in supporting livelihood options for the poor.  
3.A.2 Adjust behaviour and policies that pose as obstacles to diverse livelihood and employment options. Adjust household behaviour to improve livelihood opportunities of others e.g. support waste collection by recyclers.  Create partnerships between civil society groups to articulate ways of improving livelihood options for the poor. Design and package developments that provide opportunities and services that support livelihoods. Design service delivery to support livelihoods and improve service packages for informal settlements so that informal businesses are supported.  
3.A.3 Invest in livelihood and employment options for the poor Participate in neighbourhood and city wide initiatives that provide livelihood support to the poor. Create partnerships to support livelihood programmes that promote reduction of household risk and enhance capacity. Use Company Social Investment to support livelihoods enhancement of the poor.  Increase labour intensity of processes. Provision of public space and rebates to entities delivering livelihoods enhancing processes. Expand and deepen public-works programmes. Expand and deepen public-works programmes.
 
Strategy 3.B: Increase level and diversity of skills that meet local requirements
3.B.1 Promote literacy Attend literacy training or volunteer to teach. Establish Literacy Programmes. Provide Literacy Programmes for staff. Establish Literacy Programmes. Establish Literacy Programmes
3.B.2 Understand Skill Requirements Identify the skills required by society, the private sector and the public sector. Promote career guidance.  Schools and tertiary institutions focus on skills required by society. Communicate key skills requirements. Communicate key skills requirements. Communicate key skill requirements.
3.B.3 Internal skills development programmes Pursue education and skills opportunities for you and your family. Commit to decent work standards and lifelong learning for employees.  Commit to decent work standards and lifelong learning for employees.  . Commit to decent work standards and lifelong learning for employees.  Commit to decent work standards and lifelong learning for employees. 
3.B.4 Encourage skills development initiatives Participate in school development activities through supporting programmes of school governing bodies.   Provide support for smaller businesses in skills enhancement and creating decent work arrangements. Choose investment and service delivery options that increase employment and skills development. Provide space and rebates to skills development organisations. Regulate for wider adoption of decent work standards and skills development. 
 
Strategy 3.C: Improve opportunities for small and medium businesses
3.C.1 Support Local Businesses Buy local products and use local services. Promote buying of local products, and supporting local businesses. Buy local products and use local services. Make investment and service delivery choices that generate opportunities for small and medium local businesses. Make investment and service delivery choices that generate opportunities for small and medium local businesses.
3.C.2 Improve conditions for small and medium businesses. Draw on experienced business people and retired business executives to offer mentoring services to emerging businesses. Encourage partnerships between civil society and businesses to communicate ways of improving conditions for small and medium businesses. Encourage small and medium businesses to organise around improved environments for small businesses. Work to reduce unnecessary red tape and improve conditions for the establishment of small and medium businesses.  Work to reduce unnecessary red tape and improve conditions for the establishment of small and medium businesses. 
3.C.3 Access to business opportunities   NGO’s and tertiary institutions to identify and communicate business opportunities to small businesses. Large businesses to create opportunities for small and medium businesses, and improve prospects for small businesses by reducing exclusionary business practices... Create opportunities for networking of small and medium business with large business and government opportunities.  Enable business development close to residential areas. Create mixed use opportunities.  
3.C.4 Finances and business development services     Finance institutions to develop products in support of small and medium business development. Support business development and extension services – especially provision in new areas at a localised level.  
 
Strategy 3.D: Support local innovation and knowledge development
3.D.1 Invest in local innovation Explore new ways of doing things and applications for new technologies. Seek innovative responses to local challenges in different social and economic spheres. Invest in initiatives to develop local knowledge and innovation.. Reward innovation and knowledge development by suppliers and staff. Create an enabling environment for innovation. Use systems of procurement to encourage innovation. Invest in innovation for social imperatives. Invest in innovation for social imperatives.
3.D.2 Create partnerships that promote innovation Pursue innovation in all spheres of life. Encourage Tertiary institutions to partner with others to respond to local needs and pressing local issues. Partner with government and relevant institutions to support knowledge development and innovation. Form partnerships with business and other institutions to support knowledge development and innovation  
 
Strategy 3.E: Business retention, expansion and new business growth
3.E.1Support business sector competitiveness Report poor service levels and sub-standard product to local small businesses to improve competitiveness.   Build collaborative partnerships with other businesses to grow market opportunities and to improve sector competitiveness. Support sector competitiveness by enhancing business environment for local and new business sectors. Ensure alignment with improved social and environmental outcomes.  
3.E.2 Foster partnerships that support business retention, expansion and new growth Local business owners commit to local operating environment. Seek to develop partnerships with government and businesses to ensure responsible business investment. Commit to partnerships with government and civil society in support of improved policy environment for responsible business expansion. Commit to partnerships with business and civil society in support of improved policy environment for responsible business expansion.  
 
Strategy 3.F: Business retention, expansion and new business growth
3.F.1Support business sector competitiveness     Build collaborative partnerships with other businesses to grow market opportunities and to improve sector competitiveness Support sector competitiveness by enhancing business environment for local and new business sectors. Ensure alignment with improved social and environmental outcomes.  
3.F.2 Partnerships that support business retention, expansion and new growth Local business owners commit to local operating environment. Seek to develop partnerships with government and business to ensure responsible business investment. Partner with government and civil society in support of improved policy environment for responsible business expansion. Partner with business and civil society in support of improved policy environment for responsible business expansion.  
 
Strategy 3.G: Food Production
 3.G.1 Grow own food Grow your own food where possible.  Provide information and training on local food production techniques. Establish local agriculture businesses where possible. Provide information and training on local food production techniques. Provide information and training on local food production techniques.
3.G.2 Create markets for local foods Buy locally produced food. Promote consumption of locally produced food. Create local market places for sale of locally produced food. Establish spaces for markets where local food can be sold.  
Use productive land for growing food   Use neglected open spaces for food production   Include productive land for growing food in new developments. Prevent development of agriculturally productive land. Include land for food gardens in housing developments. Make land available and accessible for use as community gardens. Include productive land for growing food in housing developments.

 

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