Local economic development in the Durban metropolitan area: a comparative study of springfield industrial park and the Inanda development corridor until 2000.

Abstract

My study seeks to look at local economic development as a strategy that can be used to revitalise the economy of Durban, particularly Springfield Industrial Park, which is within the core city, and the Inanda Development Corridor, which is on the periphery of the city. Springfield Park is an example of a small-firm mixed industrial and commercial development launched by a multi-party initiative in 1993, while the Inanda Development Corridor is an initiative driven by a community based forum, the Inanda Development Forum. The question underlying these two case studies is about where and how public sector investment should be focused, in the core or on the periphery, if the greatest benefits in terms of job creation are to be achieved. My conclusion is that investment must focus in both these areas. The reason is that the core itself is economically depressed, thus causing loss of jobs and business confidence regarding the city. On the issue of the periphery, I maintain that peripheral areas need to be developed in terms of ensuring that jobs are created near the places of residence of the poor, who mainly live on the urban peripheries. However, I argue that two problems must be solved. The first one is to address the problem of the lack of infrastructure like roads, electricity, telecommunication lines, etc. in the peripheral areas. The second one - which I think can be attributed to lack of business location near disadvantaged black townships - is the problem of crime. Both problems must be addressed properly and I think local government and communities have the capacity to carry out such a mammoth task.