eThekwini Municipality and traditional leaders unite for land use management
The eThekwini Traditional Rural Spatial Framework and Land Use Management Plan, including the Draft Co-Operation Agreement of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), between the eThekwini Municipality leadership and eThekwini Local House of Traditional Leadership, was approved at a council meeting on Thursday.
Image: Willem Phungula
The eThekwini Municipality has made progress with the persistent planning and land management challenges that it has within the areas under traditional leadership, particularly those that fall outside of the urban development line.
After months of consultations, the eThekwini Traditional Rural Spatial Framework and Land Use Management Plan, including the Draft Co-Operation Agreement of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), between the eThekwini Municipality leadership and eThekwini Local House of Traditional Leadership, was approved at a council meeting on Thursday.
According to the municipality, there is slow and sometimes disorderly development, which slows down spatial and economic transformation and contributes to spatial and economic inequalities.
In terms of location, the rural component of the municipality is 1,500 km, located in the north-west and south-west, and includes several peri-urban areas.
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It comprises approximately 68% of the municipality's spatial footprint and largely falls beyond the urban development line.
The municipality stated that it was not appropriately configured to serve each of the 18 traditional council areas independently and efficiently.
'In this case, it's not just the local leadership discord, as constantly evidenced between ward councillors, their ward committees, and the traditional councils, but also the service authorities across the spheres of government, who disregard the important coordination function assigned to the local government. This adds to multiple layers of authority that confuse the end user,' a report read.
One of the objectives for the municipality was to strengthen relations and cooperation between it and the traditional rural leadership on issues about spatial planning and development.
The framework proposed a spatial and planning approach structured to foster the independent administrative status of each traditional council.
The MOU proposes various institutional arrangements that will improve coordination and accountability of stakeholders.
The municipality stated that the interventions include homestead numbering, road naming, signage, traditional council directions, heritage promotion, and entry or exit point street cameras.
According to the municipality, the current situation is that 90% of homesteads in the study area are unidentifiable, with no street addresses.
IFP councillor Petros Mbonambi said this was the first time in 30 years that traditional leadership has been recognised.
Mbonambi welcomed the initiative and consultative process with amaKhosi, saying that this will help the community.
He wanted to see improvement in health and education facilities, as well as industrial development in these areas.
'If they want to rename the roads, they must not use politicians' names. Rather, use the names of the late amaKhosi. The IFP will keep an eye on this initiative to make certain that it is not used as a tool to repossess land belonging to the amaKhosi. We await the consultative process,' he said.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za
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