eThekwini: An example of local government paralysis and governance challenges

However, despite these clear frameworks and projects, the city like many municipalities often finds itself unprepared for extreme weather events.

- YURI RAMKISSOON

THE 2022 floods in KwaZulu-Natal laid bare a systemic crisis reflecting how on average, says the author.

(SUPPLIED)

community integration.

There are critical enforcement gaps, where planning regulations and bylaws exist but are ignored by residents in building and extending both formal and informal structures.

Without requisite enforcement, communities, particularly those impacted by the city’s substantial housing backlog, erect houses and other structures on riverbanks and unstable land.

Even formal developments violate planning and zoning rules by erecting structures or making extensions to existing structures without the obtaining permission from the city.

Central to eThekwini’s challenges lies systemic governance, chronic underfunding, a disjoint between political and administrative decision-making, and weak accountability - the story of many of our local government structures. While many in the country suffer from similar challenges, a disproportionate impact on eThekwini exists due myriad factors including the high population, frequency of flooding, and location of the country’s largest seaport.