www.salga.org.za 1 small town regeneration: an approach to unlock rural economies charles parkerson...
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www.salga.org.za
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Small Town Regeneration: An approach to unlock rural
economiesCharles Parkerson
Director: Economic Development
SALGA
22 July 2015
www.salga.org.za
Background
• Small towns face challenges: former homelands: depopulating; transit/commuter towns: not accommodating growth; mining/industrial towns: knowledge economy & tech; coastal or tourism towns: global
• Their role in the urban hierarchy: link between rural and urban economies, primary and secondary sectors, mining, agriculture and agri-processing,
• Definition: population - small urban centres
• STR offers a ‘middle-way’; no rural and urban divide
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Why Small Towns?
• Where people live: almost 50% of national population, more than two-thirds in some provinces
• People: potential and opportunity • Place: social and economic role in rural areas, natural
assets • Institution: local governments, organised business and
civil society organisations
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What is the current STR landscape?
• There are a number of national and provincial government efforts towards STR and rural development
• However there is no single framework/ model towards effective STR
• Existing models are not comprehensive. They are varied between economic sector stimulation and spatial/infrastructure improvement
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Where is the support focus?
Implementation sites• KZN: 31 small towns in 10 district municipalities,
supported by KZN-Cogta (>R230 mil)
• EC: 7 municipalities participating, supported by the EC LGHTA (R2.4mil, previous NDPG support R275mil)
• Limpopo: 1 mining town in Sekhukhune (R1.4mil)
• EDD inception of support to township regeneration
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Where is the support focus?
24 Presidential nodes in 7 provinces (Excl GP & WC), 24 Districts ( some districts already captured by other depts.)
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Existing DRDLR model: a shift from service delivery to economic transformation
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SALGA View: A complement (Model adaptation)
Basic Services & space
transformation
Economic transformation
Enhancing civic pride & awareness
Focusing on Locality specific sectors/markets instead of pre-defined blanket sectors
Organise efforts for optimised initiation of interventions
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What is the SALGA niche?
• Facilitating a consolidated framework and working model for small towns/rural nodes/township regeneration
• People: social consensus, existing skills and re-skilling• Place: local, regional, hinterland, space transformation• Institution:
– Providing capacity support to municipalities (vision orientation vs following funding) for sustainable impact
– service delivery optimisation and revenue enhancement
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SALGA STR efforts in place
• Engaging national & provincial role players on the need for a consolidated small town-township framework
• STR training support to KZN, EC & NW provinces
( Support will be scaled up to more provinces on demand basis to promote vision orientation)• Engagements with chambers to facilitate definition of private
sector role and leveraging support
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What makes for success in STR ?
• Uniqueness of place: each small town is unique• Visioning process: build the vision of the town • Facilitation style: participatory approach, community
meetings (the facilitator taking a backseat). A successful small town regeneration programme is based on social dialogue
• Identification of issues: self-identification of opportunities and problems
• Solution phase: consider viable solutions (feasibilities)• Information distribution: at every stage in the
community language and media platforms
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What makes for success…
• Credibility: a history of talk leading to non-action will create a culture of cynicism. While facilitation, simultaneously negotiate implementation commitments and dates
• Acknowledge: publically celebrated by both the community, municipality and funders to ensure recognition of growth and progress
• This is purely a municipal program (sector departments become supporters or funders, mostly at the municipal request)
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Who should drive STR ?
• District Municipalities: regional approach to development (assists to identify investment nodes in the region); or Regional Development Agencies (>20 existing RDAs)
• Provincial government: policy direction & overall coordination (KZN, EC, WC: started)
• National departments/entities: support & funding (DRLR, Cogta, IDC, DPW)
• Local municipalities : implementation and maintenance
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SALGA’s support
• 3-day practical training available, built from a Small Town model (with SPLUMA applications)
• Support facilitation/ participatory process/ regeneration strategies/ funding facilitation/ implementation
• Link municipalities with expertise and (experienced) service providers
• Same program principles applicable to townships
• Conferences: platform for showcasing implementation in towns and townships
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UPCOMING EVENTS:SALGA STR CONFERENCE
• BACKGROUND
• Inaugural bi-annual SALGA STR conference
• PURPOSE
• Elevating ‘’Small Town’’ to the national spatial and economic transformation agenda
• Institutionalize Small Towns Development as a focal point in Local Government
• Promoting Research and Knowledge Generation
• Mainstreaming Knowledge and Practice
• Develop a platform for exchange among STR practitioners and stakeholders
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DETAILS
• DATE:
– 22-23 October 2015
• LOCATION AND VENUE:
– Free-State - Mangaung
• THEME
– SMALL TOWNS, NEW FUTURES!
• SIZE
– 400 Participants
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Key stakeholders and Delegates
• Mayors and Political Portfolio Heads and Senior Officials for planning/economic development from:
• Mining towns, tourism towns, commuter towns, homeland or agri/rural towns
• NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS (in key provinces):
– COGTA, RDLR, TOURISM
– DTI, DSBD
– DME, DAFF
– NT, DBSA, IDC
– SEFA, SEDA
– ORGANISED BUSINESS (CHAMBERS, BUSA)
– BIG BUSINESS IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES/SECTORS
• Mining, agriculture,transport/logistics, retail
– SECTOR AGENCIES AND BODIES17
